New Kitten - 3 mths old when to let him out to play ????

[ducdo]

Hi there, I gave in to my DH a few weeks ago and we now have a 3 mth old kitten (in addition to our 3 kids!).

Anyway, he's had his injections, just waiting for him to be nutured and chipped in September but he is deparate to go out and it's driving me nuts having the keep the doors shut all the time .. even more so as its school hols and feels like we're trapped in doors when at home.

He's been out in the garden with us playing whilst 'under supervision' although has started to jump up into bushes, over into next door neighbours garden etc. and couldn't get back once so DH had to lean over fence to retrieve him. Personally can't be doing with that hassle and would like to just be able to open the back door, let kids play and let kitten wonder about ... but will he come back? is he too little still? if he jumps over a fence will he find his way home?

Never had a cat before and its all new to me so would appreciate any help from anyone out there....

If he is comfortable and secure and knows his way around the house, I would let him out, TBH. Is he going to have a cat flap? If so now would be a good time to start to teach him the concept.

(but please don't blame me if he disappears!)

thanks steathsquiggle! we do plan on getting a cat flap, just not got one yet... thats another confusing one as seems so many on the market and they vary in price so much.

Are there lots of other cats around the neighbourhood? If so, a cat flap with a key is a worthwhile investment IMO/E to make sure you are not feeding/entertaining the whole street's cats. If you are fitting it in anything other than a wooden door be careful of the magnetic key ones - we spent ages telling our DCats they were being thick before realising that the aluminium-skinned door was interfering with the lock and that the cat flap could only be opened by jiggling the key in exactly the right place (possibly a bit too much to ask of a cat ).

Don't let him out before he is neutered. Entire tom kitten will fight with other male cats and will shag females(both event will increase the chance of him getting Feline Aids)

He is also more likely to cross roads in search of more fights and shags and more likely to get lost, than he will after he is altered.

You can use a collar and lead and walk him in the garden if he is desperate to see outside. Or provide inside toys, catnip and a scratching post until September.

Alternatively get him neutered earlier. You can alter cats as early as 6 weeks. Though the vets prefer to wait until 4 months, they can and will operate on a younger animal if needed. A healthy 3 month old kitten should be fine.

really? at 3 months?

Sorry, OP - it is a long long time since I had a boy kitten and back then they used to neuter at 12 weeks (I know they like to leave it later now) so I never had the problem. Our girls went out until the day the garden suddenly filled up with tom cats - at which point they were shut in until after their visit to the vet .

We have the 'kitten lead' which we have been using in the garden which we can continue to use... it's just so frustrating feeling trapped indoors with door shut all the time.

We got him from the RSPCA and they said not to neuter before 5 months which is when he's booked in for mid September.

As you say babieseverywhere, I worry he will get up to no good or into fights. I can see already that although he is little, he is sooo desparate to get out .. sits at the door or window sill making funny noises when the birds or other cats are seen.

Whilst I don't think there are many cats around here, in fact only ever seen one, the kids would be devastated if he let him out early and he got lost or hurt.

We have the scratching posts indoors and he is a very good cat (i.e. no trashing our sofa or pooing and peeing everywhere) so guess we should be thankful and just stick it out til he's ready for the snip..