Supervised outdoor time for kitten
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Anonymous
| We have had our kitten for about 6 weeks and I have intermittently been letting her out of the house when I have been working in the yard or are outdid with the kids. She doesn't go far and is pretty much just interested in being with us. In the past, growing up, all our cats were indoor/outdoor cats but I want this one to be pretty much an indoor cat for various reasons (songbird killing, her own safety, etc.). That said despite all the articles that cats are more attached to where they live than who they line with- she is very interested in being with us much of the time. She follows us around the house and wants to be where we are much of the time. So, I have been letting her outside with me for short periods of time. Am I setting myself up for a problem later on when she is bigger (she is 4 1/2 months now) and should I just put the breaks on that now or is it possible to continue this even as she gets older? She definitely enjoys her outside time exploring but is always fine with going back inside- but I'm thinking that might change as she gets older. Thoughts? |
Anonymous
| IF she doesn't need to go outside, why do this? |
Anonymous
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As she grows up, she'll want the outside time more and more.
That's what happened to my cat, and I didn't introduce the outside until he was maybe 5 years old. Now that he got a taste, he loves it. He wants to go outside all the time, but he always comes back and he never goes far. Cats are territorial after all. I do worry that he might get hit by a car, but that's a risk I have to take. He would be pretty miserable cooped up in the house all the time. I mean, I get it, I would be miserable too if I'm not allowed to go anywhere. If you really want her to be an indoor cat, I would stop letting her go outside. |
Anonymous
| You should not be doing this. Cats should be indoor only animals. You are training her to want to go outside. Also, do you want to spend money on flea preventatives and additional vaccinations? Because cats who go outside need them. If you are trying to entertain her invest in catnip, climbing trees and toys instead. |
Anonymous
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Yeah, I got a cat when I was 23 who I would take outside on a harness, then I allowed her into my private backyard. I still have her 15 years later and we allowed her to sun on our patio in the backyard until recently when I discovered she may have brought a tick into the house (I'm being tested for Lyme).
No more, she stays inside. |
Anonymous
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I took my kitten outside one time, the grass terrified him, and he wants no part of it ever again.
My other cat loves going out and wants to hunt mice (no thank you). He only goes out on a harness, is treated for fleas, and tries to escape constantly. |
Anonymous
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I am not a pet-owner, but isn't cruel for cats to be kept indoors? Shouldn't all animals be allowed a breath of fresh air and a walk outside? |
Anonymous
I dunno, OP. I had cats growing up--one was killed by a dog while on our screened in porch, where they hung out a lot of the time (I think there was a hole or something that a dog got through). It was a horrible situation. 
Now, I have a very large, strong dog, and we have a neighbor who sometimes lets their cat out. I've only seen anyone out with the cat once. The cat roams the lawn and driveway, and appears to be unafraid of my dog. My dog has only seen the cat a couple of times, but it's all I can do to restrain him while he flips out and tries to lunge toward the cat. If I ever have a cat again, I would only consider letting it out if we have a secure and fenced in backyard. |
Anonymous
Cats are domesticated animals. They are house cats. |
Anonymous
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I take my cat on walks. He has a harness and a leash and he'll happily trot out the door. I'm never more than a few feet away from him, but he spends his time wandering the small bubble he created that consists of my house and backyard, the house to the left's yard, fence and tree, and a tree across the street.
He sniffs things, hunts and eats bugs, finds comfortable places to sunbathe in. I'm now known on my street for being the weird lady who walks her cat. I started him in a harness as soon as he fit, since I got him as a kitten. It took a few months for him to get used to the harness, and he still hates when he gets to the end of his leash and has to wait for me to catch up. I highly recommend doing this! It's great fun for the cat and it gets me walking and outside more often. |
Anonymous
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This is totally okay, especially since she wants to stay around you. Just encourage this by bringing her favorite toys or treats and keeping them near you so she doesn't wander too much. We started bringing our kitten outside with us when she was young and she just slept next to us. Now she does the same thing and follows us right back inside. The fresh air, noises and grass make her really happy.
But watch out for two things: 1) Fleas 2) Other cats who might be attracted to her (they hop those fences no problem). |
Anonymous
Domesticated doesn't mean they are happy being kept indoors all their lives. |
Anonymous
| PP here: don't let the dog thing deter you. Stray dogs wandering around...or those that their owners are unable to control...are not something you should tolerate. If you know of a menacing dog that might get into your yard, call animal control. Never mind the cats, unleashed dogs can hurt people, too. |
Anonymous
| My cats have never been outside. |
Anonymous
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My cats don't go outside, and they are perfectly happy to sit in an opened window and get fresh air.
On the other hand, it's only a matter of time before the next-door neighbor's indoor/outdoor cat gets hit by a car, eaten by a fox (plenty of those around here), or gets fleas or diseases from the other cat she encounters. The only way I'd let a cat go outside is if I leash trained the cat to walk on a harness. |