There are birds to watch and chase, rodents to hunt, and plenty of nice sunny spots in which to relax. There are also more risks to the health of the cat. Exposure to disease is one such risk. Feline Leukemia Virus is carried by a good number of outdoor cats and can be fatal to an unvaccinated cat that is exposed. As such, it is essential that any cat which will be living outside, part or full time, or which may escape from home be fully vaccinated.
Cars are another major outdoor risk to cats.
While most cats are cautious of the sights and sounds of cars and traffic and actively avoid them, it is not uncommon for a cat to get suddenly scared by something else and in running away from the source of their right head right into the street. The largest and most common threat to outside cats comes, however, from other outside cats. If another cat intrudes while the hometown cat's around, there are often confrontations. There may be screaming, hissing, hair raising, back arching, swatting, or biting. They will often stand or sit near one another, intensely watching each other till one moves or turns to get away, and then the other strikes.