To let outdoors or not…

[honeyandbutterontoast]

We have an 8 month old kitten who is desperate to go out in the garden. I have always had outdoor cats before but I’m struggling with the idea of letting her out.

We live in a terraced house on a busyish road. Long interesting garden but some fences are low enough for her to easily get over. A lot of cats in the neighbourhood.

Shes also a very expensive looking cat (she isn’t, just weird genetics have produced a cat who is a moggy but looks like an exotic pedigree!). So I’m worried she may get stolen.

Plus this year we have had two pets die (not related to going out) and I am honestly not sure I can deal with the sadness if something happens to her.

But she so badly wants out, she climbs my curtains at home, jumps around everywhere and has a ton of energy. I know she would love some freedom. Plus I do think cats need the outside.

Any suggestions? Fencing in the garden isn’t possible or affordable. And I don’t think a catio will give her the running around outside experience.

I would let her out. Part of the price we pay for pet ownership is the worry. There are cats who appear to be happy as indoor cats, but it's so against all their instincts. Let her out-then call her back by shaking a packet of treats!

I would let her out. I understand your concerns, but some cats aren't happy being indoor cats and she sounds like one of them.

I was always of the opinion cats should be let out and it is cruel not to. Until mine was hit by a car and I would never let a cat out again. It's your call and I appreciate people will say the cat wouldn't be happy indoors etc but quite honestly losing my boy in that way was so traumatising I wouldn't risk it again.
Is there a local charity who scan found pets? If so look on their page. It's an eye opener to just how many cats are killed in this way.

Can you get a catio?

I was always of the opinion that it’s cruel to keep cats indoors but mine are now indoor cats for many of the reasons mentioned. They’re quite happy with it and always have been but I think if either of them seemed unhappy I would let them out

She doesn’t seem unhappy as such, she has a ton of toys and lots of interaction. But she spends all day watching outside, meowing at the birds etc.

Its hard to tell if she is the kind of cat who will be content with wandering the garden, or disappear for days!

she isn’t particularly fond of people but she has quite a bolshy attitude with the dog and I don’t want her to get in fights! She has been spayed at 4 months so no worries on that front.

All the cats I’ve had before just went out as soon as they had their vaccinations!

It’s also super difficult letting the dog in or out or not even being able to leave the windows open in the hot weather! How do people find a solution to that. She’s super speedy at the sound of a door opening 😂

If she's happy indoors and not showing signs of stress then personally I would keep her in.

I know MN isn't very supportive of indoor cats but I've seen way too many outdoor cats get peeled off the roads to ever want to risk it with mine.

In the nicest possible way, she’s a cat not a child. And as such we cannot protect them as we do our children. Let her out to explore.

"All the cats I’ve had before just went out as soon as they had their vaccinations!"

So why not give this one the same happy cat life your others had?

Cat harness. Both my cats enjoy a morning stroll on the harness

@CurlewKate
i think because of losing two pets this year. I’m now paranoid about this little one :(

I live in a rural area, but there is a road. My cats are outdoor cats. Their choice - all made it very clear as youngsters that they wanted access outside, so they have a flap and come and go as they please. I take the view that there is a risk, but on the other hand their welfare would be compromised if they didn’t go out. Better a potentially shorter, fuller life, is my overall thought.

Let her out if she wants out.

Can you try a harness. Our kitten is 6 months and has been going out in the garden for a few months now. We have him on a 6ft lead and keep an eye on him. He happily plays and climbs.

We've cat proofed our garden for the best of both worlds!

Our 15 year old cat got lost 18 months ago & it was unbearable!

We got 2 rescues & I intended to let them out but when it came to it I just couldn't do it!

So they now have free reign of the house & garden! It wasn't cheap but worth it for the peace of mind!

I wouldn't let her out, I haven't had outdoor cats for years, too much risk now, not just cars but nasty people - I was a teenager when my parents started having house cats - saw too many victims of RTAs by the fast road at the bottom of ours.

I'd take her out on a harness in the garden, or if your budget is vast/you don't mind the aesthetics, a catio. Do you think she'd be open to a friend? She may settle more if she has a friend to roughouse with. Can she look out the windows, ours enjoy doing that. Has she got a cat tree?

Ours don't seem to need lots of play as they seem to prefer going on their own accord and chasing each other/bundling, but how about toys that use her brain, such as a treat ball or a treat board which has different obstacles she needs to extract the treats from? unless you have a ragdoll and they just dismiss them as beneath them as they are too lazy to bother!