Hi Everyone
My kitten is now almost 6mths old and is all booked up up for the "SNIP". He is desperate to go outsite. Has anyone got any suggestions about ways i can introduce him outside. I have a harness and it works kind of.

Should i just let him out and hope he comes back???

__________________
Rocky doesn't need his mummy as much now!! They grow up so fast!!

You are quite correct in keeping him in until the dreaded 'SNIP' Well done!

Seriously, you should risk assess whether for you it's ok to let him out. Risk assessment is looking at the seriousness of something happening as against the likelihood of it happening in your situation.

You also have to take into consideration your feelings and how you would cope if something awful happened.

For instance, is your cat a pedigree? In your neighbourhood what is the likelihood of him being stolen?

You may want to read this:

The Indoor Outdoor Debate

Just for your information, my cats are pedigree, they are neutered, insured and microchipped. I make sure that they are only let out in daylight, and are in at night. That last will never be 100%, though to date it is. What I am saying is that I cannot cater for the unexpected, but I will try.

i let my kitten go out on a harness with the lead attached but didn't hold onto it. i followed her round so she didn't get tangled but if she did try to sqeeze under a fence or anything i could grab the harness lead.
Tom.com

__________________
If something is hard to do then it's not worth doing.

good article about the indoor debate! also if you are going to have an outdoor cat be sure you don't make the car a friendly place this will confuse them. for example when you go to the vets be sure you put them in a cat carrier and don't let them roam round the car or jump in and out of it. Also to get them ready to go out. you can take them walkies... put them out on a line (hook the lead to a washing line and watch them roam but only with a harness!!!) get them a break away collar not a stretch collar we have cats that come in with stretch collars suck under their arms with burns or slices from it cutting through them!!(i work at a vets) get them micro chipped and register it!! also get them an id tag!

to start you can train your cat to come...
1. find a treat they like (i recommend the freeze dried treats from Thrive)
2. call and shake the treat container
3. reward with treat (you may need to do this with them in view first a few times cats work on positive reinforcement)
4. get the above down to a science!
5. try it on the lead
6. try it with the door open and you inside and them exiting when you call them back in and they come greet them and praise and repeat if you'd like
7. try going outside with them (i.e sit on the lawn or in the garden with them) when they get where you feel uncomfortable call them back and reward with love (no treat) then again love and treat
eventually you will be able to let them out and then call them home. most cats will stay relatively near to home.

Always feed meals regularly and make habits indoors to keep them home. Be sure you let your neighbors know who your cat is and not to feed them please.

hope this helps!

I Used to go outside with jinks when he first went out for about 15 mins at a time- I would just let him get a feel for close to the house - and i always left door open - gradually left him a bit longer and so on - but I always used to nip out and check on him - ( i still do now and he is 4yrs old!)

Well I think you have done well to keep him in for 6 months, I know it can be difficult especially when they pine to go out.

The best advice I can give you when you are starting to allow a cat outside for the first time, is to build them up slowly, to be honest, you may very well find that they are scared of funny things like birds flying over to start with. Start with short supervised play times outside when the weather is good, for about 10 – 15 mins, build it up to longer periods over a few days. After about a week, let him out for half an hour or so by himself, but do not feed him before he goes out. Hungry cats want their dinner so they won’t go far. Build his outside playtimes up gradually.

I think hes a bit young to go out yet like you say not before he has gone for the snip. Have you thought about a cat pen in the garden at least he can get some sights and smells and some fresh air. Just a suggestion. As helz sais supervised sort visits out when hes been done is best to start with.