# Want to let my cat out



## Angeluk3 (Nov 15, 2010)

Hi all. My cat is 5 months old and has had her injections and been spayed(sp?)
I haven't had a cat before and have no idea on how you start off letting them out. I'm worried that she won't come back.

How do you start letting your cat out?

Thanks in advance

Gemma


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## Guest (Feb 6, 2011)

I would still keep her in for a few months as 5 months is very young to be letting her out, but if you are going to do it, do it in short bursts and when she's hungry so she returns quickly with the lure of food/treats.


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## Amethyst (Jun 16, 2010)

GreyHare said:


> I would still keep her in for a few months as 5 months is very young to be letting her out, but if you are going to do it, do it in short bursts and when she's hungry so she returns quickly with the lure of food/treats.


Excellent advice above :thumbup:

I'd simply add, begin by letting her out early morning and refrain from allowing her outdoors beyond the afternoon. You don't want her out alone at night if possible. As said she is still very young, little more than a kitten and Tom cats will still pursue a spayed female sometimes, this little one will be too small to chase them off.

Personally, I too would wait at least a couple of months (at least!) before allowing her access outside 
Also remember many cats are happy to live indoors :thumbup:


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## new westie owner (Apr 30, 2010)

Sorry not sure my cat was indoor cat all her life


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## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

I went out with mine into the garden for a short periods of time then call them back in. They build their own confidence and start to go further a field. All my cats would come back to their name. They also seem to have a built in clock and know when to come back. If they were out through the day they would be waiting for me at the gate.

I never forced them out, and I was able to gauge the weather if they went out so did the washing, if they didn't it was more than likely going to rain. :thumbup: 

I agree with other posters 5 months is a bit too young.


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## Milly Cat (Nov 20, 2010)

We've been letting our cat out since she was about 6 months old, i.e. as soon as she had recovered from her spaying. The vet thought this was perfectly acceptable. We started by taking her out for 10-15 minutes before feeding time and playing with her in the garden and at weekends if we were working in the garden she'd come out with us. At some point your cat will disappear over the fence, but don't worry as in our experience they don't venture far as they are too nervous. After a few weeks of this we put a cat flap in and she was left to decide whether she wanted in or out. I make sure she is locked in at night as I'm not happy with her being out in the dark, though obviously at the moment she gets an hour or two out in the dark until we get home. I'd recommend putting a collar on your cat (make sure it's a safety collar) even if they are microchipped - that way if your cat is found by a neighbour looking a bit lost it's much easier to trace you rather than having to get the cat scanned. We might have been luckier than some as a neighbour's cat took Milly under his/her wing and they go off along the row of gardens exploring together.


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## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

Milly Cat said:


> We've been letting our cat out since she was about 6 months old, i.e. as soon as she had recovered from her spaying. *The vet thought this was perfectly acceptable.* We started by taking her out for 10-15 minutes before feeding time and playing with her in the garden and at weekends if we were working in the garden she'd come out with us. At some point your cat will disappear over the fence, but don't worry as in our experience they don't venture far as they are too nervous. After a few weeks of this we put a cat flap in and she was left to decide whether she wanted in or out. I make sure she is locked in at night as I'm not happy with her being out in the dark, though obviously at the moment she gets an hour or two out in the dark until we get home. I'd recommend putting a collar on your cat (make sure it's a safety collar) even if they are microchipped - that way if your cat is found by a neighbour looking a bit lost it's much easier to trace you rather than having to get the cat scanned. We might have been luckier than some as a neighbour's cat took Milly under his/her wing and they go off along the row of gardens exploring together.


A little thing like a small inexperienced, immature kitten getting up to mischief will bring in great revenue for a vet 

Personally I would not advise anyone to let a cat out before they are 10-12 months old. Even then you have to think really careful about whether it's mature enough to realise some dangers.

Plus don't forget there is no rule that says any cat has to go outside. 
Folks keep kitties indoors all their life and they are no worse off for it. Or you could even build a run for your little friend, keep them safe but also provide them with some fresh air


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## Shrap (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi, I would definitely wait until she's a bit older, even if she looks desperate to get out!
The thing is that, even though some vets apparently say it's alright. They're only thinking from the pregnancy/roaming side of it.
A fox would DEFINITELY go for a kitten of this age. One because of it's size, and two because food is scarce right now. Wait until she's a bit older and the weather starts to warm up a bit.
Until then though, you can get her used to your garden.
Get her a harness and take her out on it! That way she won't run off and she can get used to the great outdoors.
When you do eventually let her out, as the others have said, let her out hungry and in the morning (after rush hour). Get a routine going when you shake the box of dry food and call her name, get her to come running! That way you can get her in if you need to when she's out on her own.

Please take everyone's advice and keep her in until she's at least 9-10 months though. And do use your judgement about how she reacts to cars. If she doesn't seem phased, rethink letting her out on her own. Try to find a way to make her scared of traffic so she won't run across roads.

Good luck


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## Chez87 (Aug 11, 2010)

Don't let her out yet, leave it at least a few more months until she is big enough to stand up for herself.

I'd also recommend taking her out on a harness for a few weeks before you let her out on her own so she can get used to being outside and get used to the smells but there's no chance of her running off before she knows her way around.


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## jill3 (Feb 18, 2009)

Far too young to be let out. I think maybe in a few months when the weather is warmer.
Then I would get a harness and walk her around the garden a couple of times each day letting her smell things and to get to know your garden.
Then on a warm day when you are in the garden weeding etc., i would let her roam freely.
Letting cats have their freedom is all very well but if you live near a busy road then maybe put some cat proof fencing up so they can roam safely in your garden.


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## gobubbles (Oct 14, 2010)

I let my kitty out when she was 5 months old. I used a harness for a few weeks, and after that I let her out only for a couple of hours a day. Now I still only let her out in full daylight, never when it's dark. However, we're fortunate in that there are no main roads near where we live, and she is terrified by cars. Better be safe and put up something like this Cat Fence: Purrfect Cat Enclosures and Cat Fences if you live in a busy area. She's always been so happy when outside that I've never had the heart to keep her in permanently.


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## Lulus mum (Feb 14, 2011)

We have 3 cats,2 are 14 ,Rigsby and Dougal and 1 ,Ollie is only 6.
Rigsby was the only 1 who was ever allowed out on his own-he had the same routine every a.m-out of the back door,over next doors fence ,back to our front door to be let in.I would wait for him to come to the door,worrying like a mum with a child who had just gone to play with a friend for the first time!!!!

Then 1 day he decided to walk on the road-I saw him but was too late to stop him being run over,I saw it and it was terrible
.He had a broken jaw,lost a canine tooth ,etc and had to go to a Vet.Hospital for treatment .He spent 10 days there .Big bill which we are still paying for on a credit card!!!!!!

Dougal we took out on a harness,then in the summer he comes out in the garden for a short time,with BOTH of us watching as he is so quick.He enjoys this and is happy to go in for his food afterwards
We do the same with Ollie as we do with Dougal.

You have had good advice here.I would think about whether you need to have a cat who goes out-could you face the trauma of him being killed -traffic,stupid people etc etc,Or him disappearing and you never know what had happened to him
My Rigsby now never wants to go out and I certainly wouldnt want him to,as seeing him being run over broke my heart-he was 13 when it happened and had had his little routine for a good few years.
I cant understand why anyone lets their cat out at night-too many dangers in the dark!!!!!!!
To go to bed ,knowing your cats are warm and safe and not at the mercy of anything/anybody which could hurt them is a lovely feeling 
from Maureen


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## jenny armour (Feb 28, 2010)

i would agree with above, and when and if you let your cat out, let her out before she has eaten, then she will come back because she will be hungry


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

I would strongly suggest that you start training your cat to come to your call...or a whistle, or the rattle of a biscuit box etc. Use this 'trigger' sound every time you feed a meal or a treat, or initiate a play session. This habit will prove invaluable in allowing you to locate and recall the cat once it starts going outside. ( of course the little beggars only respond when it suits them! )


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## BigTourist (Feb 25, 2011)

Hi all. I've noticed a few posters advising not to let a cat out at night as it's too dangerous - could someone explain why it's more dangerous at night? I always let my two moggies out at night and call them in when I'm going to bed, usually between 11pm - 1am.

Thanks


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

BigTourist said:


> Hi all. I've noticed a few posters advising not to let a cat out at night as it's too dangerous - could someone explain why it's more dangerous at night? I always let my two moggies out at night and call them in when I'm going to bed, usually between 11pm - 1am.
> 
> Thanks


At night time there are usually more predators about that might take on a cat. Also being dark it is more difficult for a driver to see a cat on the road, especially a darker coloured cat.
Calling them in before you go to bed is a good idea rather than them being left out all night. I think the days when people used to put the cat out at night are long gone - at least I hope so.


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## Jansheff (Jan 31, 2011)

Hhmmmm ... the only one of mine which does go out, does so at night. I think it depends on your location and you are in the best position to judge really when its safest. I believe it's very difficult to generalise in this way, our road would be 10x as dangerous at 4 pm in the afternoon than it would at 9 or 11 pm in the evening. 

I choose to let him out at night, because, although we live on a very quiet side road, it does get used as a short cut during rush hour and school runs. At night it is very quiet, only residents use it, so I feel that anytime from 8 pm ish, after the busy traffic has died down, is the safest time on our road. He is never out for more than about half an hour though, never overnight and we would never go out unless he was safely inside. I think if you're not in and the cat returns hoping to get back in and finds the house empty, it just encourages them to stay out longer and wander further.

We're very suburban, with a huge garden which he mostly stays inside, and although I did see a fox once about 4 years ago, there's been no evidence in the rest of the 13 years we've been here. I know you can never definitely say anywhere is safe though, what's to say a rottweiler won't find itself in our garden one day?

If I had my way Raffles would be an indoor cat, like the other two, but he came as almost an adult from the rspca. He's my "conscience" cat -I desperately wanted a Burmese after seeing and playing with a friend's cat (and needed a very shorthaired cat because of asthma) but felt guilty about buying a pedigree when there are so many homeless cats in shelters. In the end I reasoned with myself that if I adopted a rescue cat AND bought a Burmese I wouldn't feel so bad. I looked around for a moggy as shorthaired as possible and found Raffy at the RSPCA, who was almost fully grown, used to going outside and I didn't think it was fair to impose a different lifestyle on him. 

Then ended up with TWO Burmese as well! They are equally loved and Raffy now thinks of himself as an honorary Burmese.

How did I get onto all that on a thread about letting cats out at night??! Sorry :blush:


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## BigTourist (Feb 25, 2011)

Teehee @ Jan's rambling, it's all good  

I see your point about preditors. I'm about to move from a very built up, suburban area of Leeds into a remote village in the countryside. The house we're moving to is on a farm and my moggies are going to LOVE it but think I might keep them in after dark as I'm sure there will be lots of foxes around there!


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## troublecat (Feb 1, 2011)

BigTourist, if you are moving to a farm you might need to be wary of the farmer's dogs, too - some are bred for ratting and catching rabbits and won't be put off by a a cat's claws. A farmer mate of OH's has a jack russel and he's very dodgy around cats.


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## BigTourist (Feb 25, 2011)

Thanks troublecat, I hadn't thought of that either! The farm owner lives in the house next door and has a young cat and a young dog that live together so hopefully that won't be an issue, it's the foxes I'm worried about :-/


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