How long do I keep her in for?

[NewPurrs5]

The new purr has been with us for a month. I'm terrified about letting her out but she keeps pawing at the windows and stares longingly into the garden. What if I let her out and she never comes back.. we'd all be devastated!

I know it's terrifying isn't it? We recommend three weeks minimum. So a month is fine (assuming she's neutered). A tip is to let her out before you feed her - she won't go as far if she's hungry.

We waited 4 weeks (I was paranoid as previously had a cat go missing) Definitely agree with letting them out before you feed them. I also followed mine around with dreamies like a loonie to make sure they came back! Its best to just let them take it at their own pace, and make their own scent maps to learn their way home. And I keep mine in at night, just in case.
Good luck

A month should be fine. I have heard 2 weeks, but that seems too short to me. Your heart is in your mouth the first time, but I think vanishing over the horizon, never to be seen again, is actually quite rare!

We let ours out today after 4 weeks. She also had been looking longingly out the window for weeks. But when the big event came round she padded around the garden a few times. Came in, out again for a little while and spent the majority of the day indoors. It is so nerve-wracking though - was expecting her to high tail over the fence. Good luck.

We adopted two cats from the RSPCA back in January - the RSPCA advised 3 weeks but our vet advised a minimum of 6 weeks.

We have now had them nearly 9 weeks and they have started to delicately explore our back garden . I'm always happy when they come back inside though!

She's a tortie which I've since read (am a complete newb to cats) can be of a .. fiery.. nature. She's been absolutely wonderful
until this week. Just playing up a bit. .. taking the play biting a bit far, sitting on the stairs and reaching to scratch as we walk pat (terrifying one of the kids which is breaking my heart as they'd bonded so well prior) caught the cat scratching my beloved sofas today. Cat just tried to scale the kitchen blinds. ... is she bored? Is the house driving her mad? I had expected to keep her in another four weeks but she's clearly wanting out.

The little monkey doesn't like dreamies (can't even get her to eat dry food in general no matter what)

She's doing my head in but in the way your kids do. They're annoying but you love em anyways. So I don't wanna lose her. Do I stand outside with her when she first goes out? How slowly do we build it up?

I think the cat will decide that! She'll either go out very cautiously and have a sniff, then come back in, or she'll charge around and come back when she's ready. It does sound as if she's becoming frustrated and could do with more stimulation from the outside world.

So should I just open up the patio doors and chill in the garden for a few hours... then call her in for food.., and repeat until I'm sure she'll come back in general?

What's your garden like? Is it closed in and difficult to get out of or easy to escape from? I've always gone out with mine in the beginning, in fact I still go out with one of mine, as he's an old man and hard of hearing, so I can't risk him going off on his own and getting hurt. One of mine is an indoor cat and the other goes out on her own, but she's always in night. If I were you, I'd go out with her all the time, initially, until you're confident enough to let her go put alone. She doesn't have to be out all the time. You're the boss ha, never forget that!

Ok I've let her out and now she's back in she's being a bit mean :-(. She keeps biting and scratching. She didn't want to come back in.

Have you got a cat flap?

A cat can do all of the behaviours you describe, irrespective of how much they go out. One of mine loves the big outdoors, and the other appears terrified of it - she goes out for maybe 2 minutes maximum and only when it's dark! (She is black)

A cat can do petting aggression - which occurs because we fail to understand the subtle feline body language that the petting is getting too much for them; until they finally lose their temper with us! You need to watch their reactions, and at the first sign of irritation, stop stroking them for a bit.

Every cat I have ever had, scratches sofas and we have two scratching posts - IMO, they either see no difference between them, or they just don't care!

They come back anyway. They only go out for rekkies then it's home for a 14 hr nap.

It's been going better since I decided to just take the plunge and let her do whatever. So she's been out loads and happier. Cat flap going in just as soon as we find someone to fit!