Letting rescue cat outside for the first time

MrWalsh

So we rescued a cat before Christmas, the first few weeks were really about the neutering, vaccinations, getting some weight on her and helping her recover from her ordeal of being a stray.

Things settled down in January and we have been doing slow introductions with our existing cat since then - which are going ok, but slow. They are separated by a baby gate and have supervised looks at each other through the gate which range from full on gate charges to just sitting looking at each other.

Anyway, we want to start letting her see the outside world again, but my biggest fear is that she will take off out through the open door and never return! The existing cats territory is out the front of the apartment, so we were going to try letting this one out the back (communal gardens, no cars, lots of shrubbery). She is very easy to handle and comes running for love and food and play - but Im just so scared she will be overcome with excitement and leave and not know how to get back to us!

I was thinking of trying a short accompanied trip outside just before she is due a scheduled meal (breakfast which she usually loves), and then after 15 minutes or so using the breakfast bowl to attract her back in. She normally runs to the sound of her breakfast bowl being shaken. I just want to be sure she knows her home.

How do people normally manage this? She lived alone outside for months before we took her in so I know she can survive but I want to minimize risk. She is microchipped but she refuses to wear a collar.

aonb

I am in exactly the same situation as you (except I found a tiny half dead kitten) - getting ready to let her out for the first time.
Ive been putting her on a harness, and taking her outside every day - thats going quite well - she likes her outdoor trips - and always go out/back in the same way (so she knows where the back door is!)
There is discussion about this topic from very recently on here - have a search. Letting the cat out just before feeding time was one of the suggestions I got, so you are spot on there I would imagine.

Im worried that when my cat gets out, as you say will be so excited to be out at last that wanders a bit too far, and will get lost - but most of the advice on here is that the cats territory is quite small.

Maybe try the harness so she knows the gardens and the entrance/exit to your apt. Im living in a pretty rural spot, so a little bit different there.

good luck - and well done for rescuing your cat - at least its vaccinated and neutered, so you have done your very best for the cat so far.

Joeseph Balls

aonb wrote: »

but most of the advice on here is that the cats territory is quite small.

I remember watching that documentary about cats a year or two ago (there was a thread on here). They had gps or cameras on the cats filming their behaviour. IIRC their territoy can be over a mile sometimes and can crossover into other cats territorys. Not a cat person really but i thought a mile would be quite large for a domesticated animal.
Anyone remember that show?

MrWalsh

Thanks Aonb. This little bundle of energy wont even let me put a collar on her much less a harness!! Shes very tame and you can handle her easily, move her around the place, but she just goes into "hand attack" mode when you try to put a collar on her - she thinks its a big game.

Im still going to give it a whirl on Saturday, Id really love if she could go out and get some mental stimulation, burn off some energy - itd be so good for her. I have guilty feelings that I am keeping a cat "in a box" at the moment! (of course my apartment is a good sized box but its still a box and lonely in the daytime).

loveisdivine

Could you not take her out on a lead?

addob

Hi,

Just on a separate note, would you consider keeping the cat as indoor only? I know this is a very 'American' thing to do but it does mean that there is less risk of cat fights, human bullies and cars?

I have lost too many of my past cats to cars and now keep ours indoors with access outdoor access to a balcony and a comfy seat in a window and honestly he doesn't seem to mind.

As always it will depend on what works for you and the cat!

addob

MrWalsh

loveisdivine wrote: »

Could you not take her out on a lead?

She wont even let me put a collar on - let alone a lead!!

addob wrote: »

Just on a separate note, would you consider keeping the cat as indoor only? I know this is a very 'American' thing to do but it does mean that there is less risk of cat fights, human bullies and cars?

Id think about it if Id had her from a kitten and she didnt "know" outside, but she lived outside by herself until I picked her up so I dont think she would settle into indoor living only forever. She has been growing more and more frustrated indoors over the past few weeks (since she recovered from her surgery really). She tries to escape a lot! She has lots of toys, I play with her daily and give her as much time as I can in the evenings, but with me out at work full time its just not enough mental stimulation for her (imo).

Our other cat has the perfect set up, she stays in 90% of the time and then just goes out through her cat flap for a bit of a meander when she feels like it. She is very content having outdoor access and she never goes out for long. She used to cry at the door or window to go out before we got the cat flap.

aonb

As your cat was an adult who had been outside when she came to you, you are probably not going to be able to get her to accept the leash/harness.
My little feral was a half dead baby when I found her
I did have to wear gloves to get the harness on her - fighting me like a tiger -
and she was a nutter on the leash outside, but after a few days it was like she though, oh yea, I like going out even if i do have to put on this contraption!

Maybe you can go out with your cat in your arms for a walk every evening around the grounds. I do that every day, several times, with Tux. Maybe when you do let her down after walking around the gounds for a few days, you could stay with her - have a relax in the garden

I KNOW my cat wont be happy as a 100% indoors cat, Ive vaccinated and neutered her, for her sanity and mine, she will be allowed outdoors, and we will both take our chances. Luckily I live in a very quiet country lane...

Good luck to you both!

MrWalsh

Ill let you know how it goes!!

I agree that as she came to us as an adult we are probably a bit more restricted in what she will accept. She is just SO full of beans, our other cat is mostly a sleepy girl

MrWalsh

Well she got to experience outdoors this morning.

It was very nervewracking! For both of us. She was very timid, in fact, after an initial sniff at the open door she went in and hid behind her bed. Then she ventured out, with me, and darted about smelling things and nervously checking I was still there. After 10 minutes or so I shook her breakfast bowl and she came straight back in, so, success!

We went out again a while ago. This time she was more interested in scenting the whole area around the door which I was delighted about, because she will know her way home if she scents it. Again, she darted about a bit, she was VERY affectionate with me, and then she came back in and sat down after 10 or 15 minutes. So hopefully we can have continued excursions and she will get to know her which back door is hers. So long as she knows where home is I'm happy to let her to out.

phater phagan

I wouldn't worry too much about her, MrW - she knows who loves her and will come home when she wants to. I take it that you have an open safe area for her to play and explore? I've had cats for more than 40 years and they always came home. I lost one years ago when he disappeared ( I like to think that someone else fell in love with him, and looked after him).

MrWalsh

There's been a couple more excursions. It's a communal garden, so it's open and relatively safe, there could be other cats or people walking dogs. She will be able to get round the front though, once she ventures far enough. But she lived in this area for a number of months before we rescued her so I think it's safe enough for her. There are a few cats around, they seem to keep a small territory. Our other cat has a small territory out front but she meanders within the boundary of the development itself. She's very independent and comes and goes through her cat flap, she is never out for more then an hour at a time. But she sort of slowly moved in with us after she was abandoned by a neighbour, so we never had the "first time outside" with her.

My main concern is just that our newest cat knows her home.

aonb

Phew! Nerve wracking indeed. Hope it continues to go well OP

This cat business has my head wrecked!
I just brought our rescue kitten home from the vet, where she had a checkup after being neutered last week. The vet says all well, and she can go outside now! Now that the time has come to let her outside I am very reluctant! She is a very tiny 6 month old. She hasnt been outdoors on her own since I found her, half dead (her sibs were all dead) back in October. Ive never had a cat before What if I let her out and she gets llllooooooosssssssssssttttttttttttttttttttt!

(sorry, just need to get that out of my system!)
Anyway, sleet/hail here today, so shes not going out today anyway!
Tomorrow there will be another excuse no doubt Im a softie and I luv me little cat

MrWalsh

Very stressful aonb!

We seem to be having success with the short accompanied trips outside so we plan to continue that for the next while. I just keep telling myself that there are lots of cats who go out, so it must be possible to do this!

I never owned or even knew a cat before we took on our first one, who was abandoned by a neighbour, but she was very independent! So I'm not really experienced at all.

If your little dote has never been out since you found maybe she won't miss it if you keep her in?

aonb

Thanks for your nice reply Mr Walsh. Unfortunately she is dying to get out - scratching at the glass & making a break for it every time a door opens. As you say, it should not be a problem at all, its just that after all this time, love, expense etc, it seems hard to let the little squirt out into the big bad world :cool: My daughter left home to go to university last year, and it wasnt this hard Tomorrow is wet, so monday will be the big day maybe. As you say, short accompanied outings initially... knowing Tux, she will stick her tongue out at me and brave the world without a backward glance!!

MrWalsh

Another trick I was thinking of was to bring her favourite toy outside and keep her distracted with it?

I think going out before a scheduled meal was sensible, because she wanted her brekkie.

MrWalsh

Hi aonb, well despite the success of a few outdoor excursions yesterday, our little dote fretted a lot during the night, which she hasn't done in weeks now. She cried solidly from 5am, until I went in and comforted her for a while. She settled down after than and then I brought her into our bedroom around 8ish and she was totally fine then. I hope going outside hasn't reminded her of her previous life or made her feel insecure. I'm probably overthinking it, but I'll be keeping her close today.

boomerang

Just for a different POV, I rescued my guys as six month old stray kittens who'd only ever been outdoors. I kept them in for eight further months before introducing them very gently and slowly to the cat harness and trips out of doors, when they were over a year old. They are still indoor-only cats and very happy.

aonb

boomerang wrote: »

Just for a different POV, I rescued my guys as six month old stray kittens who'd only ever been outdoors. I kept them in for eight further months before introducing them very gently and slowly to the cat harness and trips out of doors, when they were over a year old. They are still indoor-only cats and very happy.

See, this is my dilemma - first time cat owner remember, so a bit paranoid - Tux has been indoors only since found her on 1st Oct. She was neutered last week, the plan was always to let her out after vaccinations/neutering done. Now though, I love her to bits, and Im really worried about letting her wander (our dogs have always been safely contained in 2 acre property). She is very anxious to get out - makes daily dashes for freedom - so I feel she needs to be indoor/outdoor. I take her out on the harness & she spends time outside in old-puppy-playpen, but she is just mad to be outside... totally agree that some cats are happy as indoors cats. Think I have come to the conclusion that I will accompany her outside and see how it goes.

MrWalsh

We had some more outdoor excursions yesterday. She makes sure she can see or hear us all the time. The weather was bad yesterday so she didnt want to go far. Again she was scenting the wall, near the door etc...

We plan to just keep it up til she can go out unaccompanied for a bit. Im very nervous about it still!!

boomerang

I guarantee you the first time she goes out unaccompanied and doesn't come home quickly, you'll resolve never to let her out on her own again! My lad disappeared for 11 hours when I let him out for his usual half hour in the morning last summer... Longest eleven hours of my life!

If she is not quite happy with it yet, here is a guide to introducing her to a harness...

http://www.preparewise.com/leash-train-your-cat.aspx

The key is to take your time. I spent a week acclimatising my guys in the house... First having them put their head through to get a treat, then the fastening around their tummy, getting them used to the sound of the velcro when taking the harness off, and finally, walking up and down the house tossing treats in front of me. Worked like a charm. I can highly recommend the Kitty Holster from the US or Mynwood Cat Harnesses from the UK - I have both. And the smallest, lightest Flexi lead - they are about €12 in Maxi Zoo. I bring treats out with me (actually just their regular kibble, in a little plastic container, so I can rattle it) on our walks so I can guide them back to me if I think the line is going to get tangled in the bushes or if they're at the end of the Flexi lead looking in the opposite direction.

My guys get outside for half an hour a day and it's enough that they're happy to spend the rest of the time safely indoors. When it's getting towards the end of the half hour, they actually lead me back to the front door! The key thing though is to stick to a routine and always go out at roughly the same time each day. Otherwise you'll get badgered!

You could also think about building a simple enclosure out of one window or door to the outside of the house, so she can always have fresh air. Anything to keep her safe.

Pumpkinseeds

I really wish our 4 were indoor only cats but one was a feral kitten who is just impossible to confine indoors, even though he's a big cuddly snuggler. So we have a cat flap and the cats go in and out when they want.:) One of our cats regularly gets in fights, which then means vet trips which are not only really stressful for him but also very expensive for us. Treating the results of the last fight cost 130 quid at the vets. That's not even factoring in the risks they run of being poisoned, hit by cars or stolen.

I don't want to come across as a doom monger, but seriously, I have very cat unfriendly neighbours and it really does worry me that they could potentially harm them some day. A harnass is the ideal way to let the cat explore in safety.

MrWalsh

Yeah our first one has her routine, very short meanders, stays nearby, comes in and out her cat flap. She is great.

I'd definitely do the enclosure thing if I'd a house, but I wouldn't be allowed do it outside the apartment.

boomerang

Ah sure sorry Mr Walsh, forgot you are in an apartment!

Some people enclose their balcony, which is cool. Dunno if you have a balcony though or if management company would agree.

MrWalsh

boomerang wrote: »

Ah sure sorry Mr Walsh, forgot you are in an apartment!

Some people enclose their balcony, which is cool. Dunno if you have a balcony though or if management company would agree.

Im ground floor. The dream is a house with a garden that can be somewhat enclosed and a nice shed that I could foster cats in if needed

aonb

So Tux is now happily pottering in and out all day for the past week.
She goes out for a while, pottering around the garden and comes back herself or comes back in when I call her
She spends most of her time dashing around stalking birds and bushes, or chasing leaves blowing in the wind.
Im a door-slave to a dog AND a cat now :P

MrWalsh

Aw! That's great to hear. Do you leave her to do her own thing outside or do you go out with her?

aonb

MrWalsh wrote: »

Aw! That's great to hear. Do you leave her to do her own thing outside or do you go out with her?

I know For the first couple of days, I would go out and follow her about for a bit, always bringing her back to the doors (we have a few!) but now she just does her own thing out there. Shes a timid and very tiny cat, so Im hoping she will be happy pottering about in our couple of acres - theres a perimeter sheep wire fence, so hopefully/fingers crossed she will know thats "home"... shes upside down in the dogs bed at the fire now, after a few hours outside in the wind/cold

All going well with your little cat??

MrWalsh

Aw, that's so cute

Our girl is in a cattery right now, we will have her back on Monday and plan to continue to let her out next week, maybe by the weekend she can go out on her own. It'll depend how she is after the cattery, if she's a bit unsettled we might hold off letting her out for a few more days.

MrWalsh

So thought Id give an update.

We continued to allow our girl supervised outdoor access for a few days last week, she always stayed in sight and came back with a bit of encouragement.

We agreed that at the weekend we would allow her out unsupervised. Off she went and she came back every 2 or 3 minutes at first, looking in, making sure I was there - then off she went. I went out, no sign of her. I was outwardly stoic but inwardly worried!!

30 minutes later, in she comes, flops down beside me and starts purring. I was delighted - she knows her home

Since then we have let her out a good few times, besides me catching her trying to climb in a neighbours window its been uneventful - she hasnt gone longer than 30 minutes any of the times. I know she knows where she lives now so Im less worried. Plus it has really been good for her - she loves going out, and it has helped burn off some of her endless energy. So a good result all round!

aonb

Thats great - she knows her way home
Wonder was she trying to get in the neighbours window because she thought it was home, or is she just being nosy??
Might be worth popping in to that neighbour (to check them out!) to tell them that your new cat, may drop in, but its yours, and not a stray!!??

MrWalsh

I think she was being nosey!

I know, I was wondering if I should call in and say something! Our first girl used to go into lots of apartments before we took her in, once a neighbour found her miaowing under their bed after they'd gone to bed!

threebagsfull

MrWalsh wrote: »

it has helped burn off some of her endless energy. So a good result all round!

Yes, that really helped our cat. He destroyed the place and was bouncing off the walls until we let him out. He was scared if he couldn't see us through the windows at first but got used to the territory and now he's fine and much better behaved when indoors.

MrWalsh

threebagsfull wrote: »

Yes, that really helped our cat. He destroyed the place and was bouncing off the walls until we let him out. He was scared if he couldn't see us through the windows at first but got used to the territory and now he's fine and much better behaved when indoors.

I felt sorry for her too because its boring being home alone all day.

Until such a time as herself and resident cat can tolerate each other she will only have supervised outdoor access when we are home.

Our hope is that someday herself and Cat 1 will be able to share the cat flap and she will have as much independence as Cat 1.