Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The litter tray

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

Original poster

i don't ever want to let my cat out...

19 replies

ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 09/06/2013 20:15

you're all going to be fed up with me, i seem to be posting here a lot lately Grin

so we have had our cat 2 weeks tomorrow. she is a 1yo neutered female. she has settled and bonded extremely well. eating and sleeping and toileting as normal.

she escaped out of my kitchen window the other day and next doors cat attacked her. i was outside and grabbed her and put her back indoors. she was fine it was just a little scuffle.

but she really wants to get out and about. she just tried getting out of a tiny window and got stuck and i had to post her through it to get her back in.

is it safe to let her out? im going to be so nervous but it's obviously what she wants. what if she doesn't come back?

OP posts:
CockyFox · 09/06/2013 20:19

My cat goes out if she wants while we are home. She has got in a couple of fights but just territory battles and once the pecking order was sorted they stopped.

She comes in after dinner at night because if she is still out when she hears birds roosting she refuses to come in.

Also I only let her out the back door away from the rosd and touchwood have not seen her out the front yet.

lljkk · 09/06/2013 20:21

Outdoor life can increase their quality of life so much, I think it's usually worth the risk.

Original poster
ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 09/06/2013 20:24

is two weeks of being kept indoors long enough?

i could get her a lead and tie her to the washing line Grin

OP posts:
CockyFox · 09/06/2013 21:18

When we first got our cat DH used to take her around the perimeter og the garden and back on a cat harness to teach her her borders. She was only a kitten though so an older cat might not like it.

I would let her out before you feed her stand out in the garden with her and then shake her biscuits or tap the side of the food tin to get her in and praise and feed when she comes in.

Original poster
ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 09/06/2013 21:21

that's a good idea. ill see how she goes tomorrow and report back for handholding Grin

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 09/06/2013 21:27

We kept ours in 4 weeks, he looked out of the windows a lot so he knew the local layout pretty well and found his way home.

I always let him out hungry and tapped his dish to get him back in.

The worst bit is when they go over the fence Shock

Original poster
ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 10/06/2013 12:25

Well, I took the plunge and left the back door open for a bit today. She ventured out, sat on the doorstep for a minute or two. Walked down the step, sniffed around the wall on the patio and came back in. Not interested at all. Is that normal? Will she venture further each time I let her out?

I'm going to peg out some washing soon so I'll leave the door open behind me and see where she goes next time.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 10/06/2013 12:59

They go a little bit further every time they go out.

Some cats don't like it if its a bit chilly or windy or its raining.

RightsaidFreud · 10/06/2013 13:04

We put ours on a harness and walked him around the garden when we moved after keeping him in for 3 weeks, just to get him used to the smells and things of the garden. He loves going outside, but he did get into quite a few scraps and fights at first, i think he was trying to find his place in the local cat neighbourhood ( we have quite a few round here!). He spends most of the time recently sunning his belly on the shed!

GemmaTeller · 10/06/2013 13:09

How nerve wracking is it when they first start going out?

They venture a bit further everytime but soon learn their territory.

Every time kittencat comes back in we give him treats so now he associates coming with something good.

Sometimes he goes over on the field looking for mice and gets a bit distracted and I've had to stand at the verge waving a felix pouch to get his attention Smile.

Quite often he comes in, checks we're all here and goes back out Hmm

Original poster
ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 12/06/2013 21:56

she ventured under the gate and into next doors today. i was having palpitations Grin but she came back fine Smile

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 12/06/2013 22:08

Did you run upstairs to look into the garden next door? Not that we did that.

Nope, that never happened.

Original poster
ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 12/06/2013 22:11

no not at all, not me Wink Grin

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 12/06/2013 22:15

Yeah, can't stand people who get so involved with pets Wink

GemmaTeller · 13/06/2013 11:43

I want to try one of those 'cat cams' that fix to their collar so you can track where they go and see where their territory is.

Fluffycloudland77 · 13/06/2013 14:53

You can get them online, they are a bit clunky at the moment but I would love one.

GemmaTeller · 13/06/2013 18:31

We hadn't seen kittencat for a few hours and were out looking for him, saw neighbour over the back and asked if he'd seen cat....

'he was in here about half an hour ago eating our cats food' was the reply Blush

lljkk · 13/06/2013 21:17

Anyone watching Horizon?

Fluffycloudland77 · 13/06/2013 21:17

I'm watching it tomorrow on iplayer, so no plot spoilers!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page