For some indoor cat owners, there can be some guilt they feel in only keeping their fur baby indoors. This can be hard though, given that 39% of cats try to sneak out to roam outside and hunt when they are brought indoors. To solve this, they want to find a way to keep their cat close to home while outside.
How ready is your cat for the outdoors? What ways are there to protect him if there is a potential hazard?
If you want to know how to keep your cat safe outside, keep on reading.
How to Keep an Outdoor Cat From Running Away
When first considering letting your cat outside, you need to take some special precautions. Here are a few ways you can keep your cat safe when he wants to go outdoors.
First, Spay and Neuter
If your cat has not been spayed or neutered, it makes them more likely to wander farther away from home and be exposed to hazards. It also makes other outdoor cats going around your property more likely to go into the yard where your cat is. If your cat is having its heat, it makes her more likely to get pregnant with more kitties, or if it's a male, likely to go after other female cats.
To avoid this, spay or neuter your kitty before they turn six months old.
Get Your Cat Microchipped
If your cat does wander outside the home or escape your garden, it is important that your cat should be microchipped. When scanned by an animal shelter or a vet, the microchip will electronically provide your up-to-date information for them to contact you.
In case your cat does not easily come back inside, make sure it always has a collar on that contains identification and a way to contact you if your cat does escape.
Remove Potentially Toxic Plants
You may think that any plants you typically have in your garden can be okay to be near. After all, if it is outside, it has to be safe, right?
Sadly, that is incorrect. There are many common plants that can be harmful to a cat, with results ranging from digestive issues to death. Here is a list of plants you should remove if you want to let your cat outside:
- Any kind of lily
- Daffodils
- Tulips
- Sago Palms
- Hyacinths
- Spanish Thymes
- Azaleas
- Oleanders
- Rhododendrons
- Narcissus
- Dieffenbachia
For these plants, assume that any part of the plant a cat may have ingested is poisonous. If your cat does eat one of these plants, call the local Animal Poison Control and your vet.
Take Him on a Leash
One easy way to control how far your cat goes outside is by putting a leash on them. Make sure they have been trained to get used to the leash before letting them wander outside with it.
After a lot of time and patience, your cat will eventually get used to it and you can give your cat unsupervised access without the risk of escaping.
Create a Catio
A catio, like the inside of your home, should also have objects on the outside that challenge them. Since it can act as an outdoor playground, it needs to be a place a cat will want to play and run around it.
They can be built from scratch or assembled with the help of instructions or a plan (if you created your own). Make the design as simple or elaborate as you want.
Will My Cat Come Back If I Let Him Outside?
"I'm scared to let my cat outside." That is a common sentiment when you have a cat who wants to explore outside the comfort of an indoor environment.
If you just got your cat, don't let the cat go outside for the first three to four weeks. When your cat does go outside for the first time, make sure that it is done before mealtime. When a cat realizes that there will always be food where they are, they will be less likely to desire escape from the backyard.
You can also use treats and toys to call your cat back to you. You can reward them every time they obey your command and then release them.
Keep Your Cat Safe in the Outdoors
Being able to always keep your kitty safe is not a guarantee. If you want to keep your cat safe, use the tips listed above to give your cat the safest outdoor experience they can have. In the end, taking the right steps will lead your cat to lead a happier, safer life.
Using one of our cat nets can help your cat stay safe outside while providing enough protection to prevent them from running away. We offer a variety of sizes depending on how large you want the enclosure to be. In addition, accessories to decorate these nets are also available.
Contact us today to learn more!
