wrote
It seems that in the US people are much more likely to force cats to
stay indoors, or take them out on a leash (something I've NEVER heard
of over here and to be honest I think people would laugh over here if
they saw a cat on a lead, but fair play for succeeding in training a
cat to do it), or build these enclosure thingies for them, to protect
the wildlife, also I've never seen one over here.

I'm in quiet rural Cornwall (UK). Having lost my beloved Kensey to
beheading by a farm implement towed behind a tractor (so much wider than
a car so could catch him waiting in the hedgerow) on the quietest of
country lanes, despite his 8 years of traffic experience including the
occasional very near miss/brush, I swore "never again". Bandit, whom I
got from CP aged around 2 and was experienced in the "out" isn't very
confident and lurks within yards of the house, so moves freely during
the day. Pericles (RB from the FIP virus), Snowball and soon Claudius
was/is/will be harness & flexilead trained and did/does/will go
"walkies" around the garden and even the village as & when they want.
Big red Pericles was a talking point in our community as he led me for
miles around the local footpaths etc.

With our local keen gardeners all being hostile to cats (digging &
pooping) & using lethal slug pellets etc. it isn't only traffic & foxes
that can kill, even in the most peaceful rural area.

So I've adopted the safety-first American approach. Nearly everyone I
talk to knows _someone_ who leash-walks a cat, esp. in towns etc. so it
seems to be getting more common.

If I could resolve border issues with my neighbours I'd try to instal a
cat-proof fence around the whole (small) back garden, but with dividing
lines being theirs & consisting of sheds etc. it's practically
impossible. My "boys" thus get a quieter life than they might like
ideally, but certainly a longer one.

Purrs

Gordon, Bandit, Snowball, Claudius & Raki