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

Original poster

Afraid to let kittens outside in case they never come back

32 replies

sheebs2018 · 21/01/2020 20:21

Hey everyone!
So I posted here before about adopting two make kittens, that fell through - long story short we weren't in our forever home in time and they were adopted by a lovely family. So when the time was right we adopted two kittens - male and female. They've been indoors all along as they are only being spayed/neutered this week and also microchipped. Happy out and love each other.

However, little girl is getting more and more curious about the big bad outdoors - Everytime I go to the door she tries to bolt out and has been successful. Have managed to get her back in rattling food but I don't know if that will work every time. I do intend to keep them as indoor cats but I would like them to be able to have supervised outdoor access - theyre animals after all and I feel it would be cruel to deny them.

So basically I am asking for tips to be able to let them out to play when I'm still there or watching them through the kitchen window but ensuring they don't roam and will come back.

For context, our garden is enclosed but has walls a growing cat would eventually climb no problem, could also jump on the oil tank. There are other dogs and cats in the estate including a large unneutered tomcat who likes to roam the back walls of all the houses and piss on them Angry have tried a harness to take them out gradually but that was not happening they nearly lost their will to live when I put them on Sad

Also to add they I will not be trying this until they have recovered from their spaying and neutering and have been microchipped.

And they are 4 and a half months.

Thanks to everyone in advance.

As per mumsnet rules.. I have attached a photo of said cuties Smile

Afraid to let kittens outside in case they never come back
OP posts:
wowfudge · 21/01/2020 20:26

They're beautiful. They will be much happier if they can please themselves about going out and follow their natural instincts. Let them out before they would normally expect to be fed when introducing them to the great outdoors and they'll come back.

TroysMammy · 21/01/2020 20:30

I feel your pain. Haribo is 7 months old today and has been out with a harness 3 times. He shook like a leaf.

I was beside myself today as I couldn't find him in the house. I called him, rattled dreamies (called yum yums), looked everywhere - nothing. I thought he had sneaked out when my DP left for work. I phoned my DP, he came home, he walked up the road to look for Haribo and I went into the living room and Haribo was on the sofa! I don't know where he was in the house but I can only assume that me dying my hair earlier caused him to freak out and hide really well. He's been off with me all day.

I'm hoping that the longer I keep him in the less likely he will want to go far.

Original poster
sheebs2018 · 21/01/2020 20:31

@wowfudge thank you, I agree entirely that I would be cruel to prevent them following their instincts and enjoying the outdoor live. It is my own nerves holding me back in such a short space of time they are my life and I would never forgive myself if anything were to happen them. They're very happy indoors they don't cry to be let out but do sit there if I have to go out for something in the shed or to the bins, but I know as they grow their want to be out will grow. Great tip regarding the food and them being out when hungry. Will be sure to remember that!

OP posts:
FenellaVelour · 21/01/2020 20:33

It’s a balance - yes, the longer you keep them in the more used to home they will be, but the less road sense they will have.

Original poster
sheebs2018 · 21/01/2020 20:34

@TroysMammy it's so difficult isn't it. You must have got some fright you poor thing. Haribo is the coolest cat name ever! We just want them to be happy but also safe but their safety could be at the expense of their happiness ifywim. Her last escape attempt was 5 mins before I made this post so approx half an hour ago and they've been asleep beside be since, they don't hate me for it yet Blush my two love dreamies, in fact they'd eat anything but I think dreamies are like drugs to cats, my mams fussy cat will eat barely anything but screams for dreamies Grin

OP posts:
bodgeitandscarper · 21/01/2020 20:35

Protectapet is worth looking at, it cat proofs your garden so gives you the best of both worlds.

Fluffycloudland77 · 21/01/2020 20:36

You can cat proof a garden. You can diy or get it fitted.

Original poster
sheebs2018 · 21/01/2020 20:37

@FenellaVelour never thought of it that way but makes so much sense! If it was even brighter in the evenings I would be a little less anxious but it's fucking dark when I leave for work and dark when I'm home. (Just before anybody might think of flaming me) partner works opposite shift to me so kitties are alone for max 3 hours, in which they usually sleep

OP posts:
Original poster
sheebs2018 · 21/01/2020 20:38

@Fluffycloudland77 @bodgeitandscarper just look at protectapet, looks amazing ! However I am in Ireland so possibly not available but I will look for something similar here.

OP posts:
bodgeitandscarper · 21/01/2020 20:39

Ive always kept mine in until they were about a year old. A younger cat is far more likely to get into trouble and a younger cat doesn't automatically have road sense, so the risk is just as great, if not greater imo.

gamerchick · 21/01/2020 20:40

She's not going to let you keep her in. When you want to throttle her in the middle of the night she'll get her way.

The only other thing is to play play play to knackee her out. 4 plays, each wind getting shorter until they flop on the floor. If you want to keep them in then you'll have to put the time in.

Or an enclosure they can go outside in, or cat proof the garden so they can't get out.

I'd get them chipped and insured anyway.

Checkmeowt · 21/01/2020 20:40

I'm also scared to let my cats out, i do in the summer and at weekends when its light but not when its dark. Unfortunately in my area the rate of cats getting hit by cars is pretty high so i wouldn't just leave them out at night and stuff where they cannot get back into the house! Gradually introduce them to the outside world letting them have a play and a sniff, make sure they are chipped and put a collar with a bell on them so you can hear them if they jump over the fence. Your girl cat will probably stay close but your male will love to roam!

SarahMused · 21/01/2020 20:46

Could you attach an outdoor run to your house with access through a cat flap? We have a cat cage in the garden which we used when ours were younger. Now they have access to a cat flap in the daytime which I shut at night as most accidents happen then.They seem used to the routine and don’t ask to go out after they’ve been fed in the afternoon. It is difficult to provide supervised access with two cats. They never go in the same direction and one escapes while you chase the other.

SummerOfComedy · 21/01/2020 20:54

I've had a few cats and what I did was let the cat out just before feeding time.
Leave the cat/s to roam for 10 minutes or so, then call the cat/s back and feed straight away.
The cat/s will always remember where home is!
😺

TrainspottingWelsh · 21/01/2020 21:15

I agree with bodge. I've had very few young kittens in my life, but lots of adults, and the older they are, the more caution they have.

Kittens are also far more likely to be friendly/ approachable with people and other animals, rather than older cats that are only accustomed to socialising with people/ animals in their home. And horrible as it is to think about, a kitten that wants to be everybody's friend is far more vulnerable outside than an older cat that is cautious with strangers.

Fivetillmidnight · 21/01/2020 21:22

Got ours at 10 weeks. Kept them in until neutered after 3 months. Opened the door and crossed our fingers.... you just HAVE to be brave. They are in and out cats now.. 5 yrs later they do as they please but still require a foot an to open the terrace door... you just have to go for it. Honestly anything else is giving them a half life .

Fivetillmidnight · 21/01/2020 21:23

Foot an / footman

Original poster
sheebs2018 · 21/01/2020 22:03

@bodgeitandscarper and when you let them out at the later age how did they react? My lady now the first time she went out I was able to pick her up again and bring her in she was a little taken aback. But the next time she wished up and ran off a bit because she knew what was coming?

@gamerchick thankfully she hasn't started that yet. Just when she sees me go outside is when the interest peaks but time will tell. We play lots Smile but nothing like some fresh air and I know they'll love it just to keep them safe. Will be microchipped this week and must look into insurance.

@Checkmeowt bad time of year for it isn't it very little daylight to keep an eye on them outside of working hours and tbh don't think I'd trust my partner to supervise them, not that he would deliberately not watch them but he is new to the world of cats 😁 tried collars and they went absolutely beserk! Baby boy isn't showing much interest yet but he is a nervous cat anyway.

@sarahmused definitely going to look into somewhat enclosed options they seem to be the most definite way to prevent accidents happening.

Has anybody heard that apparently scattering their used litter around the garden and particularly the boundaries helps lead them back home and prevent them straying as it is familiar "territory"?

OP posts:
Original poster
sheebs2018 · 21/01/2020 22:08

@summerofcomedy thank you, definitelt the general consensus to leave them out hungry, to be honest my two would eat every hour of the day if they could thankfully they like their grub 😂

@TrainspottingWelsh totally understand the logic of that, sane as the innocence of a child makes sense really doesn't it. They are still only babies after all

@Fivetillmidnight
I'm so bad at being brave, I'm a glass half empty kind of person, rather than think oh my God they will have so much fun outside I always think the worst! You are right though have to put their feelings first. I will be waiting a few weeks though for 2 reasons 1 more daylight when I get in from work as it is something if I start I want to be consistent and do a few mins every day with them and 2 advised to keep them in while they heal from their spaying and neutering

OP posts:
MollyButton · 21/01/2020 22:14

My vet suggested not letting ours out until 6 months. It was pretty easy as the were a similar age to yours so as they got older it was winter. They didn't like the cold.
And at first we only let them out briefly, and could always get them back with food.

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 21/01/2020 22:17

Mine are 6 and 5 months old and wont be going out for a while yet.

Ive always tried to keep mine in until around a year.

We see plenty of young kittens around here, they dont seem to have any road sense at all. Ime they are far more careful once they are older

Original poster
sheebs2018 · 21/01/2020 22:41

Thank you all so much ☺️ so many conflicting comments, not saying that any one opinion is right or wrong but I guess just good to know I'm not the only one to worry about this and how we all care for our furbabies so well in terms of their safety but also their overall happiness and well-being and the obvious benefits of letting them explore Smile

OP posts:
Wilkie1956mog · 22/01/2020 09:31

Get a "catio" built, attached to your house? We did that, a basic lean-to with mesh. Our 4 cats come and go through the kitchen window. They enjoy being outside to feel the sun and the air, and lie in the fresh air, watch the birds in the garden, but in safety. No dead birds being brought in either. We put shelves and toys out in the enclosure. They love it in the summer.

violetbunny · 22/01/2020 09:51

We took our two out for for daily walks on harnesses from 5 months. This actually only served to make them want to go out even more!

We started letting them out in the daytime only about 6 weeks later, they were pestering is constantly to be let out by that point. Their microchip catflap has a curfew so they aren't allowed to go back out when it's dark. There's no way I could keep them to supervised outdoor trips only, one in particular just loves to explore. They are usually in and out of their catflap all day though.

viccat · 22/01/2020 10:53

Cat proofing your garden with a Protectapet style system is really the best way. I know many who've done a DIY option for as little as £200 and it will last for years. It's very difficult to have indoor cats if your home has direct access to the outdoors - not because cats definitely want to roam but because they're curious and will of course explore if there's an open door (most cats don't like closed doors indoors either).

I genuinely don't believe letting cats out to roam is ever safe - or it's safe until the day it's not...

My cats have a secured outdoor space and they love it, it's really best of both worlds. They can be out there as much as they want but they're protected from all the dangers roaming cats face. Plus they're not annoying neighbours or destroying wildlife.