How long did you keep your rescues indoors?

[Wobblybridge]

Had our lovely rescue girl just over a week but she's already got cabin fever! Vet said to keep her inside for 6 weeks but that seems a very long time! Would 3 be long enough?

I kept mine in for 4 weeks but it was difficult. They need to bond with you and their new home so that they will want to come back to you once they start roaming outside. I also bought a large secondhand puppy crate and put him inside with his favourite blanket and then carried it out to the garden and sat with him with a cuppa for a while so that he got used to the sounds and smells outside.

Around two weeks, the day I let him out he went next door and had a go at their two cats as the fence had blown down and he could see them.

It was a one off, the fence went back up and he didn't wander out of the garden at all, he was quite nervous so was happy to permanently stay very close to the house.

If you're considering going 'early' check they seem settled in the house (they should be curious about outside rather than agitated about being unable to escape from inside) and it helps if they will come when you call/ shake a dreamies packet.

We rescued a pair of 4yo cats several years ago. One wasn't that bothered about going out as was still very shy even in the house. We started at around 3 weeks with just letting the brave/ friendly one follow us out to the garden for a few minutes of pottering first thing in the morning before breakfast and then as they were hungry they easily came back in to eat. Then the same at dinner time. As it got warmer and door and windows were open more often they started to nip out for a wee when they wanted to. Neither roam far though.

Some good tips, thank you!

About a month, and then just for short spells, accompanied. He went mad exploring, then actually chose not to go out for about eight weeks after that even though he could have.

I read somewhere that it was useful to scatter used (weed on) litter round to create a “boundary” with their scent. I did that and while it may be a load of rubbish, even a year down the line he doesn’t tend to roam far so perhaps it’s worth a go!

We kept ours inside for two weeks but they recommended three. She was just so excited to go out. She hadn't particularly bonded with us at the time but she still came back. She is very food motivated though and recognised a tube of her favourite treats when we shook it.

MrCat escaped out the back door after 6 days. We called him, put his litter tray outside by the door, and rattled Dreamies. He came back after 3h. So we thought what's the point in keeping him in any longer? For the next 1-2w we let him out before breakfast every day and called him back with food. After a month or so we unlocked the catflap and let him come and go as he pleased.

First time you let them out do it just before their dinner time, that should encourage them to come back in for food 😁

I kept mine in for 8 weeks which is longer than they usually say

really it should be before breakfast and when they come running at the sound of a Dreamies packet. Yes they are that fickle

Mine have only just started going out sat

We got them in aug at 4 months old

I'm an outlier on this, I've never managed to contain a rescue cat for longer than six days. That's presumably the point at which my guard slips and the cat gets desperate enough to escape! They've always come back. I'm not suggesting it's ideal to let them out so early, but that is what has happened. When I moved to where I am now, I let ye cat into the garden on about day three, but left the back door open. In fact I always leave the back door open, so they can smell their way home.

We adopted 3 cats nearly 5 weeks ago. The bravest has been in and out for the last few days and the nervier two have ventured out a little today.
Four weeks seemed the sweet spot for us and the point they suddenly seemed bonded to us/the house.

Thanks all, she seems to be less bothered now but I'll aim for a full 3 weeks and make sure she's hungry and that I'm stocked up on dreamies!!

I use a treat that mine loves so a really high value one but he only ever gets it when he comes back inside
That way I can shout him and he comes barrelling in at top speed

Well we lasted about 2 and a half weeks and she's been out the last 3 days. Has worked out the cat flap and is coming and going as she pleases but still spending plenty of time on my lap! So far so good!

We advise three to four weeks - but it very much depends on the cat. A nervous cat should be kept in until no longer too nervous. A confident and calm cat should be able to go out after three weeks.

Ours arrived in the mid May (6 years ago now) they were very interested in the Big Outdoors but he was nervous .
IiRC it was the July when we let them venture .
DH and DD sat out on the patio and we secured the French door
They slunk out ,had a mosey round and darted back k .
We did all the "send them out hungry" which worked well

Next trick was getting them to use the catflap as they aren't the type of cats you can grab and shove through like a roll of carpet . And the 'click' put them off a bit to start .
They caught on very quickly considering they'd never used a catdoor before .

Out boy loves going out first thing , wanders down the path to do some Domain Surveying.

So (TLDR) about 7 weeks

Sooooooo you've had her a couple of weeks now and no photo ?
《Side eyed glance》
Tuts

I adopted a pair from overseas last year who had been fostered in an apartment so used to indoor living. They were strictly indoors for 3-4 weeks then started doing very short daily outings on harness/lead to garden (large, semi rural) gradually extending to little circular walks around the neighbourhood. Shortly after, I accidentally left the back door open one day and so after that I figured it was time to let them go out without lead. The catflap training was quite painful considering they’re supposed to be a clever breed but got there after a few weeks

they now come and go as they please (but indoors at night) and I don’t think they wander too far although a neighbour frequently sends photos of them making themselves comfortable in her lounge!

Our last cat went out as soon as he was allowed, it was winter and he wasn’t bothered.
New cat went out last week and we’ve had him since October. He’s been desperate to go out but he was small and not confident. He’s not gone out today because it’s cold though.

I'll be honest - less than the 3 weeks we were supposed to. I'd say about 18 days. She was clearly very used to being out and was literally banging the windows. She was also venting her stress into aggression at my existing cat. They're completely fine now as long as she gets enough exercise, they even groom a bit and cuddle in cold weather. She just can't be cooped up, or she goes crazy. First I tried putting her on a harness. She was out of it like a shot - she's a very narrow and slim cat under her fur and she just did the shoulderblade thing they do and slipped right out. So I put a GPS tracker on her and let her free. She still has her moments when she gets too rambunctious for the older girl, but she gives her a reprimand and there's no hard feelings and no fur flies. What she'd really like is another young cat to wrestle and zoom with.