I am trying to get my cat accustomed to the outside.?

Question

We have a 14wk old cat who is quite comfortable inside the home. But to keep her stimulated I have started taking her outside. The first time it was scary for her but now when i take her outside she is more confident but likes to go in the bushes. My only problem is that i spend an hour trying to catch her once shes in them. I am lucky so far she has not jumped the fence or anything but I want her to be able to go outside and then come back in. When i take her in her carrier she acts frozen and scared and i tried the leash and she has a hatefull look in her eyes when i pick her up and to bring her back in or make her stay away from the bushes because i know i wont be able to catch her.

1-How will my cat even know how to come back to the house if i let her venture outside. Im confused how cats come and sit by the door where they live after they have been out all day. I mean will my cat do that how does one even know?

I know my cat will find MANY OTHER CAT FRIENDS but how

Answer 1

Your cat would be safer inside and if it is not sterilized then you will have problems with adding to the overpopulation of unwanted kittens being born and killed in shelters everywhere. Not only safer but healthier too.

Answer 2

Cats come back when they get bored or hungry or worn out (or when they feel like it for whatever cat reason). The house is her safe, familiar place, with food and water and warmth. It sounds like she's comfortable enough with your yard that she won't get lost, even if she does jump the fence.

I think indoor cats get lost so easily when they accidentally escape outside because it's completely new and scary and if they get a fright they dash off blindly and can't find the way home. Once a cat is used to being outside, it'll sniff out the area and learn its way around at its own pace, and it's very unlikely to get lost.

Try taking her outside an hour or so before a meal and just letting her play. Then at dinner time, get some tasty food and bring it to the steps to lure her back. She'll come back on her own because she's hungry. If you try to catch her and force her back in, it'll turn into a game where she hides and you get frustrated.

As she gets older, you can let her out in the morning so that she has the whole day to explore and wear herself out before coming home for dinner.

She's still a bit too young to spend the night outside. If she does end up staying out, try not to worry too much. Cats are great at looking after themselves. But avoid it if possible.

Cats know where home is, and even though they love to explore outside, they really do want to come back. That's how you know she'll come and sit by your door after being out all day.

Answer 3

I thoroughly agree with Old Cat Lady.

Your kitten is entirely too young to let out.

If you must let her out then she must be fixed and that happens at age 6 months. Also proper shots. But most important your kitten needs to know it's name when called. You need a collar with your phone number on it. Get a harness and long leash. She may not like it, but will get used to it if she knows she can go out. This is the safest way to let her out until next spring.

Your cat will eventually know when to come back to the house when she is older and knows what is expected. Everytime she comes back give her a treat or pets. But don't expect this to happen overnight--she is a kitten with no fear now.

I have decided my kitten will not be left outside unsupervised for quite a long time. I'm thinking of next spring when he knows the perimeters of the property and his name. Now I use the harness and leash.

If your kitten is happy indoors then don't knock it. You will have plenty of time to train her outdoors, meantime get her used to her surroundings, her name and noises around the house.

Answer 4

You are not talking about a cat. This is a kitten. That you would let a kitten go outside that young is outrageous. It will be killed or lost and may die. The days are dark and cold and the exposure alone will make it sick - that is the best senario.

A kitten of that age should be entirely inside your home till next spring after she has been spayed and had all her shots.

Answer 5

I will give you a tip house cats live longer and your cat is to old to start liveing outside. Since she is that old you can't try to , put her outside she will get to scared and hide in a bush. That's what happind to my cat. Then she will never come home enless you find her. Or she will wonder in the street and get ran over. So I reccommend to keep her at home.

Answer 6

when I first got my kitty, I would lieave the back door open a little bit and he would sniff and then after a couple of weeks he would go out but always stays close to home. I don't chase him. When you chase a cat they think you are playing and they will run from you. So, my cat goes in and out at his leisure but always seem to know when it is feeding time or bed time because he always comes in. Cats are a lot smarter than people think. They are independant and as long as they are loved, they always come back home. Mine has his own little territory he stays in. I hope this helps you.

Answer 7

1.) You won't. Even cats that normally come back still disappear, from being hit by cars, attacked by other animals, and many of the other hundreds of dangers to outside cats.

2.) Your cat will find MANY OTHER CAT FRIENDS from the other people who are irresponsibly letting their cats roam the neighborhood. I hope you trust everyone in your neighborhood to vaccinate their cat, otherwise your cat will probably end up with FeLV.

Answer 8

If you are worried about the cat getting lost, rub a little butter on the bottom of their paws and stick them outside. The cat will lick the butter off their paws leaving their scent, this way when they walk around their scent is transfered to the ground around them, they will be able to "smell" their way home. Try this for about a week and they should be able to independently know where they live.

However, because your cat is so young, I don't recommend leaving her outside by herself until she is at least six months old, and fixed.

Answer 9

cats are naturally curious. she is just getting familiar with all the new things outside. dont worry too much about her getting lost. at that age they dont wander too far and with their great sense of smell and direction they will find their way home especially when they get hungry. i have four cats and not one of them have ever failed to come home. also cats seem to hate the pet carrier as they feel trapped and enclosed. my cats freak out when they even see the pet carrier!

Answer 10

I'm not sure why you would force your kitten to be an indoor/outdoor pet. If she is comfortable inside the home you should probably let her be. She is still very young at 14 weeks of age and the outside world is a dangerous place. Other animals can harm her such as dogs, racoons, coyotes, and even other cats that may not want to be her "friend" and see her as a threat to their territory. There are other kinds of threats such as diseases (feline leukemia, rabies), toxins (antifreeze, rat poison), vehicles, cold weather, getting lost, traps, or even mean-spirited people that don't like cats. Statistically outdoor cats live LESS THEN HALF the age of indoor cats. Your cat will probably be looking at a life span of about 5 years if she's lucky. Not to mention the possible vet bills when she comes home one day with battle wounds because she and another animal got into a fight, or brings fleas into your home every summer, or has a litter of 8 kittens twice a year (spaying her will prevent this if you haven't already, she may also wander when she's in heat if she's not spayed).

I recommend that you allow your kitten to be comfortable inside your home for the time being. If she shows interest in running outside when she gets older then that's going to be your decision whether or not to let her. Cats are not dogs, and do not take orders or come when called. You will have to accept the fact that once you let her out you are not going to be able to dictate when she comes back in. She'll come in when it's a good time for her.

If your goal is to stimulate her more then cat toys are the best way to safely keep your cat occupied. There are lots of toys that allow you to interact with your cat (the cloth snake or a laser pointer). Your local pet store will have lots of options. You can also buy her little toys to play with by herself such as little balls with bells inside, or even just a paper bag that you set on the floor can entertain them for awhile. Keep cat scratching posts around for her to claw on and climb on. There are kitty condos and towers that you can get that cats absolutely love and play on all day. And it's so much safer then the outdoors and just as fun!

If you are going to continue putting her outside then I have only a couple recommendations for possibly getting her back into the house when you want. Use her favorite kinds of treats and rattle the bag/container before you give it to her. That way she'll associate the sound with getting a treat and you may be able to entice her to come inside. Also create a routine with her indoor/outdoor sessions. Animals understand routine better then any kind of command and she may stick with it. It's possible she'll create her own agenda and not follow yours, but you could try. Associate food with when you want her to come in. Feed her in the morning, let her out as you leave for work, come home and feed her again immediately so she comes in the house to eat. She'll probably beg to be let out again though whether or not you want her to go back outside.

It's your pet so it's your decision. She's a young vulnerable kitten and is depending on you to take care of her. Weigh all your options and make the one thats best for you and your pet. If you decided that you do want her outdoors I would suggest you wait until she gets older (and bigger and stronger) and she shows more interest in it before putting her in that environment. If you leave her be she may never be interested in heading outdoors and be happy cuddling with you and lazing about in her kitty condo all day. Good luck!