when should i let my cat go out again?

Question

i have 2 cats,spayed female and netuered male both 15 months old,recently i lost my male for 40 hrs i was devestated ,he came back filthy im sure he was trapped somewhere.i am not debating wether to let him out again,what do u think?as im writing this hes staring at me to let him out

Answer 1

yeah - let him out so he can go and eat wildlife, pee in people's pot plants and screech at night......

Answer 2

Although male cats are more difficult to keep indoors than females, do NOT let your cat out again if he did not return for 40 hours. You do not know where he was or why he did not come home to eat. Get him some cat toys and make both of your animals INDOOR cats if you truly love them and want them to be safe and happy. If you must let him go out, get a figure eight cat harness and when you go back indoors, take him in with you. It just is not safe to let domestic cats go outdoors in the city streets with no supervision unless you just don't care what happens. Best wishes.

Answer 3

I don't think I would. Several years ago I saw a statistic that made me decide not to let my cats out. This was on a reputable national news program. They said that outdoor cats live about two years and indoor cats live about twenty years. That was a real shocker. My neighbor has always let her cats outside and hers disappear on a regular basis.

Unless you live in a really tiny house or apartment, your cat has enough room to play. If you distract your cat with cuddling or play when he wants to go out, you can eventually convert him to an indoor cat. There are also outdoor play facilities that you can buy that keep your cats confined, but you would still have to watch over them when they are out. I have seen large dogs go over fences into other people's backyards. Our city has a leash law for both dogs and cats, but not everyone abides by it. Even when they do, there are several dogs in our neighborhood that still get out on a regular basis.

I have one cat who used to insist on going outside. She would lurk behind the couch where we couldn't see her, then sneak out the door when we weren't looking. She was a foundling who had lived outside and constantly appeared on our doorstep until we took her in. She usually stayed on the porch, and if not she wandered back quickly if I waited a minute on the porch for her. I took her to PetsMart in a carrier and tried on cat harnesses until I found one that fit her. I bought the harness and a matching leash. Started taking her outside on the leash (had to drag her by her harness out on the porch the first time), but always stayed close to home and kept alert so I could get her inside if a dog got within half a block of us. Hubby refused to have any part in walking her outside (doesn't have the patience). She eventually lost her desire to go outside.

Two others have wandered out exactly once each; one was scared to be outside and treed herself around the side of the house until we found her and retrieved her. The other saw our neighbor's cat on the porch when I opened the door, gave a battle cry and decided to chase him off. He's a friendly, laid-back dude and sat and looked at her so I was able to retrieve her easily. Both cats seemed to have a "what was I thinking" attitude and neither has tried it again.

Answer 4

Never. Even when fixed, cats can still end up mating. If they do they could contract feline AIDS. Additionally, they could be eaten by wild animals, hit by a car, contract a host of other illnesses. I work for a no kill shelter and we make people sign agreements that they will not allow their adopted kittens to go outside. Don't do it.

Answer 5

Nope. Find ways to keep then happy inside. That means toys, play times and places to climb up high. It is proven fact indoor cats live longer, healther (less vet bills too!) If they are indoor kitties. If you must, you can take them outside *if* they are 100% supervised.

Answer 6

If your cat is obedient, why don't you sit outside and let him out for awhile to see what he does and where he goes. If he stays in the yard for enough time, leave him alone... because it's unlikely he'll dissapear again.

Answer 7

Indoor cats live MUCH longer and are MUCH healthier. We have 6 cats and all live INDOORS. It might be very, very hard, though, to keep him inside now that he's used to going out...

Good luck.

Answer 8

Well you obviously weren't so "devastated" if you're thinking of letting him out again! Wake up - it's VERY dangerous outdoors - http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=indoorsoroutdoors

Answer 9

let them out but only in a contained area. if you dont have one then make a section like this in your house or outside with leashes

Answer 10

Can you let him out into an enclosed area?