Is leashing my cat on the patio a safe way for her to be outdoors?

Hello, & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Cats, with a bit of work, can be taught to walk on a leash ( harness ). The best would be never to let your cat outdoors as this increases the chances of run ins with cars, dogs & other cats. But once a cat is comfortable in a home, they very rarely leave, unless something happens. Make sure Luna is spayed, & consider placing a microchip in her. That way, if she does slip off, any veterinarian or shelter can scan her & get her back home to you quickly. Hope this helps. Take care.

Indoor cats typically have a safer and longer lifespan than thier outdoor counterparts. If she is happy indoors I would not encourage her to go outside. If you are able to build her a secure small "catio" cat porch outside that might be a way she can safely enjoy the outside. But cats that go outdoors are more at risk from trauma from vehicles or other animals and disease, parasites and viruses. I'd be happy that she is content inside.

I personally don't like letting cats outside, I've seen too many hit by cars or attacked by other animals. If Oreo likes going outside, you can get him a catio. It's an outdoor enclosure where the cat can enjoy the sun, but is safe and protected.

While it can be difficult sometimes to turn an indoor/outdoor cat to one who stays strictly indoors, I think that Ray is young enough that you should give it a try if you're concerned about his safety. You could look into putting up an enclosure (sometimes called a 'catio') so he can still spend some time outdoors.

Possibly - especially if she is now pretty tame. If she is easily spooked or still not particularly attached to you it might not be a good idea. I recommend starting with short supervised trips outside. You should only feed your cat indoors and offer food during specific meal times to make sure you get her to come back in at night. You can also practice calling to her and giving a treat. Keep in mind that living indoors is much safer for cats and there are risks in going outdoors: infectious diseases, fights with other cats, and cars and dogs are a few of the threats. If she has not been vaccinated for the Feline Leukemia virus I would recommend completing that vaccine series before letting her outdoors where she could contact other cats.

There is no fail safe way to make sure he will be completely safe as accidents can always happen, but personally I believe cats should be able to go out as it allows them to exhibit natural behaviour. Because he is an older neutered cat he is unlikely to stray too far, but obviously he hasnt had the experience of outdoors since he was young. I would start by taking him out on a harness, let him get used to your garden and outdoor sounds such as engines etc. When you come to let him off for the first time don't feed him before so he has a good reason to come home if he does venture off. Make sure he is microchipped and has an id on his collar just in case. To an extent you will just have to leave him to it, but he should be fine. Investing in a cat flap is a good idea too and make sure he is vaccinated. Good luck!

Since she is blind I certainly think it is safest for her to stay indoors. Even though she has survived thus far outside, it is much more dangerous for a blind cat to be outside. Maybe you can let her out supervised occasionally since she does still want to go out.