Kitten stuck indoors

[Chassisy]

My partner’s mother decided to get a kitten. She is in her late 70s and has depression so doesn’t leave her room much. They have had him a few months and got him chipped recently as he stayed in the house.

He didn’t know what the cat flap was until recently so he went in the kitchen too. He is not allowed in the kitchen now as the mother wants him to not leave the house as he could get through the cat flap.

If he gets there quick he will dart out the house then cower under one of the cars. I feel for the kitten as he is only allowed in the mother’s bedroom, hall and stairs as she don’t want him leaving the house.

He looks sad and is desperate to go out with the other cats they have. How can you train the kitten to come back if he leaves the house? I don’t think it’s fair he stays cooped up.

If you’ve had the kitten for three months then it should know its house and should come back. However, you would need to get it vaccinated against FIV plus some other things (I just ask for ‘outdoor cat vaccinations’ and I’m not sure what they all are). The kitten can’t go out before they’ve had these.

I also have in my head that they shouldn’t go out before nine months of age. They’re kind of dumb before then in my experience and much more likely to get hit by a car. Older cats are smarter and more capable.