Trully, the debate of restraining pet cats is nowhere near closure.
My friend and I debate endlessly. She insists that the best way to keep her suburban cats is indoors so they can be healthier and live longer.
I insist all my country animals have the choice to go in and out-of-doors because a short life of freedom is better than a long life imprisoned. Cats are very easy to replace.
In short, we all raise our animals according to our own values. We must all accept and adapt.
I have recently forbidden a neighbor boy from coming into my yard. Recently, after sitting with me for quite some time inside my fenced backyard, he started encouraging his leashed Labrador to become excited over my chickens and ducks. We discussed this for awhile, and I pointed out that he would not want the dog to dismantle his own flock, nor is it good for the dog that already lives a life of confinement because he is not properly socialized or exercised. On the way out of my yard, the boy tromped through my gardens, chasing my ducks out into the driveway, where the boy continued encouraging the dog to chase my ducks until the dog got a mouthful of one of my Pekins.
The next day, the father called to attack me in defense his son who has begun training the dog to ruthelssly kill Canadian Geese.
The next day, the loose Lab came over to chase the ducks again. I had to "bad dog" the poor Lab and send him home. The dog had previously been socialized with all my birds and never before posed a threat.
The moral of this story is that we have the same problem - the human neighbors. Presently, my neighbors are upsetting themselves to no end in country-fued style silliness. While I find intentional cruelty to my pets (and mistreatment of the Lab) a great horror, I am trying to remain calm (or at least appear calm). What we resist persists. Sometimes, it is best to stop fighting and try cooperation. Have you tried getting those visiting cats and your birds on friendly terms somehow?