Kitty outdoors

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Lollycat
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Kitty outdoors

Post by Lollycat »

Morning all, this is my first time on this site. I have a 6 month old kitten, she’s upto date with her jabs, been spade and chipped but she’s desperate to go outside. We secured our garden and allowed her out, but once she’s free she finds a way out then over neighbors gardens and hides terrified. How can I get her used to the outside world safely.
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Mollycat
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Re: Kitty outdoors

Post by Mollycat »

What is it she's afraid of, do you know? Does she go there all happy and then panic she can't get home, or is she running from home to find somewhere to hide? Sorry that last bit sounds horrible, I don't mean desperate to run away from home I mean if she wants to be outside but your garden is scary so she would rather be in the neighbours' garden?
Lollycat
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Re: Kitty outdoors

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She’s not afraid of us or her home, she just goes off exploring then realises she doesn’t recognise her surroundings, so hides. Luckily I do not let her out of sight.
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Mollycat
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Re: Kitty outdoors

Post by Mollycat »

Ok it should be quite easy to help her then, with a little time patience and practice. When she hides do you go and get her, or call her? If you don't already, I would call her and let her figure out the way home from lots of different places. At first you will probably have to show your face then gradually as she builds up confidence go back to your door so that she eventually learns to come when you call her from the doorstep. You have to let her figure things out for herself to build her resilience and confidence and most of all her skills and thinking processes.

She may also be young enough to benefit from boundary training. Any time she goes to get out of your garden, you call her back quite sharply. The idea is not a gentle please would you mind coming back, it's trying to mimic her mother's sharp "ack" putting her in her place and telling her you do not go beyond this line. It's a sudden noise that makes her instantly "Huh??!!?" and run for home, not big enough to scare her and don't shout. She may be too old to respond to this at 6 months though. Then praise and reward her hanging out in your garden.

Perhaps your garden isn't as cat-friendly as your neighbours'? Cats tend to like shrubs, bushes, trees, dark corners, meadow grass - places they can hide and ambush. Open lawns are fine for sunbathing, but not much fun. Are you sure she is hiding because she realises she's lost, or maybe is it possible she has a nice cosy place to hide in the neighbours' garden and she is perfectly happy there?
Lollycat
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Re: Kitty outdoors

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Thanks I will try you tips, she does have plenty of trees and shrubs to hide behind in our garden, I might take treats for her in our garden aswell.
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fjm
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Re: Kitty outdoors

Post by fjm »

My two cats learned early that Good Cats Get Biscuits, and their recall is still pretty impressive, especially Tilly's. Pippin tends to be fast asleep somewhere and not hear, but Tilly can usually be relied upon to show herself within a few minutes as long as she is not shut in somewhere. It is a really useful thing to train - find something he really likes, up to and including roast chicken or beef, and start by calling him when he is just a few feet away. Never call him for anything unpleasant, and reward very well for the first weeks and months. Remember that cats focus their attention very tightly when hunting and may not hear you, so you may need to try again when he has more bandwidth!
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Kay
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Re: Kitty outdoors

Post by Kay »

you might be able to enlist the help of the people whose gardens she goes into - asking them to scare her in the direction of home is probably something they'd be glad to do

I have used neighbours to scare a cat from going in the direction of a busy road, and she soon learned to avoid that route at all costs
Lauriexx
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Re: Kitty outdoors

Post by Lauriexx »

Hey! Your situation sounds like mine a few weeks ago. Our wee boy is now 7 months and has been fully neutered and chipped and at 5 - 6 months he was desperate to get outside. At about 6 months, as soon as he was fully healed, we accompanied him outside for 15 minutes or so at a time so he could find his feet. We’re lucky enough to have both an enclosed front and back garden so we weren’t scared of an impromptu kitty escape but it wouldn’t have happened anyway. We did this everyday for a week or so and every time we could see his confidence growing. As soon as he started to venture out and exploring more of his own, we knew he was having a good time. Now he meows at the door to get outside and he stays out for up to 4 hours sometimes but he always comes back when shouted, especially since he’s got a routine with feeding times. He always gives us extra love when he comes in too, just as a wee thank you for still being there - It’s the sweetest thing. It’ll just be a confidence thing but it’ll come as long as your little one trusts and has confidence in you. It’s all new to them so you just need a bit of patience and love of course.
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