Why You Should NOT Let Cats Outside.

Keeping Cats Safe.    http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/cat_care/keep_your_cat_safe_at_home_hsuss_safe_cats_campaign/bringing_an_outside_cat_in.html

“For the cats themselves, unrestricted freedom to roam can lead to abbreviated life spans. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) estimates that the average lifespan of a free roaming cat is less than three years, compared to 12–15 years for the average indoor-only cat.
Free-roaming cats are hit by cars and other vehicles; succumb to rabies and other diseases; ingest poisons on chemically treated lawns, in bait left out to kill rats or mice, and in auto antifreeze that leaks from cars; are attacked by other cats, dogs, and wild predators such as coyotes; and sometimes are victimized by cruel humans.”

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Even if your cat does survive, the vet bills are enormous.  Another good reason why NOT let your cat outside:
http://www.pawnation.com/2010/01/13/cat-hit-by-car-braves-cold-to-crawl-home-on-broken-legs/?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl3|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pawnation.com%2F2010%2F01%2F13%2Fcat-hit-by-car-braves-cold-to-crawl-home-on-broken-legs%2F

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This happened to my Honky.  I used to let Bobcat and Honky, my white cat, out in the mornings, then they would come in for their breakfasts.  One day Honky didn’t show up until the afternoon.  He had pulled himself home by his front paws, he couldn’t walk, but he crawled home to me.  I carefully put him in a carrier with the top removed, and took him to the vet.   X-rays showed that his pelvis was smashed beyond repair and he had to be PTS. 
I was heartbroken. I had found him as a stray, or lost cat, in the woods, and he was terrified of people.  I gradually won him over and brought him home to live with me.  He was neutered, vaccinated and he became a very loving, devoted cat who would purr, brush his face against me, and snuggle with me.  On a cold night he would get right under the covers.
I should never have let him outside, he might still be here today.

Too late, but that is when I enclosed the porch with screen, so Bobcat would have a place to watch the outdoors.

When camping or traveling, Bobcat and Honky always wore harnesses with my cell phone # on it, and were on  leashes at the campgrounds.  They liked to sit at the picnic table with us and the dogs.
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If you pet should get seriously hurt, here is a list of organizations who will provide financial help: http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html
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CHECK THE HOOD!!
During the winter, cats sometimes sleep under the hood of your cars or in the garage where it is warm and comfortable. You should be aware that the antifreeze is of particular concern, as it can be deadly for cats that lick it from garage floors. If your cat sleeps under the hood of your car, when you start the motor she could get caught in or flung about by the fan belt, causing serious injury or even death. To prevent this, bang loudly on the hood and sides of your car before turning on the ignition to give the cat a chance to escape.
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Common Household Dangers for Pets:

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/common_household_dangers_pets.html
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Lost pet recovery:   For more details on pet recovery strategies, visit missingpetpartnership.org.

Safe, Not Sorry

“Cats and dogs can easily slip through open doors, bolt in a panic, claw through window screens, and go over and under fences. That’s why it’s critical that you take these steps to safeguard your companions:
Always have a collar and ID tag on your pet with your current phone number and address. Pet detective Landa Coldiron recommends that if your animal is shy or skittish, include on the tag, “I’m shy, not abused.” Her dogs’ collars also feature the word “Reward” in English and Spanish. “I don’t want there to be any doubt that my dogs have a loving owner who wants them back,” Coldiron says.
Have your pet microchipped, and make sure you register the chip and keep your contact information up to date. (But never rely on the chip as a sole form of ID; your pet may not be lucky enough to end up at a facility with a scanner that can read it.)
Keep recent photos and a detailed description of your pet on hand.”
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Then there are the birds to consider:
From: http://www.umd.umich.edu/dept/rouge_river/cats.html
“Free-roaming cats clearly have an impact on wildlife!  If each outdoor cat only killed one bird per year, it would equal over 60 million birds annually. 
CHANCES ARE you're not the only one delighted with the songbirds in your backyard. Your neighbor's tabby cat—or maybe yours—is eyeing them, too, and with lethal intentions. Of the 73 million pet cats in the United States, an estimated 40 million roam outside unsupervised. Throw in feral cats—the unsocialized offspring of discarded or lost pets—and as many as 100 million cats are on the loose. "These cats could easily be killing 100 million songbirds a year," says Al Manville, wildlife biologist at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Management Office.”
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Here is an interesting 5 minute video from RealWorldGreen.com  about keeping cats indoors:
http://www.5min.com/Video/Save-the-Birds-Keep-Your-Cat-Safe-56670283
Also cats can carry bird flu:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/09/0902_040902_birdflu.html
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I really miss Honky, and you don’t want that to happen to your cat, so please keep your cat, and the birds, safe today.