How long did you *actually* keep your cat in for?

[FrenchFancie]

We’ve moved house last week - we have two very confident outdoors boy cats, who are getting irritated being kept indoors.

i know the advice is to keep them in for at least two weeks, our last house move we managed about 10 days before they escaped. I’m wondering how long you kept yours in for? Did you do the 2 weeks as advised? Or longer / shorter? We’ve moved far enough away that they won’t find their old territory.

I was fully intending to go for 4 weeks but he escaped after 9 days. I remember sitting on the front doorstep bawling my eyes out because I was going to have to fess up to the shelter that I‘d lost the cat they‘d just entrusted me with - then DH called out ‚look who’s just come back‘, and there he was again. He (also a confident boycat) just wanted to explore the neighbourhood on his own terms.

I always waited 2 weeks, although have seen on here some people suggest 4 months! My cats would have plucked my eyeballs out of my head in my sleep and chewed them up if I waited that long.

Always let out when they’re starving hungry and have v delicious smelly treat dinner waiting for them so they know next door isn’t better 😂

Wish I'd done the minimum 2 weeks!

Years ago lost one cat when I left my friend cat sitting after moving to a new place and work sending me away on a course. He got out/was let out (?) and never seen of again. I put up posters, rang around, went door knocking etc. but there was no sign of him. He was a gorgeous long haired fluffy ginger and so I always hoped that someone adopted him and loved him as much as I did. ☹️

Second time, I had a Tabby mummy and son cats and we'd moved to somewhere very rural, no neighbours for at least half a mile.

I let mummy cat out after 3 days as she was being very loud and demanding. I assumed she'd do a wee and come straight back in. She disappeared never to be seen again. My little boy was heartbroken as she used to lie on his bed with him at night. 😢

I managed three days 🙈 it was the middle of summer, two cats and they both didn't go further than the garden for ages.

We did two weeks I think. The first few times I let him out not long before he was due for dinner, then opened it at the back door for the smell to waft and hopefully bring him back!

We managed about 6 weeks when they came from the rescue, aided by it being autumn and back doors not being open much etc. It was because 4 weeks fell around bonfire night and we didn't want them getting spooked too soon after being let out.

I've just adopted a new cat and it's been 12 days so far.... trying to keep him in as long as possible
To be fair the window is open an inch and he's shown no inclination to leave the sofa

We got a rescue from a charity and about a week after she arrived they rang to ask how she was doing. i said 'Oh she's great. She went into the garden this monring' and then got a massive dressing down about it meant to be at least 3 weeks.

Tell that to the cat who then spent another 4 days trying her best to escape into our large garden before we gave in and just wrote our number on her collar and left her to it.

She is a feisty opinonated 12 year old though who was having none of the rules.

We’ve had our cats four years now they were a year old and had been in rescue since being taken in as garden kittens. So no experience with cat doors and not much outdoor savvy as they’d had their mum to fend for them. They were in from mid May to mid July ,totally own the garden and aced the cat door with their magic microchipped necks.
Probably 8 weeks .

Oh I‘m so sorry that happened twice to you, how heartbreaking.

I adopted 2 toms aged 5 and 7 - one was terrified so I kept him in for a month. The one that settled in much more quickly I let out into the garden after 2 weeks. They're both adventurous in the maze of two long rows of terraced back gardens and have been safe and sound so far, fingers crossed!

This is their first summer here and the local rat population aren't fans 🤣

Five weeks

With all of mine I’ve let them out the day after moving or after acquiring them with no issues. I must be lucky!

I did move house once without telling my cat but it was only 3 doors down. I went out on moving day and when I came back in the evening he was sitting at the door of the new house. Clever boy!

About 24 hrs! It wasn't intentional. He was a rescue and the day after I got him I came down with really bad flu. I couldn't get out of bed and was burning up so I had to open the bedroom window to try and cool down a bit. He went straight out through the open window and off over the single storey roof to god knows where. He came back himself and has happily gone in and out ever since.

I kept him in for 5 weeks after we rescued him from a dangerous 4 lane dual carriageway. Bit of a nightmare though as he got frustrated and destructive after a couple of weeks. At 5 weeks he went out, was so scared and shot strsight back in. Eventually he went further and further, and we're lucky to see him all summer.He's 9 now been here 7 years.Don't think he will change 😻

Sorry typos!!

About 10 days after an international move - she came over from the Middle East in November. Was desperate to go out, ran out and looked horrified by the cold grass and chilly air and ran straight back in yowling!!

2 days,he was going nuts,worked his way from back garden to front of house,smack dab in middle of 30 terraced houses but never wandered off.This is his 3rd house.
Only one of my cats ever went back to old house, because we moved 2 streets away 😄

2 days,he was going nuts,worked his way from back garden to front of house,smack dab in middle of 30 terraced houses but never wandered off.This is his 3rd house.
Only one of my cats ever went back to old house, because we moved 2 streets away 😄

About 12 hours. He escaped through an upstairs window.

He was gone until the early hours, presumably exploring, but was absolutely fine after that.

About 10 days after an international move - she came over from the Middle East in November. Was desperate to go out, ran out and looked horrified by the cold grass and chilly air and ran straight back in yowling!!

I was amazed how well ours coped. He was used to 40 degrees but was let out to this. After a couple of minutes he was running around and diving into it.

I did two weeks but the cats were new to me and one was only six months old. I think it depends on the temperament of the cat. I know an anxious cat that disappeared for three days after being let out after a week.

@polis - brave boy! 3 years in and mine still hates the winter 😂

We’ve had the boys since they were 12 week old kittens, they are now 7 so know us very well (and come running to the sound of the car pulling I to the drive etc). My main issue will be with one of them wanting to let himself I to other peoples houses (he has plenty of form for this!). I’m mainly concerned that they will go over the back fence and then not be able to climb back as it’s smooth wood on the other side, but I suppose I could always walk round and. Get him if that happens….

Two weeks here, let them out after sprinkling their used wet litter outside so they got a whiff and new where home now was 😊 Worked a treat. Had it recommended by a friend who assists in finding lost cats with great success.