How long should we keep cat inside for?

[PiccadillyCircus]

We've recently moved house and know we need to keep cat inside for some length of time - she is not impressed with this .

How long is it for - a couple of weeks or so? Also we are now on a busier road than before (although she will go out at the back of the house) - is there any way to make sure she stays alive?

I think we only ever did a few days of keeping-in. And then put butter on the cats paws before putting it out, which is probably an old wives' tale, but something I've always done anyway.

Is the house detached, or part of a terrace? If a terrace, that should prevent her going around. Is she sensible about cars generally?

Well when we were homechecked by the cats protection league the other week, we were told that any adult cat would have to be kept indoors for 4 weeks.

Nutty, we have moved lots of times with our cats and we only kept them in for a day of so.

Oh right, well i only know what they told me.

I think there's a big difference between a cat that's new to you and to the house, and a cat that you've had for a while, and just moved houses with, if you see what I mean.

If you've just got a new cat, you do need to keep it in for more than a day - but moving house, there's much less risk that a cat will wander off.

When we moved house last year we kept the cats in for 3 weeks. It was pretty hellish as they are both used to being outside but when they were allowed outside I have noticed that they don't roam as much as when we lived in the last house.

Thank you for the thoughts - when we got her from the cat sanctuary we kept her in for a few weeks I think. I suppose there is a difference between her being new to us and the house being new.

I will also like it once she can go to the toilet outside rather than in her litter tray .

Think we'll keep her in for a few more days at any rate.