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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

Tips to introduce kittens outdoor

16 replies

mustang27 · 03/10/2018 17:21

What tips does everyone have for introducing kittens to the great outdoors?

They are 7 month old, males that have been chipped and neutered.

Anything and everything is welcome to make this as stress free for all.

Also collars yay or nay?

OP posts:

Report

Dollymixture22 · 03/10/2018 21:37

Collars are great of they will wear them. You can get quick release collars with you phone number on them.

My five month old kitten get supervised access in an enclosed garden. She knows where the black door is and shots inside if the wind changes!!!

Train them to come when called - the sound of a treat bag rustling works with my little madam!!

mustang27 · 03/10/2018 21:59

Yeah I wrestle their food dish or a bag of treats,their recall is pretty good. They do wear collars but they tend to pop them off each other whilst play fighting 90 percent of the day lol.

I'm so nervous I really don't want them to get hurt.

OP posts:

niceberg · 03/10/2018 22:15

We’re about to do this with our 5.5 month old kittens. Advice from our rescue centre was to let them out before their breakfast so they won’t go far / will be easy to bring back in. I think for a few days at least we’ll then keep them in the rest of the day.

Will introduce them to the cat flap idea later (like when we’ve installed it ).

Good luck!

Thirtyrock39 · 04/10/2018 18:16

I've put little bits of the cats used litter in corners of our garden hoping that will help with her smelling her way home ! I've just started letting our rescue cat out it is so anxiety provoking ! She is ok in our garden for a bit then charges over the fence - today she was out for two hours I was terrified and walked all round the block looking for her then she sauntered in half an hour after her normal tea time

Sammysquiz · 04/10/2018 18:17

We’re about to do this too with our kitten. Our garden is theoretically enclosed but if she can climb a fence as well as she can climb our curtains then I think she may easily break out!

Thirtyrock39 · 04/10/2018 18:17

I'm also planning to get some of the plants cats like to encourage her to stay local

ifonly4 · 04/10/2018 19:25

We were going to keep ours in a bit longer, but I have a small very fast boy whose been squeezing past me out the front, so we've decided to introduce them to the back garden this week. They're very nearly six months.

They're chipped, but we haven't gone for a collar as our last male cat would take them off within 24 hours. Initially we let them out when hungry and looking for food, the last couple of days they've been desperate to go out so that's gone out of the window a bit. We have 6ft fences plus higher brick walls and they've shown no interested in these -yet, apparently it's more likely to happen around eight months. However, we've blocked off all gaps at ground level, so hopefully if they're nervous of any sounds they stay in the garden - so far they've come back to the back door and one in particular bangs on it. When they're out I try to be out as much as possible with them or ironing in the extension so I can see them.

Thirtyrock, other than catnip, do you know which other plants are cat friendly?

mustang27 · 04/10/2018 22:43

Cat friendly plants and litter is a really good idea. Our garden is very enclosed but it took them all of 5 mins to get through a gap to the neighbours. They are so slinky when they want to be. I had to show them the way back through as they seemed to forget.

Yeah we need to buy the cat flap yet, think we are going to fork out for a microchip one.

They are such sweet affectionate boys and Iv never had cats before to relinquish all the control is hard. I just don't want them to come to any harm but can't find it in me to keep them as house cats forever as I know they will love the freedom.

OP posts:

Thirtyrock39 · 04/10/2018 23:07

According to cats Protection league catnip, lavender and mint are popular plants for cats as well as plants they can hide in

MadCatEnthusiast · 05/10/2018 09:22

I let my kitten out for the third time the other day but, she ended up going into the next door's garden only because they had a broken fence that I didn't notice before!

Now I've not let her out since because she couldn't figure out her way back in my garden so I can definitely empathise

niceberg · 06/10/2018 08:55

We let ours out this morning before breakfast and it was soooo cute. The bolder one was super excited in a sensory overload kind of way, explored the patio but didn’t know what to make of the wet grass. The more timid one put his nose over the threshold several times before taking the plunge and having a little sniff about. Then dashed back in after a minute.

We were so nervous but all ok

ifonly4 · 06/10/2018 10:38

Anyone whose already let their kittens out, how's it going?

Ours have been allowed out for a week now and been very enthusiastic about it, however, yesterday they kept their trips much shorter. Luckily no escapees from garden yet.

One has braved the rain twice this morning, didn't seem that impressed by it. The other got as far as his head and paws outside and came back. Am going to have to get them cat flap trained, it's not much fun holding the door open on a cold wet morning.

MadCatEnthusiast · 06/10/2018 16:59

I haven't let her out for 4 days now seeing as she wants to explore the boundaries by going into the next door neighbour's garden albeit the one who has a more 'exciting' garden in her eyes. They have rubbish and rusty things and overgrowing ivy in their garden and I don't know what to do! They've let their fence deteriorate to the point the ivy has broken down my fence and it created the route to go in!

She's been crying for outside every day since :'(

Mustang27 · 07/10/2018 07:34

My boys are going in and out as I type. I feel like I just have to accept what they decide to do as once the cat flaps fitted I will have really no control.

I went to see what they were doing as a magpie was losing it and one was climbing a tree and the other was on the neighbours shed 😩.

My main worries are foxes and cars. Plus they are so friendly I really think people will want to keep them lol.

OP posts:

Sallygoroundthemoon · 07/10/2018 07:38

No to collars as long as they are chipped. They can get caught on things and I personally think they are cruel but I'm aware that's not a popular view on MN.

I've been introducing my rescue to outside by taking her out when she's hungry, letting her have 10 minutes with me pottering around and then we go back in where she's fed. Increasing this each day.

SpoonBlender · 07/10/2018 07:50

We always wait for a rainy day to let them out first time - that chases them back in again after a few minutes! Doing it before food is also a fine plan.

Be there at the door and make a big fuss towelling them off.

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