Nervous about letting my kittens outside

goodlad

Hey peeps.

Well the title says it all, i just cant bring myself to let my cats out.
I have 2 and they are about 8 months old, they just sit at the back window all day lookin out and i kinda feel bad keeping them in even though they always seem happy.

Their mother always sits outside the back window just looking at them aswell.
The mother was a cat i fed for months (and still do).

I just frar that they will get lost and not know how to come back, or poossibly stick with the mother cat.

About a week ago one of the kittens got out through a window i stupidly left open and he was absolutely petrified when he got out, he ended up running and hiding in a bush!

Am i cruel not letting them outside or is it for their own good?

MsFifers

Well it is a big risk, lets face it. They can wander off and get lost, locked in somewhere, run over, attacked....

I know how you feel though because I had indoor only cats, and when I moved decided to let them out into the garden (which they can't get out of) for an hour at a time. They love it outside, so I think its really nice for them.

Is there any way you can make your garden secure? One person I know has built a cat-pen - a big fenced in area, and they are v. happy out in it.

Your other option is to teach them to get used to a leash. You can bring them out then but you will have to just let them lead you as cats don't tend to go for being "walked".

goodlad

I had actually thought about the cat leash idea, but not to try walk them i guess.
More so i could bring them out the back several times for about an hour so they get used to what "home" looks like from the outside, maybe pick up on the some smells outside the house so they know where to come back to.

They can easily clime out of the garden though, the type of fencing i have is very easy to climb for any cat.

Ah i just dont know! haha! Maybe i will start walking them around the garden on the leash and when they are a year old and a bit bigger i will have the nerve to let them run free.

Redpunto

we have two - theyd be about year and half now and they are compeltely house cats - just big softies. We bring them out once in a while to have a sniff around but otherwise they are compeltely indoors. Too big of a risk and we live right beside the m1 so dont want to risk a squishy squishy

Crafty-Chel

Hey, i was the very same with my kitten when i got him, had him a year before i let him out.. he was always sitting in the window and mad to get out... so i took the plung and put in a cat flap, we shoved him in and out it a few times so he knew what it was for, now he really only goes out to wee, he in most of the time, iv got two others since and they have always come back...

if your really worried about him getting lost you should put butter on his paws and put him outside, this will bug him coz he'll have to clean it off and while he's doing this he looking around and getting used to his surroundings.. its ment to work...

cats are so smart, chances are you will have nothing to worry about..

tallus

I think if you have had a cat indoors for around 4 weeks and fed them well they will learn that they have a good food source.
I have always let mine outdoors after around 4 weeks and they have always come back.

Sage'sMama

I have a cat thats been an indoor cat since we got her 3yrs ago. I walk her on a leash every evening for 40minutes and we are currently building a pen for her. Please consider the option of keeping them indoors and make sure they are neutered. I have lost so many cats and kittens to cars over the years. My mam lost two kittens within a few weeks. Also no matter how smart they are they are still at risk of eating poisonous plants, attacks from other cats/animals and also a threat to wildlife birds etc. Its safer for the kittens to be indoors they will get used to it and they adapt really well and vets recommend it.:)

sorella

We have worked this both ways; indoor and out.

When we moved to a very rural area, we gave the cats full choice and have never regretted it.

ie there was no risk from roads.

Also one ot our present cats can open almost any window catch.

There is risk in anything. But they are happy and healthy and come in and out as they want to now. Very loving and affectionate.

They are in as much as they are out. They know where the food is. And who loves them.

And watching them climb trees is a delight.

We are nearer a small road now, but they seem to hate the noise of tractors.

It does depend on where you live; were this a town, there would be a different policy altogether.

Sage'sMama wrote: »

I have a cat thats been an indoor cat since we got her 3yrs ago. I walk her on a leash every evening for 40minutes and we are currently building a pen for her. Please consider the option of keeping them indoors and make sure they are neutered. I have lost so many cats and kittens to cars over the years. My mam lost two kittens within a few weeks. Also no matter how smart they are they are still at risk of eating poisonous plants, attacks from other cats/animals and also a threat to wildlife birds etc. Its safer for the kittens to be indoors they will get used to it and they adapt really well and vets recommend it.:)