2006-11-23 03:12:36 · 17 answers · asked by mylittlekitty 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
Unfortunately kittens begin to look like full-grown cats at six months of so - that is eight years in human terms. You wouldn't consider letting an eight year old outside unsupervised in this day and age. The kitten is fearless and can easily be hit by a car, attacked by another animal, get lost etc. Especially in the dark winter months you don't want a kitten out there lost and won't find it pleasant if you have to do a search for it.
So I think you should wait for longer, warmer days. Then the kitten will have had all his shots and you can train him to come home at dusk for his "dinner" and keep him in for the night.
Using a harness and leash is a great idea. It takes a little training and can help solve the lost kitten problem. Cats find their way home by smell, not sight. If you walk with him around your immediate area or neighborhood and return home with him for a month or so he will know how to find his way home in future.
2006-11-23 03:55:46 · answer #1 · answered by old cat lady 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have to take the cue from the kitten, is it an adventurous type...? How close is the garden? Can the kitten just come and go as it pleases? The first time you should put a long string through its collar like a lead and hold onto it but give it enough slack to explore... but hold on in case it suddenly freaks and goes somewhere to hide that is too hard for you to catch it from....of course have a name tag on it....and always go out for a a few short times on the lead and when it is hungry so you can tempt it back in.. the sound of the food tin or biscuits is a cert way to get their attention...they soon learn! It is worth spending a bit of time "training" them about where to go etc... Good luck!!
2006-11-23 14:30:16 · answer #2 · answered by Susie Drew 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ideally you wouldn't let a kitten outside, unless perhaps it's in a run of some sort: There are too many nutcases who will run over him for sport or poison him or maybe even kind-hearted people who think he's lost and so will take him home. Not to mention the other critters who might be sick!
But if you must, he can go outside in an enclosed area (when the weather's good) as soon as he is eating solid food.
2006-11-23 11:38:27 · answer #3 · answered by Tigger 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it depends on the type of neighborhood you live in. I just got a new kitten and it is estimated that a kitten will be killed in two weeks if they are left outside. I would definately wait a couple of months, and when you do let him or her outside, you want to do it slowly. Make sure you are out their with your kitten and watch it. Good luck!!!
2006-11-23 11:24:23 · answer #4 · answered by kmputman 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well depends on if you live in a rural area or urban really. But what you should do is spend sometime outside with it showing it the yard and comforting it with noises so it doesn't spook so bad. If you can rig a leash of some fashoin to help control the kitty that could help so it can walk on it's own too.
2006-11-23 11:27:54 · answer #5 · answered by pssycat75 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, first of all make sure you live in a neighborhood with no coyotes, or crazy dogs on the street. Second of all, make sure your cat is NOT, I repeat NOT declawed, because if in any chance he gets into a situation, he has no way to defend himself. If you made sure all of the above was okay, then maybe 6 months would be good.
2006-11-23 11:19:38 · answer #6 · answered by PrettyInPink 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They should be allowed out after they have had their jabs, and preferably after they've be 'done.'
I've got two kittens who are 7 months old. We live in a city, and there are lots of cats around. Our vet recommended we wait until the spring to let them out so they are fully grown and able to stand up for themselves in the inevitable fights they're going to get in!
2006-11-23 11:19:35 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
About 10-12 weeks. You are aswell taking it outside with you or even buying a small leash. Just to get it used to the smells and surroundings.and then let it out propperly but give it some experience before letting it out permanantly
2006-11-23 11:19:24 · answer #8 · answered by bwfc 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
wait until it is about 4 months old i would think then it can at least kind of fend for itself if need be. don't let it out until it's been fixed and had its shots! also, make sure that there aren't any mean cats in the neighborhood. we have 11 cats living on our street counting ours, and one of the cats wandering around is a big, mean, unfixed male cat, so we keep our cats inside if at all possible.
2006-11-23 11:32:28 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
At about 8 weeks when it is ready to be rehoused, and also after injections.
You can get a cat harness, that goes around thr chest and stomach of the cat, and helps,
2006-11-23 11:19:00 · answer #10 · answered by EmmaKitty 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋