When To Let Your New Kitten Outside
Choosing to let your cat outdoors or to keep her inside is often a momentous decision for new and even experienced cat owners. For those of you who share or have shared your lives and homes with a feline friend or two, you have probably already noticed that the indoor vs. outdoor debate tends to outrank in importance even such concerns as the merits of wet food vs. dry food, choosing the right.
When to let your new kitten outside. You could then let it explore outside with your supervision. Before you let it have free access outdoors, make sure you have had your kitten neutered (at around 4 months), that it is fully vaccinated and has become used to life in your house. How to let your kitten or cat out for the first time. Identification While many cats live healthy, happy lives as indoor pets, there are also benefits to letting your kitten outdoors. Allowing your kitten to explore outside for the first time can be daunting, so we asked a behaviourist, a vet and another cat owner to share the practical ways that they helped their own kittens to stay secure while out and about. If your new cat or kitten seems restless and is frequently sitting or waiting by the back door, pacing, scratching, or pawing at the door area, contact Battersea or your local vet for further advice about the best time to start letting your cat outside. How to prepare your cat for the outside Before you let your cat or kitten outside: Make sure. Q: Should I keep my kitten in a low-key, quiet environment for a while, or thrust him into our everyday life? A: Initially it’s good to bring a new kitten into one room. Put his food in there, a scratching post, his bed and let him get used to that. Then start introducing him to all the things that will be a part of his life.
NOTE: Make sure your new kitten has been tested and treated for all potential diseases, including FIV and FeLV, as well as parasites, before introducing your cats. Visit your regular veterinarian or a mobile vet clinic to make sure your new kitten is healthy, dewormed, and up-to-date on all vaccines. But many people still let their cats outdoors — often with misplaced good intentions. Here are some of the most common reasons people let their cats outside, and safer, indoor alternatives. Myth 1: Indoor cats get bored. Fact: The truth is, indoor cats can and do get bored, but letting them outside is not a good solution. The right time to let them outside. While each cat is different and some breeds mature sooner than others, I’m looking at you Maine Coon, the accepted age to introduce your kitten to the outside world is at six months old. At this time they are old enough to be able to handle themselves and should already have had their vaccinations. When to let your kitten go outside. Keep your kitten safe inside until at least a week after finishing the first course of vaccinations (at 13 to 14 weeks old, depending on the vaccine). Choose a dry day and a quiet time and accompany your kitten outside, allowing them to explore their new environment.
O'Malley said when you decide it's time to let your new cat outside, do it very slowly. "Take them outside on the weekend when it's quiet and when everyone is home," she said. Going outside is a big, new experience for your kitten. Loud noises, children or other pets can all be scary in this new environment even if your kitten is used to them inside the house. Go before dinner time. Go when you know your kitten will be getting hungry. Keep the door open so your kitten can go back inside if it feels squeamish. Don’t pick your cat up or force it to go outside. If it darts around or hides under a shrub, try not to worry. Keep your distance and let it get accustomed to your yard. If your kitten doesn't want to go outside or runs back into the house, just let it stay inside. Accompany your kitten into the garden the first few times you let them outside. Cat flaps If you’ve decided to give your kitten a cat flap, which is the best option for them to explore the outdoors whenever they want to in the long-term, take some time to train them to use it.
Before allowing your new kitten or cat outside, ensure it has a means of identification, either a securely fitted collar with a tag (showing your telephone number) or, ideally, a microchip identification implanted under the skin on the scruff of the neck.. Prior to any trips outside it is worth considering how you intend to give your cat or kitten access outdoors in the long-term. How and When to Let Your Kitten Outside for the First Time Letting your fluffball outside can be a daunting task for first-time kitten parents. Cat Behaviourist Anita Kelsey shares her step-by-step guide to safely introducing your kitten to the great outdoors. Accompany your kitten into the garden the first few times you let them outside. Cat doors If you’ve decided to give your kitten a cat door, which is the best option for them to explore the outdoors whenever they want to in the long-term, take some time to train them to use it. Letting your cat out. The first time you let your cat outside, choose a quiet day when there are no loud noises and it’s dry, so your cat gets a positive first experience. You’ll also need to be around to supervise their first trip outside. Step one: Before giving your cat breakfast, open the back door to allow them outside
For most new kitten owners, having to let them outside for the first time is a pretty scary experience. Here are a few tips which will hopefully make you a bit less anxious! Before letting your new kitten outside: IMPORTANT. Ensure she/he is micro-chipped. This has to be done at the vets and means a little device the size of a grain of rice is. Introducing Your New Kitten To The Outside World. Share. Tweet.. and your new kitten may not have been quite old enough when he came to live with you. Even if your kitten has had the basic vaccinations, it is also worth having him vaccinated against the Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) if he is going out of doors, as this particular virus is.