Hi All,

I am new here I would like some advise about letting my cat out. When I split up with my boyfriend I obviously wanted to bring my cat Taz home, he has been home now for 4 weeks on Friday, he has had access to the outside since he was old enough (just over a year) and he has been indoors now for nearly 4 weeks. He hasn't shown many signs of wanting to go outside until the last few days when he sits on the window sills staring out of the window. I am nervous about letting him out as he is in a new home and a new garden etc. My mum doesn't really want me putting a cat flap in so I don't really want to leave him outside with no access to the house. I'm probably being over protective and over anxious but any advise would be really helpful. Has anyone got any advise about when I should let him out? or whether maybe I should keep him in as a house cat now?

Thank you

Laura

I would buy a harness and a lead from the pet shop and i would walk him around the garden twice a day so he can get to know the area and smells.
After a couple of weeks of doing that i would then let him off the lead while you are in the garden watching him.
I would only let him out while you are at home now it's winter. As most cats prefer the warmth of a home.
My three go out first thing in the morning for about 10 minutes and then they are in most of the day. They are not keen on the cold, rain and wind.
I adopted a cat last April and this is what i did. We didn't have any problems.
Also i got him chipped when i took him to the vets.
I'm sure yours will be fine and being as he is use to going outside it wouldn't be fair to keep him in.
Do you live in a fairly safe place away from busy roads?
I always make sure as well that they are in at night, usually they are tucked up with us
Hope this helps.

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Thank you for your advise, yes I live in a quiet cul-de-sac and we back onto nothing but fields. I do agree that it wouldn't be fair to keep him in, as he is my first cat I am just nervous and I think I have an over active imagination . I have read in quite a few places that the first few times he goes outside on his own to not feed him before he goes out. Is this something that I should do?

Cats look out windows because they like to look out windows. It does not mean they want to go out, it means they like looking out.

If he is not begging to go out keep him in. Or, harness train him and take him out, only with you. (never ever tether a cat outside.)

I believe cats should be kept inside, safe from the dangers of the world, especially humans, and of course illness from other cats. (with the exception of harness and supervised outings as already mentioned)

With enough human interaction they can be kept active, stimulated and happy and live long safe healthy lives.

I agree that just because he looks out the window doesn't mean he wants to go out, cats love watching the world go by from a window. If he's not attempting to get out then I'd be inclined to keep him in.

I have an indoors cat but previously I always let my cats out. But now I'd never have a cat that wandered at will, I'd worry too much. My cat does go out supervised into our garden, but she's not really that bothered, she just does a perimeter fence check and goes back in

If you do decide to keep him in make sure he has lots of stimulation indoors e.g. pouncing games, she he can use his natural instincts and keep fit.

Maybe he isn't really wanting to go outside then, he does watch with great curiouisty when someone goes out of the door but he hasn't made a 'run' for it yet.

Some other good advice about letting a cat out for the first time in a new place is to make sure that it's hungry so it will come in the minute you wave a bowl of food at it.

Risk assess the outside environment - neighbours, dogs, roads. Also be very honest with yourself - could you cope if the cat went missing, was injured, died.

Many people who keep indoor cats have been honest with themselves (breeders have different reasons for keeping cats safely indoors).

Cats if properly stimulated will be happy indoors; it means that you become a very important part of their lives.

Also if you decide not to let the cat be free roaming consider if you can provide a run or cat proof your garden.

I would say if he's not showing any signs of wanting to go out then keep him inside, secure the garden or build a run and let him out there. Cats don't need to wander off for days on end they're more than happy as indoor pet. I would never let mine out I couldn't live with myself if because of something stupid I did my cat ended up in the hospital because it had been hit by a car or something

Thank you every one for your responses, I think I will keep him inside, I could not live with myself if something happened to him and I would be beside myself with worry if he went missing. I just bought him a huge scratching post/ activity centre, so I think he will be happy with it.