# Recently spayed kitten. How long before I let her out?



## steve70 (Dec 11, 2011)

Hi all, noobie here.
We just had our kitten spayed 2 weeks ago and wondered how long we should wait to let her out.
She's got 2 scars because the first incision on her side went wrong (something to do with bleeding, hard to read the vets notes) and one on her belly.
I'm of the opinion that I should wait until her fur grows back because she looks pretty vulnerable at the moment.
What the general opinion here?

Thanks. 

Here's my Noodle a couple of days after the op.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Hi and welcome to the forum.How old is Noodle,I'm possibly not the best person to advise you , all my cats have been indoor cats as I honestly dont think it is safe now to allow free roaming,but that is just my opinion.Would it be an option,instead ,to cat proof your garden so that she can have some fresh air,but be safe.If you feel you want to allow your kitten outside then I wouldnt do it until A,the weather is much better and the nights are lighter,and B,she is at least 9/10 months old preferably older.Kittens are just not mentally or physically able to cope with the dangers at a young age.


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## Etienne (Dec 8, 2010)

Hi and welcome to the forum.
May I ask why you want to let you kitten out for? My two are outdoor cats before I knew them but I know the risks and wish they would be happy staying in all day. So we let them out and although we live in a quiet neighbourhood there are still risks which doesn`t stop me worrying. If I had a kitten it would not be going out.


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## steve70 (Dec 11, 2011)

She's about 6 months old.
How do you cat proof a garden? We have a hedge one side and a fence the other (which belongs to the neighbour) and a bit of a fence at the bottom of the garden next to the garage.

Why do I want to let her out?
That's their natural territory isn't it, and we might get a bit more life out of the leather sofas. :biggrin:


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## rosebond (Aug 19, 2011)

When we had our female cat done, the vet said about a fortnight. Don't know if it might be a bit longer for yours because she has two scars?? :confused5: :confused5: :confused5: 

She is very very cute by the way!!!!


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## Amin (Jul 31, 2009)

Unless I were 100% guaranteed that my cat was safe by letting it out then I would not. We have a kitten now and are determined to keep him as an indoor cat. We also have a cat that gets out Though I,am confident he,s safe Nothing is guaranteed, You only have to flick through this forum to see The dangers for kittys out there. 

There is always a big "for and against, on this topic on this site. I still worry a bit when Indie is out and always call him to make sure etc. etc. etc. But that doubt is still there.

I would invest on a good cat run.


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## marleyboo (Oct 24, 2011)

i understand reasoning for keeping cats in, but i cant imagine not offering my cat her freedom  ? i know its a massive risk with pedigree cats being stolen etc. and also living on a busy road ...saying that she doesnt go out much anyway i think just to do her business. most of the time she snuggles with me 




awww poor ickle noodles, bless her. i let marley out a few weeks after she has her op. ofcourse i made sure the incision was not raw still. i took her in the garden with me the first few days as i was worried if she jumped her scar may have opened. i think the fresh air probably helped to heal it a little quicker.

though im no proffesional. i hope noodles recoveres quickly i felt so guilty having marley spayed, but i know its best for them xxxx


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## Shrap (Nov 22, 2010)

All 3 of mine are outdoor moggies but I didn't and would not have let them out until at least 10 months of age. They're just too little really. There will be other neighbourhood cats and females are just as territorial, if not more so, than males. She would come off the worst in a fight. I would wait until she's bigger and also less likely to chase something across a road.

Something I did do with my Indy was got a cat harness and took him for trips outside so he got used to it - this would also help bond you and your kitty


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## Shrap (Nov 22, 2010)

Also in this weather you don't want to be letting her out with so much fur missing! She's a wee stunner btw x


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## steve70 (Dec 11, 2011)

Shrap said:


> Also in this weather you don't want to be letting her out with so much fur missing! She's a wee stunner btw x


It's growing back, but it will probably 3 months before it's back to normal.
Which means going on previous posts I'll be letting her out in the spring


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## IndysMamma (Jan 15, 2009)

Hi there

I would keep her in until she is at *least* 10 months - the weather is better and it's light for a decent portion of the day - as a black cat you really are best keeping her in for at least 2 hours after dawn/before dusk as so hard to see on the roads even if wearing a reflective collar (true for all cats but especially darker babies)

10 months is big enough to fend off other cats to a certain degree too

but tbh unless you live in the middle of farmland/roughland and well away from roads/people etc then I would keep her in/restricted to your garden as it is just so dangerous out there

another thing to consider this time of year is antifreeze - accidental spillages happen as well as deliberate poisonings and the end result is the same - horrendous suffering for animals


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