Cat Lovers: Turning indoor/outdoor cats into indoor-only cats :(

[Voice for Peace]

Please, I don't want a debate about indoor vs outdoor. I was firmly committed, until yesterday, to letting my cats outdoors during daylight hours. Even though I worried about them when they were outdoors, I know they never went far; there are few cars in my neighborhood and they drive very slowly; there are woods out back and around us.

I will welcome supportive words from DUers. I've recently decided that my 3 cats have to stay inside from now on, free to roam no more. This makes me sad, for them.

Ultimately it's a nobrainer. Even though they've got all their outdoor shots & vaccinations, and flea/tick protection, they've been bringing deer ticks into the house and I'm getting bitten, maybe have contracted Lyme. I've been going insane for a couple of weeks, finding ticks in the house and on me, seeing ticks in every speck in the house, imagining things crawling on me, on-and-on. So it's finally a choice between my own health and sanity, or letting them be outside in nature.

Because there are also coyotes in our area I'm breathing a sigh of relief overall. I feel like I can cuddle the cats again without fear that ticks are crawling onto me. The deer ticks are so tiny, even though I was checking the cats and myself carefully, it's so easy to miss them. I've been bitten at least four times, and likely more.

But: and I hope some can understand this, I'm feeling some grief for them. So I'm posting just to ask for supportive encouragement. Reassurance that the cats will be fine psychologically & emotionally (I know they'll be fine physically.)

I know I'll have to deal with some pitiful crying, cold shoulders and occasional evil eye. The old female (about 12) was once an indoor/outdoor; then indoor only for a few years before I got her. The two young ones (both under a year) have only been going outdoors since March.

Thanks for reading and your input will be most welcome.
Again, please.. I'm not interested in being lectured or having debates.