A Smooth Indoor Cat to Outdoor Cat Transition And Before Letting Cat Go Out

You may think that a smooth transition for your indoor cat to outdoor cat will be a piece of cake, but the reality can often be quite different.

You might think that the transition from living in your house to being outside would be tough. But it’s actually not too difficult.

All you have to do is make sure that the cat has everything that it needs. To help your cat get ready to go outside, you can use one of these tips:

Safety First – Things to Do Before Letting Your Cat Outside

First, I’ll go through some fundamental precautions you should take with your cat before allowing it outside.

I understand how nerve-wracking it is to let them out for the first time, and how worrying it is to wonder what they are up to when you leave the house.

Getting your cat ready for outdoor life requires you to take the following precautions:

Have them microchipped 

Microchips are little computer chips, roughly the size of a grain of rice. They have a special identification number that helps veterinarians return lost cats to their rightful owners.

In all likelihood, your veterinarian can get you fitted with one. I think it’s essential, and it won’t hurt your cat or cost you any money, so get one installed.

Fit a safety collar 

If your cat seldom leaves the house, you may spoil it with a fancy collar or perhaps skip the collar altogether.

Cats that spend time outside should be outfitted with ID tags and collars. If their collar gets stuck on a branch or something else while they’re climbing, the rapid release mechanism will cause it to snap off and free them.

If they will be going outside, a flea collar is also recommended. The good news is that you may provide them with a high-quality safety collar and prevent fleas at the same time.

The Seresto Flea and Tick Collar is an option worth investigating. I use this collar since it is the most successful one I’ve discovered at ridding my cats of fleas and because it is also a relatively safe option.

Get Up-To-Date with Vaccinations

Your veterinarian should answer that. The fact that many cat owners overlook this fact compels me to bring it up.

Your doctor will advise you on the best preventative care for your cat based on their location, the cat’s age and breed, and any other characteristics that are specific to your cat.

Indoor to outdoor cat life expectancy

When weighing the pros and drawbacks of having an indoor vs outdoor cat, it’s important to remember that your feline friend’s lifespan may decrease if you introduce him or her to the great outdoors.

Even while your cat will get more exercise and satisfy their natural hunting tendencies if you let them outside, this happier situation may come at the expense of their longevity.

If they are adequately cared for and don’t experience any health problems, indoor cats can easily live to be 15 years old.

Contrarily, outdoor cats have a life expectancy of only two to five years due to their exposure to hazards including traffic, infections, and other animals.

Things to do before letting your cat outside

As with any change, planning is key to making the move from an indoor to an outdoor lifestyle go off without a hitch.

However, there are measures you may do to ensure the wellbeing of an outdoor cat, whose life expectancy is often much shorter than that of an indoor cat.

1. Ensure your cat’s vaccinations are up-to-date

Vaccinating your cat or kitten is crucial to preserving its health, and it is especially critical if your feline buddy will be spending a lot of time outside.

Inquire with your vet about what immunizations your cat has already received and which ones need to be updated.

Also, if you’re asking, “Does pet insurance cover vaccines?” you’re not alone. No, in most cases, because that’s not how conventional policies work.

The cost of your cat’s vaccines may be covered, however, by a wellness plan that is part of your insurance coverage.

Despite this, we know that vaccines are a cost you’d rather avoid; yet, they are essential for preventing your outdoor cat from a broad variety of potentially fatal diseases.

2. Invest in a pet tracker

The finest pet trackers provide an easy method to monitor your pet around the clock, giving you piece of mind that your pet is safe and that you can always find them if you need to bring them back home.

These handy gadgets are not only waterproof but also lightweight, small, and easy to wear around the neck.

3. Apply a good quality flea treatment

Now is the time to make sure your cat is protected from fleas and ticks, which can cause serious health problems.

Even though there is a wide selection of effective flea treatments for cats, topical flea treatments and flea collars are the most convenient and widely used.

The decision between the two should be based on your financial situation and how frequently you want to reward your cat.

Because they work on both current infestations and future ones, topical flea treatments for cats are a common choice. However, they are costly and need to be administered again after a month has passed.

Flea collars for cats, on the other hand, may protect their owners’ feline companions for as long as eight months and are often inexpensive.

If your cat already has fleas, you should use a pill or ointment with the collar until the infestation is under control because the collar can only prevent fleas and not treat them.

4. Have your cat microchipped

One more piece of advice before you start letting your indoor-only cat out: have them microchipped.

If your cat gets lost and is rescued by a kind stranger, they can come home to you thanks to these tiny electrical implants that are implanted beneath the skin and have a unique number.

If you get the finest microchip cat flap after microchipping your cat, Fluffy will still be able to come inside whenever she likes or when she needs some protection from the elements.

Unlike a standard cat flap, this one prevents the rest of the neighborhood cats from coming to visit you.

Four steps to transition from indoor to outdoor cat

If you want things to go as smoothly as possible while introducing your indoor-only cat to the vast outdoors, there are a few things you can do.

1. Begin with supervised access

There’s more to introducing your indoor-only cat to the great outdoors than just opening the door and letting them run wild. Acclimating your kitty buddy to its new surroundings will take some time.

One of the first things you should do is invest in a high-quality cat harness so you can have a strong grasp on your cat while it explores and not let it become so overwhelmed that it runs away.

Limit their initial sessions to 10 minutes and a specific region.

2. Let them out just before meal time

An excellent first step in letting your cat go outside unattended is to release it just before feeding time. Food is a strong incentive for cats, so if you call their name they will probably come running back to you right away.

This manner, your cat may enjoy the outdoors under your watchful eye, while giving you the piece of mind that they are close at hand in case of an emergency. As a result, you may ease into the change together.

3. Pick safe times

When we say “safe times,” we mean you shouldn’t allow your cat outside when it’s raining, snowing, or otherwise dangerous outside.

Your cat may become accustomed to the outdoor environment and become less frightened by these things over time, but it’s better to keep them indoors at first.

4. Gradually increase their outdoor time

We advise taking things gently for the first few weeks and just go outside for brief amounts of time during the day when it is least crowded.

You’ll begin to sense whether your cat loves being outside and how simple it is to persuade them to return home when you call them. You’ll be able to choose how often and for how long to let them out based on this information.

Indoor Cat to Outdoor Cat Transition – 5 Steps to Follow

When introducing a cat to the outdoors for the first time, it’s important to take a few precautions. The following is my advice:

Start with Your Enclosed Yard If Possible

If you have a big enough yard, your cat will benefit greatly from spending some time outside each day, even if just for 30 minutes.

This will allow them to become used to the outdoors without the risk of vanishing from your sight.

Let Them out Before Meal Time

You probably aren’t surprised to learn that food is what drives cats. How about a glance at your cat—does any of it ring a bell?

If you let them out right before mealtime, they’ll likely return when they hear the clink of their food bowl, even if they’ve been outside for too long.

Choose a Good Time to Let Them Out

What I have in mind when I say “good time” is a calm period characterized by pleasant weather. Since they will be on edge while taking in all the novel sights and sounds, it’s best to choose a time when it’s as calm as possible.

The initial impression is crucial. They may be compelled to take refuge indoors for a while in response to any loud noises or stressful events.

Call Them Back After 15 Minutes

A hungry cat will return when you produce a sound it associates with mealtime, as was explained before.

After 15 minutes or so of playtime outside, bring them inside and feed them. This has worked with every cat I’ve ever put outside, and it will establish a pattern of returning.

Gradually Increase Their Outdoors Time

The next step is to lengthen their daily outdoor time by a few minutes at a time.

In the beginning, limit your outings to the daylight and select those calm moments when they may freely explore as was said previously.

You will get a feel as their owner how much they are enjoying their time outdoors and how long it takes to call them back in.

You will be able to assess how often and when to let them out. In addition to seeing their development into a true outdoor cat.

Some cats just don’t like going out much, so don’t be startled or alarmed if they just turn round and go sleep on the sofa sometimes.

Bonus Tip – Consider Using a Cat Flap

If you want to make the switch from an indoor cat to an outdoor cat, a cat flap is a must.

I qualify this with a “if feasible” because not all doors are suitable for cat flaps. In most cases, yes; but, if your home has glass doors, you may find the process more challenging than normal.

In any case, if you’re still on the fence about whether or not to install a cat flap, here are a few arguments in its favor:

• It’s more convenient than having to open and close the door every time your cat needs to go in or out.
• Attaching a magnet to your cat’s collar will ensure that only your feline friend can open the cat door.
• If you need to keep your cats inside for the night, just close and lock the cat flap.
• They facilitate easier access to exercise and promote greater autonomy.

Conclsuion

With a little preparation, you can successfully transition your cat from being indoor only to living outdoors full-time. As with all things, preparation is key to a smooth transition.

To ensure your new cat has a happy transition, you need to first be prepared to take care of him/her.

The following 5 steps should help your cat adjust from being an indoor cat to being a true outdoor cat. And don’t worry, your cat will still love you no matter where he or she lives!

source https://catshint.com/indoor-cat-to-outdoor-cat-transition/