My cat got lost on first time out

[Anicca79]

Hi everyone,

So I let my cat out for the first time today after 6 weeks with me. People told me don't worry just let him go. He knows where home is now he'll be fine. Unfortunately I live on an estate where most people have the same set of patio doors and when he didn't come back I went for a walk and heard him crying and it turned out he'd been at the door of a different house shouting for some time! Fortunately I made friends with my new neighbour and he was a massive help in getting him home. I'm scared that if I let him out again this will happen again and the next person might not be so kind!

Was the right approach to let him out supervised and in short bursts? He's 3 so didn't think you had to do that. I'm worried so just keeping him in for now. He's a rescue cat and I know he's been indoors for about 3 months but was previously an outdoor cat.

My poor little boy is all confused!

[Kay]

next time you let him out, put something he'll recognise outside your patio doors - a bed, a blanket, favourite toy etc

he'll learn

[Anicca79]

Oh thanks Kay, sounds obvious but I didn't think of it. He gave me a right scare!

[Crewella]

That would have scared the life out of me too!

When I first let cats out I always do it just before dinner time, go out with them and then call them in to eat after about 5 minutes. For the next few times I do it for a bit longer, still just before dinner, until I feel happy that they know where home is.

Kay's idea is a good one, too.

Good luck, I'm sure he'll get the hang of it soon!

[Anicca79]

Thanks Crewella, also good advice. He actually lulled me into a false sense of security by just exploring a little bit this afternoon when I was out with him this afternoon and not very far then coming in. When he disappeared for more than ten minutes I started to worry and thought I was probably being silly but I wasn't! When I first heard him I didn't know where he was or if he was hurt. I was shaking when I got in. He really worried me

[Lilith]

Aww - silly boy!

Apologies to any tomcats reading this post - but honestly, in my experience, I've always thought the lads aren't exactly blessed with brains - bless them lol!

I confess my cat experience in the last 10 years or more has been the other way round - the cats came to me off the street and have ended up in the house.

Can only support the above comments, all the best with him

[Anicca79]

Yeah bless him! I let him out again today as the weather is still nice just for about ten minutes with me there. I put lots of his things in the yard (neighbours must think I'm a bit nutty lol) and made sure he was hungry. Eventually he wandered back in and I shut him in. He immediately seemed to forget about outside and happily ate his dinner and went back to the sofa. If he'd been crying at the locked catflap it might have been different but it doesn't feel cruel to take my time with this one. I mean I want to get to know the neighbours but maybe dragging them out in their dressing gowns chasing my cat around their yard is not the best introduction! I can laugh about it now!

[meriad]

that's the right way of doing it.... As was said; when you let him out; do it before a meal and then after a few minutes clang the bowls or make some other noise he associates with food and then reward him when he comes back in.

Personally I'm not overly fond of standing out on the street calling my cats by their names (the neighbours think I'm mad enough as it is ) so what I've done is sort of trained mine to come to a certain noise. I've got a child rattle toy; shake the rattle and when my cats responded I rewarded them with a treat. They now know and tend to come back inside when they hear me shake the rattle or treat tin.

And don't forget, the more he goes out the more he'll get to put his scent marks on the area so should hopefully it won't be long before he knows exactly what's where

Good luck!

[Anicca79]

Ah that's a good idea too. I do shake the Dreamies packet but maybe a tin or something might be better. I let him out today but it was wet underpaw and he was unimpressed

[lilynmitz]

I always accompany my cats for their first trips out, at least for the first week or two. Not that I can leap fences like them though.....but it gives them the right idea.