Worried about having kittens outside

[CatOwner Triplets]

Hi All.

I'm new to the cat owner game, I've never thought I would be a cat person but my 3 kittens (brother and sisters) which are aged around 8-10 months have won me over and are the apple of my eye.

2x Females
1x Male

So I have them in a big garage and I'm trying to slowly let them outside to get use to the outside area. I live in the country side, front of the house has a small lawn with a main road (not the busies road) but out the back there's fields and ditches as far as the eye can see BUT my issue is I cannot get them to stick to the back and they keep going to the front and I don't want them near the road. I know they are just exploring but I don't want them to get a nasty habit.

They also get to excited to be outside that they just completely ignore me and my calls.

Any advice for me?

 

[ArtNJ]

For the most part, indoor/outdoor cats will go where they want too and come back when they want too. For me, that sometimes meant 18 hour absences in the warm weather. It is panic inducing the first couple of times it happens. Others have had absences of days. Also a bit panic inducing for me when a cat would stay out overnight in nasty weather, especially when it was very cold, although if they have access to the garage because its open or a cat door that would help with that. If you are going to have indoor/outdoor cats, it goes with the territory.

As far as the road, coyotes and just not coming back are also likely to be a big, perhaps bigger, risk than your typical road, but it depends on the specifics. And dont forget heartworm -- reguar flea and tick doesn't work on heart worm. I had an indoor/outdoor cat "drown" when his lungs failed him. Vet suspected heartworm, meaning it was probably my fault for not getting the medicine that includes heartworm. No more indoor/outdoor cats for me after that -- I couldn't stand the idea of continuing to roll the dice with another cat.

 

[CatOwner Triplets]

I wonder would a water pistol work with giving kittens boundaries?

 

[CatOwner Triplets]

ya maybe it's to cruel tbh

 

[catloverfromwayback]

I would have them indoor only. They adjust to it well, the younger the better. We don’t have predatory animals in Australia other than birds of prey and feral animals, but humans with or without vehicles are a danger. Add coyotes to the mix and it’s way too dangerous to let cats roam.

I wouldn’t use water pistols on cats, they just associate you with getting squirted, not whatever it is you’re trying to stop them doing.

 

[ArtNJ]

I wonder would a water pistol work with giving kittens boundaries?

Cruel or not, it just wouldn't work, its too compex a thing to teach. A cat proof fence would work, but that may be too much $$. A smalll enclosure (a catio) definitely works, but may not be what you have in mind. Electric fences are not good for cats as the prongs can cause abscesses. So not a lot of options if you are letting them out other than to let them do their thing and hope they come back.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. If you want them as pets to keep safely with you throughout their lives, spay/neuter, and keep them indoors. If you want to provide some outdoor space, build or buy a catio/cat enclosure.

 

[Cat McCannon]

Don’t let your cats outside unsupervised. If you want to know why, just search this forum for heart breaking stories about cats disappearing, getting sick or injured or dying while roaming freely outdoors. I couldn’t take it if Belle got out and disappeared.

 

[Alldara]

Should I keep my cat indoors? Is unsupervised outdoor time OK?

Your could certainly leave them with garage access and perhaps catio access. A catio could be a fun project!

theyll need spayed and neutered soon. Even though they are siblings, they will multiply quickly. You can easily end up with way too many cats than you can care for and very heartbreaking situations because of it.

Momma cat should be spayed as well when you can. She could have more kittens soon too! WHen a cat is very young or older, it becomes more dangerous to be pregnant and to give birth.

you can contact a local spay and neuter clinic for lost cost surgeries or a local Trap-Neuter-Return program for help..