The world is a dangerous place for animals. Dogs and cats should never be allowed to run at large. Two cats are recent additions to our cat house and both suffered because they were allowed to roam. While we don't know their histories or how their injuries occurred, neither cat would have suffered had they been cared for and kept indoors.
Tootsie the cat was found starving under a U.S. Forest Service building. She was obviously in pain. She had multiple broken bones, including hip, knee, pelvis and tail bone. She had also been shot with a pellet gun. She is very sweet and loving and was obviously somebody's pet. Fortunately Tootsie is recovering nicely at the shelter.
Fuzzy was dumped with three other cats. His tail was badly damaged and so infected it had to be amputated. He was infested with fleas and ear mites. Fuzzy was unneutered and may have been injured in a fight. He is also very social and loving, another pet left to fend for himself.
We see so many animals, like Miracle the cat, hit by cars and enduring grievous and painful wounds and broken bones. While responsible dog owners are careful to keep their animals behind fences or on a leash, cats are commonly allowed outside. The prevailing myth is: cats need to go out; they need to hunt and climb trees. When the cat disappears, it is assumed that he/she ran away. It's more likely he was hit by a car, attacked and injured or killed by dogs or wildlife, became ill and crawled under a bush to suffer and die, is trapped in a neighbor's shed or garage, or was shot.
The average life span of an inside-only cat is 15 years. Contrast that with the life span of inside/outside cats: 4 years. Inside-only cats are just as happy, cleaner, have fewer parasites, and live much longer than those allowed to roam. Please, spay or neuter your animals and be their responsible caregiver. They depend on you to keep them healthy and safe.
