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letting cats outside

I have always kept my cats in at night. I can't speak for other people's cats, but mine are totally creatures of habit & will never do anything out of the ordinairy. They eat, sleep, play, and go outside at pretty much the same times every day.
 
christonabike said:
Doesn't all this letting the cat stay in mean you have to use a litter tray?

When we had cats, we used to let 'em out at night

:)
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when my older cat goes outside she comes back in just to use the litter tray, then buggers off back outside :mad:
 
No, it means they have to use a litter tray - we have to clean it
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Har har

Isn't that a pain?

Keeping them in seems cruel, but I guess if they want to, let 'em

I'd get pissed off cleaning out the tray when there's perfectly good mud out there
Trays are for training 'em not to shit in the house, after that they find their way out or get let out to shit
 
Mine are like Scallywag II's - they come back in especially to drop a turd, then piss off out again to avoid the smell.
 
Yeah my first cat did the same. If they get too used to using the tray for too long they will never use the outside.
 
When I first let Sparky out, he used to come back in to wee cos he didn't realise he could do it outside. :D
 
My cats dont use a litter tray anymore..thank god! they stink.. :eek:
They usually pop outside and lay a turd on next doors soft mud veggie patch! :p
 
/bit of a derail.../

i've started using woodbase cat litter which really seems to neutralise the smells :cool: and it's biodegradable and made from recycled sawmill waste so hopefully not too damaging to the environment.

i used to use that catsan stuff...supposed to absorb odours...my arse it does, most minging litter i've ever put out for them, and expensive to boot :mad:

anyway i would soooo much prefere it if they would go outside, but they don't :rolleyes:

back to the thread, i had a whole new set of doors put in leading out to the garden just so i could have a catflap, and the little sods don't use it. it is quite stiff though and hard to open, i've tried rubbing a bit of vaseline along the seals but that hasn't worked...any ideas? i'm hoping them using it will loosen it but if they can't open it in the first place it's a bit of a catch 22 init?!

if and when they do start using it i reckon i'll keep it locked at night though
 
My brother lives in Vancouver and they have de-clawed their cat’s front paws. A practise I thought was stunningly cruel and I couldn't belive a vet would do it. The reason is they can’t let it out of the house because the last one got shredded by a racoon. Apparently they only take the front claws just in case they get out. Personally I’d rather not have a pet than mutilate it.
 
ScallyWag II said:
i used to use that catsan stuff...supposed to absorb odours...my arse it does, most minging litter i've ever put out for them, and expensive to boot :mad:
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<eyes bag of newly-bought Catsan> :( :eek:

I keep mine in at night & open the cat flap all day, till feline curfew at about 11.30. I have had many a sleepless night when my older cat hasn't come in, then he's been at the door in the morning as cool as you like. :mad:
 
scott_forester said:
My brother lives in Vancouver and they have de-clawed their cat’s front paws. A practise I thought was stunningly cruel and I couldn't belive a vet would do it. The reason is they can’t let it out of the house because the last one got shredded by a racoon. Apparently they only take the front claws just in case they get out. Personally I’d rather not have a pet than mutilate it.
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a friend of my sisters when she lived in LA had her cats declawed...horrible thing to do to them :mad:
 
I'm quite glad this thread has been posted actually, as I've just got a cat and I needed a bit of advice.

She's about eight months old, and we've only had her just over two weeks. She's settled in reasonably well, so today my partner and I decided to let her out of the house for the first time. The previous owner had let her out on a cat leesh, so we gave it a go. We live on the upper level of a maisonette, and all was fine while she walked along the balcony and down the stairs. When she got into the front garden though she started running under bushes, and when I couldn't follow her, the leesh obviously pulled against her and she got very distressed, hissing at me. Eventually, I managed to coax her into the back garden, but she wasn't very happy still. :(

I don't think I'll be using the leesh again - she didn't take to it. Would it be better for me to let her out just normally, say in a weeks time? She's not very confident, and I'd probably have to go with her, but I don't mind that. I'm just very worried about her going out, in the same way Blagsta was.

Just thought I'd add, we tried the wood pellet cat litter and she really hasn't taken to it. Before, she happily used her litter tray, now she keeps pooing and weeing in the corner of the living room. I have to buy some more tomorrow.
 
Let them out!


I firmly believe cats are mostly outdoor nocturnal creatures, certainly most the ones I've had have been.


Obvious exceptions to this are very young kittens and elderly cats who might just want to sleep all the time, or if you live near a busy road, but if you have a garden then there is no reason not to let them out and indeed it seems cruel not to.


Train them young enough and they'll never use a lit tray in the house and they can also be taught not to bring you 'presents' in by making firm your disapproval - throwing water over them or something.
 
Maddalene said:
Let them out!


Train them young enough and they'll never use a lit tray in the house and they can also be taught not to bring you 'presents' in by making firm your disapproval - throwing water over them or something.
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How ungrateful. They go to all that hassle to kill a bird for you and you don't want it :mad:






:D
 
ScallyWag II said:
/bit of a derail.../

i've started using woodbase cat litter which really seems to neutralise the smells :cool: and it's biodegradable and made from recycled sawmill waste so hopefully not too damaging to the environment.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I use the woodbase stuff as well - so much of the supposed 'clumping for easy removal' stuff actually just turns into noxious clay that glues itself to the litter tray. Ick. At least with the wood pellets all you get is a bit of sawdust kicked over the floor.
 
ScallyWag II said:
a friend of my sisters when she lived in LA had her cats declawed...horrible thing to do to them :mad:
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it's illegal here.

They have very different attitudes to cats in the US. Rescue centers there have been known to threaten to remove cats they have homed if the cats are allowed to go outside, here, rescue centers tend to insist on cat flaps being fitted.

I don't have a cat flap yet, I'll need to look at what one to get. But i'm going to introduce my kitties to the outdoors today. I've got gardening to do, so they can come out with me and explore a little.
 
scott_forester said:
My brother lives in Vancouver and they have de-clawed their cat’s front paws. A practise I thought was stunningly cruel and I couldn't belive a vet would do it. The reason is they can’t let it out of the house because the last one got shredded by a racoon. Apparently they only take the front claws just in case they get out. Personally I’d rather not have a pet than mutilate it.
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That's not right :(
 
toggle said:
it's illegal here.

They have very different attitudes to cats in the US. Rescue centers there have been known to threaten to remove cats they have homed if the cats are allowed to go outside, here, rescue centers tend to insist on cat flaps being fitted.

I don't have a cat flap yet, I'll need to look at what one to get. But i'm going to introduce my kitties to the outdoors today. I've got gardening to do, so they can come out with me and explore a little.
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I hope they've had their jabs before you go letting them out?

Electronic cat flaps are good, but expensive if your cat keeps losing collar
 
toggle said:
it's illegal here.

They have very different attitudes to cats in the US. Rescue centers there have been known to threaten to remove cats they have homed if the cats are allowed to go outside, here, rescue centers tend to insist on cat flaps being fitted.
I don't have a cat flap yet, I'll need to look at what one to get. But i'm going to introduce my kitties to the outdoors today. I've got gardening to do, so they can come out with me and explore a little.
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I wouldn't want to be an american moggie that's for sure. Not allowed out and declawed it's cruel!
 
Well, one took a look out of the door, bolted back inside and hasn't been seen since. She's hiding somewhere. The other stod by the door for 5 mins. So i picked him up and put him on the lawn. he ran up to my partner, hid behind his legs for 5 mins and then bolted inside.
 
toggle said:
yep, they had jabs ages ago. I believe mine are related to some of the other kittys mentioned here.
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i think tommy might be one of these (from Ms. T?)

how are yours doing? pleased to say tommy is growing up into quite a big lad!! he's been going out for a few weeks now, it's so funny watching him climb the tree in my garden...he hasn't quite got the hang of it and puts his legs around it and hitches himself up!

he loves going out but gets spooked really easily, and often races back inside
 
Yep, from Ms T. Nero's a great big lump of cat. He's soppy beyond belief though, any more laid back and he'd be asleep. he's not that athletic either. Can't keep up with the little girl in climbing onto cupboards or on top of the fridge.

he's also very fond of my toddler, loves the attention he gets from her, plays with her and allows her to carry him about the place like a baby. i tried to stop her picking him up, but gave up on that when i realised he was purring like mad.
 
My cat Marvin has a cat flap and comes and goes as he pleases. I wouldn't dream of keeping him locked inside, he'd drive me nuts anyway because he'd make loads of noise until I let him out.

He sleeps during the day so having a cat flap means I don't get woken up when he wants to go out at night. I also wouldn't want to have a cat litter tray in the house because they stink.

I did keep him in when I first moved to my flat but only for a few days. He's a really good cat and comes in whenever I call him. I am lucky that he can't get onto the road from my back garden. I never let him out the front of the house a few cats on my road have been run over.
 
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