4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Cyber Chook]

I'm quite scared that when we let Tabby Tabitha out for the first time, she'll disappear into the distance, never to find her way home again. Next week will be her month up, of being kept in the house. She can't wait to go out, and looks out of the back door and miaouws a lot now. I can't imagine her being timid and scared of the big outdoors, but if she is, i can picture her dashing off away from the house instead of back into it.

 

My baby!!! HOnestly, I know I'm turning into a bit of a mad cat lady, but I'd be broken-hearted if she ran away. How should we approach this?

 

Thank you!!

[Omletina Kyckling]

First of all, she looks so like a Tabitha Tabby!! Love it!

 

If she's been in for a month and enjoying her food and cuddles, I think it's very unlikely she'll charge off at all. My boys are very much outdoor boys and when we moved here they were clawing at the door to get out, but I kept them in for about 5 days....I imagined them heading for the farmtrack when I opened the door, but once the door was open, they very gingerly headed out, just going a few paces at a time, then back inside, then a bit further and back etc. etc. Most cats explore their territory carefully so I think she'll do that.

 

If you don't feed her before she goes out for the first time, you should be able to get her in for food anyway. Do you shake biscuits, or bang bowls together or something or even make a noise when you feed her? I've always done that with my boys as I know I can always get them in with my squeaky noise, or by shaking biscuits if I need to (of course, I usually end up with 9 chickens also trying to venture into the kitchen at this point, but I do draw the line!)

 

Good luck with it, I hope it goes ok, don't worry!

[craftyhunnypie]

We shall have to go through this too in a few weeks time. At the moment, she's not coming out much from a quiet little corner. She has also got to be neutered before we even think about leting her out..quite a few weeks yet for us.

Good luck.

Emma.x

[Tessa the Duchess]

I agree with Omletina, Tabitha Tabby would be very unlikely to run off and away from a loving home where she is nurtured and fed and loved. Lady cats usually have a very small ranging area unlike bloke cats who will wander all over the place. I was terribly nervous when I first let Google out, she was only a kitten, I virtually stalked her when she first went out, but she is fine only goes in our garden and the next door one. All our neighbours know who she is and who she belongs to, which makes me feel more secure. We trained Google to come to a bell ringing, so if we ever need to get her in, we ring the bell and she races in for a treat Good luck from me too, let us know how you get on.

 

Tessa

[Aunty e]

Make sure she's hungry when she goes out, so she comes back again soon. I'm a terrible worry wart about my lot when they're out, so I bribe them to come in when I call by having some kind of treat prepared.

 

We let Minnie out within days, as she was completly determined to follow Saffy and Nero outside. Thus far, she's been a little star, and hasn't even looked at going over the fence. Hopefully Saffy has explained to her that it's a horrible cruel world out there, best left to Arthur and Nero.

 

My vet said that it was very unlikely a cat who was well-fed and given the kind of attention they like, (either allowed own space or worshipped as a god in the case of our mob), would leave home spontaneously and not to worry.

 

Tabitha is a beauty, I can see why you fell in love with her

[redbug]

I always put butter on paws. Something my mum used to do. Think the cat spends some time licking it off....or the sent of where they walk.....or just an old wives tale. But out cats have always come back....

[Cyber Chook]

Thanks everyone. It hadn't occurred to me to keep her a bit hungry, so I'll make sure to do that. And yes, the butter on the paws, we used to do that too when I was little, but no-one has ever been able to quite explain why. Do you mean it might be to do with picking up the scent of the house on the butter, and the cat being able to follow the trail home or something?

 

And Tessa, I'll try to get her used to a bell, that's a good idea too. Are there any cat treats available, other than the Whiskas ones someone mentioned here a while ago (which she loves)?

[Olly]

My experience is different to the above ... whenever I've moved somewhere new, or got a new cat and let it out for the first time, they have taken off for HOURS! Cue much worrying on my part, pacing up and down at the window, calling out of the door, rattling the Go-Cat box, and so on.

 

I think they have all been quite adventurous cats who wanted to explore the full extent of the area. They all came back later in the day, so if Tabitha does do this, don't worry that she has gone for good, she will just be finding her way around and investigating the scents of other cats.

 

I think keeping her hungry on the first occasion is a good idea, but I wouldn't have any doubts that she will come back, because she'll know where 'home' is; as Aunt E. says, a happy cat won't leave home spontaneously.

 

You will still worry, though, whatever you do!

[Groovychook]

Are there any cat treats available, other than the Whiskas ones someone mentioned here a while ago (which she loves)?

 

I knew she would!!

I have to hide them from my rascals... I've discovered an empty container on more than one occasion after a midnight feast

 

Best of luck with letting her out, maybe playing with a favourite toy in the garden before you let her roam on her own. Cicely loved playing with a 'cat wand' when we first got her... sort of like a string on a stick with a feather on the end of it. It made it easy to get her attention when I was worried about her straying too far...

[dancing cloud]

Cleo has already been out and it was all fine

 

It wasn't intentional - neither of my other two have got out past the baby gate so I didn't think about it, till I heard it clang and Cleo's face appeared around the door of the hen-yard. I think I aged about 10 years as I coaxed her back inside and shut the door!

 

She really wanted to follow me around though, so I let her out again about half an hour before dinner time and she pootled around very happily, coming back like a shot when the plates rattled. I was nervous about her heading off round the front of the house, but couldn't stop her forever, so she's had a nose round there too.

 

Most of the time she's asleep in the conservatory with Puddy and seems one very happy cat . I'm sure Tabitha will be fine too