When to let your kitten go outside

When to let your kitten go outside

Keep your kitten safe inside until at least a week after finishing the first course of vaccinations (at 13 to 14 weeks old, depending on the vaccine). Choose a dry day and a quiet time and accompany your kitten outside, allowing them to explore their new environment. Continue to accompany your kitten until they are used to your garden and can find their way back to the house without difficulty. Although your kitten is likely to have been neutered before rehoming, it is best to wait until they are at least five months old before you leave them unattended outside as they are still young and vulnerable.  

Cats like to come and go as they please, and a cat flap is the best way to allow them to do this. You can teach your kitten to use a cat flap by propping it open initially and enticing your kitten through with some tasty food. Gradually close it so that the kitten learns to push the flap in order to get through. If you already own a cat which is using the flap, be aware that the kitten may watch and learn to let itself out before you are ready. Kittens learn quickly by watching other cats.

To prevent neighborhood cats from coming into your house, you can buy a cat flap that is operated by magnetic or electronic keys on your cat’s collar and will only open for your cat.

Text from Blue Cross Charity