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Letting kittens out for the first time

  • 01-11-2016 5:18pm
    #1
    jenn1984
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,104 ✭✭✭


    Hi Folks

    I'm looking for advice on letting out kittens for the first time. I have 4 kittens from 2 different litters (two 5 month old and two 6 month olds). The only female kitten was spayed a week ago and the two spayed mammies live inside with the kittens but go out regularly. I'm wondering if the autumn/winter weather is a reason to keep them in a while longer? We're letting them out for a few minutes at a time while we VERY closely hover but we're afraid to go further then this. Any advice would be appreciated :)

    Jenn


Comments

  • #2
    Ms Doubtfire1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,422 ✭✭✭Ms Doubtfire1


    Males can be sexually active very early - I wouldn't let them out until they are all neutered.Furthermore, letting the boys out now will encourage them to start territory marking - something they will repeat inside even a while after they are neutered....I'd wait for a while. :-)


  • #3
    intheclouds
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,175 ✭✭✭intheclouds


    Absolutely terrifying imo!!

    We rescued a cat who was living outside and she stayed in with us for 6 months but she wanted to go out so we started with VERY close hovering over her out - she was about 18 months at the time mind you and had had kittens of her own when we found her so it wasnt like it was new to her. We were terrified she would just disappear. She was neutered by is when we found her - I wouldnt let an unneutered cat out at all.

    Anyway, we started letting her go out just before her dinner. So she would only go a short way and then come back looking for dinner. Eventually one Saturday morning I was hoovering her bedroom and she went out and I basically cried for 40 minutes and then I saw her little face at the window and there she was!

    So we got smart then and we would let her out, and after 20 minutes or so open the door to let her in and as she came towards me I would blow a whistle so she associated that with coming in. Nearly 2 years later now if she isnt there when i open the door I blow the cat whistle and she shows up a couple of minutes later.

    During the summer she might go out for a couple of hours but she will hang around the back door. This time of year she goes out for 15-20 minutes and thats it.

    We have had a couple of occasions where she disappeared for longer than expected and we have gone looking but she always just appeared then.


  • #4
    jenn1984
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,104 ✭✭✭jenn1984


    Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »
    Males can be sexually active very early - I wouldn't let them out until they are all neutered.Furthermore, letting the boys out now will encourage them to start territory marking - something they will repeat inside even a while after they are neutered....I'd wait for a while. :-)

    One of them is territory marking already - well we think he is. He has been peeing around the house on anything that is left on the floor but uses the litter tray for number 2's. Neutering is definitely on the cards but we couldn't afford to get them all done at once so got the mammies and the female kitten done over the last few months. Two of the boys aren't too bothered about going outside and one of the boys is chomping at the bit - although he escaped twice for a few minutes at a time and when we retrieved him, he was terrified!


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