My 5 month old kitten, Rocky, has discovered the outside world! We adopted him from the SPCA at 3 months and have kept him inside for 2 months. Yesterday, we found him trying to escape out the window and have realised that it may be time to introduce him to the outside world properly. I just don't know how to go about doing this! He has also started being very destructive in our home and may be needing some other stimulation. We have bush at the back of our plot and live in a crescent (therefore no traffic except for residents and vistors). Both my neighbours have varsity going sons who drive like maniacs and I am very worried that Rocky wanders into the street and gets tramped. How do I ensure he stays in our yard? We are getting a doberman pup in a months time and I am wondering if I could train it to keep kitty in our yard? As it is summer in SA now, the snakes are out and about and I am also worried he thinks they are toys and tries to play with them resulting in them biting him.
Daily Kitten Chat Forum » Purrs
Introducing kitty to outside world
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Rockstar, wish I had an answer for you, mine aren't allowed outside. Too many dangers here in the states, between mean people, cars, coyotes, javalinas, and whatever else is out there they would always be in some danger.
Posted 2 years ago by AZDEBRA 5/27 & crew #
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Rockstar, do you know of other people who allow their cats outside? If so talk to them and see how they introduced their cats to it and if they had any problems with the snakes. They may have some very good advice. As for keeping Rocky away from the road I have found that chasing the cat away from the road and stamping your feet and growling whenever they do go near it will teach them that the area is out of bounds. However that does require you keeping a very good watch for a while and making sure you get between them and the road before chasing them back onto home territory.
We simply don't have any predators here in New Zealand other than traffic and dogs not on leashes or out roaming.Posted 2 years ago by Moonshadow_NZ #
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Some of cats live outside our house. They used to be indoors too, and discovered the outside world later on in their lives. But they are all adults when introduced outside. I didn't teach them boundaries, they seem to know it by instinct. And they know their mealtime, so they always come home for meals and for sleep.
There are snakes at the back of our house too, in fact, there's a wood at the back of the house. But my cats stay away from snakes, they seem to know not to play with them. My neighbour's michievous golden retriever comes to visit every afternoon. I think she deliberately comes to give them a scare. But my cats learned how to escape the dog, or how to stand up to her when necessary.
I have neighbours who are in college and high school too. They have broods that come often in sports cars. I know it is dangerous, but so far my cats are fine.
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Hi there Rockstar, welcome to TDK :o) Very few Americans allow their cats outside because of predators, here in the UK that isn't a problem - is it with you in South Africa?
The traffic problem is probably your main issue, try sitting in your own car and really revving the engine to make Rocky scarred. You could also try banging pots and pans out in the road to scare him - he'll hopefully associate this with the road area, and keep away from it.
Likewise with your yard - help him associate it with nice things like treats and playing. He will still roam, but hopefully away from the road. My best tip is to train him to come in when you want him too, that way you can get him in overnight (a must I would say, most bad things happen to cats in the dark) or if you need to get him in for any other reason. The way I did this with my cats is to give them a really special treat, and at the same time whistle (a series of short, sharp whistles seems to work best) - only give Rockey the really special treat when you whistle, and he'll rapidly make the connection.
Posted 2 years ago by MadcatwomanintheUK #
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HA! Another South African! I'm no longer alone here! YAYYY! MCW, snakes, especially on a plot, are a big problem here in SA. My approach to the situation is that I will not, under any circumstances, deprive my cats of running and playing and climbing trees outside like it is natural for them to do. SO I make sure that I have a competent vet, who has a decent stockpile of anti-venom, and who knows how to treat snake bites. Dr Peck has never lost a dog or a cat to a snake bite. Not even to mamba bites, or rinkals, or puffadders . . . My only advice for Rockstar is that if you want your kitty to go outside, have him neutered as early as possible, it will cut down on the need to go wandering. And dont worry too much about the snakes. My cats often catch snakes, and up to now, it has always been the snake who loses the game . . . And once your baby has felt the wind in his fur, and felt the scratch of tree bark under his claws, he will not willingly go back to being an indoor-only cat. My kitties are free to roam as they please :) They play outside all day, and come home to sleep in bed with me at night. I'm happy, they're happy, enough said? =)
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Wow! Thanks for all the advice! We took Rocky into the back yard last night on a leash for about 5 minutes (the weather wasn't too great) and then again this morning. All he wanted to do was taste everything! He was so busy exploring that he didn't want to come back inside so I really has to coax him with some treats. I didn't want to pick him up and bring him inside as I want him to get his bearings and understand how to get back inside. How long should I let him stay outside for? I think I will get him used to the back yard before I take him into the front (with cars and the road nearby) - what do you think? In SA we have so much space and it gets really hot here so sometimes it isn't practicle to keep cats as indoor cats.
I think I am just an over protective mom and I am sure Rocky will be fine. I have just heard too many stories of how friend's cats have been killed by cars. Then again, they don't say if they have been sterilised and their cats were roamers. Rocky has been sterilised (SPCA sterilises all kitties before you can take them home), but the is a MONSTER cat that lives next door and likes to roam - I hope it doesn't cause trouble with my boy.
@ skyron - yay! Another saffa that understands the climate etc! A friend of mine used to stay nearby and her cat was bitten by a snake, but it somehow managed to kill the snake so they could take it to the vet with them. Gosh! Do I have to make sure I find the snake if something does happen?
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Kitties usually know by instinct which snakes are for playing and which snakes are for leaving alone. My cats have only ever killed house snakes and red-lip snakes. We know we have a puffadder on our property (we live in the middle of the city, and we have puffadders!), but that's because our dogs found it and barked up a storm, not because of the kitties. The snake went on its merry little way before we could try to catch it and relocate it . . .
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Hi. I'm in JHB, SA and have a 13 week old female kitten, Ryder, and a 5 year old Male tabby, Hunter. With regard to outside........we bought the books, and I'll admit now probably for the pictures, since we didn't pay much attention to the suggestions for introducing a new kitten to a new home, new house mate and new outdoors... We arrived home and stuck them nose to nose, made introductions and poor Hunter's life hasn't been the same since. He goes through phases of wanting to play with her, eat her and probably maul her too but he can't do without her!
I don't really remember how we got Hunter settled with being outside but he mostly had access to the back side of the house and seems to have instinctively figured out how to avoid cars.....or just to wait until my back was turned before crossing the road........sigh. Ryder has discovered the tree in the back garden and every day gets a bit higher. One of these days she is going to figure out that she can get on the roof from there too.
We have boarded up the side gate and put shade cloth on the main gate. She is supervised in the front garden and the front windows are a no go zone for her at the moment too. She loves the garden and hunts and hides all day.
I would add that get your kitty microchipped as well. Hunter disappears over the wall everyday, he's back for a cuddle and breakfast by 6am.
Also a good idea is get your kitten used to being touched and cuddled. Hunter started off sleeping on my chest and loves this......tricky now that he is 5 years old and 6kg! This I think keeps him coming home every night and keeps him really affectionate. Some kitties, however, may not like this. Madame Ryder is too busy at the moment to worry with my cuddling requirements right now!
Posted 1 year ago by Claudia Trzebiatowsky #
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