# Letting kittens out for the first time...



## Emmajsx (Aug 18, 2016)

I'm sure I'm not the first person to ask this question, but i've looked through so many threads and they all seem to be from years ago, and i feel as if i need a bit of a more personalised opinion. So here goes...

I have two sibling rescue cats, Kobe and Bonnie (male and female); they are about 10 months old (actual birth date unknown) We got them in August last year and they have been indoor kittens since then.

We live in a studio flat/coach house type building which has a balcony on the first floor (front door on ground floor). The (big) garden is shared with a holiday home next door (landlord owns both buildings) We are allowed to use the garden when there is nobody letting the holiday home. We are right on big open fields but there is quite a fast road just the other side of the hedgerow...

I have tried them in various harness' over the past few months to try and slowly introduce them to the outdoors (the latest being the Mynwood cat jackets, which are great!) However, they are both fairly wary of being outside, especially my boy, Kobe. When he is indoors he shows so much interest in the outdoors, spending most of his day sat looking through the glass doors that lead onto the balcony. However, one dark evening a few weeks ago his curiosity lead him to jump/fall from one of the first floor windows (we had to open it as we'd burnt something in the oven!) he wasn't left alone whilst the window was open but he acted so quickly that we didn't have chance to stop him! Anyway, he landed on the grass outside after sliding down the roof (about a 2-3 metre drop) I ran outside in a panic and luckily he hadn't ran.. he was just cowering under a tree, unscathed. But ever since then he seems to be even more wary of the outdoors, understandably...

Bonnie, my female cat, who was always the more timid one, has actually turned out to be the more confident and curious one when outside on the harness, and like Kobe, will also spend most her time looking out the glass door. She also had a fall the other day - from the balcony, which again is about a 2-3 metre drop (i started supervising them on the balcony without a harness as i felt so bad that they were just sat staring outside for most the day) Again, she was unhurt and landed near the front door so just came running in when i hurried down to open it. This doesn't seem to have made a massive impact on her and she will still run for the balcony when the doors open!

The thing is, when my partner and I take them out on their harness' (with extendable leads) Bonnie will quite confidently sniff around the front door (which we leave open) and surrounding area, but Kobe will run as soon as he see's the leads. After a bit of coaxing he will spend a couple of minutes outside. However, they react off eachother and as soon as one gets spooked and runs inside, the other will too. So then we have me and my partner trying to run inside with them, but they're so fast that they have 'bungee'd' back on their leads a couple of times - we have let go on a couple of occasions but then their leads just go hurtling up the stairs behind them and get caught on things - and then they'll hide under the beds, leads still attached, and we're back to square one, which leaves my partner frustrated and me wondering if i'll ever be able to let them out by themselves!

Sorry, this has turned out to be a bit of an essay, but i wanted to get in as much detail as possible. Everyone around me is telling me to "just let them out" and "they'll come back" but i'm SO worried they'll run into the road or just not come back... any advise would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Emma

*EDIT* 
our friends actually lived here for years before us with their two rescue cats, and they were quite happy to go in and out as they pleased using the cat flap, and never got into any trouble... they moved a few miles away and one of their cats somehow actually managed to find its way back (after going 'missing' for three weeks) - he ended up outside the front door!!

(couple of pics of them below)


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Personal opinion..........I would keep them safe indoors.
With a busy road close by I just wouldn't take the risk.
It doesn't sound as though you would be allowed to catproof or build a run for them so taking them out on harnesses or remaining indoors seems like your only option to me.
As long as you keep them stimulated indoors and give them quality play time with you they will be perfectly happy.
You could set up vantage points at windows where they can watch all the birds and anything else going on outside.
Don't be fooled into thinking that because they stare out the windows that they actually need to be outside,they are the same when behind a closed door they just have to know whats on the otherside


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## Emmajsx (Aug 18, 2016)

buffie said:


> Personal opinion..........I would keep them safe indoors.
> With a busy road close by I just wouldn't take the risk.
> It doesn't sound as though you would be allowed to catproof or build a run for them so taking them out on harnesses or remaining indoors seems like your only option to me.
> As long as you keep them stimulated indoors and give them quality play time with you they will be perfectly happy.
> ...


Hi Buffie, thanks for your advice... I've just always had family cats that were outdoor cats and that always seemed like the normal thing for me - until i got my own cats and now i'm really protective of them!

As i've just put in the edit, we had friends who used to live here with their two rescue cats and they let themselves in and out when they pleased using the cat flap... I was just hoping i'd be able to get to the point where i could do that with mine!

I actually worry on a daily basis about not being able to ever let them out and it makes me feel so guilty that i get stressed for them and myself!


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## anachronism (Jan 30, 2014)

Don't feel guilty about it you are protecting them.

The times are changing its no longer safe for cats out there, more traffic and more people who who want to hurt cats 
People used to let dogs roam and that is now mostly a thing of the past hopefully in years to come it will be the same with cats too 

Yours are gorgeous btw, i do love black cats


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

Could you cat proof your balcony so they could go out there ? Some netting or invisible fencing ?
Your residence sounds idyllic by the way !


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## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

I agree with the others. Most cats love gazing out of windows, even those that can easily get outside via a cat flap. Doesn't mean they are yearning to get outside.
It sounds to me like your cats are happy indoors and feel safe there. As mentioned perhaps catproofing the balcony might be an option?


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Yes, I agree with ^^. I wouldn't let them go out as there is a busy road the other side of the hedge. Your friends' two cats may have been 'street-wise' but it doesn't mean your two will be, unfortunately one can never assume that with cats.

I would definitely look into cat proofing your balcony. There are some systems which use such fine mesh it can barely be seen at a distance, so is not an eyesore for neighbours. Have a look at the cat proofing thread and see what you think. I think it is worth having it done professionally unless you are good at DIY of course 

http://www.petforums.co.uk/threads/cat-runs-cat-proofed-gardens.211361/


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## Emmajsx (Aug 18, 2016)

Thanks for all your replies! I'm still in two minds! Although if I can get them comfortable with their harnesses I might just stick to that.. they are rescue kitties and originally came from a farm cat so I feel like they need a bit of freedom.. but we'll see how it goes. 

On another note, I woke up at 5.30am this morning to Kobe's collar stuck over his teeth on his bottom jaw! Straight away I took both his and Bonnie's collars off and shan't be putting them back on! Can anyone recommend any 'safe' ones or should I just not bother? It scared the life out of me! 

Please help! Thanks! X


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## Emmajsx (Aug 18, 2016)

Also! This is a random one... my cat discovered cod on my plate today and whenever he smelt it, he yawned! He did this about 5 times?! Is there a reason for this?? 

Thanks again! X


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

You should never use any type of collars except the quick release safety snap type. If this is the type you were using then the safety snap is much too stiff. It should release easily if the cat gets its paw through it or if the collar gets caught on something.

However some people feel no collars are safe on cats.

These are the ones I use for my cats, but I removed the bell and the metal ring and have sewn up the loop once I got the collar to the right size, so there is nothing to catch on anything. They break open easily with not much effort from the cat, and are made of bamboo so much less itchy than nylon ones. I always remove the collars when the cats are indoors at night.

https://www.custompetcollars.co.uk/products/personalised-cat-collar

As for yawning when he smells cod I don't know  Cats yawn for a variety of reasons e.g. to get more oxygen into their blood, when they are tired to help them stay alert, when they have just woken up, to communicate with other cats, or because they are bored.

Also, a cat's world is hugely driven by scent, and perhaps the smell of the cod has a soporific effect on him.  I have always given steamed white fish to my cats to settle their tummies if they are unwell and it calms them nicely as well as calming their gut. Do you give your cat cod to eat as a treat?


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

We've always had cats with daytime access to outside via a cat flap but never lived near busy roads, so in your situation I would probably net the balcony as a safer compromise tbh.

If you could have a run off the downstairs too that would be ideal.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

I would definitely advise that you leave the collars off,getting their bottom jaw caught can and does happen with all collars so just not worth the risk.
As for the yawning at the sight of cod ,sorry havnt a clue but then he is a cat and nothing they do ever surprises me


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## Emmajsx (Aug 18, 2016)

Thanks for your advice on the collars... i have decided to just keep them off as they are not currently outdoor cats anyway...

One question... if i eventually moved somewhere that was more cat friendly, would it be too late to train them to go outdoors, or would it be okay?

Emma x


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## cows573 (Apr 20, 2017)

All my cats have always had access to both indoors and outdoors. They are usually desperate to get out from a young age. We usually start by monitoring them outside for short periods of time, ensure that they return when they are called and gradually increase their time outside.

However, our newly re-homed stray has obviously been an indoor cat and shows no interest in actually going outside beyond watching the birds through the window. I would be happy for her to go outside when the time comes, but would only do so if she wanted to. In fact, I doubt she will ever want to go outside so I guess I now have my first indoor cat!

If you do ever move somewhere more cat friendly, I would simply follow your cats needs - if they look to go out, then do so gradually and with monitoring, if not, then that should be their decision too... Personally, if it was me and they had been indoor cats for a while and are happy as such, I wouldn't even try them outdoors....


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