Any Experienced Cat Owners...advice Please...

[muchlovex]

I have recently adopted a rescue kitten. SHe's 6 months old and has been with us just over 2 weeks. SHe is my little ray of sunshine, I just couldn't imagine life without her.

She's soooooo affectionate and purrs all of the time...

Anyway, I took her to the vet for her first injection and to be microchipped and vet recommended having her as a house cat as there are so many dangers outside for cats.

I am wondering whether cats can live a happy and content life being a housecat. I play with my kitten about 3 times a day to keep her occupied and stop her from getting bored.

She's not yet been outside, only via a cat carrier for a trip to the vets.

I was wondering if there are any tips an experienced cat owner can give me as to whether to allow her to go out or not. We do have a back garden, but she'd climb over the fence.
Some friends have recommended putting her on a harness, but I am not sure.

My thoughts are to keep her in for as long as possible, then when I evenutally let her out she wont stray too far.

She's such a friendly little kitty that I dont want her to come into harms way as I always hear of cats going missing etc.

Thanks for any advice offered.

[B00]

Mine's a housecat.

Apart from the fact she was incredibly espensive (a pedigree) and some scrote would probably try and nick her if she was outside, I also think it's pretty mean to inflict the evil spawn of Satan on my neighbours.

[muchlovex]

Awww.. we were going to get a pedigree cat, either a Ragdoll or BIrman, but we decided for a rescue kitten for now.

What pedigree cat is yours?

[B00]

She's a Maine Coon, a massive hairy ball of evil.

Supposed to be the gentle giants of the cat world, Ha! Mr Boo reckons its like trying to stroke a furry bag of razor blades.

[muchlovex]

oh, lovelly cats they are. What's his/her temparment like?

[daffy654]

The Ragdoll breed should be banned, in my opinion it is incredibly cruel to breed cats that have difficulty landing on their feet if they fall. Birmans are lovely though as are many other pedigree breeds. If we were going to get a pedigree it would be a Maine Coon, but we have just reserved two moggies at the local rescue place as they need the home more than a pedigree does.

[B00]

Take a wild guess given my descriptions above, lol.

She does have a friendly few minutes each day though, she'll walk across my shoulder if im sat down, meow loudly in my ear, slump against my shoulder then demand (by head butting- it hurts!) for a stroke, then a minute later she's bored, bites, and stalks off....

[ummmm]

My cat has never bitten or scratched me. My OH on the other hand is covered in scars.

[muchlovex]

my little kitty has never bitten or scratched us..when she plays she keeps her claws in

[ummmm]

You wait :-)

[Eve]

I've never been injured intentionally, Mish has claws like razors, has literally made me screech in pain before now when doing her "pawsying". She doesn't mean it, just wish she realised how sharp her talons are :)

She tends to appear by magic when I'm walking up the road to home, usually comes running miaowing away then escorting me to the door.

[muchlovex]

aaaawww, sounds so cute!

[boxtops]

I wish I'd taught No 1 Son to keep his claws in when he was a kitten - there is nothing like a claw in your nostril first thing in the morning, to start the day off right.... :-)

[Brinjal]

Some people do keep cats as house cats but if you have a garden I would let her out. But do keep her indoors until she is well settled.

[ladybirder]

If you are going to keep her as a house cat then I would recommend you get another one so she has company and a playmate. My friend has two who are perfectly happy house cats and they charge around his large flat and have a great time. He plays with them everyday and buys new toys regularly to keep them stimulated. If you decide to let her out, my advice would be the same as the RSPCA and that is to keep her in at night because that is when she is statistically most likely to come to harm. Also for the sake of our wildlife including birds please put a collar with a bell on her. You can buy collars that are elasticated so that if they get caught on anything the cat can free itself, or one that as soon as any pressure is put on it, then it comes undone. Any vets or pet shop will advise the best to get. The reason for the bell is it gives the birds and mammals warning of the cat's approach and it will be useful for you when you can hear where they are.
Having said all that I had brother and sister when they were very young, abandoned by their mother. I still have my girl, age 20 next birthday but my lovely boy was killed on the road at 11 years old, so so sad. So he had 11 years to get road savvy ...
Can I just say that if you decide to keep cats as house cats, never let them outside in the first place because I doubt they would be happy if you did then decide to keep them in. Some cats make the decision themselves of course. Good luck with whatever you (or she) decides.

[Smowball]

Ive had cats for years and personally I would never keep any of mine as a house cat. I knew somebody who did because they were renting and werent allowed to put a cat flap in, but the little cat would sit on the windowsill looking into the garden - I felt so sorry for it.

[woofgang]

interesting compromise
http://cuckoo4design.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/cuckoo-for-my-cats.html

[ladybirder]

That is why I said you should keep two and not one smow, as I have said. It's not right to keep one on its own indoors.

[islasmum]

I don't think that is much fun to be kept in the whole time for a cat - a different matter if they choose to stay in - I wouldn't keep one in all the time, but my mother had a white cat (not deaf) who very seldom went outdoors and stayed on the same bed,asleep for most of her life - a friend actually thought that she was a nightwear holder! but our two boys (Tigger and Fred)used to wander in and out, but we kept them in at night - we used to have a lot of foxes where we used to live. The most worrying bit is when they first start to explore the boundaries, but we used to let Tig out a little while before he was due to have his supper, so you could be fairly sure of him returning when he was being called for supper - it does help if your cat is a bit of a pig! and then gradually increased the time he was allowed out, which seemed to work well for him - he got to 16.5 years old, and was only ever out for the night once in his life! Best of luck with your kitten, and I hope you have lots of fun with her.

[ruthann58]

when you let her out for the first time make sure its not a nice day , pouring with rain would be best ,cats do not like the rain so she wont want to spend very long outside if the weather is bad , mine was creating merry hell this morning then i realised she wanted her tray (normally only has it at night) as the snow that came last night had made it to deep for her

[jelly baby]

We have twin boys, one is a house cat the other is not. We got them when they were just six weeks old, they're now seven years. We have a cat flap and the house backs onto a private road near some woods. One cat happily goes out to do his ablutions and have a wander, but the other will only venture out if we are there and even then only for a couple of minutes. We mostly kept them in until we had them castrated at six months, then they chose whether to go out or not. I think your cat will probably make his own mind up, I would encourage him to stay in at night though.