# Help needed with letting my kitten outside



## Becksie

Hello

I've recently got a kitten who is now 15 weeks old, he seems bored in the house and sits looking out of my patio doors hoping to go out!
I had a walk round the garden with him to stop him from meowing and wondered what age can a kitten go outside?
I know he can't go out till he has had his jabs, which are booked in for next week, i've always had cats that have been slightly older so any advice would be appreciated.


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## Janee

Hi and welcome

Surprised nobody has answered this. There is much debate on whether cats should be indoors or outdoors. Most pedigree breeders will advocate indoor for the lifetime of any kitten they sell.

First, you should not let any kitten or cat out until they have
had their innoculations. Even adult cats can be unprotected, if they have not had boosters.

Secondly, risk assess the dangers your cat may encounter if they are let out. For instance is there a busy road nearby? Is it likely that your cat might get stolen? Large unfriendly dogs alloed to roam free?

A cat will go over the fence. If the cat decides to go then you will be surprised how fast the cat can run, leap, jump, climb and disappear. Many owners swear that their cat never leaves their garden but I am very sceptical of this.

Also you have to be aware of your own reactions if the cat does not come back. How will you cope with that emotionally?


I am neutral on the indoor/outdoor debate. I can see that there are circumstances for both a complete indoor or indoor/outdoor. You have to decide yourself.


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## PussyCatNan

Becksie said:


> Hello
> 
> I've recently got a kitten who is now 15 weeks old, he seems bored in the house and sits looking out of my patio doors hoping to go out!
> I had a walk round the garden with him to stop him from meowing and wondered what age can a kitten go outside?
> I know he can't go out till he has had his jabs, which are booked in for next week, i've always had cats that have been slightly older so any advice would be appreciated.


i know how you feel! Our kitten is now 5 and a half months...he's been crying at the dor to be let out for a while now, and is due to be speyed on Friday...THEN i was planning to let him out, but will only be at the weekend when I'm home to make sure if he wanders I'm here, or if he's not home by dark I'll be ringing the police!!! But I might change my mind and not let him out at all....I just don't know so I'm no good for advice


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## Lumpy

Hi

My three kittens are about 18 weeks now and have been going out over the last week. They have had their injections. My only concern is the risk of them getting pregnant and they will be speyed as soon as they are old enough. 

I kept them shut in one room for a long time but it got to a point where that just wasn't kind as they started getting stressed so I let them out but only when I was home. They explored the house for a week or so but it wasn't long before they discovered the cat flaps that my other five cats use - and off they went! 

They don't go far and are usually to be found asleep in my bedroom. They are out for far less time than I thought they would be and I still shut them up in 'their' room at night as I think they are far too young to be out overnight. Four of my older cats come in at night as well - they like their comfort. The only one who stays out a lot is my only male and he can be gone for days at a time 

My cats have always been outdoor cats. I live in an old house with a right of way between my house and my garden so I would have to carry the cats outside if I built a cat run. I don't live on a road - it is an unmade up dead end where the neighbours all park. I know there is a risk that something could happen to my fur children and in my last house I did have cats die - one was run over and another poisoned. I have made the decision to take the risk and I hope I can live with the consequences if anything awful happens.


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## Janee

Yes, I forgot the neutering advice. If not neutered and a female then they can get pregnant from as young as 3 and half months depending on breed and physiology.

There is a myth that a female cat should have 1 litter. There is no sound reason why they should for their health. 

Male cats should be neutered as it is the socially acceptable thing to do for the good of the feline community. Also do you really want your male to sray eveywhere including your home?


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## Lumpy

I forgot to add in my post that my male cat is neutered - got him done at five and a half months - but he still wanders


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## Becksie

Hi

Thanks everyone for your advice, I live in a quiet close, that isn't near a main road with hardly any traffic.
I will be booking him in to be neutered when I take him for his jabs next week

He looks bored being in all the time, the house i got him from kept him in 1 room but now he has the run of my house all of the time


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## rottiesloveragdolls

Becksie said:


> Hi
> 
> Thanks everyone for your advice, I live in a quiet close, that isn't near a main road with hardly any traffic.
> I will be booking him in to be neutered when I take him for his jabs next week
> 
> He looks bored being in all the time, the house i got him from kept him in 1 room but now he has the run of my house all of the time


*has he got toys/scratch posts ect to play with cat nip is good for them to play with, mine are pedigrees and i dont let them out to roam free, they get all they want indoors, but i do have an old boy not pedigree who does go out,*


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## Becksie

You name it he has got it! just isn't interested!

He isn't a pedigree boy, just a cute looking ginger tom


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## ILOVETABBYS

I know this is a little late in the thread, but as i am myself due to get kittens, a number of volunteers for cat protection have told me (and others who rescue kittens) never to let a kitten outside until they are at least 12 months, as they have no road sense and they could end up getting killed, and as others have posted, if they are not neutered then it would not be fair to the queen if she gets pregnant at a young age.

Emma x


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## helz

If you are planning on allowing your cats outside, I think 12 months is ott, most people let them out after they have been neutered/spayed at about 5/6 months, and I see nothing wrong with this.

Health wise, you can let them out once they have had their injections, but a femal could obviously get pregnant if allowed out before she is spayed. Also if they are too small, they can be attacked by magpies, most cats are big enough not to be attacked by about 3 months old.

You could of course take them out on a lead and harness before they have been spayed, this will help them get used to be out, but will mean they can't get into any trouble while they are little.

But remember, if you are getting kittens at the moment, we are going into winter, so its not the ideal time to start letting cats out. And if you let your cats out, you should always provide them with some sort of inlet into the house (cat flap) or shelter in another building (shed).


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## Kat28

My kitten was around 11 weeks when she went out supervised during day as kids were on holiday and she wanted to play with them . But was always kept in when i was out and at night. When she was around 3 1/2 months she established how to work the cat flap so there was no stopping her .We are lucky to have a very large garden with plenty of trees etc in so they stay in garden.


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## Kaztee

I have had this dilemma and having lost 4 cats to the busy road near me decided if I had another cat be it moggy or pedigree I wasn't taking the risk of letting them free roam, my conflict was I didn't believe in keeping a cat completely indoors, so I had my garden enlosed and cat proofed. I now have 3 Birmans who are confined to the house and enclosed garden night or day and as they haven't known anything different have adapted really well to this, my 11 year old moggy however would not adapt to this and is still free roaming.

This has proved to be the perfect solution and I would highly recommend to anyone thinking of having a cat and want to keep them safe. I just hope my moggy will eventually be content to stay within the garden and house.


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## Janee

Kaztee said:


> I have had this dilemma and having lost 4 cats to the busy road near me decided if I had another cat be it moggy or pedigree I wasn't taking the risk of letting them free roam, my conflict was I didn't believe in keeping a cat completely indoors, so I had my garden enlosed and cat proofed. I now have 3 Birmans who are confined to the house and enclosed garden night or day and as they haven't known anything different have adapted really well to this, my 11 year old moggy however would not adapt to this and is still free roaming.
> 
> This has proved to be the perfect solution and I would highly recommend to anyone thinking of having a cat and want to keep them safe. I just hope my moggy will eventually be content to stay within the garden and house.


This is EXACTLY what I mean about risk assessing, taking into account your own emotions and also taking into account the individual cat.

I would always try to cat proof a garden rather than set up an out door run (which usually are quite small) if I possibly could. Again circumstances determine choice here.


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## ATD

helz said:


> If you are planning on allowing your cats outside, I think 12 months is ott, most people let them out after they have been neutered/spayed at about 5/6 months, and I see nothing wrong with this.


being ott i would rather be that than have a dead kitten, would you send a child out to play in the road. it takes time for them to learn to stay out of the road. i have picked up far too many to let them out before 12 months.



Kat28 said:


> . When she was around 3 1/2 months she established how to work the cat flap so there was no stopping her.We are lucky to have a very large garden with plenty of trees etc in so they stay in garden.


There was a simple way.. lock the cat flap. 3 and a half months is far too young not only are you putting her endanger with the road. do you realise how many diseases she could catch mating and then the pregnancy on such a young kittens body. it is unfair to her.

ATD


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## helz

ATD said:


> being ott i would rather be that than have a dead kitten, would you send a child out to play in the road. it takes time for them to learn to stay out of the road. i have picked up far too many to let them out before 12 months.
> ATD


"out to play in the road"
Who actually sends them out to play in the road, I don't know what you think most people do with their cats, but you are trying to stir up trouble here by implying cat owners that let their cats free roam are taking them to the side of the road and throwing a ball out in front of a car for them to chase.
Mine go in my back garden and from time to time might venture over the wall.

Cats lern more at a younger age than they do when they are older, that is why one teaches a cat not to scratch furniture when they are little, and not leaving it till they are older.

And no I would not let a 12 month old child to "play in the road" or to play outside un-supervised at all. But the OP asked about cats not children... So whats your point?
You see, if its that you treat your cats like children, then let me ask you this? How do you get your cats to sit still in the shopping trollys when you do your weekly shop? And do you have a baby car seat or a booster?
I mean, your not suggesting you leave a kitten at home by himself are you? Would you do that with a child?


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## ATD

Cats lern more at a younger age than they do when they are older, that is why one teaches a cat not to scratch furniture when they are little, and not leaving it till they are older.

The actual learning age is up to around 10 weeks old. Form a behavourist point of view so do you let them out at this age?

And no I would I mean, your not suggesting you leave a kitten at home by himself are you? Would you do that with a child?

No I woulnd leave a single kitten on its own all day.

Like I have said I have picked up too many taken by the road, so I rather be ott than be sorry.

ATD


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## Guest

Can i just add a point KIDS ARE NOT KITTENS AND KITTENS ARE NOT KIDS! So shouldn't be treated the same


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## helz

ATD said:


> The actual learning age is up to around 10 weeks old. Form a behavourist point of view so do you let them out at this age?
> ATD


10 weeks - what a load of bull!



ATD said:


> No I woulnd leave a single kitten on its own all day.
> ATD


I said nothing about a single kitten, and nothing about all day. You would not (or should not) leave a child at home for any length of time at all, be it on its own, or with a group of friends... So in your veiws you should not leave a kitten either. Have a bit of perspective!



Jem said:


> Can i just add a point KIDS ARE NOT KITTENS AND KITTENS ARE NOT KIDS! So shouldn't be treated the same


Thanks Jem, just the point I am trying to make.


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## Carrie968

My kitten is now 25 weeks old and the vet advised i keep him in for the first year. He is naturally inquizative (nosey) and sits at the window crying to go out. We put up with it until he was "done" and then started taking him out on the harness. He good but wants to roam more so i added string to the lead so he could get further away from me.

We decided last sunday that he would open the back door and see what he did. He was off like a shot down the garden to say hello to the rabbits then sniffed about. After about 10 minutes he legged it down the side of the shed and through the hole in the wire fence. I was gutted. My boyfriend said i was pale! He came back after about 30 minutes soaked and muddy. We back onto houses and fields.

I let him out in the morning when i go to feed my rabbits and let him roam about then bring him in to feed and then he stays in all day. I then let him out again when i get home.


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## lymorelynn

Lumpy said:


> I have made the decision to take the risk and I hope I can live with the consequences if anything awful happens.


I think that's the only thing to do. If you think you wouldn't be able to bear it if something did happen then don't take the risk. My current cat is out most of the time but I lost my Siamese on the little lane where I live  and will not risk losing my next one. If she goes out it will be on a harness. We can't cat proof our garden but I might get a run for her.


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## suzy93074

I let my cat out at 6months after he had his injections and been neutered.

He LOVES going outside but is also a very homely cat too, so I can always keep a tab on him - more so now since he got in a fight with another cat and ended up with a nasty abcess. There are a lot of risks when you let your cats out, that is a personal choice you have to make, I can fully understand people not wanting to take that risk and keeping their cats indoors but i know that jinsk would hate it if i kept him in all the time now after being allowed out for so long. I just have to be as an owner, responsible and vigilant to make sure he is ok. I can definetley see both sides of the coin


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## ben432112311

this book has lots of information on cat behavior i suggest you check it out Solutions To Cat Behavior Problems - Solutions To Cat Behavior Problems the book is available in the link


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## crofty

I see so many cats killed including my own i couldnt bear letting mine out, cat proof the garden is my advice


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## nutmeg

I didnt let my cat out until she was a year old and now she never wanders far.


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