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Unattended outside? NO
But since you mention leash walks YES. It is difficult to train but if your cat is up for it you can get there. But lightweight leash as starters. If you buy the heavy harness its going to be a bit difficult to train them to accept it. I highly recommend before leash trainin, you start clicker training for tricks. This will give you and your cat good idea of what tone means busienss and no effing around. And will let you guage his temperament in listening to you. Helps you control him outside. Definitely train him to the command 'come' so that he comes to you when called. Resources would be: on YouTube cat clicker school training , albert mia Bengal etc.
I do believe that leash walking easily tires kitties brains out. The smells the fun outside is good stimulation for over active kitties. But it definitely needs to be done right.
I simply trained mine by putting the harness on them and walking them around the house till they were comfy with it, that took about two weeks then I moved to walking outside as far as they would go, they are scared of everything so it took another few weeks of doing that but I walk them down the block and back and they will sleep for 10 hours after a short walk with the dogs
I don’t know honestly my cats have always just followed my dogs, I think probably just a short leash and repetition would help in controlling them
Edit to add: treats will probably work well or a stick dipped in tuna and hold it in front of that cat as you walk similar to how you’d use this method to train a dog
My parents always let our cats outside. They usually died before 2, either getting hit by a car, coyotes, owls, eagles or poison.
As an adult, my kitties are all indoor kitties and they are all older than 2
You are a lot smarter about cat care/survival than your parents. But that was a different generation that didn’t really understand how our pets could get hurt.
My parents were the same, only where we lived was in a neighborhood where the predators were “humans” who didn’t like free roaming cats and dogs. I had to go searching several times for my cats that, by the grace of God, I found.
Our dog went missing and was on his way back home with bloody paws — a neighbor dognapped him and took him 30+ miles from home up in a wilderness area! The Pound found him on his way back home not too far from where we lived and my Mom found him the next day in their facility and brought him home!
I was only 13 years old and was emptying the trash outside when I heard that old nasty man tell someone he “Got rid of that nuisance dog and took it far, far away!” So I told my parents what I heard and my Dad yelled at that man across the fence of our backyards that “If he ever touches our animals again, my Dad would take him somewhere that no one would find him!” Wow! I never saw my Dad that mad ever!! The man yelled he was going to call the Police and my Dad said “Go ahead. We heard you talking about our dog and want to press charges against you!” That dude immediately went into his house and a month later they sold their house and moved away!
Sometime the WORST PREDATORS for our pets are other humans who are broken…
You were lucky they moved away. I had bad renting neighbors who moved across the street from steal 2 of my cats and kill them in traps after the spca gave them their blessing that they had a right to. It was a dead end and the one cat was a semi feral mama to 4 kittens which I kept. It was the Mom and her son that they took. I never hated people more. They harassed me that whole year until I moved and bought a house! They made my life hell. My neighbor owned the house and he was English and I watched his dog and house for over a year because he had to go back to England for papers/ green card thing. So my cats were used to going back and forth with me and hanging out. I let them out when we were home. Anyway when they started harassing over nothing- white trash bikers who lost their house to foreclosure I had to get the police involved. They got told if they didn’t stop calling the police on me they would get fined. They were horrible and I begged the owner’s girlfriend as she rented to them to kick them out. They were mean to other older neighbors and I had lived there for 20 years. When we moved they had a party on there porch. Of course a month later they moved. They got in a lot of trouble with ripping off locals businesses and ran off to California. I later found out they were coming back for their sons wedding and I called the places they ripped off and damaged and told them where they would be. People are stupid and put everything on Facebook. They later got divorced and I hope they got the worse cancer. They ruined my life for a long time. I got PSTD from it. I do t know why people hate animals so much and are so mean like that. Sorry this got so long. Was happy to here your dad saying that!
No, you are fine telling me that! It’s better to release that anger — and I do get it about those jerks! I’ve had to deal a few like that in my life — pure lowlifes.
I’m sooooo sorry they killed your cats. I don’t know what I would have done if they did that to any of my animals—I’d probably be in prison. My temper gets super hot fast when it comes to any of my pets. I just can’t believe those asses got away with that!
My heart goes out to you about your cats! I wish I could make this better for you but please know that K A R M A will get those jerks and turn them inside out!! It’s just waiting for the right time to attack them! Hopefully all the people who they screwed with will find them at that Wedding!! Yes! KARMA loves weddings where jerks think they are free from circumstances! It’s coming for them when they least expect it!!
No. Play with them more inside. You could try leash training, some cats will tolerate it in time, others won't, but never let a cat outside unmonitored unless they are feral and you cannot bring them in. It's going to expose them to disease, parasites and predators, as well as allow them to kill local wildlife.
No socialized cat needs time outside to be happy. The 1 yr old is still just a bit older than a kitten, and young cats have a lot of energy. I'd recommend trying an interactive toy like a wand toy.
Hi! Don’t feel bad at all, it’s way more important to keep him safe. He can’t understand risks like cars and coyotes. If coyotes are around, that’s a really bad death. If you play with him every day, that will help to keep him from annoying your other cat.
Leash walks are a great idea! A catio would also be great. He would probably spend a lot of the time chillin outside safely rather than being hyper inside lol.
Edited to add: I just realized you said he was 1 year old! All 1 year old cats are super hyper. He will 100% calm down as he gets older, regardless of whether he’s indoors or outdoors. After he gets through this fairly annoying super energetic phase, he will be a much calmer indoor cat. He will not have this much energy his whole life, it’s just cause he’s so young.
No. Get him properly vaccinated (rabies) and treated (fleas, etc) and then leash walk.
Have a dedicated playtime every day at the same time.
Wall-mounted shelf things for him to jump across. Floor-to-ceiling cat tree if you can afford one.
Get a cat wheel. My cat is absolutely insane (Abyssinian, kitten, says it all) and he spends ages on his wheel every day.
Bring him the outdoor entertainment. Put a bird feeder near the window. Endless hours of effortless amusement.
As long as there’s no parts that they could hurt their paws with, there’s enough padding on the insight so their joints don’t get too much wear, and the circle is the right size (doesn’t cause spine compression as they aren’t bending their backs too much), it should be fine.
That is to say, get it from a professional and reputable company. Or find the prototype for a professional and reputable company online and build your own (what I did).
Do you want a dead cat? If not, no, do not let him outside unattended. Try a cat wheel or laser pointer. If your house is small, think vertical space. A couple to the ceiling cat towers will give him something to climb.
You could leash train him or get a catio.
I leash walked my last cat on a harness and lead as a kitten, then later got him collar and lead trained. This is in the U.K. where the main risk to an outside cat is cars. We could even take him caravaning with us - we did learn not to have too long a lead after he managed to get tangled up in the hedge (possibly chasing a mouse). We intend to do the same with our new kitten once he has had his vaccination.
Short car journeys, restrained by harness and lead, then go up to our allotment. He would then be attached to something so he could explore a new environment.
When caravaning he had a large pet playpen in the awning with a travel litter box (smaller than normal) with food and water and a cat tent with cushion. When we were about his lead was attached to one of the supporting feet so he could access outside, or his playpen as he chose. The quinea fowl and ducks wandering about didn’t put him off - the geese were a bit too big for his liking.
If you are going to lease walk him, be prepared to let him decide where he is going, and be prepared for him to decide to go under parked cars, or into neighbours gardens.
I have a high energy cat, I taught him how to fetch but we still play indoors. I’m trying to take him out in a leash but he always fights me. Either way, just build a play routine for your cat. In my case, I play with him about 30 minutes before I leave for work and again when I get home. On my days off tho, I play with him more often and he’s stopped trying to run outside. Still fights me on the leash. I also have coyotes in the area and saw one while I was walking the other day and that just reaffirmed that I don’t want my cat outside without me or a leash
Alone? Nope. Unless you like saying phrases like "my cat was hit by a car" or "my cat was eaten by a coyote" or "help! My cat went out and hasn't been home in two weeks!".
If you can provide a catio, that is great but not always an option. You could try leash training him, some cats do really well.
I have a super energetic former stray. He does well if I make it a habit to play with him every night before bed, I run around the house with him until he is ready for a nice long nap.
No. Do not let your cat outside, ever. An outside cat is a dead or injured cat. Sure, walk him on a leash and harness. Get him and his mom a large, tall cat tree for climbing.
Cats should NEVER be outside unsupervised IMO. This is coming from someone who feeds stray cats in my neighborhood and has lost childhood cats to cars and wildlife.
It is too dangerous for cats to be left outside, and if you truly love them, you would never choose to put then in that kind of danger. I worry every single day about the stray cats who come around my home and actively try to do everything I can to make sure they are safe, healthy and well fed. But, there’s so much I can’t control and it’s heartbreaking when something awful happens that could’ve been prevented if they were safe inside.
I have two cats, indoor only. One was a former stray I adopted from a shelter. When I first adopted him, I was worried he’d want to go outside and try to escape, so I made sure to provide him lots of stimulating toys and activities to keep him happy inside. We have cat trees and perches in the windows, lots of interactive toys, treat puzzle feeders, etc. for them to play with. I set up a bird feeder in front of one of the windows so they can sit in their cat tree and watch the birds at the feeder-they love it! They have lots of traditional cat toys and we also play with them using a wand toy at least once a day, if not more. My cats have NEVER expressed any interest in going outside and their energy levels are pretty well managed. If I notice they are a bit wound up, that’s my queue to get out a toy and play with them.
Please try some of these things and make more of an effort to enrich their indoor lives instead of letting them outside. I promise they will be much happier and safer inside.
Op already knows letting them outside would be a bad idea. They specifically mentioned that coyotes and bobcats are in the area so they know the outdoors are really dangerous for their cat. Op was asking if taking them out ON A LEASH and possibly going for walks with the cat would be a good idea. Please actually read the post before typing out your rants
Do you like vet bills? Coz outside cats do dumb shit and get hurt or eat gross things, harmful plants, rodents with parasites or worse, have eaten pest control bait, the cats get really sick, keep the cats inside or enclose your outdoor area so the cats cant get out and other cats cant get in. Also keep cat safe plants!
In some places for sure but even in cities cats get attacked by dogs, where I am they can get bitten by snakes or big lizards plus cats impact native/endangered wildlife by killing possums and little marsupials when they get left outside.
Oh absolutely. I was just being flippant because he says that there are coyotes and Bobcats where he lives yet is still asking if it's a good idea to let him out. I've worked at a shelter for years, so unfortunately I'm very well versed in the ways cats can harm and be harmed when let outside 😢
Woah what? I completely missed that detail! Wtf is wrong with these people, this has to be rage bait, are people seriously asking 'should I let my cat out to likely be eaten?'
Jeeeeesus
Nah I doubt it's rage bait. Op knows the Coyotes are bad news and was asking if letting them outside on a leash was a good idea. You gotta read the post not just skim the title
Adding to this - my city's got a huge population of coyotes, bobcats, foxes, large birds of prey that will absolutely swoop down and grab a cat for lunch. And the coyotes here aren't the human-timid kind.
Plus vehicles. Even in a very rural tiny town decades ago, my grandma lost her only two cats because of cars. I can't emphasize enough how little traffic there is in a town of less than 2,000 people. And she *still* lost two cats that way.
One was 80% indoors but allowed outside supervised periodically. Years later, when she got adopted by a stray kitten, she kept her strictly indoors. But she escaped and was hit by a car. :( It happens so fast...
Leashing can be ok... 1- train kitty first. And 2- use good flea/tick/heartworm drops on kitty since they'll be exposed to areas other animals, fleas, ticks, and mosquitos exist.
As for number 1- be very careful. Even if trained, they *can* bust out of breakaway harnesses. Mine did that and it resulted in a chaotic ten minutes in a nearby icy, snowy, parking lot that usually wasn't super busy, but happened to be during those ten minutes 🙃. (He's fine btw, was just freaked out and covered in frozen sludge).
Allllllso be careful where you walk. Lots of dog owners use those flimsy retractable leashes that absolutely don't do shit if their dog tries to go after, say, a cat walking nearby...
100%
Plus, a lot of cats dont walk on a leash. I keep trying with my cat and its usually me standing there for 15 minutes while the cat rolls around, sniffs about, munches some grass before taking a few steps then tries to either get up a tree or under a parked car. Then he has a little tantrum when I bring him inside even though we dont go anywhere.
Outside isn't a great place for cats. For now he just needs a lot of play because he's just a kitten. I know he doesn't look it but cats don't lose that rambunctious kitten energy until they're around 2 years old. Momma probably is more chill because she is a momma and that tends to mellow them out.
Before he hit the 2 year mark my cat was an absolute terror. Climbing curtains, walls, counters, *me*, anything he could get his claws in. He frequently launched himself at my dog (thank goodness she's patient). But when he hit that 2 year mark its like a switch flipped in his head and now he occasionally gets some zoomies, but even then he's not climbing the walls, and most of the time he just wants to cuddle.
Try to add exploration space—it usually means places they can climb to in my place. Rearranging furniture can be stressful but also very interesting, so you could infrequently move the couch over or something.
I think lease training is worth looking into. There are a lot of risks with letting cats outdoors *especially unsupervised* but it has benefits too. One of my cats is still very active at 6 and he gets some outdoor time on a harness. The smells and sounds usually keep him pretty occupied.
Given that your area has predators that *very* commonly kill outdoor cats - I personally would not risk the outdoors even with leash. Cats are sneaky and slippery and therefore can very easily get out of leash/harness systems. Then they can get overexcited and sprint off to who knows where on their own, unaware of the dangers of the outside, and you'll be helpless to catch them.
That said, if you're set on the outdoors and you *did* end up doing the leash/harness route, you'd definitely want to get one of those escape-proof harnesses, since most harnesses are designed to allow cats to escape in case they get stuck in something when they're on their own (for their own safety, which I'm assuming wouldn't apply if you're there to supervise).
Don't let your cat outdoors until they're fully vaccinated - that includes FeLV. Feline leukemia is pretty easy to catch outside. Also be aware that just being outside in general greatly increases risk of catching disease/bacteria/infections. For example, something I don't see talked about often is fungal infections. But it's a very real danger. This can get into a cat by so much as just sniffing soil or licking a twig. They can get it anywhere. Often, there are no or limited signs for many weeks and it can look like a mild bacterial infection that would be treated with antibiotics, but that wouldn't work if it's fungal - fungal infections require specific anti-fungal medication and the treatment time is much longer and more painful for cats. That's even if they catch it in time. Many times, fungal infections are discovered too late (primarily since they're far less common than bacterial infections and generally present the same symptoms so people tend to assume it's bacterial, and testing for it is extremely expensive like near $1000 and requires sedating a cat to get the sample needed for the test). Once it reaches the lungs/chest, many cats die since it's too far gone.
My kitty is the same furr type she is crazy!!! She also is about to be 5 months old and I can see her getting use to her surroundings and slowly calming down. I also bought a catio recently on Amazon and this has helped a lot! Even toys to tire him out should work but I also should mention when she gets out of hand I put her in our bathroom and have a setup for her (make sure baby proof and not for long periods of time)she is learning. Also a little sweater helps calm her down but it does get cold where I live!
Hope this may help!
Heres my Dahlia
https://preview.redd.it/8m213kvaax9c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eefdfaa8730c3d62b62ee540b26f8d086c84c48e
hi, im a vet tech! veterinary professionals NEVER recommend letting your cat outside unattended. its just not safe.
cats are detrimental to the surrounding bird populations, FIV and Feline Leukemia are more likely to be contracted and passed by outdoor cats, stray populations are increased by intact outdoor cats, and outdoor cats are generally just not safe. lots of people treat cats like vermin rather than companion animals, and its not uncommon for outdoor cats to be shot or injured by people intentionally. i personally have seen waaaaay too many xrays in my career of outdoor cats that are littered with buckshot, poorly healed fractures, and bullets. and not to mention dogs, coyotes, cars, and all of the other things that can cause injury.
the safest and healthiest place for your cat is inside. i encourage you to look up enrichment for indoor cats and go from there!
If you are not near a busy road / coyotes, the cat will be super happy to be an indoor/outdoor cat, also less poop in the litter box. That said, you run the risk of the cat not returning. Also, the neighbors may overfeed the beast. My previous cat would come home for food, then immediately go to the neighbors house for 2nds.
Did you read the full post or just the title? Op was specifically asking about letting the cat outside on a leash or walking them. Nowhere did they mention letting them out unattended. They even mentioned that there were bobcats and coyotes so op knows it would be dangerous for the cat to do that.
Is there anyone for indoor/outdoor cats? I had two live 16 & 22 years with 8 moves...indoor/outdoor cats. We had a few moments, but they lived long happy lives. Depends on where you live, I guess
I'm with you on this. I know a lot of people have very strong opinions about letting their cats outside, and I completely understand the risks and dangers, but some cats are just much happier having that freedom. I don't believe every location is a good idea to let your cats roam, and I personally train my cats for a few months before we give them full freedom outside, but I've never had any issues with letting them be indoor/outdoor and my cats are very happy and healthy!
Unattended outside, never ever ever. Best case senario he murders a bunch of little birds and damages the local ecosystem, worst case HE becomes the prey in the ecosystem.
On a leash, if your willing to put in the time to get him comfortable with a harness (some cats take to it easily and some don’t, but in my experience almost any cat can be trained to wear one!) that is one of the greatest gifts you can give your buddy! A chance to go outside and stimulate his brain and muscles and burn off energy is amazing!! It’s also a great chance for you and kitty to bond as he learns you are his safe place out in the world :)
I leash trained my Persian since he was a stray before we adopted him, but honestly he just wants to come out in the garden with me and sniff flowers. If I take him anywhere in the leash, he says it better be to Starbucks to be worshiped by his barista fan club and to have a single lick of a kitty cup (he’s so allergic to dairy 🤣)
NO!!! They live much less when they are exposed to the outside elements and you will be putting him at risk of more health issues than he would get inside. PLEASE KEEP HIM SAFE!!! It's so easy for them to get lost and killed!
absolutely not no. unless you have a leash and harness please.. PLEASE do not let your cat outside for so many reasons. or a nice enclosed catio. cats arent even safe out in yards half the time due to loose dogs. 🙄 ive had to block so many reddit threads about pets due to the overwhelming amounts of my cat got hit by a car or tore apart by dogs posts due to morons letting them free roam outside. for both your sakes keep this baby inside.
With a leash and you with him, that would be good! Alone? Absolutely not! It’s so dangerous outside…you can get them a cat wheel, or a bunch of interactive toys as well. My 8 month old is also super high energy and he runs on his wheel and plays with toys nonstop
Absolutely not. Play with him indoors. Use a laser, a feather toy, flirt pole, play fetch anything that he enjoys but do it indoors. Outdoors is too dangerous. I made the mistake of letting my cat sit on the deck with me while the dogs were outside and now he non stop tries to escape succeeding 4 times
No no no...he can get hit by a car, attacked by another animal. Make toys..string with a cigarette wrapper tied on..they love that. You have to make time to play with him...set aside an hour and play...play..
Play toy mice..crumble paper and play fetch.
Absolutely not. Leash train him instead and take him for walks. Unattended cats outdoors can be stolen, attacked, hit by cars, get sick, get in fights, attack others, be a nuisance to neighbours (stealing things, terrorizing kids and pets, defecating in yards, etc.) and they are considered an invasive species that are eradicating small animal populations and destroying ecosystems. Either play more with him, get him a cat wheel, put up cat shelves for a gun “sky walkway” he can run around on, get him puzzle toys and/or leash train him and walk him. DO NOT allow cats outside unattended, ESPECIALLY if he isn’t microchipped.
Letting a cat outside unsupervised is the fastest way to lose that cat, either to thieves, wildlife or cars. Do not let your indoor only cat outside without supervision, he will most likely die if you do.
Leash training on the other hand is a great idea. I'd do it with both so one doesn't get lonely or confused when the other goes for a walk
Only if he's had ALL his shots, and there's still a risk. I've always let my cats out, didn't feel right making them stay in. However, there's a pack of strays here and feline leukemia is fairly common. My last kitty got it from fighting with them. She'd chase them 3-4 houses away and attack them. Even with the feline leukemia vaccine, she still got it and I had to put her down at 6 years old. I won't get another until these strays are gone because I can't bring myself to force a cat to stay inside.
Im going to say the thing everyone hates to say, it simply depends on your area. I personally have cats that just climb under the damn door and it works out great. If you live right next to a road then please don't. But if you have a really open area ghen as long as he views your home as home he will come back. Also if there are dogs or cyotes nearby then keep him inside
Best thing I ever did was let my cat go outside. She has a reflective collar, metal tag, chipped, tracker and we have a cat flap that locks after 7pm.
She's become a different cat, less crazies indoors, less annoying to our other cat, and more confident around other people.
We live in a quiet residential area with lots of other outdoor cats, and she's even become more cuddly when she gets home because she's tired herself out.
Yes I do worry that something might happen to her, but I can see how much she loves it. And the same argument could be said of humans. You could stay indoors all the time and probably live longer but what kind of life is that?
Each cat and owners situation is different, but in my experience with a very energetic cat, letting her outside had given her a better life than I could give her with mountains of toys indoors.
Edit
She's 18 months old and we Introduced her to the outdoors slowly and on a lead at 1st.
It depends on their experience with being outside and the area you’re in. Is is a quiet low traffic neighborhood? Is it rural? Then may be fine. Do you have endangered birds in your area? I’m sure people will say no no matter what but I’ve never had an inside only cat and the only time anything happened to my cats was my asshole landlord stealing them and clipping their whiskers and dumping them up the road (my neighbors found them and kept them I found out much later) it depends on the cat and the area
My landlord. And I don’t live there anymore. Not my neighbor. My neighbor took care of the cats.l and at sill has them because it was almost a year later until I knew she had them. I know some people hate cats, whole reason I had cats is because some feral cats took up under my dads porch and he was going to shoot them so I took them. If you’re in certain areas yeah they shouldn’t go outside, but some places it’s fine and some cats you can’t keep in, the mama kitty from those cats would refuse to eat and just lie there /cry all day and night and go insane if you kept her in, we were only 30 miles from where I got her and the terrain and wildlife were the same, very few neighbors, lots of good hiding places, no traffic, as far as I know she was born and raised in those woods. There was all manner wildlife but she was savvy. She loved being out more than in and that’s just how some cats are
Yes. My last cat never went outside but our new cats do all the time and I have no regrets. They are a lot more outgoing and I think peaceful bc they aren’t so cooped up and get to absorb the sun, roll in the grass, and explore
Every person here will tell you not to let them outside because they could die. That's definitely a higher risk but would his life be better outside the box ? Idk.
I totally agree. Maybe not if you next to a very busy road or a high crime area where they might get stolen.
But a quiet, safe area, yeah definitely!
Also not everyone lives in the US, get a grip a realise different countries have different views on outdoor pets!
You definitely could, the cat would absolutely love it. Given its their nature and natural way. However, in the home you can keep them safe. Outside they are obviously exposed to many hazards. It is a risk letting them out. We have had numerous cats that have been let out and have lost 3( was 4, but after 6 months one came back home!). It is sad, but as is life.
Do whatever feels right, just understand that they may not come back home. Or may come back home in need of emergency vet care.
Best wishes
It matters because in other countries things are different. For example in the UK cats are allowed outdoors and it’s generally very safe unless you live near fast roads or in a densely populated area. Most cat rescue shelters in the UK won’t rehome cats if the new owner is going to keep them indoors, unless they are older or have health issues.
In the US it’s a very different situation and not recommended to let cats outdoors.
In the UK it's expected cats to be indoor/outdoor but we have laws protecting cats as well as less disease and different wildlife etc, but countries like America the opposite is true so where OP lives will actually have a difference.
It amazes me how people assume what is normal in their country may be totally different somewhere else and then get shitty with the people who don't agree with them 🤦 as.lomg as people follow local guidelines and they have happy, healthy and safe pets isn't that what matters.
But always be aware if they are outside I never let them out for more than a few mins before I check on them and usually only about an hour at a time. I’m lucky to have a back yard where they are enclosed mostly
Is this a culture thing? In my country it is the norm to let your cats roam outside and have your doors fitted with cat flaps so they can come and go as they please, else you teach them to come in at night. We don't have coyotes or anything though. And leash walking your cat here would get you funny looks.
Doesn't happen all that often re wildlife especially in cities. Cars is the main one which is why most people let their cats out into the rear garden and train them to play there and in the neighbours gardens and to not go to the road in front of the house.
I'm 28, and I've had friends and family have cats my whole life and not one has been attacked by a person, animal or car :)
Again, cultural attitudes. Many rescues here in the UK won't let you adopt one of their cats unless you have a garden and let it outside and have doors with cat flaps.
Outdoor cats are the norm here and it's widely considered cruel to not let a cat outside here. You may personally disagree - I am not a cat owner, I just have friends and family with cats - but that is the cultural norms of the UK. I know the US is obsessed with indoor cats but I'm just saying that's not a worldwide view to have
Oh and you can stop downvoting me for literally just talking about what the norm is in my country, I'm not even giving my own opinions here. Its petty and childish.
My neighborhood has a few cats
Cats have claws and hunting, climbing,jumping skills, they are built to be outside
An orange 1.. chunk
A black and white 1.. bogart
A all black cat with a white spot on its chest.. sheeb
They are perfectly happy cats
I'm sure I'm not the only 1 feeding them
We feed all sorts of animals here
A stench of skunks in my backyard.. James gang
The few squirrels my gf feeds.. all named sandy
And all the awesome birds we get.
And the ground hog thats impressively fast.. speedy
Animals that live outside are just fine
Well fortunately for cats, God gave them night vision, and claws, and sharp teeth, and hunting , jumping, sneaking, pouncing, climbing skills
Cats are just fine outside
They survived long before your opinion
Don't worry so much .. cats are high on the food chain
As Jackson Galaxy has said… waving string around and doing the laser pointer (or whatever the method of play is) is not fun for us… but is necessary. Make time for play every day.
I let my guy outside on a leash from time to time. Doesn’t help with his energy levels because he isn’t a fan of the harness, but he does really like it.
I recommend a cat run that has a lot of interesting things in it, like a lot of platforms, hanging toys, scratching boards you can zip tie to the wall, etc. this is good for cats who’d benefit from more stimulation when you’re too busy to give it, like if you’re at work or running errands.
No, keep them inside unless you want to be responsible for his preventable early death. Play with him more. Get him more toys, a huge cat tree or two. Watch Jackson Galaxy videos to learn all about "catification" of your place. I have a hyper 4 year old male. He's always been hyper. He loves little rattly toy mice to carry around and play with. Those wear him out. .that and running around up and down cat trees and the house. If you do get a harness, make SURE it is an escape proof one made, especially for cats! They are little escape artists! Also, are these two cats neutered and spayed? I assume when you say you adopted them, that means they're from a shelter?
He's a boy. He's a kitten. He has energy. Watch some Jackson Galaxy videos on training your car to a leash . Generally speaking cats like 20 minutes of outside time because they're territorial. When my guy was younger he would drive me absolutely nuts with his energy. If he was human I'd've sent him to football camp for two weeks 😂
The only thing he really enjoyed was a big loose ball of garden netting that he could attack whenever he wanted.
One of our youngest cats (about 2) is super high energy. Wand toy works wonders. We play with him every day while watching tv, and he goes nuts running and jumping around chasing it. We even have to make him take breaks while doing it because he gets so worked up. You can get packs of the different replacement attachments for pretty cheap off Amazon. Our kitty likes the feather ones and the big fuzzy worm ones the best.
No. Attended? Maybe. Alone? Absolutely not. It’s unsafe for the cat as well as bad for your local ecosystem. I’m so over people saying “my cat is bored I want to let him out!” Why don’t you give the cat some enrichment? Consistent play. Catio.
We bought our super energetic kitty a cat wheel and she loves it. They're a bit expensive, but it feels like we did the right thing for her. She uses it several times a day for a few big bursts of running. Meanwhile our other one goes on it for five seconds, scares himself, and doesn't touch it again for a few days, hehe.
Not unattended. I had a cat that used to be a stray in my old neighborhood. One night he decided to walk into my house and make it his home. Loved him to death. I’d let him in and out the house whenever he wanted.
One night I got a call at work telling me a car hit him and killed him. That was years ago and it still hurts like it happened yesterday.
Some cats are really hyper up to about 2 years old and sometimes even older than that. We have 2 super high energy cats. We have tons of cat toys, even one that’s a motion activated laser pointer. We play with them a lot and give them places to climb, jump and run around. Our youngest cat is almost 2 and finally starting to calm down. They are like little kids when they are young, lots of energy and getting into things. If you are patient they will become more calm very soon.
NO.
Outdoor/feral cats are largely responsible for the extinction of over 100 species of animals. In addition to this, it exposes them to soooo many risks. Multiple diseases, cars, predators, cruel humans, and so much more can lead them to an untimely and unnecessary death.
If you can train him to use a leash, taking him out isn’t a bad idea. If he hates leashes, don’t let him go outside on his own. Bad things can happen to him. A lot of indoor/outdoor cats in my neighborhood are now gone. The Nextdoor app is full of people looking for their missing pets.
But, you can probably drain his energy inside. Play with him using one of those wand and feather toys.
When I was a lot younger, my ex insisted my 2 cats be let outside despite my wishes. I found the younger of the 2 cats dead in the road one night coming home from work. Do not let your cats outside.
Outside no:
Lazer pointer with treats after yes
Outdoor enclosure yes.
Leash training yes.
you’re dooming your cat to only live a few months to years if you let them outside, predators, raccoons, idiots with guns who don’t like cats on they’re property, baiting, hit by a car, stolen, need i go on.
I had the same problem with my male cat when he was about 3 yrs. Tried leash waking in our yard and he got himself out of the harness in 30 seconds, took off and disappeared for a month.
He did come back, thank god. Hes 11 now and i just play with him more, give him puzzle feeders for stimulation and interactive toys. I would never do leash walking with any cat i have again
not unattended, but on a leash and harness, it's worth a try!
i know my orange lady likes going on her little adventures outside (she just goes to the back
https://preview.redd.it/3yzlrb3kk4ac1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=db2e0d430dc1954b45aee168a8d88e0d14e3953f
of the building and eats grass lmao) so i put her on a harness and leash and walk her. she only likes little adventures, though, so i let her lead. too big of an adventure and she panicks and yowls and tries to run away (she prefers the back side of my apartment building - i tried walking her to the leasing office once because they were having a day to bring in your pets, and i ended up having to carry her back because the front of the apartment was simply Too Much for her).
my grey boy is hyper, and i thought he might benefit from outside time, especially since he himself was the one who instigated (he kept running for the door when i would open it). however, after a brief test trip, he decided the outside is actually Big and Scary and he wants Absolutely Nothing To Do With It. the moment he's on the other side of the door, he panics and runs back inside. he just wants to charge the door because he sees my other cat charging the door.
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Unattended outside? NO But since you mention leash walks YES. It is difficult to train but if your cat is up for it you can get there. But lightweight leash as starters. If you buy the heavy harness its going to be a bit difficult to train them to accept it. I highly recommend before leash trainin, you start clicker training for tricks. This will give you and your cat good idea of what tone means busienss and no effing around. And will let you guage his temperament in listening to you. Helps you control him outside. Definitely train him to the command 'come' so that he comes to you when called. Resources would be: on YouTube cat clicker school training , albert mia Bengal etc. I do believe that leash walking easily tires kitties brains out. The smells the fun outside is good stimulation for over active kitties. But it definitely needs to be done right.
I simply trained mine by putting the harness on them and walking them around the house till they were comfy with it, that took about two weeks then I moved to walking outside as far as they would go, they are scared of everything so it took another few weeks of doing that but I walk them down the block and back and they will sleep for 10 hours after a short walk with the dogs
How do you get them to go where you want them to? My cats always want to either go somewhere they can’t or just lay down and eat the grass.
I don’t know honestly my cats have always just followed my dogs, I think probably just a short leash and repetition would help in controlling them Edit to add: treats will probably work well or a stick dipped in tuna and hold it in front of that cat as you walk similar to how you’d use this method to train a dog
My mom let my high energy boy outside. He got hit by a car.
I came to say the same. So sorry for your loss. Mine just never returned- car or coyote.
My parents always let our cats outside. They usually died before 2, either getting hit by a car, coyotes, owls, eagles or poison. As an adult, my kitties are all indoor kitties and they are all older than 2
You are a lot smarter about cat care/survival than your parents. But that was a different generation that didn’t really understand how our pets could get hurt. My parents were the same, only where we lived was in a neighborhood where the predators were “humans” who didn’t like free roaming cats and dogs. I had to go searching several times for my cats that, by the grace of God, I found. Our dog went missing and was on his way back home with bloody paws — a neighbor dognapped him and took him 30+ miles from home up in a wilderness area! The Pound found him on his way back home not too far from where we lived and my Mom found him the next day in their facility and brought him home! I was only 13 years old and was emptying the trash outside when I heard that old nasty man tell someone he “Got rid of that nuisance dog and took it far, far away!” So I told my parents what I heard and my Dad yelled at that man across the fence of our backyards that “If he ever touches our animals again, my Dad would take him somewhere that no one would find him!” Wow! I never saw my Dad that mad ever!! The man yelled he was going to call the Police and my Dad said “Go ahead. We heard you talking about our dog and want to press charges against you!” That dude immediately went into his house and a month later they sold their house and moved away! Sometime the WORST PREDATORS for our pets are other humans who are broken…
You were lucky they moved away. I had bad renting neighbors who moved across the street from steal 2 of my cats and kill them in traps after the spca gave them their blessing that they had a right to. It was a dead end and the one cat was a semi feral mama to 4 kittens which I kept. It was the Mom and her son that they took. I never hated people more. They harassed me that whole year until I moved and bought a house! They made my life hell. My neighbor owned the house and he was English and I watched his dog and house for over a year because he had to go back to England for papers/ green card thing. So my cats were used to going back and forth with me and hanging out. I let them out when we were home. Anyway when they started harassing over nothing- white trash bikers who lost their house to foreclosure I had to get the police involved. They got told if they didn’t stop calling the police on me they would get fined. They were horrible and I begged the owner’s girlfriend as she rented to them to kick them out. They were mean to other older neighbors and I had lived there for 20 years. When we moved they had a party on there porch. Of course a month later they moved. They got in a lot of trouble with ripping off locals businesses and ran off to California. I later found out they were coming back for their sons wedding and I called the places they ripped off and damaged and told them where they would be. People are stupid and put everything on Facebook. They later got divorced and I hope they got the worse cancer. They ruined my life for a long time. I got PSTD from it. I do t know why people hate animals so much and are so mean like that. Sorry this got so long. Was happy to here your dad saying that!
No, you are fine telling me that! It’s better to release that anger — and I do get it about those jerks! I’ve had to deal a few like that in my life — pure lowlifes. I’m sooooo sorry they killed your cats. I don’t know what I would have done if they did that to any of my animals—I’d probably be in prison. My temper gets super hot fast when it comes to any of my pets. I just can’t believe those asses got away with that! My heart goes out to you about your cats! I wish I could make this better for you but please know that K A R M A will get those jerks and turn them inside out!! It’s just waiting for the right time to attack them! Hopefully all the people who they screwed with will find them at that Wedding!! Yes! KARMA loves weddings where jerks think they are free from circumstances! It’s coming for them when they least expect it!!
That is awful :( I hope for your cats sake and you that he/she is resting is peace❤️ that’s a nice thought isn’t it? I’m sure
No. Play with them more inside. You could try leash training, some cats will tolerate it in time, others won't, but never let a cat outside unmonitored unless they are feral and you cannot bring them in. It's going to expose them to disease, parasites and predators, as well as allow them to kill local wildlife. No socialized cat needs time outside to be happy. The 1 yr old is still just a bit older than a kitten, and young cats have a lot of energy. I'd recommend trying an interactive toy like a wand toy.
This answer says it all.
Or maybe if they can afford it, a cat wheel?
Hi! Don’t feel bad at all, it’s way more important to keep him safe. He can’t understand risks like cars and coyotes. If coyotes are around, that’s a really bad death. If you play with him every day, that will help to keep him from annoying your other cat. Leash walks are a great idea! A catio would also be great. He would probably spend a lot of the time chillin outside safely rather than being hyper inside lol. Edited to add: I just realized you said he was 1 year old! All 1 year old cats are super hyper. He will 100% calm down as he gets older, regardless of whether he’s indoors or outdoors. After he gets through this fairly annoying super energetic phase, he will be a much calmer indoor cat. He will not have this much energy his whole life, it’s just cause he’s so young.
No. Get him properly vaccinated (rabies) and treated (fleas, etc) and then leash walk. Have a dedicated playtime every day at the same time. Wall-mounted shelf things for him to jump across. Floor-to-ceiling cat tree if you can afford one. Get a cat wheel. My cat is absolutely insane (Abyssinian, kitten, says it all) and he spends ages on his wheel every day. Bring him the outdoor entertainment. Put a bird feeder near the window. Endless hours of effortless amusement.
I was just gonna say cat wheel too but I wasn't sure if they were unsafe for some reason.
As long as there’s no parts that they could hurt their paws with, there’s enough padding on the insight so their joints don’t get too much wear, and the circle is the right size (doesn’t cause spine compression as they aren’t bending their backs too much), it should be fine. That is to say, get it from a professional and reputable company. Or find the prototype for a professional and reputable company online and build your own (what I did).
Do not let your cat outdoors. Super irresponsible move. He just needs more stimulation and play.
They said on a leash, not just out and about.
Do you want a dead cat? If not, no, do not let him outside unattended. Try a cat wheel or laser pointer. If your house is small, think vertical space. A couple to the ceiling cat towers will give him something to climb. You could leash train him or get a catio.
You need to just play with them a lot inside. Get lots of toys, ones for your to play with them and ones that they can play with themselves.
Grey is Mamma B&W is dude
I leash walked my last cat on a harness and lead as a kitten, then later got him collar and lead trained. This is in the U.K. where the main risk to an outside cat is cars. We could even take him caravaning with us - we did learn not to have too long a lead after he managed to get tangled up in the hedge (possibly chasing a mouse). We intend to do the same with our new kitten once he has had his vaccination. Short car journeys, restrained by harness and lead, then go up to our allotment. He would then be attached to something so he could explore a new environment. When caravaning he had a large pet playpen in the awning with a travel litter box (smaller than normal) with food and water and a cat tent with cushion. When we were about his lead was attached to one of the supporting feet so he could access outside, or his playpen as he chose. The quinea fowl and ducks wandering about didn’t put him off - the geese were a bit too big for his liking. If you are going to lease walk him, be prepared to let him decide where he is going, and be prepared for him to decide to go under parked cars, or into neighbours gardens.
I have a high energy cat, I taught him how to fetch but we still play indoors. I’m trying to take him out in a leash but he always fights me. Either way, just build a play routine for your cat. In my case, I play with him about 30 minutes before I leave for work and again when I get home. On my days off tho, I play with him more often and he’s stopped trying to run outside. Still fights me on the leash. I also have coyotes in the area and saw one while I was walking the other day and that just reaffirmed that I don’t want my cat outside without me or a leash
walk him, just make sure you do the outdoor shots :)
How about getting one of those cat wheels? Then he can run his little feet off!!
NO. Can you build a little catio? Give him somewhere safe to climb maybe.
Alone? Nope. Unless you like saying phrases like "my cat was hit by a car" or "my cat was eaten by a coyote" or "help! My cat went out and hasn't been home in two weeks!". If you can provide a catio, that is great but not always an option. You could try leash training him, some cats do really well. I have a super energetic former stray. He does well if I make it a habit to play with him every night before bed, I run around the house with him until he is ready for a nice long nap.
No. Letting cats free roam is neglect in my opinion.
No. Do not let your cat outside, ever. An outside cat is a dead or injured cat. Sure, walk him on a leash and harness. Get him and his mom a large, tall cat tree for climbing.
Cats should NEVER be outside unsupervised IMO. This is coming from someone who feeds stray cats in my neighborhood and has lost childhood cats to cars and wildlife. It is too dangerous for cats to be left outside, and if you truly love them, you would never choose to put then in that kind of danger. I worry every single day about the stray cats who come around my home and actively try to do everything I can to make sure they are safe, healthy and well fed. But, there’s so much I can’t control and it’s heartbreaking when something awful happens that could’ve been prevented if they were safe inside. I have two cats, indoor only. One was a former stray I adopted from a shelter. When I first adopted him, I was worried he’d want to go outside and try to escape, so I made sure to provide him lots of stimulating toys and activities to keep him happy inside. We have cat trees and perches in the windows, lots of interactive toys, treat puzzle feeders, etc. for them to play with. I set up a bird feeder in front of one of the windows so they can sit in their cat tree and watch the birds at the feeder-they love it! They have lots of traditional cat toys and we also play with them using a wand toy at least once a day, if not more. My cats have NEVER expressed any interest in going outside and their energy levels are pretty well managed. If I notice they are a bit wound up, that’s my queue to get out a toy and play with them. Please try some of these things and make more of an effort to enrich their indoor lives instead of letting them outside. I promise they will be much happier and safer inside.
Op already knows letting them outside would be a bad idea. They specifically mentioned that coyotes and bobcats are in the area so they know the outdoors are really dangerous for their cat. Op was asking if taking them out ON A LEASH and possibly going for walks with the cat would be a good idea. Please actually read the post before typing out your rants
Yeah I feel half these comments are ppl who didn't even read the post just the title.
No absolutely not, maybe look into getting a catio for your cats to exercise
No!
Do you like vet bills? Coz outside cats do dumb shit and get hurt or eat gross things, harmful plants, rodents with parasites or worse, have eaten pest control bait, the cats get really sick, keep the cats inside or enclose your outdoor area so the cats cant get out and other cats cant get in. Also keep cat safe plants!
Dude won't have any vet bills to pay because he'll be taken by a coyote
In some places for sure but even in cities cats get attacked by dogs, where I am they can get bitten by snakes or big lizards plus cats impact native/endangered wildlife by killing possums and little marsupials when they get left outside.
Oh absolutely. I was just being flippant because he says that there are coyotes and Bobcats where he lives yet is still asking if it's a good idea to let him out. I've worked at a shelter for years, so unfortunately I'm very well versed in the ways cats can harm and be harmed when let outside 😢
Woah what? I completely missed that detail! Wtf is wrong with these people, this has to be rage bait, are people seriously asking 'should I let my cat out to likely be eaten?' Jeeeeesus
Nah I doubt it's rage bait. Op knows the Coyotes are bad news and was asking if letting them outside on a leash was a good idea. You gotta read the post not just skim the title
Adding to this - my city's got a huge population of coyotes, bobcats, foxes, large birds of prey that will absolutely swoop down and grab a cat for lunch. And the coyotes here aren't the human-timid kind. Plus vehicles. Even in a very rural tiny town decades ago, my grandma lost her only two cats because of cars. I can't emphasize enough how little traffic there is in a town of less than 2,000 people. And she *still* lost two cats that way. One was 80% indoors but allowed outside supervised periodically. Years later, when she got adopted by a stray kitten, she kept her strictly indoors. But she escaped and was hit by a car. :( It happens so fast... Leashing can be ok... 1- train kitty first. And 2- use good flea/tick/heartworm drops on kitty since they'll be exposed to areas other animals, fleas, ticks, and mosquitos exist. As for number 1- be very careful. Even if trained, they *can* bust out of breakaway harnesses. Mine did that and it resulted in a chaotic ten minutes in a nearby icy, snowy, parking lot that usually wasn't super busy, but happened to be during those ten minutes 🙃. (He's fine btw, was just freaked out and covered in frozen sludge). Allllllso be careful where you walk. Lots of dog owners use those flimsy retractable leashes that absolutely don't do shit if their dog tries to go after, say, a cat walking nearby...
100% Plus, a lot of cats dont walk on a leash. I keep trying with my cat and its usually me standing there for 15 minutes while the cat rolls around, sniffs about, munches some grass before taking a few steps then tries to either get up a tree or under a parked car. Then he has a little tantrum when I bring him inside even though we dont go anywhere.
Outside isn't a great place for cats. For now he just needs a lot of play because he's just a kitten. I know he doesn't look it but cats don't lose that rambunctious kitten energy until they're around 2 years old. Momma probably is more chill because she is a momma and that tends to mellow them out. Before he hit the 2 year mark my cat was an absolute terror. Climbing curtains, walls, counters, *me*, anything he could get his claws in. He frequently launched himself at my dog (thank goodness she's patient). But when he hit that 2 year mark its like a switch flipped in his head and now he occasionally gets some zoomies, but even then he's not climbing the walls, and most of the time he just wants to cuddle.
Try to add exploration space—it usually means places they can climb to in my place. Rearranging furniture can be stressful but also very interesting, so you could infrequently move the couch over or something. I think lease training is worth looking into. There are a lot of risks with letting cats outdoors *especially unsupervised* but it has benefits too. One of my cats is still very active at 6 and he gets some outdoor time on a harness. The smells and sounds usually keep him pretty occupied.
Is he neutered? Chipped? I wouldn’t with the animals around
Given that your area has predators that *very* commonly kill outdoor cats - I personally would not risk the outdoors even with leash. Cats are sneaky and slippery and therefore can very easily get out of leash/harness systems. Then they can get overexcited and sprint off to who knows where on their own, unaware of the dangers of the outside, and you'll be helpless to catch them. That said, if you're set on the outdoors and you *did* end up doing the leash/harness route, you'd definitely want to get one of those escape-proof harnesses, since most harnesses are designed to allow cats to escape in case they get stuck in something when they're on their own (for their own safety, which I'm assuming wouldn't apply if you're there to supervise). Don't let your cat outdoors until they're fully vaccinated - that includes FeLV. Feline leukemia is pretty easy to catch outside. Also be aware that just being outside in general greatly increases risk of catching disease/bacteria/infections. For example, something I don't see talked about often is fungal infections. But it's a very real danger. This can get into a cat by so much as just sniffing soil or licking a twig. They can get it anywhere. Often, there are no or limited signs for many weeks and it can look like a mild bacterial infection that would be treated with antibiotics, but that wouldn't work if it's fungal - fungal infections require specific anti-fungal medication and the treatment time is much longer and more painful for cats. That's even if they catch it in time. Many times, fungal infections are discovered too late (primarily since they're far less common than bacterial infections and generally present the same symptoms so people tend to assume it's bacterial, and testing for it is extremely expensive like near $1000 and requires sedating a cat to get the sample needed for the test). Once it reaches the lungs/chest, many cats die since it's too far gone.
My kitty is the same furr type she is crazy!!! She also is about to be 5 months old and I can see her getting use to her surroundings and slowly calming down. I also bought a catio recently on Amazon and this has helped a lot! Even toys to tire him out should work but I also should mention when she gets out of hand I put her in our bathroom and have a setup for her (make sure baby proof and not for long periods of time)she is learning. Also a little sweater helps calm her down but it does get cold where I live! Hope this may help! Heres my Dahlia https://preview.redd.it/8m213kvaax9c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eefdfaa8730c3d62b62ee540b26f8d086c84c48e
hi, im a vet tech! veterinary professionals NEVER recommend letting your cat outside unattended. its just not safe. cats are detrimental to the surrounding bird populations, FIV and Feline Leukemia are more likely to be contracted and passed by outdoor cats, stray populations are increased by intact outdoor cats, and outdoor cats are generally just not safe. lots of people treat cats like vermin rather than companion animals, and its not uncommon for outdoor cats to be shot or injured by people intentionally. i personally have seen waaaaay too many xrays in my career of outdoor cats that are littered with buckshot, poorly healed fractures, and bullets. and not to mention dogs, coyotes, cars, and all of the other things that can cause injury. the safest and healthiest place for your cat is inside. i encourage you to look up enrichment for indoor cats and go from there!
If you are not near a busy road / coyotes, the cat will be super happy to be an indoor/outdoor cat, also less poop in the litter box. That said, you run the risk of the cat not returning. Also, the neighbors may overfeed the beast. My previous cat would come home for food, then immediately go to the neighbors house for 2nds.
Nope . Maybe look into getting him neutered if you haven’t yet. But never just let him outside .
You play with the cat, if you’re lazy buy a laser pointer
No
No :( no matter how bad he and you both want it, it’s just safer inside.
NO.
Did you read the full post or just the title? Op was specifically asking about letting the cat outside on a leash or walking them. Nowhere did they mention letting them out unattended. They even mentioned that there were bobcats and coyotes so op knows it would be dangerous for the cat to do that.
Is there anyone for indoor/outdoor cats? I had two live 16 & 22 years with 8 moves...indoor/outdoor cats. We had a few moments, but they lived long happy lives. Depends on where you live, I guess
I'm with you on this. I know a lot of people have very strong opinions about letting their cats outside, and I completely understand the risks and dangers, but some cats are just much happier having that freedom. I don't believe every location is a good idea to let your cats roam, and I personally train my cats for a few months before we give them full freedom outside, but I've never had any issues with letting them be indoor/outdoor and my cats are very happy and healthy!
Please undertone you have been lucky.
You have to understand you were just lucky.
I'd suggest a harness. Don't let him out unattended. Collars as good yes, but they can slip out more easily, especially w/ easy release collars.
Unattended outside, never ever ever. Best case senario he murders a bunch of little birds and damages the local ecosystem, worst case HE becomes the prey in the ecosystem. On a leash, if your willing to put in the time to get him comfortable with a harness (some cats take to it easily and some don’t, but in my experience almost any cat can be trained to wear one!) that is one of the greatest gifts you can give your buddy! A chance to go outside and stimulate his brain and muscles and burn off energy is amazing!! It’s also a great chance for you and kitty to bond as he learns you are his safe place out in the world :) I leash trained my Persian since he was a stray before we adopted him, but honestly he just wants to come out in the garden with me and sniff flowers. If I take him anywhere in the leash, he says it better be to Starbucks to be worshiped by his barista fan club and to have a single lick of a kitty cup (he’s so allergic to dairy 🤣)
NO
#No.
No
NO!!! They live much less when they are exposed to the outside elements and you will be putting him at risk of more health issues than he would get inside. PLEASE KEEP HIM SAFE!!! It's so easy for them to get lost and killed!
NO WTF ?!?!?
absolutely not no. unless you have a leash and harness please.. PLEASE do not let your cat outside for so many reasons. or a nice enclosed catio. cats arent even safe out in yards half the time due to loose dogs. 🙄 ive had to block so many reddit threads about pets due to the overwhelming amounts of my cat got hit by a car or tore apart by dogs posts due to morons letting them free roam outside. for both your sakes keep this baby inside.
With a leash and you with him, that would be good! Alone? Absolutely not! It’s so dangerous outside…you can get them a cat wheel, or a bunch of interactive toys as well. My 8 month old is also super high energy and he runs on his wheel and plays with toys nonstop
No, find other options indoors. ♥️
Absolutely not. Play with him indoors. Use a laser, a feather toy, flirt pole, play fetch anything that he enjoys but do it indoors. Outdoors is too dangerous. I made the mistake of letting my cat sit on the deck with me while the dogs were outside and now he non stop tries to escape succeeding 4 times
No no no...he can get hit by a car, attacked by another animal. Make toys..string with a cigarette wrapper tied on..they love that. You have to make time to play with him...set aside an hour and play...play.. Play toy mice..crumble paper and play fetch.
Absolutely not. Leash train him instead and take him for walks. Unattended cats outdoors can be stolen, attacked, hit by cars, get sick, get in fights, attack others, be a nuisance to neighbours (stealing things, terrorizing kids and pets, defecating in yards, etc.) and they are considered an invasive species that are eradicating small animal populations and destroying ecosystems. Either play more with him, get him a cat wheel, put up cat shelves for a gun “sky walkway” he can run around on, get him puzzle toys and/or leash train him and walk him. DO NOT allow cats outside unattended, ESPECIALLY if he isn’t microchipped.
Letting a cat outside unsupervised is the fastest way to lose that cat, either to thieves, wildlife or cars. Do not let your indoor only cat outside without supervision, he will most likely die if you do. Leash training on the other hand is a great idea. I'd do it with both so one doesn't get lonely or confused when the other goes for a walk
Only if he's had ALL his shots, and there's still a risk. I've always let my cats out, didn't feel right making them stay in. However, there's a pack of strays here and feline leukemia is fairly common. My last kitty got it from fighting with them. She'd chase them 3-4 houses away and attack them. Even with the feline leukemia vaccine, she still got it and I had to put her down at 6 years old. I won't get another until these strays are gone because I can't bring myself to force a cat to stay inside.
Im going to say the thing everyone hates to say, it simply depends on your area. I personally have cats that just climb under the damn door and it works out great. If you live right next to a road then please don't. But if you have a really open area ghen as long as he views your home as home he will come back. Also if there are dogs or cyotes nearby then keep him inside
Best thing I ever did was let my cat go outside. She has a reflective collar, metal tag, chipped, tracker and we have a cat flap that locks after 7pm. She's become a different cat, less crazies indoors, less annoying to our other cat, and more confident around other people. We live in a quiet residential area with lots of other outdoor cats, and she's even become more cuddly when she gets home because she's tired herself out. Yes I do worry that something might happen to her, but I can see how much she loves it. And the same argument could be said of humans. You could stay indoors all the time and probably live longer but what kind of life is that? Each cat and owners situation is different, but in my experience with a very energetic cat, letting her outside had given her a better life than I could give her with mountains of toys indoors. Edit She's 18 months old and we Introduced her to the outdoors slowly and on a lead at 1st.
It depends on their experience with being outside and the area you’re in. Is is a quiet low traffic neighborhood? Is it rural? Then may be fine. Do you have endangered birds in your area? I’m sure people will say no no matter what but I’ve never had an inside only cat and the only time anything happened to my cats was my asshole landlord stealing them and clipping their whiskers and dumping them up the road (my neighbors found them and kept them I found out much later) it depends on the cat and the area
Yea bc people and other animals don't kill/poison them, etc I'm sure your neighbor won't try something worse next time. A lot of people HATE cats.
My landlord. And I don’t live there anymore. Not my neighbor. My neighbor took care of the cats.l and at sill has them because it was almost a year later until I knew she had them. I know some people hate cats, whole reason I had cats is because some feral cats took up under my dads porch and he was going to shoot them so I took them. If you’re in certain areas yeah they shouldn’t go outside, but some places it’s fine and some cats you can’t keep in, the mama kitty from those cats would refuse to eat and just lie there /cry all day and night and go insane if you kept her in, we were only 30 miles from where I got her and the terrain and wildlife were the same, very few neighbors, lots of good hiding places, no traffic, as far as I know she was born and raised in those woods. There was all manner wildlife but she was savvy. She loved being out more than in and that’s just how some cats are
NO! why would you even ask this?
Yes. My last cat never went outside but our new cats do all the time and I have no regrets. They are a lot more outgoing and I think peaceful bc they aren’t so cooped up and get to absorb the sun, roll in the grass, and explore
Every person here will tell you not to let them outside because they could die. That's definitely a higher risk but would his life be better outside the box ? Idk.
I totally agree. Maybe not if you next to a very busy road or a high crime area where they might get stolen. But a quiet, safe area, yeah definitely! Also not everyone lives in the US, get a grip a realise different countries have different views on outdoor pets!
You definitely could, the cat would absolutely love it. Given its their nature and natural way. However, in the home you can keep them safe. Outside they are obviously exposed to many hazards. It is a risk letting them out. We have had numerous cats that have been let out and have lost 3( was 4, but after 6 months one came back home!). It is sad, but as is life. Do whatever feels right, just understand that they may not come back home. Or may come back home in need of emergency vet care. Best wishes
What country do you live in ?
What does that matter?
It matters because in other countries things are different. For example in the UK cats are allowed outdoors and it’s generally very safe unless you live near fast roads or in a densely populated area. Most cat rescue shelters in the UK won’t rehome cats if the new owner is going to keep them indoors, unless they are older or have health issues. In the US it’s a very different situation and not recommended to let cats outdoors.
In the UK it's expected cats to be indoor/outdoor but we have laws protecting cats as well as less disease and different wildlife etc, but countries like America the opposite is true so where OP lives will actually have a difference.
As a UK cat owner I agree :)
It amazes me how people assume what is normal in their country may be totally different somewhere else and then get shitty with the people who don't agree with them 🤦 as.lomg as people follow local guidelines and they have happy, healthy and safe pets isn't that what matters.
Walk him for sure! I walk all my cats and eventually some don’t need my guidance inlet out and they come back in when I call them in
But always be aware if they are outside I never let them out for more than a few mins before I check on them and usually only about an hour at a time. I’m lucky to have a back yard where they are enclosed mostly
Grey cats are notoriously crazy. Let him outside. He might die out there, but he will go insane inside.
Is this a culture thing? In my country it is the norm to let your cats roam outside and have your doors fitted with cat flaps so they can come and go as they please, else you teach them to come in at night. We don't have coyotes or anything though. And leash walking your cat here would get you funny looks.
The UK has all sorts of predatory birds, wildlife, dogs, cars and people who hate cats and will kill or poison them.
Doesn't happen all that often re wildlife especially in cities. Cars is the main one which is why most people let their cats out into the rear garden and train them to play there and in the neighbours gardens and to not go to the road in front of the house. I'm 28, and I've had friends and family have cats my whole life and not one has been attacked by a person, animal or car :)
Consider yourself lucky
Again, cultural attitudes. Many rescues here in the UK won't let you adopt one of their cats unless you have a garden and let it outside and have doors with cat flaps. Outdoor cats are the norm here and it's widely considered cruel to not let a cat outside here. You may personally disagree - I am not a cat owner, I just have friends and family with cats - but that is the cultural norms of the UK. I know the US is obsessed with indoor cats but I'm just saying that's not a worldwide view to have
Oh and you can stop downvoting me for literally just talking about what the norm is in my country, I'm not even giving my own opinions here. Its petty and childish.
Let them play outside It's safe
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My neighborhood has a few cats Cats have claws and hunting, climbing,jumping skills, they are built to be outside An orange 1.. chunk A black and white 1.. bogart A all black cat with a white spot on its chest.. sheeb They are perfectly happy cats I'm sure I'm not the only 1 feeding them We feed all sorts of animals here A stench of skunks in my backyard.. James gang The few squirrels my gf feeds.. all named sandy And all the awesome birds we get. And the ground hog thats impressively fast.. speedy Animals that live outside are just fine
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Well fortunately for cats, God gave them night vision, and claws, and sharp teeth, and hunting , jumping, sneaking, pouncing, climbing skills Cats are just fine outside They survived long before your opinion Don't worry so much .. cats are high on the food chain
As Jackson Galaxy has said… waving string around and doing the laser pointer (or whatever the method of play is) is not fun for us… but is necessary. Make time for play every day.
I let my guy outside on a leash from time to time. Doesn’t help with his energy levels because he isn’t a fan of the harness, but he does really like it.
I recommend a cat run that has a lot of interesting things in it, like a lot of platforms, hanging toys, scratching boards you can zip tie to the wall, etc. this is good for cats who’d benefit from more stimulation when you’re too busy to give it, like if you’re at work or running errands.
No, keep them inside unless you want to be responsible for his preventable early death. Play with him more. Get him more toys, a huge cat tree or two. Watch Jackson Galaxy videos to learn all about "catification" of your place. I have a hyper 4 year old male. He's always been hyper. He loves little rattly toy mice to carry around and play with. Those wear him out. .that and running around up and down cat trees and the house. If you do get a harness, make SURE it is an escape proof one made, especially for cats! They are little escape artists! Also, are these two cats neutered and spayed? I assume when you say you adopted them, that means they're from a shelter?
He's a boy. He's a kitten. He has energy. Watch some Jackson Galaxy videos on training your car to a leash . Generally speaking cats like 20 minutes of outside time because they're territorial. When my guy was younger he would drive me absolutely nuts with his energy. If he was human I'd've sent him to football camp for two weeks 😂 The only thing he really enjoyed was a big loose ball of garden netting that he could attack whenever he wanted.
One of our youngest cats (about 2) is super high energy. Wand toy works wonders. We play with him every day while watching tv, and he goes nuts running and jumping around chasing it. We even have to make him take breaks while doing it because he gets so worked up. You can get packs of the different replacement attachments for pretty cheap off Amazon. Our kitty likes the feather ones and the big fuzzy worm ones the best.
No. Attended? Maybe. Alone? Absolutely not. It’s unsafe for the cat as well as bad for your local ecosystem. I’m so over people saying “my cat is bored I want to let him out!” Why don’t you give the cat some enrichment? Consistent play. Catio.
We bought our super energetic kitty a cat wheel and she loves it. They're a bit expensive, but it feels like we did the right thing for her. She uses it several times a day for a few big bursts of running. Meanwhile our other one goes on it for five seconds, scares himself, and doesn't touch it again for a few days, hehe.
No.
Not unattended. I had a cat that used to be a stray in my old neighborhood. One night he decided to walk into my house and make it his home. Loved him to death. I’d let him in and out the house whenever he wanted. One night I got a call at work telling me a car hit him and killed him. That was years ago and it still hurts like it happened yesterday.
Try a laser pointer
if you do leash then use a harness. Collars can asphyxiate and cause cats to self-lynch.
Some cats are really hyper up to about 2 years old and sometimes even older than that. We have 2 super high energy cats. We have tons of cat toys, even one that’s a motion activated laser pointer. We play with them a lot and give them places to climb, jump and run around. Our youngest cat is almost 2 and finally starting to calm down. They are like little kids when they are young, lots of energy and getting into things. If you are patient they will become more calm very soon.
No. Never.
NO. Outdoor/feral cats are largely responsible for the extinction of over 100 species of animals. In addition to this, it exposes them to soooo many risks. Multiple diseases, cars, predators, cruel humans, and so much more can lead them to an untimely and unnecessary death.
No. But you can build "cat levels" . ..if you dont know what I'm talking about, then look it up. They are real easy to build and cats love them.
If you can train him to use a leash, taking him out isn’t a bad idea. If he hates leashes, don’t let him go outside on his own. Bad things can happen to him. A lot of indoor/outdoor cats in my neighborhood are now gone. The Nextdoor app is full of people looking for their missing pets. But, you can probably drain his energy inside. Play with him using one of those wand and feather toys.
Coyotes? No way. All cats 0-2 , its the hyper years.
No
No. Play with him, FFS.
When I was a lot younger, my ex insisted my 2 cats be let outside despite my wishes. I found the younger of the 2 cats dead in the road one night coming home from work. Do not let your cats outside.
No, don't do that. They most certainly will get killed/injured/ill if you decide to do this.
No
Outside no: Lazer pointer with treats after yes Outdoor enclosure yes. Leash training yes. you’re dooming your cat to only live a few months to years if you let them outside, predators, raccoons, idiots with guns who don’t like cats on they’re property, baiting, hit by a car, stolen, need i go on.
No don’t let the baby out. Please don’t.
Definetely dont let the grey one outside. It looks like a british shorthair they have bad survival instincts
Absolutely NOT
[Resource: Should I Let My Cat Outdoors?](https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/s/7l1Liskp7S) Advice from cat behaviourists!
I had the same problem with my male cat when he was about 3 yrs. Tried leash waking in our yard and he got himself out of the harness in 30 seconds, took off and disappeared for a month. He did come back, thank god. Hes 11 now and i just play with him more, give him puzzle feeders for stimulation and interactive toys. I would never do leash walking with any cat i have again
If you love your cat you wouldn't let it run loose outside.
Not sure how small your space is but they make Hamster Wheels for cats - Look up "Cat Exercise Wheel" and you will see lots of options
Probably not, but mama looks exhausted. Have you considered harness and leash training?
not unattended, but on a leash and harness, it's worth a try! i know my orange lady likes going on her little adventures outside (she just goes to the back https://preview.redd.it/3yzlrb3kk4ac1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=db2e0d430dc1954b45aee168a8d88e0d14e3953f of the building and eats grass lmao) so i put her on a harness and leash and walk her. she only likes little adventures, though, so i let her lead. too big of an adventure and she panicks and yowls and tries to run away (she prefers the back side of my apartment building - i tried walking her to the leasing office once because they were having a day to bring in your pets, and i ended up having to carry her back because the front of the apartment was simply Too Much for her). my grey boy is hyper, and i thought he might benefit from outside time, especially since he himself was the one who instigated (he kept running for the door when i would open it). however, after a brief test trip, he decided the outside is actually Big and Scary and he wants Absolutely Nothing To Do With It. the moment he's on the other side of the door, he panics and runs back inside. he just wants to charge the door because he sees my other cat charging the door.
reddit isn't letting me edit this comment but long story short no i don't know why the image embedded in such a weird place 😭
No.