Until fairly recently (1 year, given she is over 10 years old) my cat would make a noise to go out. Then she started finding any corner, and I now have a litter tray, but while she will sit in it, and just watch the world go by, she never uses it so I am being more vigilant (I just wish she would make a noise - she can be noisy if she is hungry).
Over the past 30-40 years I've looked after 3 cats, first a family cat when I was young... she was somewhat wild and had resented being neutered after having kittens. She spent a lot of time outside, mainly in the cemetery behind the house, and would only make a bit of a fuss to come in if there were foxes about, or it was snowing.
Sexond stayed indoors at night, wanted to roam a lot during the day, and was pretty independent. She died age 16. Most recent (after a gap) was a past neighbour's when they were moving and area has wild cats and foxes. Sophia is extremely friendly, can spend hours away, day or night, or goes out for a walk with me on the estate (some people seem to think that a bit odd).
Neighbourhood cats: 4, 1 tom cat out every night (I was unhappy about it when snow on the ground, but family has always handled it that way, and I know he sleeps in the house all morning and most afternoons).
1 young tom, out mostly in the day, wary of strangers and cats. 1 female, lives next door to 'out all night' and sometimes out sometimes in at night, but can jump up into upper section of bedroom window to enter whenever she wants, but has found herself 'stuck' on roof a few times, during the day.
Can see pros and cons of a cat being outside, but I feel sure that given the option most will not use a litter tray if the garden is available. May be unpopular with neighbours, but cats are oblivious to such fussiness, as one might expect :)