Transitioning Indoor Cat to Outdoor Cat

We got a kitten in May and were going to just keep her indoors. We have NOT gotten her fixed yet, but she was just in heat and we realized this is something we need to do. The poor thing was miserable and crying for a week!

She's back to herself now, but she sits by the door all day long. If I run out for something, she'll follow me. I let her sit on the stoop all day yesterday - she didnt go anywhere, but clearly she wants to be outside.

Do we just let her out or do we need to do it in small amounts? We are moving in a few weeks and will be getting her fixed once we are all settled (we are using every penny we have towards the house) I dont want to let her out until she is fixed obviously. Will her urge to go out go away once she's fixed?

Re: Transitioning Indoor Cat to Outdoor Cat

I would not let her out unless you want to be a grandma to a litter of kittens!

Re: Transitioning Indoor Cat to Outdoor Cat

I don't have much experience with this as my cats are indoor cats.

Howver, if I was making the transition, I would make sure it happened after the move... You know, you hear those stories of a cat or dog who after a move ends up walking back "home"..

Anyhoo.. If you wait til after the move, she will get used to the new space, new smells etc (as a move is as traumatic on our furbabies as it is us!). Then, I would start her off in bits, slowly and maybe even on a long leash or harness at first.

HTH.. and Good Luck!

Re: Transitioning Indoor Cat to Outdoor Cat

Be very very careful until you get her fixed. She will TRY her hardest to slip out or find a way out and trust me, she will get pg if even out for 5 mins. It happened to my cat growing up.

Plus, she is dying to go out simply b/c she is in heat. Once you fix her, her urge will decrease.

Personally I would keep her in only. Once she is fixed she really wont nag you.

If she does get let out once fixed, you have to worry about cars, animals or people attacking/harming her, her picking up fleas and ticks, picking up dead squirrels, birds, mice, etc. Can you handle all those possibilities? Also, if she does go out, make sure to put her on a monthly flea and tick product too.


About the transition, cant help you there. Only went from outside to inside.

Re: Transitioning Indoor Cat to Outdoor Cat

Do not let her out. Once she is spayed she will stop howling. She is just doing it because she is in heat.

If you let her out, she can get hit by a car, hurt by another animal or killed by a sick human who wanted to have fun and harm a cat. Sounds crazy, but it is true. Get her toys, cat nip, boxes to play in and keep her inside.

Re: Transitioning Indoor Cat to Outdoor Cat

Like others are saying, I would try to hold off on letting her outside until she gets fixed. Then after a couple of weeks/month she shouldn't even have a desire to go out anymore. Inside would be so much safer for her for so many reasons.

Re: Transitioning Indoor Cat to Outdoor Cat

Don't let her outdoors. Keep her as an indoor cat. It's safer for her to stay indoors.

My first cat was a feral that was indoor/outdoor.
At 3, his pelvis was fractured by someone who kicked him. Had a drooping stomach the rest of his life.
He disappeared for 3 days because his nosiness got him locked in a neighbor's basement.
At 6, he developed a massive infection from a cat bite to his face.

After the face bite, he became a strictly indoor cat.

Re: Transitioning Indoor Cat to Outdoor Cat

Re: Transitioning Indoor Cat to Outdoor Cat

I would bet she is only howling because she is in heat. We just got 3 cats. The mom was a stray and the kittens were born outside. They are all fixed now and show no signs of wanting to go outside.