When to let adopted adult cat outside

I have a cat that loves to go out at night. We had tried to let him out only during daytime but we gave in when he pleaded with us! I think night is his time when there are fewer cats about as we are in an urban area.
But he has twice brought in a live rat!
Our previous cat was good at ratting too and brought in rats and baby rabbits.
It’s a bit alarming in the middle of the night! But we can’t resist his desperate plea to be allowed out!
Just watched the BBC cat study in which they found only one pet cat that was willing to tackle a rat, although it was a stuffed one. I think New Zealand cats must be a bit closer to their wild origins!

When we have moved house with adult cats I wait a few days before they go out. They then go out hungry and I go out with them so I can watch where they are. After a few mins I call them back in using their names and rattling the food / treat packet. I do that a good few times. I also make sure I shove them in through the cat flap - so they get used to where their door is.

Keeping cats indoors does have its benefits. They dont get run over as one of ours did. They do not go missing as another did all night only to come home badly injured. Another one was too mad to let out as he had no road sense just ran straight across every time we let him out. So he & his brother became house cats. Had lots of toys & were happy for many years. Now have two girl cats one who has a virus she could spread if allowed out so is happily living as an indoor cat with her daughter. Lots of play, love & food & they are happy never asking to go out. So for & against both indoor & outdoor. Whatever is needed.

I have never had trouble with any of my cats when moving. Unfortunately because of my age and disabilities I can no longer have one.
None of my cats had litter trays but trained as kittens to go outside to do their business. They always buried their business unlike nowadays when they prefer peoples lawns or even low growing plants. I think this is because of them using litter trays.

I adopted 2 rescue cats a few years ago and also worried about letting them out. I found it beneficial to always make the same noise before feeding them, either by tapping the bowl with a fork or shaking the food bag, to get them to associate a particular noise with food. After a couple of weeks doing this when they were still house-bound, I let them out before their mealtime and then tapped the food bowl after about 15 minutes and they came running.
One thing to remember though is to never leave uneaten food down and try to stick to the same regime of feeding times every day. Also, dry cat food has a much higher calorific value than wet and cats can become obese very quickly by giving them too much or leaving it down as a snack.

You could try clicker training, every time she gets a treat click, then she will associate it with her treats, you can buy one from Amazon or most pet shops will sell them ,maybe pets at home
I would keep her in at least 4 weeks, i have 3 Ragdolls who were kept as indoor cats for quite a long time, but eventually decided to let them outside,they never go out of the garden, but having said that my garden is very enclosed, but still cats can climb or jump up

Last week while returning from the supermarket in my car I spotted a cat roaming down the road, sniffing about and in great danger as the road has got quite busy in recent years. I am not a cat lover, prefer dogs, but I got out and called her "Pussy, come here. puss puss!" and she came to me. So I caught her and put her in my car and brought her home. She had a tag on her collar with a phone number so I rang it and the owner came over for her after about 40 minutes. By then she was getting used to my house and had stopped yowling and running about, and she tried to get away from her owner and rolled on her back on my carpet. The owner took her away and said she had run away before. Where I found her was some way away from her home, I hope she is all right now.

When we first had our rescue cat we started calling her to us at food times by tapping a teaspoon on a saucer. That way she was used to that as a message to come to us for a treat, so that when she was allowed out she would come running whenever we did it. Good luck.

I keep my rescue cat in for three weeks and then let him into the garden. I have had cats before and always keep them in that length of time. Let a cat out earlier, you may well lose it. I'm moving shortly and I do worry about my cat but hopefully he will be alright. Letting a cat out before feeding is a good idea.

Let her out when she is hungry, but teach her that rattling the treats means food....this has worked with all 6 of our cats over the years. 20 years ago we were advised to put butter on their paws the first time they went out so they could find their way home by the smell....cats love butter....they went out, licked off the butter instantly and thoroughly enjoyed it.....but still came back! We are out in the sticks with no cat proof boundaries so the cats roam far and wide.....rattling the cat biscuits or dreamies bag always gets them running home! Going out with her the first few times helps too.

Your cat will smell its litter tray, so make sure its not been changed before you let it out. Then place the tray outside when you're worrying its been gone too long, along with food.
I don't have a cat but my Aunt took on a rescue cat that escaped on the second day. She came back after two days. Now she prefers being outdoors but always comes home for food and cuddles.

Maybe try a sound you make indoors every time you feed your cat - we trained ours to come to a whistled tune for food - so when she went outside the first time - she knew to respond to my whistling.

Also, on the first time out in our new home, we got her to follow us in the direction we wanted her to go - out of the door turn right - into fields, not left, to the road. She forever took the same route after that and stayed safe.

We adopted a cat, I carefully kept it in as suggested. One morning I had to let the cat IN! She had squeezed out of a window! No advice but good luck with your cat.

I have a 4 year old cat we adopted from Cats Protection. Every time he goes out I worry! But I’m not a fan of keeping cats indoors - just my opinion. I have a friend who keeps her 2 cats indoors and they look so wistful staring out of the window. We kept Theo in for 4 weeks by which time he was desperate to go out but was quite wary once he got outside. We have got time used to the rattle of Dreamies - cats treats - in the tin and if I shake that and call him he quite often will come running

Our most recent adopted cat, Minnie, was, we were assured, neutered.

Less than a week after she moved in, she managed a quite impressive escape, out of the bedroom window, on to the roof of the downstairs loo and away!

The first we knew was hearing her yowling to be let in, so she had obviously got her Sat nav pretty well set!

She was in season, and the little hussy was on the prowl for a mate!

At Cat Protection we advise at least 4 weeks, could be 6, partly depending how the cat is with you. The used cat litter in garden is a good idea.

Is she used to playing? Not all adult cats have ever been played with, and may need coaxing to plat at first. You could do this regularly indoors, to give her a fun time and, work off some energy, and build a relationship with you, before you let her out. When you do, be out there with her. Keep talking to her. Keep the door open so she can bolt in if she gets scared.

Most of our cats have all loved the 3 way tunnel from Ancona. A feather on some string pulled around. A long stick under an old rug or newspaper. Laser, Cat nip mouse etc.

When you call and have food waiting, he will quickly associate the calls with food. It may not happen immediately.

I have always taught my cats the word "Fooooood" called out in a high sing-song voice. They have learnt it within a few days while small kittens, and would come skidding round the corner on 3 legs like cartoon kitties into the kitchen.

Good luck with the sale (and with the netting). Having lost 2 young cats on a quiet road, it has made my life so much less stressful knowing where my remaining lovely cat is.

Sparkle the house is on the market and we're hoping to move soon,so we're waiting until then to try the netting.The new garden is easier to cover with net than this one so fingers crossed .

A good rattle of a box of those Whiskas temptations treats has my cat running in. Does yours like them?

Our cat does that mad tail chasing thing too and she goes out so I don’t think it’s related to being kept in.

When she was a kitten, we walked her round the garden for a while on a lead and harness to learn her surroundings, before letting her off on her own.

When you call and have food waiting, he will quickly associate the calls with food. It may not happen immediately.

I think my cat has an alarm clock fitted because Tara comes home around 7pm every evening.

Make sure when you let the cat out for the first time you have plenty of time in case he/she has other ideas!

I was advised by the RSPCA to not feed the cat before I let him out for the first time. It worked - he came back after about half an hour

paddyann No luck with getting the cat netting fixed up to make your kittens safe, then?

Preferably 4 weeks but definitely two and let the cat out when he/she is hungry. If his tum is full he will go exploring for hours!

Good luck.

It's so difficult with cats isn't it, busy roads, neighbours gardens versus their independence.
My daughter has three cats who all go out, one of them has just come home after being missing for eight weeks. She was well fed and cared for during her disappearance so obviously found another cat lover to care for her. She has now been fitted with a GPS collar and is tracked crossing busy roads and going into built up areas. An independent happy life for her lots of worry for her owners.