When Can My Kitten Go Outside Alone
This gives them time to mature and also to be neutered.
When can my kitten go outside alone. It is best not to leave your kitten outside alone until it is 6 months old and it is essential that it is neutered from 4 months of age before allowing it unsupervised access. Work on recall before letting your kitten outside. We recommend a sturdy harness or walking jacket as opposed to a collar. Many cats have successfully gone from outdoor only or indoor outdoor to indoor only.
Cats should never be left alone outdoors on a leash or a rope extension. By this age the kitten is already familiar with your home and will be able to track their way back after their adventure. It s best to let him out just before mealtime so you can use your recall to call your kitten indoors and reward with tasty food or playtime. As the kitten grows older the time outdoors can be increased until the kitten becomes independent and has learnt his recall down to a tee.
That s when they re around 13 14 weeks old. There is too much danger of their becoming tangled up with the possibility of choking. Most kittens are prepared to leave the house and to explore the outside world at six months old. A cat who remains indoors has very little chance of getting hypothermia.
Hypothermia occurs when a cat s body temperature drops too low and severe cases of it can lead to a coma or death if the cat is not treated immediately by a veterinarian. It s unlikely you ll take ownership of your cat much before then anyway since a kitten should be with its mother until it s at least eight weeks old ideally 12 13 weeks. Four months old is the earliest kittens can be neutered. A cat left outside on a cold night is in danger of developing hypothermia especially if it s raining.
It s not safe for a kitten to venture outside until at least a week after their initial vaccinations. The key again is making sure the indoor environment is just as interesting as outside and being vigilant about preventing escape attempts. My cat s always been allowed outside so he can t be indoor only. Ideally cats should be six months of age before they are allowed outside unsupervised.
If it s a large area and especially if you have dogs fence off or somehow enclose an area where they are free to explore without them dropping off a wall or getting snatched up in rover s jaws. Start bringing the kittens outside when they re four weeks old.