Indoor cat vs Outdoor cat health, who is healthier

I've been thinking about the difference between cats raised indoors versus cats raised outdoors. Meaning living inside or out since birth to about a year, then both compared as indoor cats, which cat is overall healthier?

I have one cat that was picked up as a tiny kitten and lived an indoor life, the other spent first two years fully outdoor cat. They are both indoor cats now but just to compare I'll call one indoor the other outdoor.

Fleas , indoor cat reacts badly to flea bites and looses hair, outdoor cat shows just has slight scratching but no visible irritation from fleas.

Indoor cat only eats dry food refuses everything else, drinks more water than usual . Outdoor cat eats anything offered and has a hearty and varied appetite , normal drinking level.

Outdoor cat has ear problems from past ear mite infestation, indoor cat never had ear mites and has very clean ears and rarely if ever has wax buildup or ear infections.

Outdoor cat is overly stomach sensitive to cheap dry cat food, indoor cat eats any dry food and doesn't bother stomach at all.

Indoor cat craves grass constantly and rarely coughs up a hairball without grass, outdoor cat rarely craves grass and frequently expells hair balls.

Indoor cat has little hunting behavior, outdoor cat excels and is excellent hunter.

Outdoor cat seems to get sick more often than indoor cat, catches things easier.

Outdoor cat is less overweight than indoor cat even thought outdoor cat eats more, however outdoor cats diet is more balanced.

Outdoor cat has slight asthma to indoor environment, indoor cat has no indoor allergies.

Outdoor cat has very strong heart, indoor cat is average (vet said this not sure if has to do with how they are raised).

Outdoor cat seems smarter at problem solving especially when it comes to avoiding the cat carrier, out of 10 difficulty is 10, indoor cat is about a 2, runs and freezes in fear and you can just pick him up without a fight.

Introducing outdoor cat who at first lived a solitary life but was raised with siblings and mom and sometimes ran into other cats, to indoor cat who lived solitary life but grew up as a kitten without siblings or mom cat, the two together at first did not know proper way to be social to one another and was a nightmare! Outdoor cat eventually became in charge and taught indoor cat how to act with other cats and body language of other cats he had never seen before, he learnt and peace was initiated.

I think their are pros and cons to each lifestyle, but I have had many cats and all the differences you noticed could just be because of the differences in their genetic makeup and not just the environmental. It's definitely much safer for an inside cat, I do believe they live longer and are more stress free. I think neutering and spaying plays a big role in a cats overall health too, fighting all the time over a female and bearing litter after litter can't be good for anyone's health! Outdoor cat is probably better at problem solving because  he had to to survive. That's why it's important to stimulate an indoor cat with different activities, no body's happy when they are bored! I would think the only real test would be to have twins raised one indoors and one out and see what differences come up. You make a really interesting point! Thanks for your post.

I think you need more cats.  I have 4 indoor cats and all of them are different and have different issues like you described for both indoor and outdoor.  I recently picked up a stray who tested FIV positive and I've seen several of my neighbors outdoor cats "disappear".  I'd give indoor cats the slight edge over outdoor cats overall, but there are plenty of outdoor cats who outlive indoor cats.

It depends on the cat, what toxins/vaccinations/kibble it is exposed to and it's genetic makeup.  My dad had a strictly outdoor cat live to be 22 years old, 3 of those years was with end stage kidney failure.  I have 5 indoor only cats, 3 of them who have had more exposure to vaccines/chemicals have health issues as opposed to my younger 2 who haven't been as vaccinated who are healthy as can be.