Letting rescue cat outside for the first time

[DavetheCat2001]

We will have had our rescue cat for 2 weeks tomorrow. She is around 3-4 years so an adult, and seems quite at home with us now.

She does seem bored though and keeps trying to stick her nose through small gaps in windows and is very curious about our back door.

Do you think it's too early to let her out for a supervised explore of our garden? I obviously don't want to lose her/her to run off etc..

Any advice?

..just to add she is spayed, chipped and had a collar and tag on with her name and my phone number.

I understand the current recommendation is 3-4 weeks. Also, it has been suggested that the best time to try them outside fore the first time is just before meal times!

If she's happy in a collar, have you thought about getting her a harness for her first few forays into the big bad outside world? Oh, and collars aren't really recommended unless it's a quick release one - too many incidents of caught & even strangled cats with the other kind .

Thanks for replying Allergictoironing

I phoned the vets we got her from for advice and they remembered her and thought 2 weeks was ok.

I have let her out, she was very interested in everything, but has now vanished behind the gardens so I'm a bit anxious.

I have her litter tray outside our back door. She did have some food this morning, but usually asks for a few biscuits round lunchtime too so hoping she will resurface.

Eek.

I'd keep her in for 3-4 weeks Dave, I did this with our cat twice during his lifetime when we moved house. Longest weeks ever!! I also did the old wives trick of buttering his paws and then putting him straight outside in the garden. Worked both times like a charm.

Oops Dave I was too late!! Let us know when she comes back from her wanderings!

We let our cat out 'formally' early too, after she escaped once by accident.

We were all ready for her to have a tentative amble round the garden, but she was off like a rocket, over a 6' fence and we didn't see her for ages. Then she just strolled back in without a care in the world.

We also started off keeping her in overnight as her previous owners had done (in fact they didn't even have a cat flap). That is now completely pointless and she has - to no great surprise - complete run of the place at any hour of any day.

I'm fully intending to keep her in overnight..we don't have a catflap so once she is in, that's it...if she comes back

No sign of her..hope I haven't done the wrong thing

Just saw her up on my neighbours shed roof! Looking right at me..I called her and she's jumped down into the garden next to that..cheeky bugger!

Hopefully though she knows where home is and she's just enjoying her freedom!

Well she's back in the vicinity. Currently in next door neighbours garden!

She's very sweet. I've always let my rescue cats out after 2 weeks and not had any problems.

She's back.. phew! Thanks for the hand hold x

She clearly knows where her food bowl is!

And my her bed!

Well, that's that then. You made your bed and she's lying in it

Seems to be normal cat behaviour!

Really glad she's back Dave and I still love your duvet cover!

She definitely has her paws well and truly under the table!

Thanks Queenie think it was from the now defunct BHS!

So I've had the back door open most of the day and she's been happily coming in and out, so at least it looks like she knows where home is.

I'm going to have to shut the door soon though as it's getting chilly!