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The litter tray

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

Original poster

Kitten outside unsupervised

27 replies

worried3012 · 19/03/2021 10:05

My kitten is about 8 months old, chipped and spayed as well as full vaccinations.

I've just started letting her out gradually and supervised the last two weeks. She is obsessed with climbing trees and trying to find way into neighbours gardens.

She had a collar but it came off in a tree and I worry with one she may strangle herself.

What age or signs would you usually leave your kitten out unsupervised and for how long? She knows her name and will come back when called if she feels like it. I don't let her out at night.

Thanks :)

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 19/03/2021 14:11

Our was out at that age but usually they get themselves a routine that involves coming home for naps. Does she have a routine?.

If you use microchip cat flaps it records their comings and goings so you can obsess over it when their 5 minutes late.

CinnabarRed · 19/03/2021 14:12

Mine have all been entirely unsupervised by that age.

Original poster
worried3012 · 19/03/2021 14:28

Thanks both. No routine as yet but tends to be outside in the morning /afternoon then in. But depends on weather. Today she was out for a long time as it was sunny and I stayed in the kitchen checking on her. I think I'm worrying too much.
It's great she loves it though, the first 2-3 days she was petrified of outdoors, now she can't get enough.
Looking into Microchip cat flap, looks a good bet, once she's fully confident on her own.

OP posts:
Mumdiva99 · 20/03/2021 06:41

Ours are similar age. We let them out but I usually call them back every 45 minutes to an hour if they haven't been back themselves. Usually you see them after a while. They come back for a wee or food or just to check the automatic door is working for them!!! Obviously on nicer days we leave it open. This week they've learnt to miow outside DH study window which is great (for me!). We will be getting a cat flap.

sashh · 20/03/2021 06:54

Are you forgetting the rules? We need pics.

Oldraver · 21/03/2021 09:41

Col is 10 months and had been going out on his own for a couple of weeks. He does have a friend to escort him

MrD20 · 21/03/2021 17:37

Hey @worried3012 , we are in exactly the same situation with our boy, he’s slightly younger 7 months.
We started by letting him into the garden supervised for little bursts at a time, then him spending several hours in the garden, and now he seems to have got bored of the garden and is now jumping the fence and we are following him out there in short bursts and then calling him back.
To be honest I’m finding it really challenging. I never thought I’d be this nervous. We have a busy road about 80 yards from our house & everytime he‘s out the front I feel sick. I’ve considered cat proofing but my partner says he thinks the garden is too small and it’s unfair. But I’m really struggling with it!
I’m sure that as long as they are 6 months+ and neutered/chipped then it’s fine to go at your own pace. I just never anticipated my pace would be this slow & tentative!

Walesrecommendations · 21/03/2021 17:40

8 months is around when ours started going out unsupervised but I worried like mad! We didn't shut them in at night and sadly one was run over when she was a year old in the early hours of the morning so now we always get out cats in at 10-10.30pm. I would keep bringing yours in at night, and teach them to come when called to make it easier!

Original poster
worried3012 · 22/03/2021 00:30

Thanks everyone, I've attached the obligatory pic taken just now!

I've been leaving the garden open and 'trusting' her to do her own thing but I check frequently. I usually find her running around chasing bumble bees, chattering at birds, sat by the door, or in a tree! What is quite cute is that whenever she sees me she gets really excited and miows loudly and comes running to me. She seems a bit nervous outside, gets quite scared and puffs up her body If I startle her which she doesn't do indoors. She had a collar but we found it high in a tree (without her!) so I think I'll give the collar a miss for now.

I've also found her naps are even longer now she goes out.

I think it will only be a matter of time before she braves neighbouring gardens even though the fences are quite high (she can access via the trees). I'm a little more confident leaving her out unsupervised for some periods but wouldn't want her out at night yet.

Kitten outside unsupervised
Kitten outside unsupervised
OP posts:
sashh · 22/03/2021 06:06

Oh she is lovely,

Fluffycloudland77 · 22/03/2021 07:45

Their not safe out at night, they need to be in at dusk. She’s beautiful.

MrD20 · 22/03/2021 07:55

@worried3012 she’s so gorgeous!

cricketmum84 · 22/03/2021 08:08

Aww she is a pretty little thing!

Our kitten turns 1 next month and I still haven't let her out and she is showing absolutely no interest in trying even if doors and windows are open. Our older cat goes out so I thought she would follow her but she is too lazy 😂

Thehawki · 22/03/2021 08:29

Mine is 9 months and completely unsupervised. I do normally call him after an hour while I shake a treat packet. It works like a charm 😂 I also sometimes leave him out on a nice sunny day for two or even three hours, I can generally see what he’s up to from the top window so I know he’s okay. I honestly wouldn’t bother leaving her out all night but that’s just me. I would be too stressed about mine wandering over to the roads! If you do leave her out at night, do you have a shed you could put a microchip cat flap into with a warm bed? It’s good if they need to hide somewhere safe.

Original poster
worried3012 · 22/03/2021 08:44

No I'm definitely not letting her out all night, I can't trust her lol she seems to like to get herself stuck in trees!

We have a lot of foxes round here too so prob best not to. Other cats I've had have been out at night once old enough but it's a bit stressful when they don't come back when you're calling them before going to bed!

OP posts:
Thehawki · 22/03/2021 08:55

She’ll be fine then OP. You sound like a lovely caring owner, she’s adorable btw Grin

I let mine out as I make and eat dinner and he’s in after that. He knows he gets a tasty dinner if he comes in after I’ve eaten, so I think our routine is working well Grin

Original poster
worried3012 · 22/03/2021 09:00

Aw thank you. I've had cats all my life but through childhood so technically my parent's 'responsibility' Wink

Our old family cat died last year, it was awful going through that and being helpless (it was in the first lockdown). My DD was distraught so we ended up with this new thing and probably a little over protective lol

OP posts:
Scbchl · 22/03/2021 09:37

Mine is 9 months on April 4th and hasn't been out yet unsupervised. Her op to be spayed has been cancelled twice by the vets and is now due again on 30th March. Its stressing me out as there's a busy road infront of us and she's a bengal x and obsessed with water and I'm worried shel end up drinking anti freeze off cars if its dripping. There's been so many cats and kittens gone missing or been knocked down or poisoned by anti freeze here in the last 6 months. Shes still quite small too. Its more stressful than having a newborn.

minniemoll · 22/03/2021 09:55

My little boy came here at five months, he'd just been castrated. I kept him in for a couple of weeks, with just supervised garden visits, but to do that I had to stop the other two going out at night, and my bigger boy protested by weeing all over the place. So I gave up and let little boy out, and he was absolutely fine - he loves wandering and playing with the other cats around and about, but he always comes home. It is quiet up here though.

stuckinarutatwork · 22/03/2021 10:00

Mine started going out with us in the garden at 5 months after they'd been spayed and neutered (although within a couple of days they were running up trees / going into the neighbours' gardens etc so hardly 'supervised').
We had the cat flap fitted when they were 6 months and so they could come and go as they pleased during the day (we locked it at night).
From about 8 months, we left them to come and go as they wanted at night as well as during the day.

helpfulperson · 22/03/2021 10:29

How on earth do people supervise initial outings? I let my 9 month old out the front door with the intention of following him. 30 seconds later he was off and I had no idea where he was. Fortunately I had followed the advice about just before a meal and he reappeared about half an hour later.

Original poster
worried3012 · 22/03/2021 11:40

@helpfulperson

How on earth do people supervise initial outings? I let my 9 month old out the front door with the intention of following him. 30 seconds later he was off and I had no idea where he was. Fortunately I had followed the advice about just before a meal and he reappeared about half an hour later.
Yeah this was difficult lol! I know I was being too over protective but I literally let her out the first week or two and stayed out but most of the time I couldn't work out where was. The first time she bolted up a tree I had no idea where she was and got a surprise when I saw how high up she was! The bell around her collar helped find her until she got out of it. But most of the time she's in bushes and I'm not sure where she is but last few days I've left her to it and she's come in on her own a few tines during the day. In definitely getting braver with it now.
OP posts:
Original poster
worried3012 · 23/03/2021 10:09

Also noticed she's overly affectionate with me when she's outside, rubbing legs, and face on me, miaowing lots, which she doesn't do as much indoors (she's affectionate but more in a plonk herself on me purring wildly way).
I wonder why , I know she's nervy outside even though she loves it and demands to go out all the time.

OP posts:
EachandEveryone · 23/03/2021 15:25

Im gobsmacked that two posters have got kittens living on busy roads, i wouldnt even contemplate letting them out at all if that was the case.

Mine went out from ten months. They arent over bothered but now the weathers changing I notice theyve both jumped put of the window when I get up for work at 6am. Under no circumstances do they stay out all night. Unless I am up early for work and they still arent in by 11pm. It doesnt happen often.

crimsonlake · 23/03/2021 17:26

To be honest mine went out supervised as in I was with her from a very young age, seemed cruel not to let her when she really wanted to go.
She loves the garden so much I was worried that come Winter she would hate being in most of the time. But of course they adapt and actually turn their nose up when they get a sniff of, cold, wind or rain.
She goes out alone now, but I always check on her after a while, if I call she usually comes running in.