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"Once an outdoor cat, always an outdoor cat." That is true in many cases, but there are exceptions. One of my cats is a rescued feral -- he spent the first six months of his life outside, but has been an indoor cat (as all of mine are) ever since, some 13 years on, and has never shown any sign of wanting to go outside.

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Our cat was an indoor cat for 12 years until we moved to a house with a garden - now he is quite happy to wander about our garden but never goes outside that area unless we are with him. I was quite surprised at how territorial he is - e.g. chasing neighbour's dogs out of our garden.

I think "outdoor cat" in this context means a cat that lives inside with a human but is allowed outside, i.e. a cat that spends time outside but still has a safe place to call home. A feral cat is quite a bit different, and I'm not surprised that a previously feral cat would greatly value the safety and security of an all-indoor life.

There are mid-ways.

We have 1 cat that is "internal" i.e. can enter the house (and is normally given food inside) but of course is free to go outside in the garden and 3 cats that are "outdoor" cats, meaning they won't enter the house but are always around the house and are fed as well (outside).

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