Allowing my cat to venture out of the garden for the first time.

[Demigdz]

Hi guys. New here but advice has been confusing on websites.

I have a kitten who is about 6 /7 months old now. She has been spayed and fully vaccinated and has been allowed in the garden weather permitting.

I'm at the point now where I'm thinking do I let her venture out of the garden. I've seen an old post on here (hence my posting) about cats being able to smell their tracks.

Anyways. Just had a bit of garden time and she had managed to scale the fence. And jump onto the shed. She came back to me so I could carry her inside as I don't know whether she is ready or I'm just being over protective.

So what I'm saying is. Could I have some advice /reassurance that she's ready (or not) to go out on her own.

Thanks in advance.

Demigdz

[Ruth B]

It sounds like she is ready, and it is one of the most nerve wracking times for any cat owner.

My advice would be to make sure she comes when you call her, call her name when ever you feed her, even if she is already at your feet, this means she will always associate her name with getting something nice, like food. Then the first time you let her out do so about 15 minutes before she is normally fed, then at the normal feeding time call her in and give her her food. You can then slowly increase the time she is allowed out.

Letting her find her own way around is always the best option, as you say they do follow the scent of their own tracks to get back, and the more she is allowed out the more she will mark the area which will help guide her home, to start with the sound of your voice will also be a good guide for her. Try and let her out during daylight only to start with, you might also want to consider whether you want to let her out at night at all. What ever you decide you need to make a routine and stick to it. If you don't have a cat flap you will also need to make sure there is somewhere safe, warm and dry for her outside for the times when she does get shut out.

You don't mention if she is microchipped, if she isn't then I would advise that that is done before she is allowed out, it would also mean you could get a microchip operated cat flap which would prevent unwelcome guests coming in. Collars can also be used for identification and cat flap control but it HAS to be a quick release collar as cats can get a collor caught on things and end up with very nasty injuries or worse, personally I don't use collars and rely on the microchips.

Finally, you probably have already done this for no other reason than you have a new cat, but make sure you have some good photos of her. I hope you never need them, but they really help if a cat does go missing, both for putting up lost posters and for helping identify a found cat as yours.

If you are really concerned about her welfare when she is allowed out then either cat proofing the garden or building a cat run for her would allow her limited access to outside, but would keep her safe and give you piece of mind, both options can get expensive, particularly if you aren't good at DIY.

Hopefully that has given you some ideas and hopefully others will be along to give any other advice.

[Demigdz]

Hi thanks for the reply.

Forgot to mention that she is chipped.

Absolutely happy for her to go roaming the area. Just have that fear of what if she never comes back lol.

I've heard putting her litter tray out is a good idea just for the scent?

Think today I'll let her have an adventure. I mean it's good that she runs in the house when spooked rather than elsewhere so she knows this is a safe place at least.

Again thanks for the reply. Given me a bit of reassurance

[Ruth B]

Generally you shouldn't need to put any old litter outside, she will quickly start scenting the place herself. It is however a good trick to try if a cat goes missing for any length of time, the same as putting your own dirty cloths on the line. Scent can carry a long way on the breeze and can help a lost cat find their way home. Normally cats will start to explore a new area slowly as they have no idea of what other cats are in the area, and will leave their own scent as messages for the other cats as well as to guide them back home.

I have been terrified every time I let one of mine out for the first few times, fearing that they might not come back, but the joy they get from being outside more than makes up for my worry, even after one vanished for 4 days I couldn't consider keeping him inside, he just loved being able to roam so much. I did empty the litter tray onto the garden and hung some of my clothes on the line the day he finally came home, did they help guide him home, or was he on his way anyway, I'll never know.

[Mollycat]

Bear with me, the last time I had a kitten was 1987, but against modern advice I would not do anything differently to the way I did back then.

As soon as she had her injections and we had built up a bond, I would take her into the garden and stay with her there, supervising her explorations. The bond is important, I basically took over where her mother left off, so that she took guidance from me. I was careful not to overdo the "don't" and kept it strictly to things that were actually dangerous to her, like playing with the flex of the iron. Outside, I let her explore and stayed nearby. Whenever she went towards the gate and the road I would shout loudly Misha NO and startle her so that she ran back towards the house. She was too small to jump the wall to the next garden and by the time she was able to she knew the boundaries.

If your little one has been out in your garden and you're considering allowing her out of your garden, I take it that means you have been building up this relationship and setting boundaries already? And she knows the house and garden very well? You should have no trouble at all. If you wait for her in the garden and call her back after a few minutes, keep doing that giving her longer each time and giving her treats and praise every time she comes back to you, you're half-way there.

Recently I read somewhere advice to keep them in until they are a year old by which time they have got older and more sensible. This is nonsense - cats don't magically become sensible as they get older, they learn by being taught, by mother or a human surrogate. Kittens are programmed to learn, year-old cats are like human teenagers and know it all. I wouldn't have waited as long as you have, assuming you have had her since she was 3 months old or so.

[Demigdz]

Yeah keeping in a year is ridiculous as she's been desperate to get out from about 4 months. But had to wait till after 5 months due to vet policy on spaying.

All advice has been duly noted and has made me feel a lot more at ease about letting her go and have a roam around the extended world.

Thanks a lot guys