I can see how cats in the city would be more of a concern but I live in the country and our outdoor cat is treated like a superhero around here. Most of my neighbors are summer cottages which tend to not be built as tight as a full time house. If it were not for my cat, they would be infested with chipmunks who love to nest in them in the winter.
He wanders around all the neighbors on his 'patrol' getting treats, cheese, bowls of milk, etc. from all of them. Quiet a life for a cat.
When I accidentally ran over his leg one time and he had to recover for months indoors, neighbors actually kept coming down to check on him, bringing him bags of treats and saying that they were having mice and chipmunk problems again since he went on "sick leave".
I only wish I was as popular in my neighborhood as my cat!
