I’m in the midst of a dilemma, and I am curious what other cat people think of my predicament. I have 5 cats and 3 dogs. My oldest cat, Opie, is 6 years old. He is declawed in the front, but he is very unhappy indoors. He has been let out in the past and was born into a stray cat colony. I tried to make him an indoor only cat, but he seems miserable. Opie also is afraid of the dogs even though he was here first. When the dogs were puppies they were afraid of Opie, but now it’s the other way around. They are small dogs, but chase Opie when he runs. Opie basically just goes from one high surface to another when the dogs are around. It’s like he is a prisoner in my home. What he really wants is to come and go as he pleases, but I have no interest in having an outdoor cat. I don’t like when he comes home dirty and covered in leaves (he has medium length hair), or when he brings home birds, or when he gets in a cat fight, and I have to spend $300 at the vet to care for the wounds!
I have found a nice cat person that has offered to take Opie and let him be indoor/outdoor once he gets to know her and his new home. So my dilemma is: do I let him be outside as he wishes, or do I keep him inside living with dogs that he fears (but he’d be safe)?
I’m torn. I do love him, and I’m all he’s ever known. He just seems miserable though, and when he howls all night to be let out, it makes me miserable too. 
