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PLEASE i need your advice!

post #1 of 8
4/8/10 at 7:08am
Thread Starter 
So i have the cutest ginger 2 yr old called champers...
thing is ive recently moved and im not sure how long to keep him in for, he is an outdoor cat.
He sits by the door crying to go out but from what ive read on websites they should be kept in anything from 1-6 weeks??
hes been in 6 days and he is really wanting to go out to play and i feel awful for not letting him..

Please anyone with advice or who have been in this situation PLEASE reply

Thanks!
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post #2 of 8
4/8/10 at 7:13am
Im sorry i have no advice on outdoor cats

but

Hi and welcome to TCS
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post #3 of 8
4/8/10 at 8:59am
I would not let him out for a while....if ever actually.

We moved once and our cat went 13 miles back to our old house. We found him there thin, but so happy to see us.

Try buying a harness and leash. See how he takes to it and start taking him on walks around your yard. You could also build him an outside shelter. Pretty cheap to build. All it takes is some 2x4's and a roll or two of heavy gauge wire fencing. Make sure the cat cant get his head stuck in the wire. I use a grid so small that I can just get my finger in it. It is attached to the house and is accessable by a cat door.

I would hate to see you loose your buddy. There could also be dogs in the area that you are not familiar with and could do your kitty harm.
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post #4 of 8
4/8/10 at 3:26pm
I agree, I would not let him out unless he had a confined space to stay in where he would be safe. Ignore his crying. He is safe and that is what is important. He will get used to being inside.
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post #5 of 8
4/8/10 at 4:39pm
Well, I will be the dissenter here.

You'll find that most North American members (and some others, too) will give you pretty much the same advice you have received thus far, some rather vehemently. The first question you need to ask yourself is how safe is your neighbourhood, and many will tell you none is safe enough. I think that is arguable, and it is up to you to decide, since you are the one who lives there. You might want to check with the neighbours, too, to get their take on kitty safety in the area.

If you decide it's OK, then what I'd do is this:

*I'd keep him in until you are sure he's comfortable with the inside of his new home, and has pretty much settled. It needs to feel like home to him.
*Then I'd wait until you have some nice weather in which you don't mind spending some time standing around outside, and open the door for him. Let him take his time and suss the place out for himself.
*Supervise closely until you can tell he knows where home is, how to get there and how to get in when he needs to -- including making sure he knows how to operate the cat door, if there is one, and is reasonably comfortable with it.

That should set him up well in his new neighbourhood. Good luck!

Oh, and welcome to TCS. I hope you enjoy your time here.
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post #6 of 8
4/8/10 at 4:52pm
I always keep a new cat inside for 6 to 12 months... After a move I keep them in 3-6 months ... currently I have only one indoor/ outdoor kitty
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post #7 of 8
4/8/10 at 4:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rapunzel47 View Post
Well, I will be the dissenter here.

You'll find that most North American members (and some others, too) will give you pretty much the same advice you have received thus far, some rather vehemently. The first question you need to ask yourself is how safe is your neighbourhood, and many will tell you none is safe enough. I think that is arguable, and it is up to you to decide, since you are the one who lives there. You might want to check with the neighbours, too, to get their take on kitty safety in the area.

If you decide it's OK, then what I'd do is this:

*I'd keep him in until you are sure he's comfortable with the inside of his new home, and has pretty much settled. It needs to feel like home to him.
*Then I'd wait until you have some nice weather in which you don't mind spending some time standing around outside, and open the door for him. Let him take his time and suss the place out for himself.
*Supervise closely until you can tell he knows where home is, how to get there and how to get in when he needs to -- including making sure he knows how to operate the cat door, if there is one, and is reasonably comfortable with it.

That should set him up well in his new neighbourhood. Good luck!

Oh, and welcome to TCS. I hope you enjoy your time here.
I agree with the above. I'd never PERSONALLY have an "outdoor" cat or dog, but I know people who do. Talking to the neighbors is a GREAT idea -- you'll need to know if they have dogs or cats. And as always, make sure the cat is spayed if it's going to be outside (of course). In another thread I was reading about a cat enclosure...could you look into something like that?
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post #8 of 8
4/11/10 at 10:27am
Thread Starter 
hi thanks for the replys!

to let u all know i let him out and he stayed in the garden with me for 2 days,
he explored a bit more and finally ventured outside the garden and came home in time for tea when i called him.
now he comes in and out when he pleases never more than a few hours at a time so my mind is at rest.

my friend recently moved who also has a cat and he escaped after 4 hours and found his way back to his new home..i suppose it all depends how comfortable they are in their new surroundings.
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