My 8 month old boys wake up and jump around my head at about 5am. The easiest thing for me to do would be to put them outside for a couple of hours. Is this ok? will there be foxes outside? They have been really good going outside after 7am and returning home multiple times throughout the day, but im not sure if I should let them out earlier? I would also be interested in knowing what is the lastest time they should be out? And how old do they have to be before I dont have to worry about all this??Many Thanks...a women who needs some peace in the mornings.
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How early can my kittens go outside?They are driving me mental.
- Thread starter fluffy2
- Start Date
You shouldn't let your kittens out at night, because they will be more likely to run in front of cars than adult cats, and drivers won't be able to see them. Also, cats won't come when it gets to be dusk, they go crazy. The night is too fun.
We waited until Wessie was about a year old before we let him stay out all night.
Hope this helps,
Eileen
Hope this helps,
Eileen
It really depends on where you are. Here in the US, many people don't let their cats out at all. I live in a neighborhood with lots of foxes, and coyotes. So the former feral goes out only during bright sun. No one else is allowed out. They are not smart enough LOL.
Are they neutered? They shouldn't go outside at all unless they are!!!!
I know there are cultural differences in a lot of places, but many of us - around the world - keep our kitties indoor exclusively. With time, they adjust to our schedules, and with sufficient stimulation from us, they don't miss going outside at all.
Others construct outdoor enclosures - some people even have them connected to their homes so the cats can come and go inside and out whenever they please - so they get the benefit of being outside, but without the many risks that come with it.
I know there are cultural differences in a lot of places, but many of us - around the world - keep our kitties indoor exclusively. With time, they adjust to our schedules, and with sufficient stimulation from us, they don't miss going outside at all.
Others construct outdoor enclosures - some people even have them connected to their homes so the cats can come and go inside and out whenever they please - so they get the benefit of being outside, but without the many risks that come with it.
Are they neutered? I assume so.
They must be neutered - or they will leave and make thousands of strays in a few years. The statistics are staggering.
Where do you live?
Are you near any roads?
Are you in the country?
Unless there is plenty of open space where they will not get hit by cars - most people only keep their cats indoors these days.
They live great and happy lives indoors. They will begin to settle down.
Cats are nocturnal - but they will adjust to your schedule.
Good Luck. Keep them safe as you have!
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They must be neutered - or they will leave and make thousands of strays in a few years. The statistics are staggering.
Where do you live?
Are you near any roads?
Are you in the country?
Unless there is plenty of open space where they will not get hit by cars - most people only keep their cats indoors these days.
They live great and happy lives indoors. They will begin to settle down.
Cats are nocturnal - but they will adjust to your schedule.
Good Luck. Keep them safe as you have!
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Coyotes are a big problem here. Know someone who lost 2 kitties to coyotes. I had a neighbor who's cat got oil poured on her face when she wandered into their yard. Aside from cars, antifreeze (if you live somewhere cold), getting locked in peoples sheds, being outside is not the best place for cats to be. However, if you are going to let them out, I agree they should be brought in at night.
They do get along just fine indoors though. Stick to feeding them at a certain time and they will get used to it and bug you around feeding time instead of hours before At least it worked for me.
They do get along just fine indoors though. Stick to feeding them at a certain time and they will get used to it and bug you around feeding time instead of hours before
At least it worked for me.
It's not a good assumption to make, and an important question to ask!
I'd close the bedroom door or find some other solution.
If they aren't fixed, they contribute to the out of control feline population.
If they are fixed, there are risks to themselves and to the environment as a non-native predator.
There are cars, dogs, feral toms, poisons, weirdos, parasites, and more outside. The US Fish and Wildlife government services site lists domestic cats in the top five threats for endangered wildlife such as songbirds who's pre-flight grounded hatchlings and nests often fall victim to the overabundance of well-fed energetic domestic cats that innocently see them as real-life Da Bird toys.
The responsible thing to do is keep cats indoors IMO.
If they aren't fixed, they contribute to the out of control feline population.
If they are fixed, there are risks to themselves and to the environment as a non-native predator.
There are cars, dogs, feral toms, poisons, weirdos, parasites, and more outside. The US Fish and Wildlife government services site lists domestic cats in the top five threats for endangered wildlife such as songbirds who's pre-flight grounded hatchlings and nests often fall victim to the overabundance of well-fed energetic domestic cats that innocently see them as real-life Da Bird toys.
The responsible thing to do is keep cats indoors IMO.
Leave your vacuum cleaner parked in your room, but not plugged in. Leave the switch set to "On". Place the cord near an outlet close to your bed. When they start bugging you, plug in the vacuum cleaner. Continue to do this when they disturb you. They'll soon get the message that it's not appropriate to bug you at 5AM.
My opinion -
Don't ever let them outside.
It's a dangerous world out there - so, unless you have an outside enclosure for them - ... keep them inside where they are safer. There's always a way to overcome some issue that comes up when you share the space with your furbabies.
That's my 2¢ ... you asked, I answered.
Don't ever let them outside.
It's a dangerous world out there - so, unless you have an outside enclosure for them - ... keep them inside where they are safer. There's always a way to overcome some issue that comes up when you share the space with your furbabies.
That's my 2¢ ... you asked, I answered.
I would say that you can put them outside whenever you decide you want to expose them to the diseases, parasites, predators, and cars in your area.
Of course, some places are safer that others, but I haven't put a cat outside in 30 years.
Of course, some places are safer that others, but I haven't put a cat outside in 30 years.
I wouldn't send them out if its still dark. Even my indoor only cat Jack pesters me at 5 am if I let him. I recently lost an outside cat when a snow plow hit and killed her during the night. She was the most street smart cat I've ever known so that's saying a lot about the dangers. I will never allow another cat out unsupervised or when its dark.
Leslie
Leslie
I would either just let them out of your room or shut your door when they start pestering you. Nora sleeps in our room most nights and she usually wakes up around 5-6am b/c she has to pee. We just let her out and shut the door, then we go back to sleep and she has the run of the house until we wake up. I think it is fairly normal for cats to wake up at that time.
My personal opinion, I wouldn't let them out at all. *shrug*
My personal opinion, I wouldn't let them out at all. *shrug*
Yup, its completely normal.
Many people think that cats are nocturnal, but they are not. They are a crepuscular species, which basically means "twilight animal", and thus are most active at the period around dawn and dusk, their peak hunting hours.
Many people think that cats are nocturnal, but they are not. They are a crepuscular species, which basically means "twilight animal", and thus are most active at the period around dawn and dusk, their peak hunting hours.
The night helps them hide as they are out and about - BUT - it also hides the predators such as coyotes - coyotes just love our neighborhoods and all the abundant food they can now find.
My husband's niece - lives in AZ - has cats, and dogs. They don't usually live very long. A few years ago one of her cats had a litter of 4. We took two of them. Today, only the 3 that she adopted out are still alive.
The coyotes raid the neighborhoods at night especially.
The mommy cat was missing a few days, and the niece went looking for her - she had dragged herself up into a road drainage pipe, and had died. The niece said she had been attacked by something.
When people spend hard-earned money - not only for food, but for the altering and the usual vaccines - but yet allow his/her cats to brave the elements of danger - I find it difficult to comprehend - especially when I look at the two we now have and think of what their fate would have been if we hadn't "rescued" them.
Sometimes people don't have a choice, I understand that - and I guess it's just the way things are - but if there is a choice - choose to make the cat(s) inside cats 24/7.
My husband's niece - lives in AZ - has cats, and dogs. They don't usually live very long. A few years ago one of her cats had a litter of 4. We took two of them. Today, only the 3 that she adopted out are still alive.
The coyotes raid the neighborhoods at night especially.
The mommy cat was missing a few days, and the niece went looking for her - she had dragged herself up into a road drainage pipe, and had died. The niece said she had been attacked by something.
When people spend hard-earned money - not only for food, but for the altering and the usual vaccines - but yet allow his/her cats to brave the elements of danger - I find it difficult to comprehend - especially when I look at the two we now have and think of what their fate would have been if we hadn't "rescued" them.
Sometimes people don't have a choice, I understand that - and I guess it's just the way things are - but if there is a choice - choose to make the cat(s) inside cats 24/7.
I need to try that with mine. They want me up at 5am or 5:30am. A hair dryer is another recommendation. Mine run when they see it. I guess it's too loud for them too.
So glad we don't have coyote's here, but being more urban we have lots of vehicles. I have considered talking to my neighbor a few houses down, but I keep convincing myself its none of my business.
Its mildly annoying that everyday she screams "PRECIOUS!!!" at the top of her lungs while shaking what appears to be treats when its mealtime, but the real issue is that I nearly killed her cat a couple weeks back.
Its against the HOA rules, but it seems almost EVERYONE still keeps parking their cars in the street. Luckily, I was driving slower than the speed limit, as Precious was underneath one of the cars and didn't dart out until the last second. All of my groceries I stupidly put in the back seat instead of trunk flew forward, but it was much better than the alternative which would have just ruined my whole year having to live with that consequence.
There are no leash-laws for cats though, only for dogs, so really I don't have any right to say anything. Thats what I tell myself anyway.
Its mildly annoying that everyday she screams "PRECIOUS!!!" at the top of her lungs while shaking what appears to be treats when its mealtime, but the real issue is that I nearly killed her cat a couple weeks back.
Its against the HOA rules, but it seems almost EVERYONE still keeps parking their cars in the street. Luckily, I was driving slower than the speed limit, as Precious was underneath one of the cars and didn't dart out until the last second. All of my groceries I stupidly put in the back seat instead of trunk flew forward, but it was much better than the alternative which would have just ruined my whole year having to live with that consequence.
There are no leash-laws for cats though, only for dogs, so really I don't have any right to say anything. Thats what I tell myself anyway.
Sorry, this is off-topic... Ducman69, I do a lot of cat predation-related research, and was wondering if you could provide me a link to that USFWS citation? Thanks.Originally Posted by Ducman69
I'd close the bedroom door or find some other solution.
If they aren't fixed, they contribute to the out of control feline population.
If they are fixed, there are risks to themselves and to the environment as a non-native predator.
There are cars, dogs, feral toms, poisons, weirdos, parasites, and more outside. The US Fish and Wildlife government services site lists domestic cats in the top five threats for endangered wildlife such as songbirds who's pre-flight grounded hatchlings and nests often fall victim to the overabundance of well-fed energetic domestic cats that innocently see them as real-life Da Bird toys.
The responsible thing to do is keep cats indoors IMO.
Its all over the government FWS website.
http://library.fws.gov/Bird_Publications/songbrd.html
http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/Cu...Predation.html
http://www.fws.gov/home/feature/2010...0/ecotips.html
The gist is that cat predation is another added stress factor on top of habitat loss, pesticides, vehicle/window strikes, and other problems caused by man and his satellites. Just better for our kitties and our environment to keep fluffy happy, warm, and safe indoors.
http://library.fws.gov/Bird_Publications/songbrd.html
http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/Cu...Predation.html
http://www.fws.gov/home/feature/2010...0/ecotips.html
The gist is that cat predation is another added stress factor on top of habitat loss, pesticides, vehicle/window strikes, and other problems caused by man and his satellites. Just better for our kitties and our environment to keep fluffy happy, warm, and safe indoors.
Cats are part of nature. It is their nature to catch birds. Humans are also part of nature. It is our nature to adopt cats as pets. The fit will survive. That has been the way of the world for billions of years.
Some people value their cat's freedom over the dangers of outdoor life. Others do not. It is a personal choice.
Some people value their cat's freedom over the dangers of outdoor life. Others do not. It is a personal choice.
