Am I the only one who gets anxious about cats going out?
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@DMcat I don’t think you are as while they are in your charge, you want to make sure they are safe and secure. When outside and not in your sight, there is always going to be an anxiousness about where they are, are they okay, are they coming back? This is normal.
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Personally, we prefer indoor/outside cats. Seeing a cat spend most of its time looking at the great wide world and all the adventures it has to offer through a pane of glass is a sad sight indeed.
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No, I read about indoor/outdoor cats and get terrified. What if the cat doesn’t come home by bedtime? That might be normal but I think I would go crazy unless told in advance.
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Like you, I prefer inside/outside cats. There have only been a couple of cats who did not return at night but, as the owners had warned me, I was not particularly worried. Sure enough, they appeared the next day ready for a meal.
I found it distressing watching an inside only cat in Edinburgh at the window longing to get outside. I had to be so careful when opening and closing the front door in case an escape was attempted.
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I recently took care of an indoor/outdoor cat for the first time this January and February. I was kind of anxious at first about it because of all the reasons mentioned in this thread already. The owner said that the cat MUST be in by nightfall too, which put on more pressure. I took the leap. It turned out really well.
I prefer indoor cats because I don’t want them to bring back dead wildlife, like birds. They can kill all the mice and rats they want and other overpopulated pests, just the other wildlife would upset me.
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We have looked after a few indoor/outdoor cats and they’ve always come home for their feed. Sometimes haven’t seen them for days but the evidence of empty feed dishes say they have returned. They are natural hunters so check with the owner about how long after the cat’s disappearance before you should be worried. Also ask about the neighbours who the cat likes to visit as it’s common for cats to have many drop in centres around the neighbourhood.
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No, you are not alone in feeling anxious about cats going out. Many cat owners experience anxiety about their cats going outside, as there are various risks associated with outdoor exploration, such as getting hit by a car, encountering other animals, getting lost, or getting into fights. Some owners choose to keep their cats indoors to minimize these risks, while others opt for supervised outdoor play or harness training. It is important to weigh the benefits and risks of outdoor access for your cat and make the decision that is best for their health and safety.
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I worry about it too, even though my best friend has always had a menagerie of indoor/outdoor cats, and they’ve been fine. But since our sits tend to be in more rural areas, where there are predators, it does worry me.
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Would be stressful when cat-sitting. It depends on whether they can let themselves in/out, there’s evidence of them coming home (when you’re not looking) and what their normal behaviour is.
My most recent cat - an elderly ‘failed’ foster - liked me to open the front door at night, on our way to bed, just so he could glare at the neighbourhood. Then he would trot happily upstairs with me and spend the night on the opposite corner of the bed (he was a very polite cat).
But just once in awhile he would take the opportunity to skip out into the night - arrgh! I dont have a cat flap so my only solution would be to leave the front door open and get ready for bed - and sit in bed!!! - waiting for him to come home. Wretched cat 
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Hi @Eloise. Welcome to our special community here in the forum. I’m glad you found us and have jumped in with your perspective on indoor-outdoor cats.
I can’t tell whether you’re a TrustedHousesitters member. If you’re not but have questions about joining, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Again, welcome to our community.
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I have not applied for any sits with cats who are allowed to roam outdoors. If the cat failed to come home, it would be horrible and I feel the owner might blame the sitter. Would prefer to avoid that stress.