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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.

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Original poster

Cat lead or spend a fortune cat proofing the garden?

73 replies

stirling · 09/10/2021 09:17

My kitten is 5 months old and a house cat. I'm not entirely sure what breed she is but supposedly a persian chinchilla, though she looks more like a British Longhair and sometimes even a Norwegian forest.

Anyway, she's doing everything she can to escape and it's getting harder to block the doors. She lies in ambush ready to bolt when you're least expecting it. I've seen her climbing out of the toilet window and now we don't open any windows.
The conservatory is like a torture chamber for her as she can see all the birds etc in our fairly wild garden.

She meows in distress looking through windows and looks so unhappy that I'm feeling guilty.

Would a cat lead help or should I just cat proof which will cost a fortune?

Thank you for any advice

OP posts:

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Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 09/10/2021 09:27

Why can't you just let her out to roam free (once neutered)? She very clearly doesn't want to be a house cat.
In terms of breed, a photo would help, but could she be a DLH?

Sausagis · 09/10/2021 09:31

Off topic but I tried a free app "cat scanner" which worked for my one cat (Maine coon)

Motnight · 09/10/2021 09:37

She's clearly telling you that she doesn't want to be an indoors cat!

Amrapaali · 09/10/2021 09:37

Cat lead definitely. The sooner you start, the easier it is to get used to it. Mine spends a half hour in the morning on her harness. After she comes back in she's had her fill and doesn't really ask to be let out again. Get a long lead and dont tug at it or try too much to" walk" her. Just follow her around while keeping ypur distance. Some days I just secure the leash and come back in. I keep an eye on her while she just chills in the garden.

Mine caught a mouse the other day while on her harness. So it isn't restrictive or anything

FairyHuck · 09/10/2021 09:49

She doesn't sound like an indoor cat, it sounds like she desperately needs to be outside. I think it's cruel keeping her in or on a lead personally but you need to let her out

Go with the lead. Ensure it's a length where she can't jump onto anything and get caught/hang herself.

Icenii · 09/10/2021 09:54

I'd let her out.

I have a 2 and a half year old Maine Coon who I didn't let out and I debated it all this time and am now worried it is too late to let him roam?

He goes out on the lead but not everyday.

Every cat I've ever had went out. No idea why I suddenly panicked about this one.

AnnaMagnani · 09/10/2021 10:04

Neuter, let her out and train her to come in for dinner. Then don't let her out overnight - there will be some mishaps while she is young and thinks she has better things to do but over all it's safest for her and the birds.

Toddlerteaplease · 09/10/2021 10:32

If she's a proper Persian. She won't have long legs and is unlikely to be able to jump high fences. Neither of my Persians can. So if your garden is secure, she'll be ok.

Toddlerteaplease · 09/10/2021 10:33

Persians don't have the brains to be out in the big wide world either.

thecatneuterer · 09/10/2021 10:58

Is she neutered? How unsafe is your garden/road? By that I mean is there easy access from the garden to a road and how busy is that road. Or is it a block of terraces with gardens onto gardens?

Theunamedcat · 09/10/2021 11:02

Is she in season? None of my cats really showed an inclination to go outside unless I'm actually outside

Original poster

stirling · 09/10/2021 11:35

Thank you all for the replies. She's not yet neutered so that needs arranging asap. She's definitely not a proper persian. She is unbelievably smart and savvy and actually rather wild in her behaviour. My last cat was a tabby and so different.

My front garden is not safe at all. Driveway straight onto road. Back garden is massive. But I live behind a forest so there are foxes about and she's still quite small for five months. One side doesn't have a fence just laurel bushes with gaps she could squeeze through. The worry is the number of posts on my next door app of cats going missing...
I'll send a pic.

OP posts:

Theunamedcat · 09/10/2021 11:50

Get her neutered then a catio

MrsFin · 09/10/2021 11:52

We back onto a woods too, without a proper fence.
We decided long ago that it's less cruel to let DCat out, with all the accompanying risks, than to keep her locked indoors.
She kills the old small creature, and brings live things into the house, and comes home with the odd scratch herself quite often. But we prefer it that way.

Viviennemary · 09/10/2021 11:54

Just let thd cat out. Its cruel.

thecatneuterer · 09/10/2021 11:55

Well get her neutered asap. A catio isn't a bad idea if you can manage it. But, if you can't, after around 8 months I think I would allow her to go out the back. Foxes are rarely a danger to adult cats. It's cars that you really need to be scared of.

Leads and harnesses are a not a good idea. Most cats hate them and they still don't' have their freedom.

silentpool · 09/10/2021 12:12

When I am able to, I will get the cat a catio. I don't want him killing native animals - so that will need to be the compromise. I think it's a reasonable option if you are nervous?

gunnersgold · 09/10/2021 12:30

I have bengals , I let them out . They go crazy wild inside and I have a big house . Where will live is as safe as it can be for a cat and I do worry but house cats always seem sad to me . Surely a shorter fulfilling life would be better if the worst happened at least she was a cat . That's the way I feel about my boys as much as I love them .

scochran · 09/10/2021 12:30

You can cat proof without spending lots, have a Google. I used brackets from b and q and loose chicken wire.
I let my cat roam though and now he's been missing 5 weeks. I wish I hadn't. I dread to think what happened to him or how scared he might have been. So many cats die on uk roads I'm not sure letting them roam is a good way to care for them.
My next cat will get a pre made catio, I'm just going to spend what it takes and have fun making it exciting and accessorising it.

Pufflethecat · 09/10/2021 12:36

I second scochran's comment, it doesn't take a lot to make your own catio, that way you can still have peace of mind. For the judgemental people saying it's cruel not to let the cat out, I take it you've never had a cat with ethylene glycol poisoning from drinking antifreeze? We lost TWO outdoor cats in a month this way (thinking it was deliberately) ..... Believe me, THAT is much crueller

HopingForOurRainbowBaby · 09/10/2021 12:39

@Viviennemary

Just let thd cat out. Its cruel.

It's more cruel to let them wonder and be killed on the road or be poisoned!

Viviennemary · 09/10/2021 12:52

Yes I see that now that there is a probldm with OPs garden. But I do think cats should not be kept permanently indoors.

Original poster

stirling · 09/10/2021 12:59

Thanks again, I don't even know what a catio is but about to Google. I'm attaching a photo of her.

Cat lead or spend a fortune cat proofing the garden?

OP posts:

Pufflethecat · 09/10/2021 13:33

@stirling

Thanks again, I don't even know what a catio is but about to Google. I'm attaching a photo of her.

Hello pretty girl! 🥰

Floralnomad · 09/10/2021 13:39

I would get her neutered ASAP and in the mean time cat proof a section of garden close to the house for her , some cats are not cut out for being house cats . My mum had a Ragdoll and he used to sit by open windows , had absolutely no interest in going out .

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