Ragdolls desperate to go outside

[raggeddolls]

I posted in chat about my 2 Ragdoll kittens and was basically accused of being a horrible owner for not letting them go outside, apparently I am selfish and should never have bought them if I subject them to the life of an indoors cat.

I researched the breed thoroughly and it’s been made pretty clear that ragdolls should be indoor cats. The breeder recommended this too.

Problem is both my neutered male kittens who are around 7 months yowl at the back door desperate to go outside. My garden is not cat proof and it’s a design which makes it very hard to car proof - we are not one level and have hedges/bushes rather than fences. I did ask one neighbour who owns the hedge if we could replace with a fence at our own expense but he said no.

So I can’t see how we could keep them in the garden even if we went outside and supervised them. I have been looking at specialist cat tents for outside but they would just be exchanging one prison (our house!) for another confined space.

Just wondering if anyone can relate?

I think we will have to move houses and get a garden where we can build a catio - not possible in current garden due to us being on a hill and having different levels in the garden.

It’s so stressful. I just want to keep them safe. They have a large house to run around in, lots of toys and we spend a lot of time playing with them ( they love chasing a ball up and down the stairs) but they are desperate to go outside.

So let them go outside
I honestly don't know what you want anyone to say that wasn't said in your last thread

Mine goes outside and is fine

Just let them out.

What are you afraid of? Them getting run over?

I said on your last thread you should just let them out and take the risk. I would personally if the alternative was getting rid.

Let them out, let them follow their instincts. Could you keep them in at night if they don't go full feral outside?

You don't need your neighbours permission to put a fence up in your own garden, in line with the existing hedge. It doesn't need to interfere with the hedge in any way. Cheaper to catproof a garden than move house!

Gonna have to let them out @raggeddolls . I think a cat is better having a shorter life - like 8-10 years - and really living it, like exploring and having adventures, and meeting other cats/dogs/wildlife/other people etc, and really stretching its legs, rather than being stuck in the house for potentially 20 years, never going out. I find it so odd that people keep their cat indoors all the time. I don't know how people keep cats in the house anyway. Mine would drive me mad mithering me! 😜

Well I was hoping I’d get views from other Ragdoll owners as I posted in the litter tray not chat. Instead I’ve just got the same posters again, many of whom were unkind, on this thread 🤣

I'd personally just let them put at that age. They've bonded to the place. They'll come home.
But if that's not for you have you considered getting them harnesses and taking them for a walk? They would get to enjoy the outside but you would know they were safe... not all cats tolerate harnesses well tho.. but my friend had a cat she used to take for walks in the park as tho it were a dig because she lived in a top floor city centre flat and the cat wanted to go outside but she felt it was too at risk

It will interfere with the hedge as it is a short wall with a huge sprawling bush growing on top of it leaving no room for a fence. The neighbour owns it.

Not owned a ragdoll but generally I thought people preferred to keep them in as they are not as savvy as other cats.
Are you worried about roads or just in general? If it's just in general, you could let them out when you are around, put trackers on them, then you could easily find them after a short time, and gradually increase as you feel comfortable.
If you are worried about roads, I would be inclined to keep them in, no matter what other people day.

If you want a cat-proofed area there is no reason you can't do that in your current garden, which sounds similar to mine. Our garden is surrounded by hedges and too big to enclose fully, so we have a cat enclosure which is fairly generously sized - bigger than a catio. (I am not a fan of confining cats, but within 18 months we had two cats run over, and one attacked by a dog.)

I used

https://protectapet.com/pages/cat-enclosures

They easily managed to deal with different levels and slopes. We've had the enclosure now for 5 years and had no problems with it.

But you may think that is a 'prison' and if so, you need to let them roam. You can install a four-way lockable electronic cat flap so that you can still keep them in at night.

Can you fence inside the hedge? Take them out in harnesses? Build them a catio?

I have two ragdolls. I let them out. They don't leave the garden, both did once and never did it again. You might find they choose to stay close to home like mine.

But you're right that they're not very streetwise. We won't live in a busy road

I’m a long term cat owner. Let them out.

The guy who designed and built my catio also makes cat window boxes- he works across England if you do a search online. There are also cat window box building instructions available free online to do yourself if you search ' cat window box 'online. So cats get fresh air but stay safe.

I got a big catio for my cat to run around in, investigate plants etc but instead she mainly just sits in the sunshine and sleeps- she won't go out at all when it's cold and wet...

So please don't feel pressured to rehome or give free access to outside when they are vulnerable, like ragdolls.

Do not let rag dolls outside unsupervised.
It will not end well.
If you really can’t work out how to build a catio (doesn’t have to be right at back door- you can carry them in/out to it) then you need to look at making house more cat friendly and interesting. Lots of wall beds/climbing areas/cat wheel/ toys that you rotate and actually spend time playing with them.

Somebody can correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure you can cut the bush if it crosses your property. You just have to give the branches back.

Could you get a harness and a long lead, so they can explore the garden but safely? Keep an eye on them obviously so they don't get tangled up. I've taken my kitten outside like that a few times! My friend has a catio which is good but as you've said, not possible.

I have a ragdoll who absolutely loves being outdoors, even in the rain he sits waiting for mice. I started with a harness, which was silly. Then I build a 10x7 catio on the back of the house. My half ragdoll found her way out of that. Both are very happy outdoor cats. The pure ragdoll has cat instincts the same as any other cat I've had. I'm always nervous something will happen, but it's been 8.5 years since they started going outdoors unsupervised. I dread winter as I don't let them out below zero and they cry and get destructive.

What will happen when they go out?

Mine are still alive also after 8 years

You don't need your neighbours permission to put up a fence. Just put it on your side of the hedge

Of course you want to keep them safe. I want to keep my British shorthair kittens safe as I possibly can however I want them to be able to have the best cat life they can have when they are older and that will mean letting them in the garden to be a cat.