When Is It Ok To Let Your Kitten Outside

Most kittens are prepared to leave the house and to explore the outside world at six months old.

When is it ok to let your kitten outside. Letting cats outside is not in the best interests of the cats. If you have adopted an adult cat you probably will have been advised to keep it in for 2 3 weeks to settle into its new home. Vaccinations should be done once a year. As the kitten grows older the time outdoors can be increased until the kitten becomes independent and has learnt his recall down to a tee.

It s all a matter of time and patience. Work on recall before letting your kitten outside. Please note that tying a cat outside on a leash is not a substitute for personal interaction and supervision. Four months old is the earliest kittens can be neutered.

We need to get it out of our minds that it s okay for cats to be outside. This gives them time to mature and also to be neutered. The blue cross advises that your kitten should not be allowed outside until at least a week after finishing the first course of vaccinations. It is best not to leave your kitten outside alone until it is 6 months old and it is essential that it is neutered from 4 months of age before allowing it unsupervised access.

Do not let your kitten go outside until at least a week after she has completed her first course of vaccinations and fleas and worm treatment. Check that you have removed any sharp objects or toxic substances from the garden that your kitten is likely to walk on or ingest. It s best to let him out just before mealtime so you can use your recall to call your kitten indoors and reward with tasty food or playtime. This will give them plenty of time to settle in their new environment.

You may be tempted to let your cat outside as soon as possible but generally it s best to allow at least 2 3 weeks and up to 4 6 weeks after you first take them home. Have your kitten microchipped before letting her out. It s just not responsible pet ownership. There is too much danger of their becoming tangled up with the possibility of choking.

It s important to remember that your kitten should have free access to his home at all times and should not be shut outside consider installing a microchip cat flap so he can come and go as he pleases. My cat is safe when he goes outside because he stays close to my home. A study of 10 house cats and seven farm cats published in the european ecology journal ecography found that on average the house cats covered more ground than the farm cats at night the house cats moved within an average area of nearly 20 acres compared to just over 6 acres for the farm cats. By this age the kitten is already familiar with your home and will be able to track their way back after their adventure.