I'd love to let my kittens out when they are old enough but I'm really squeamish and don't know how I'd cope if they brought animals, dead or alive, into the house.

I'm hopefully moving to the town next year and not sure I'd want to let them out there with the risk of roads etc so am thinking of getting them a big run in the garden. Not sure if it is worth letting them out where I am if I am going to do this when I move?

They are 4 months now and won't be a year til next April - I think I read somewhere on here that they shouldn't really be let out til they are at least a year old?

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I Would keep them inside until the cat run is done. If they are in a run theres less chance of them bringing you presents from outside.

My cats bring tons of thing into my tenants flat lol. Luckily it is rarely in my house.

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Have: 4 Cats 3 Dogs currently
Have had: 6 cats

Dogs: German Shepherds
Cats: Ginger Tabby & Torbies

RIP: Ducati, Cheetah, Joy, Claire & Sapphire - Torties
Chloe - Black & White

This is what I was thinking. I thought it might be cruel to let them have loads of freedom and then only have a run when I move.

I think with them not really meant to be out til they are about 1 I won't bother as hopefully I will be close to moving then.

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Philos brought us loads of sparrows over the summer. It's something that you will learn to deal with, however upsetting it is.

The worst was one that we'd rescued from her and put in a cardboard box to recover from the ordeal. We took it to the front door and watched it tentatively fly away, only for Philos to appear from nowhere and catch it again. Fortunately we were able to rescue it a second time

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Dan

Step-daddy to Philos the tortoiseshell cat
Daddy to Riah the Pyranean mountain dog
Daddy to Kaloi and Hercules the ferrets
Daddy to Pablo and Orion the kittens

My 5 month old kitten is an indoor kitty, Not the slightest bit bothered about going out at all. My older cat (who still lives with my mum) is an outdoor cat, She went through some terrible phases of bringing pressies home. Pigeons, black birds, mice, Even killed and brought home a HUGE rat once and left it on the door step!! She also brought home a live mouse once, caught it and let it loose in the house!!!!! My mum went nuts! lol.

Sorry, my intention isn't to put you off of letting them out But a run sounds like a good idea

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Yep, mine have all brought things back inside! The worst was when Jazz was still very young and loved to show off, so he once brought in a sparrow...still alive! He hid it under the dining table and yowled for our other cat, Plato. All I could hear under the table was yowling and growling, and when I had a look there was a poor sparrow underneath looking absolutely terrified!

In their first year Jazz and Plato were terrible butterfly hunters - together they led a fullscale elimination of the Red Admiral population around my neighbour's buddleja plant . That first summer, Jazz was also going through at least 8 birds a week - he was ruthless. After that summer it seems he got it all out of his system and now only very occasionally kills things, mainly mice in the summer that he leaves on the doorstep.

Hobbes tends to be the one delivering presents these days. He averages about 5-7 birds a year. I always know when he's caught something as he stands outside on the patio literally BELLOWING to come see his treasure - you can hear him from the other side of the house with the tv on!!

I used to be squeamish about these things, but the dogs regularly bring back MUCH worse (think rotting rabbits etc). Can't remember how old any of the cats were when I first let them out, sorry. All our foster cats have stayed here as indoor cats and have been pretty happy with the setup.

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My Amber was a peoper huntstress and would bring all sorts of wildlife into the house as pressies. We used to hear her killing animals during the middle of the night squeaking away and she would just leave some bit of kidney or some innard that she couldn't digest. It was gross.

Edited to add that you don't need to wait until they are a year old. Just wait until they are fully vacinated then they can venture into the garden under strict supervision. That's what we did in the past.

Bola is too clumsy to catch/bring birds into the house, so he brings frogs. Dexter on the other hand and even tho' he is one of next doors cats, is a consumate hunter and often bolts in thro' the flap here with the latest bird victim.

The fabulous and still much missed Beckett had a thing about bread, full slices, bits of toast, crusts, rolls, especially stale rolls for some reason. Quite just he thought he'd caught I could never work out, but he was so proud of doing so he didn't give up his *prey* easily

Ian

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RIP Black Tom and Beckett, not just cats, they were my cats and the best ever.

Oh yes, i have had plenty of birds this year from Algren.

Last night at 3.45 i was woken to Algren patting around the bedroom floor, he had brought me a large moth, Then Nim joined in, so a 4 this morning i was at the front door throwing out 2 cats and a moth lol. Both furbabies came straight back in ans curled up in bed with me, nice cuddly night.

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A cat does not just inhabit a house, it gives it a soul

My friends cat has brought her half killed baby rabbits home! Delightful!