My indoor-outdoor cat goes outside. What safety precautions?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am so glad you chose to send him to your gramma. Statistically, a 5YO cat doesn’t have great odds of adoption at a shelter. So that right there should make you feel good that you gave him the best chance possible. While you can never say for sure what will happen outside, many cats transition great to being indoor/outdoor. The fact that he comes in at night will help keep him a bit safer than if he were out all the time. Of course, if he is declawed, I STRONGLY encourage he be indoor only as he’s lost his main defense mechanism. I hope this helps you rest easier about your tough decision. Best of luck to you all.

The main factors to think about are risk of injury (by cars and by other cats), risk of picking up disease (from other cats, intestinal parasites), and risk to wildlife (more of a concern if your cats like to catch songbirds) VS risk of increased stress due to being indoor only and risk of aggression between the two cats because they are stressed inside. From a behavioral perspective, being outside is much better. There is way more stimulation and it's a natural life for them. From a health perceptive, being inside is probably better, but we don't fully know the effects of the stress of being kept indoors. There are definitely ways to mitigate the risks of going outside, namely vaccination for Feline Leukemia and use of flea/tick preventatives, along with yearly fecal to check for intestinal worms. FIP, which is basically feline AIDS is not one that we vaccinate for and is transferred during cats fights, so they'd be open to that if outside. I hope that helps you think through your options! There's no perfect answer.

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!

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.

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.

Since Jerry gets into fights when let outside I would definitely recommend keeping him as an indoor kitty. To help decrease his tendency to roam I would recommend having him neutered. You should also increase your interactions with him by doing things such as playing with a laser pointer and grooming him. If he is stimulated enough in the home he will be less likely to want to go out. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

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.