Time to test the outdoors??

Hi everyone

Some advice needed--------------

We have had our 2 feral kittens since Christmas  2013.

They have been very happy as indoor cats and Tony is always able to stroke them with lots of purrs

As Kat does not feed them much,they are much more stand offish with her---

Now we notice a lot of interest from them about the big outdoors---they will sit for hours staring through the glass doors amd

reacting to anything that moves outside.

We would love some comments from you as to their likely reaction if we allowed them outside----mainly,would we ever see them again---

Look forward to your comments and experiences

Tony and Kat

It is not unusual they do flee, not returning.   Why, I dunno, but it happens.

You can perhaps make some sort of innetted balcony instead?  It is often sufficient.

Good luck!

Almost all of my cats enjoy looking out the window, especially during Spring and Summer. However, none of them have a desire to go outside (even if they did, I would definitely not let them free roam.)

The safest way for these kittens to enjoy the outside, if you so choose to let them, is either harness train them, or build them an outdoor enclosure.

I agree with StefanZ, that it is quite possible that they would not return if let outside to roam on their own. There is also the real risk of predators, cars (even if you live in the country) and ill intended people who simply do not like cats on their property.

All cats, even domesticated cats that have never been outdoor, like to sit in the windows and watch the birds and do the teeth chattering thing. My two domestic cats have occasionally been outdoors with me on a leash or in my lap on the porch, but have no desire to be outside and get stressed if I'm out with them too long. My two ferals also enjoy sitting in the window. The young male sometimes sticks his head out the door when I open and close it, but I will never let him back outside except perhaps on a leash. I do not want to worry about him getting lost, hit by a car, or attacked by a raccoon or other cat. Although he and his papa cat (my outdoor feral) see each other through the window separating my sun room from my porch, I  have no idea whether or not they would fight if I let him out since he's now one year old, an adult. I have a friend who allowed her socialized strays outside and she says when they'd come back into the house they would spray urine to mark territory and regress to feral type of behavior, so that is a consideration, too. She no longer lets her cats out of the house. The other thing to consider is how you would feel if you let your kittens outside and they got hurt or lost or injured. I have a lot of stress caring for my one outdoor feral who will not come inside, especially when he takes off for a few days--I cannot imagine worrying about more than one outside. It is possible to leash train certain cats, so I would advise this would be a better option than just letting them out.