kitty kat ventures outdoors...

maameeo

hiya, so my cat is around 5months and this weekend i started letting her outside to wander. shes loving it! but i have a problem. i work 4 days a week and am gone from around 7am till 7pm, its an awful long time to leave her out in that weather and because i rent i cant put in a cat flap.
ill have to get her a lil house for outside but is there another solution? is there a cat flap for windows were you can leave them open a bit but locked from intruders? (thats probly too much to ask! lol)
i didnt let her out this morn and felt so bad as she stared out the window but i could lock her out in the cold and rain for the whole day either.

kylith

You could build a cat run in such a way that it can be accessed via a window (like this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stokey/5584868125/), but I think that even if you could get a window cat flap it would be a huge signal to burglars that 1) you're out and 2) you've left a window open.

maameeo

ah that cat run is deadly! id love that, id never be able to afford it though! lol
searching adverts at the mo looking for a wee hut for her for the back garden

yea window thing probly not the best idea lol

Nody

Why not simply not let her out when you're not there? Also make sure it's chipped, got a collar with your phone number and insured as chances are it will be an accident sooner or later involving it.

maameeo

Nody wrote: »

Why not simply not let her out when you're not there? Also make sure it's chipped, got a collar with your phone number and insured as chances are it will be an accident sooner or later involving it.

because i dont get home till late and id rather not let her out at night. Wouldnt it be a bit unfair to her if i only let her out on weekends?

Nody

maameeo wrote: »

because i dont get home till late and id rather not let her out at night. Wouldnt it be a bit unfair to her if i only let her out on weekends?

Not really; plenty of cats live indoor their whole life and plenty of unwanted cats out there that would be happy with a indoor life only as well (btw get her sprayed if she's not or you may have more on your hands then expected).

Even if she'd live indoors for the rest of her life you'd offer her a better life then many other cats; it's the same reason why cats don't get tuna every single day (even though they would want it) and instead get "boring" food

ISDW

A lot of cat rescues will only rehome to indoor only homes, so if she has a litter tray, cat tree etc, and your company when you're home, she'll be happy enough

maameeo

she got spayed or neutered just before i got her, before that she was allowed outside by her old owner so i just waited a few weeks for her to settle before letting her venture.
she sits at the window staring out, dont think i could keep her in, id feel bad because shes known the freedom of being outdoors lol!

Pumpkinseeds

She is very young to be out on her own especially for 12 hour stretches. Have you asked your landlord if it would be ok to install a cat flap? We have a microchip flap that allows only our 2 to come and goas a lot of ordinary flaps will allow any cat to enter the house. With some pvc doors you can have a glazing company put a flap into the bottom panel and when you move out just have a new panel installed.

Definitely get her microchipped, its only about 20 euro and cats are fantastic at getting collars off.

maameeo

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

She is very young to be out on her own especially for 12 hour stretches. Have you asked your landlord if it would be ok to install a cat flap? We have a microchip flap that allows only our 2 to come and goas a lot of ordinary flaps will allow any cat to enter the house. With some pvc doors you can have a glazing company put a flap into the bottom panel and when you move out just have a new panel installed.

Definitely get her microchipped, its only about 20 euro and cats are fantastic at getting collars off.

nope, not supposed to have pets

def getting her microchipped asap. thanks

Nody

Well I can only share you a story but I know a cat who was moved in (due to a move) when he was 2 years old and he's been an indoor cat since. Yes he'll sit looking out the windows because there's a lot of intersting stuff going on out there but he's sleeping most of the time and is happy inside with his scratch house, food etc.

Keeping a cat indoor is not an elborate prison sentance but giving them an oppertunity for a longer life; we're talking going to 12 to 15 years from 2 to 5 years on the street (numbers from Animal Planet).

boomerang

Oh god, I think you're mad to consider leaving a kitten that young out on her own at all, not to mind for long stretches. No matter what the previous owner let her do. She has no survival skills, no sense of danger and is a sitting duck. I couldn't do it.

Take her out when you're at home to supervise. That'll be more than enough outdoor adventures for her, I promise.

loveisdivine

I agree with boomerang.

Also, if you're not supposed to have pets why did you get one? I know that may seem obvious but you really are asking for trouble. Especially with a young cat that is liable to scratch things.
If the landlord finds out, which is possible one way or another, you could end up beig asked to 'get rid' of the cat or move.