Letting my cat outside

[RAYH25]

We've always had outdoor cats but our latest cat Bonnie (just turned 8 months) has never been outside. We got her from a rescue (but she was a kitten from a rescue cat) so she came to us in November when she was 5 months. Our cat flap was covered but my toddler recently uncovered it and since then she has been desperate to go out. The rescue told us they prefer to wait until they are 1 to go outdoors but this morning along she escaped 3 times out the door whilst I was sorting bits out (getting toddler out/taking bags out to car) because she is so fast. I did manage to catch her but is she too young to go out? I feel nervous about the whole thing 🥹

As long as she's had all of her jabs and is worm and flea treated regularly and has been neutered - I wouldn't worry too much about her going out.

Animals, like people are different. If she is curious and wants to explore then she will almost certainly find a way!

Let her out before you feed her, to get her used to coming home for food!

I definitely don't think she's too young to be outside.
I used to volunteer for a cat charity and it is usually recommended, regardless of the age if the cat, that they are kept inside for at least a month to acclimatise before going outside.
And had all their vaccinations.
I've never heard of advice recommending a cat is at least one year old before being allowed outside.

I personally don't let mine out until they're one but that's just my choice and certainly not any kind of rule.

That said, none of them have ever been desperate - I suspect it would be a different story if they were trying to escape or showing signs of stress.

If she wants to go out and is neutered, vaccinated and up to date on flea/worming then I would let her go - the last thing you want is a stressed out indoor cat that pees on things!

My latest one has been out since he was 6 months and had healed from being neutered.
And he was desperate to get outside for a good month or so before that.

I don’t think 8 months is intrinsically too young to go outside. My cats are about to turn 7 months and I am expecting to start them on supervised garden trips quite soon, once the weather improves a bit.

Wait till 1 is definitely not standard advice from rescues. Battersea says from 4 months of neutered, Blue Cross says 5 months.

If she is desperate to get out, it is surely safer to introduce her to the garden in a planned way than to risk her making a bolt for it when you open the front door.

We let ours out on supervised garden trips once they had recovered from neutering (we have always done this at approx 6 months).

Some of them like to go for a wander (often boys) others stay close to home. I would recommend a tracker on the collar for peace of mind. Your cat may grow up very sensible and not venture far at all but if she does go for wanders a tracker is very reassuring,