# Very over protective of my wildly adventurous kitten



## Sonny's Mum (May 10, 2010)

Hi all,

I have an 11 month old kitten who is just venturing outside (I know its late!)

He has mastered the art of getting out of the cat flap and has had supervised time in the garden however he has already (in 3 days) managed to get himself stuck in between 2 fences (which I have now patched up) but as yet he has not made any moves towards going back into the house.

I am very worried that if I let him out alone that he will either get himself into trouble (he is into everything) or that he will get lost or be unable to get back in through the cat flap.

I am looking for advice and reassurance if there is anything that you are able to offer I would much appreciate it.

He is a pedigree who is very very loved (literally my child) 

Thank you xx


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## The Twins (Oct 11, 2009)

I am not letting mine out - too worried about the main road, railway line and other big bully cats in my neighbourhood - so i cant really advise you on this... Other than to say, its part of the territory of letting them out - the worry, that is!


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## buzzmaster (Dec 17, 2009)

i can sympathise with how you are feeling, my first kitty whom i let out sadly got run over so when my daughter bought me another kitty i vowed never to let him out, but when the nice weather appeared i felt guilty so we took it gently over a few days and he only allowed out when someone is at home, he not as curious as my 1st kitty and this helps and the seems to stay with the boundary of the garden. I found that if you let them out say first thing in the morning i don't feed him and after about 30mins i only have to shake the food pouch and hey presto he there like grease lightning so maybe try that at first, also only let him out when you or someone else is there to watch and ensure he still about as i found by having the back door open kitty feels safe in the knowledge he not shut out and over time will keep coming back to check you are still there.

It a case of following your gut reaction and i have found these few simple rules have so far ensured my little kitty enjoying the outside but also he not out for endless hours so as to then get into mischief, hope this helps. Oh by way i stoy that makes a noise helps bring him in.


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## Sonny's Mum (May 10, 2010)

Thank you. Its good to know that I am not alone. 

I am just worried that he does not want to come home, he is such a loving cat and he is always by my side but as soon as he goes outside its as though I do not exist! 

I am sure that as soon as he shows signs of wanting to come back towards the house I will feel better but for now I will follow advise and stay with him in the garden.

Thank you both for your advice x


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## Shimacat (Feb 14, 2010)

It is a huge worry, isn't it? Does he know his name when you call for him? What we did with our newest cat (9 months old now) was to accompany him into the garden and regularly shake the biscuit container so he knew where home was.

Mind you, that didn't stop him wandering off and he went missing for hours. Eventually we found him next to the neighbour's shed - terrified. He's been quite the homebody ever since and although he goes out, he doesn't venture far now.

I'd say accompany your kitty as much as possible. The suggestion of letting him out when he's hungry is a good one - he'll come home for biscuits!


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## Janee (May 4, 2008)

Make sure he is neutered. If not then he will ge awandering looking for a lady friend.

Yes, it is a concern. Really you have to risk assess and take into your own feelings as to how you would cope if the worst happened.

I let mine out but make sure they are in during the dark hours. And yes, one goes missing every so often and I have to cope with that horrible stomach feeling. But I know she enjoys being out and that where I live is relatively safe.


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## Sonny's Mum (May 10, 2010)

Hi me again!

He is neutered.

He is sooo confident outside and keeps running into neighbours gardens. We have a huge garden for him with lots of plans for him to explore and yet he seems to want to go through any gap possible. 

He has learnt how to get out and yet has not once tried to come back in of his own accord. I tried the food trick which did nothing.

My family are telling me to let him out and just wait even if it takes all day but I am so scared to let him out of my sight. He is such a baby, even though he is nearly 1, I am just so worried that he wont know how to get home or that he will go too far.

What should I do?


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## Stephny691 (Nov 13, 2007)

What kind of pedigree is he? Sorry if you've already said. Depending on where you live and what kind he is I wouldn't let him out lol! 

I've got a Ragdoll and a moggy and both of them are house cats. Frieja (ragdoll) would just get stolen in our area tbh. Cat napping is ridiculously high where I live and that's just for normal cats, let alone pedigrees.

Having said that, if he has sense and seeing as how he loves the outdoors so much- the suggesstions by the others were really good. Letting him out hungry is a brilliant idea lol.
xxx


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## Sonny's Mum (May 10, 2010)

He is a Korat. We have only lived here for 2 years and so I dont know if people would take him, I would hope not!! Its like kidnap - would they steal a child? Awful thought!

I did try the hungry thing but he did not seem at all bothered and when i finally got him back in only seemed to notice the food when I showed him. I tried shaking his bowl to get him back in but he just looked then walked away gain.

My main concern is that on each time he has gone out, he has shown no inclination to go back to the house and I am scared that if I just leave him to his own devices he will be gone for hours and may not find his way home.

Am I just too overprotective? x


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## catzz (Apr 8, 2010)

I think he probably will start wanting to come back in. When I first let mine out, I was guarding her all the time. I would pick her up and bring her back in when I got too freaked out about her wandering and jumping. She got to the point that she would run away when she saw me outside because she really didn't want to come in. It turned in to a "chase me" game. In the end I decided to bite the bullet and just let her come back in when she wanted. Now when she's out, she pops back in every half hour or so just to check we're still here. We get a miaow then she back off out. I think it's a case of if you make a fuss, they make a fuss. The world is such an interesting place when they first go out, they just want to stay out exploring. BUT they do have excellent sense of direction and are very good at following their own scent trails so they almost always find their way home


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## Sonny's Mum (May 10, 2010)

catzz said:


> I think he probably will start wanting to come back in. When I first let mine out, I was guarding her all the time. I would pick her up and bring her back in when I got too freaked out about her wandering and jumping. She got to the point that she would run away when she saw me outside because she really didn't want to come in. It turned in to a "chase me" game. In the end I decided to bite the bullet and just let her come back in when she wanted. Now when she's out, she pops back in every half hour or so just to check we're still here. We get a miaow then she back off out. I think it's a case of if you make a fuss, they make a fuss. The world is such an interesting place when they first go out, they just want to stay out exploring. BUT they do have excellent sense of direction and are very good at following their own scent trails so they almost always find their way home


How old was yours when she first went out? 
I am worried that I left it too late but I just don't know. I suppose that I am going to have to do a leap of faith!?! x


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## lillylove (May 4, 2010)

I started letting my ragdolls out in the garden when I had my 2nd child, because the household was very stressful for them. They always, always came back, and had been housecats for 3 years before that. Sometimes they would go a wandering and we didn't even have a cat flap in the door. Leaving them hungry does work


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## catzz (Apr 8, 2010)

Sonny's Mum said:


> How old was yours when she first went out?
> I am worried that I left it too late but I just don't know. I suppose that I am going to have to do a leap of faith!?! x


I got her from the rescue centre and they said she was 4 or 5 months old. I kept her in for about 5 weeks after that before I started letting her out so around six months. It's difficult though cos the vet thinks she's maybe a couple of months older than I thought she was and also I don't know if she was let out before she was rescued. Judging by her history prior to her rescue I think she probably was let out - or more likely kicked out, poor little thing  Did you say yours is 11 months - that's probably not too late but I'm sure someone who knows better than me will let you know - I'm pretty new to cat ownership


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## Loulabella1 (Nov 18, 2009)

I totally understand what you are going through, my two girls are totally my babies, they are about 8 months old, but not 100%. I was lucky the first week of letting them out they didn't venture out of the garden, but once they discovered they could jump fences there was no stopping them. At first they went out an hour in the morning and then bought back in before I left for work (called in for food which fortunately worked with them, from a young age I always said "din dins" before feeding them so wherever they were in the house they would come running, so it was easy to call them in) and an hour in the eve (again called back for dinner). Then I let them out for whole mornings at the weekend (I went out for a couple of hours which was scary). Now 3 or 4 weeks later they are out from when I get up (7am) to about 7.30 at night, they get fed about 6.30 then have time to go out and poo outside and then I call them back in. It's not always easy and sometimes takes bribery with treats (because they aren't hungry as already eaten calling din dins doesn't work). I'm sure as they get older they will no longer come back every time I call but for the meantime it is working. It is stressful, one kept getting stuck next door and I had to knock to go and rescue her, but they have both quickly learnt to climb 6 foot fences! They don't like it when I lock the cat flap and cry for a bit but within 20 mins they are asleep on the sofa and stay like that the whole eve. Cat flap training is getting there, both can use it to go out but only one will use it to get back in, she will sit by it crying but wont even think about jumping back through it, I'm hoping this wont last forever as I have to tape it open when I'm at work to make sure she can get back in for refreshment / shelter!

Sorry for essay!


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## buzzmaster (Dec 17, 2009)

Seems we can ALL relate to this  and yes they do become like our children as they part of the family, only other week my kitty was happily playing in the garden when out of the blus neighbours staffy dog appeared went for kitty, he literally climbed the wall at side of the house, OH was in garden at time and chased dog out then we found kitty glued almost to fencing near side of house and he was that scared he quite literally pooed all over OH when he managed to prize him off the fence he was so frightened, needless to say neighbour came running over who owns the dog and io told him that not first time i seen his dog roaming around and end of day ANY dog no matter what breed all have ability to attack for what ever reason. 

One thing it did was make kitty very very wary and was few days before he wanting to venture back out but now he pretty much stays within confounds of the garden he does however have a safe route, at back of garden tree and little opening that not visible to anyone apart from seems the local cats  and this route gives him access to fields at back of me but if i pop my head over the fence there is his hiding in the long grass  but he now aware NOT everyone wants to be his friend.

Anyway i have drifted away from what meant to say, your kitty will went to explore everything new and exciting to him and like everyone else has said he may start staying out for say hour but honestly he will soon appear back, mine only goes out when someone is home and he safe in the knowledge the back door open and he pops back just to let me know, it will get easier for you honestly


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## Sonny's Mum (May 10, 2010)

Thank you all. Tomorrow morning I will take that leap of faith and hope for the best. I will be sure to leave the cat flat open but I am sure I will be really jumpy until he gets back in!

I will keep you posted on how it goes x


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