I also agree whole-heartedly. I used to think that cats should be allowed free roam..... until my oldest boy was hit by a car and nearly died. He was also a master. At one point, I had a place with a screen porch and he would climb up the wooden side and flip the eye-hook latch to get out. Eventually, I moved into a new place. I don't know if it was him getting older or if the arrangement was more difficult, but he never went outside again, unless he was on a harness and constrained to the yard. The other one had a tough time accepting the harness, but he knew it was the only way out and he even liked to walk around the block on a leash. Trust me, people are quite amused to see a person and a cat walking around the neighborhood. Near the end, Dito was so happy just to stretch out in the sun and nibble on grass. But I still kept a close watch in case some other animal or person would get to them. My yard has hedges, but not any fencing.

I can tell my youngest wants out, but he would never allow me to get the harness on him.

Oh, and I avoid neck collars because of the risk of getting caught on something and choking. I have found the smaller dog harnesses work better. That way, there is a cord at the neck, but also the belly, behind the front paws, so even if it did get hung up in some way, it would not squeeze the neck and possibly kill them.

None of my cats have ever tried to actually get through the screens. My porch has a half-wall of concrete and the top half is screened.

There are only a few suggestions that come to mind....

- Do your windows also open from the top? Mine slide up from the bottom or down from the top. That would allow you to get the air and make it harder for him to get out. The gates or cast-iron or whatever sound good, but expensive and lots of work, plus if you rent, that could be a problem.

- Do you have cat grass that he can eat? It could just be that he wants some fresh greens. I have a big planter with cat grass and catnip and my boy loves it.

- Do you think you could get him on a harness and let him get some supervised outside time? Then, he can get some air and sunshine and munch on the grass without the risks of being allowed to roam free.

- Lastly, you might look into an outdoor enclosure to put in your yard if you have one. I've found a few online, mostly do-it-yourself kits or even just designs. But I never got around to it and now my two oldest have passed and the youngest has not been a problem. He absolutely loves sitting on the porch to watch the birds and everything, but he is safe.

I hope this gives you some ideas. It really scares me to think of a cat running free with all the risks of traffic, disease, psycho people that could torture animals. I very firmly believe in keeping them inside and safe.

And it is true that indoor cats live longer than outside. I believe the average is 7 years for outside and 14 for inside. You can look up the facts or ask your vet, but really it is that serious. My two older boys lived to 21 and 19 respectively, which is quite amazing. As much as it hurt to lose them, I am happy that they both had a very long and happy life.