It can only be in a setting where humans have completely modified the environment…then you create a scenario where cats become just another pest species.

I’m not sure what you’re saying here. But, like most suburbs do in fact host some songbirds- especially during migration. Parks, wooded areas, etc. Cats don’t really care if it’s a suburban park or a shitty nature preserve that apartments maintain because they bought the land but it’s wetlands (and set it up as a sort of “we bait deer and racoons and shit so your kids can catch rabies and other exciting diseases pet them.”

There are very, very few places that humans haven’t modified in some way. and I’m not sure they even exist at all.

There’s peregrine falcons that hunt doves in downtown minneapolis (and they’re super fun to watch if you can catch them. Animals can and do adapt to humanity’s bullshit. feral cats are more of that bullshit.

Cats should absolutely not be let out. it’s not safe for the cat (Coyotes, owls. diseases. cars. Just getting stuck. and enviromental exposure.) and it’s not safe for other wildlife (songbirds, rodents. etc,)

Why do they even care? it’s not like your future bosses are going to give a flying fuck how you get your code. at least, they won’t until you cause the machine uprising or something.