Letting kitten out for first time

[babycatmom]

We have a +6month old kitten, fully vaxxed and spayed. I want to start letting her outside, and have read to use treats to tempt them back inside. I started by using a harness and letting her explore the garden and she loves it and always tries to stay out once we've decided to go back in. When she was out on the lead (very long string so she was at the other end of the garden), I tried shaking dreamies and calling her to get her to come back but she completely ignored and carried on exploring. I'm worried if I let her off the leash she will jump a fence and never return! She's already tried getting under the fence and into the neighbours garden. How can I be sure she'll come back?!

I would make sure she is hungry before letting her out.

I'd also make sure she has some recall to the sound of the name and the shake of a food packet, bearing in mind she may think other things are more fun if she is busy.

Otherwise it is a leap of faith.

Definitely make sure she's hungry when she's out, then she'll be more likely to return for food! Stay out there with her if you can, but also look into pet trackers - I put one on each of mine before I let them out, the first few times they didn't go too far, but then when they did (and didn't return!) I was able to go and collect them and walk them back.

You were lucky about walking them back.

My experience of kittens is they muck about in the back garden running off when you get near them.

My neighbour would helpfully round mine up for me with her gundogs.

I think this time of year is a bit risky - cats love being out on warm sunny days!
Wait until it's a bit overcast, make sure she's really hungry and let her out briefly, do this over several days - keeping outdoor time short, but enough for smells to become familiar.
The first time you let them out unsupervised is nerve wracking.

Honestly you just do it and hope for the best. Do it half an hour before a meal. Mine went straight over the wall reappearing a bit later to tell me all about it.

True, my cats are very reliable about coming in for dinner at 6.

But both of them had better things to do in the sunny weather and even the one most driven by her stomach didn't come in till 4am.

I'd leave it until its raining.

I've never had a problem with this. I have quite a good fence with no gaps and 2m high, and they couldn't get out initially. Now they can climb a palm tree to the top of the fence and cruise the neighbourhood that way. But they always come back, i usually just call them or shake the bag. But if they don't I don't sweat it - they stayed out last night (I have a weatherproof house for them outside just in case).
Afraid to say the two times a cat of mine has not returned was because they had been hit by a car.

Thanks everyone! She does come when called inside the house, and always sprints for dreamies. Outside however she is not interested! We've been thinking about a tracker, and I'm ordering a name tag with our phone number. Will wait for a less lovely day and give it another go!

It is always nerve wracking, i always dread it but every one has always come back eventually. I aagree, let them out before frrd time, but other than that just let tbem out and hope for the best. Cats are clever. They have sort of a map in their heads.
Good luck

I kept mine in until they were almost a year old and then only let them out even I was in the garden. It mist have worked because every evening between 4 and 5 they appear for their tea and go to bed.