how long do I have to keep our new kittens inside before..

[Mercedes]

We got 2 x 16 week kittens last week. The person we got them from said spend a couple of days getting them used to the house and then you can start taking them outside for 30 mins at a time. he told us we could get them back in the house by doing this just before feeding them.
I've been looking at advice on the web and it all seems to say 3 weeks.
The kittens are staring to allow us to hold them without having a major panic attack. So is a few days enough or should we wait 3 weeks?
I have to say I can't stand the smell of the cat litter and would like them to be outside asap. but I don't want to rush them if it's not right.
Cat lovers what is your advice?
Kittens called Maisie and Roxy by the way.

bump for cat lovers

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Aaah, cute!! We got two cats from the Cat Protection league, and they were TERRIFIED when we got them - of us, of everything (not sure what had happened to them before..). They lived in one room (under the futon mostly) for a couple of weeks, then gradually ventured round the rest of the house. It was several months before we could touch them, and before they went outside. But now, they are total lap cats and really really soppy, and spend lots of time outside with a cat flap for access. We took it really really slowly with them.

In your case, I guess your kittens don't have the fear thing, so should be able to go outside sooner - but I'd wait a week or two. you'll be able to tell when they're interested in outside as they'll start to go to windows and doors, look out and mew. I think better be safe than sorry, you don't want to lose them if they are still a bit scared and not yet seeing your house as their home or bolt hole.

Good luck. Cats are fab friends. I wouldn't be without mine!

We kept our kitten in for 3 weeks ... but she was desperate to get out after 2 weeks. She was so little when we got her (8 weeks) that I couldn't bear to let her out before 3 weeks.

If you don't like the kitty litter can you not get the pine sawdust type? It is fantastic and much more environmentally friendly. Basically it is pine pellets that turn into sawdust when wet. Clumps around poo like other kitty litter but masks the smell with pleasant pine wood smell. Just need to scoop out the poo once a day and leave it for a week by which time the whole lot is just sawdust, then you change it.

You can put the sawdust in your flower beds when you change it too ... biodegradeable ....

Our new kitten comes this week (having lega nd tail amputated today poor love).

Had amny cats in my time. Have to say never ahve left them in for three weeks, but it varies between cats and areas. If yours is of a nervous disposition or you live on a manin road, then three weeks would be minimum. otherwise I use a fortnighta s a guide, start taking them out after 5 days or so and then build up to when mmy gut instinct says its ok>

Our current Mog ahs moved around a bit with us, he can be safely let out after three days or so, because we know he knows the score. other cats take ages to adjust.

(and ours is Lazarus, coz he's severely injured, was starvinga nd was found half suffocated in aplastic abg by the roadside)

Vets usually say 4-6 weeks or so, BUT, when we moved into our new hours 9 years ago, we had two cats, they couldn't/wouldn't wait 4 weeks and on the first night, we had our bedroom window open and they both jumped out and landed on the front lawn.

With our cat we got about 4 years ago we waited 6 weeks and then for the first couple of weeks he never went off the patio, now he goes all over and likes to try and follow dd1 to school

we found ours abandoned in the next road, he was about 3 1/2 months old

we didnt keep him in at all really, just the first few hours, he never wandered off, but then i wasnt planning on keeping him

we have had him about 5 weeks now

You've decided you're going to keep him then lou? That happened to me years ago, he was flea ridden, had worms and was filthy etc, I stayed up all night combing him etc and wiping him down with a cloth and he ended up being one of the most loveable cats EVER. Unfortunately he got hit by a lorry

yeh he's ours now

we tried finding the owner and had no luck, so he has been jabbed , wormed and microchipped

next month his balls come off

he's geat with the kids, lets them do what they like with him, they carry him about like bagpuss

useless at climbing tho, and has a bit of a fetish for attacking my toes when i am sleeping, but he's quite sweet i guess

A couple of weeks maybe? Couple of hints.. start on a day when you are going to be in the house all day and the weather is ok.. then you can possibly leave the back door open so that they can run in and out. Also, as mentioned before let them out before you feed them, that way they will come back when they are hungry. Might be an old wives tale but... try rubbing their paws in butter before they go out.. its supposed to help them find their way back... not sure if its proven but it always seems to work for my family and we've had cats for 20 years. Oh and be prepared to cry when they go out for the first time and then dont come back when shouted for... I did... I was hysterical.. then lone behold 10 minutes he came strolling down the path and looked at me as if to say " what on earth are you making that noise for.. I'm back"

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I suppose I better wait a bit then. They've yet to automatically come to one of use for a stroke. I usually lift them onto my my dd's lap.

Thinking about the alternatives to cat litter - its the smell of the pooing i hate - open plan house . Will the sawdust mask this?
Do you really want to see a picture of the kittens Cod?

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