How to get your cat used to going out and coming back? How long should you wait before letting a cat out? How to get a cat used to going outside? These are questions that we have all asked ourselves when we adopted a little kitten or when we moved and our cat is not used to the place.
However, everything will depend on your cat (whether he is used to going out or not) and where you live (apartment or house, town or country, with an enclosed garden or balcony, etc.).
But, whatever the case, you will have to prepare your cat to go outside, get him used to going out gradually, teach him to come back and if necessary take measures to prevent him from running away. This is what we will see below in more detail.
How to prepare your cat to go outside?
- Being able to identify your cat is essential when he goes outside and that he may not come back… So before letting your cat go outside, if it has not already been done, think about making him chip and putting him a necklace with your contact details (see anti-choke collar recommended). This way, if your cat gets lost, it will be easier to contact you through the person who will take it in.
- On the other hand, it is recommended when a cat goes outside that it be vaccinated and treated against parasites (see my article Natural flea treatment). Sterilization is also recommended to prevent your cat from going far away and not coming back ...
- To be sure that he will return when he is outside and to prevent your cat running away for several days, try to teach him to come to you when you call him. To do this put your cat in a room and go to another room, gently calling him by name. You can encourage him to join you by shaking a bag of treats. Of course, when it comes back to you, you have to reward it! To get used to it well, you will have to train your cat for several days and choosing different places or rooms in the house.
At what age should you let your kitten or cat out?
Whatever its age, when a kitten or a cat arrives in a new house or a new apartment, it should not be let outside too early. Indeed, it will first be necessary that he is already used to his new environment before letting him go out. See all my tips: At what age can a kitten leave the house? See also: Can we leave a cat outside at night?
When to let your kitten or cat out?
It is recommended to wait several weeks after the move (minimum 2 weeks), the installation or the adoption before letting a cat out, even if he asks to go outside! In fact it is the time to adapt to your new home but also the time it takes to teach him to come back when you call him by name.
How do you get a cat used to going outside?
The first times you take your cat outside, I recommend that you go with her. Whether on a balcony or in a garden, when you go out, leave the door to the house open so your cat can get home quickly if they want to.
Plan to take a reward (candy, piece of cheese, toy) with you and watch it by observing it discreetly. Thus, you will let your cat freely explore the outdoor space and be able to call him back if you feel he has moved too far away.
At each outing, you can increase the duration so that he gradually gets used to staying outside for a long time.
The first few times, when you are outside with him, you will have to train your cat again to come back when he is called as you did inside. Every time he comes back remember to reward him and let him go.
It is only when you see that your cat or kitten is well outside, confident and at ease that you can leave him alone with the door or window open. Yes but in winters what to do? Can a cat freeze to death? See the cat flap solution below!
Let your cat out in the garden
Do you have a garden, a terrace, a balcony and want to let your cat out freely and allow him to come inside when he wishes? If you've already got him used to going out and back, you can install a cat flap in a door.
The cat flap solution is ideal for your cat can freely go outside and return to your home. But he still has to know how to use it.
Indeed, naturally a cat will be suspicious and sometimes afraid to pass through the door of the cat flap.
To get used to it, you will have to leave the cat flap door always open for the first few times. This will give your cat confidence when you lure him to the other side with treats or toys. Then when he crosses without fear, you can encourage him to go to the other side when the door is lowered by showing him that it is swinging and that it opens simply by pushing a little.
Make sure your cat stays in the garden
Finally, for those who want to let their cat out into the garden freely but who are afraid that it will run away, there is a very effective anti-runaway system so that the cat stays in the garden.
You install antennas in your garden, a specific wire and you place a receiver on your cat's collar. As soon as your cat approaches the area marked off by the wire, he will hear a warning signal. If despite the signal it exceeds the limit, the cat will receive a slight electrical impulse. Thus, your cat will understand that he must not exceed the area of the garden to which he is entitled. Normally within a few days, the cat understands and no longer even tries to cross the demarcated area.
Cat in apartment with balcony
It is not because you live in an apartment that your cat should not go out on the balcony a little! However, it will be necessary to check that there are no passages through which it could escape. If this is not the case, you will need to secure the balcony so that your cat can safely enjoy it.
There are rows or rigid mosquito nets that allow you to make a small enclosure with your balcony.
Let your cat out in town
If you live in the city and the street is dangerous for your cat, it will be better to take him out on a leash to reach green spaces where there will be less danger.
But here too, it will be necessary to start with get your cat used to wearing a harness and to be kept on a leash.
You will need to put on a harness for a few minutes, reward it as soon as it is in place and remove it quickly. By renewing this operation for several days in a row, your cat will easily accept to wear the harness after 1 or 2 weeks.
To be kept on a leash, it's the same thing. It will take a little getting used to every day.
How to bring back a cat that is gone?
You let your cat out and he didn't come back. So don't panic! Indeed, if your cat feels happy and well nourished in your home there is no reason that he does not come back.
To bring him back, he must first be found ... For that, check inside your home if he had not all the same returned and would have been hiding.
If he is not indoors, you will need to search for your cat around your home.
- Look everywhere, gently calling your cat.
- Listen carefully to pick up the slightest meow.
- Remember to look everywhere in your neighborhood (barns, garden sheds, terraces, verandas, garages, roofs, sheds, pool shelters, male in your car, attic…).
- Use a lamp to search in dark places.
If you cannot find it, you can put food and its litter box outside right in front of your house (in front of the cat flap or in front of the front door or the balcony door). So if your cat is not too far away, he will be able to smell these smells and come back.
How to find your cat when he's gone?
As we saw above, the 1st thing to do will be to search for it in and around you. However, your cat may have gotten lost (see how to find a lost cat?) or be a runaway ...
So, for those who really fear that their cat will run away and get lost, there are GPS trackers that allow you to see in real time where your cat is. So even if your cat gets lost, it won't hurt to find it.