How long to keep new cat indoors?

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Cap'n Stinky - 24 Jul 2003 21:10 GMT

Just got a 5 year old female cat from the Cats Protection League. The
cat had been living with an elderly lady but she recently had a stroke
and had to give the cat up.

The cat has always been an indoor/outdoor cat and we'd like to
continue that (the house is in a small quiet village in North Wales).
We have just received the cat on Monday and she's settle in remarkably
quickly. She's very affectionate, eats well and uses the litter box
and is no trouble. She does go to the door and meow like she wants to
go out.

I have always thought you needed to keep a cat indoors for a week or
two when moving to a new house to get them acclimatized. But what is
the actual time needed? We have a lockable cat flap so she could
potentially come and go as she pleases but we don't want to unlock it
until she's settled in. When should we unlock the cat flap?

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Mr. Nangla - 24 Jul 2003 21:33 GMT

Hey,

Luck you, I'm trying to convinve the rest of my houyse to get another cat
but so far no luck :-(

As for your question I'm afarid I haven't got a good answer, but I just
wanted to mention the fact that there's a lot of stuff out there about 'keep
your cats indoor' from the U.S. thankful someone gave me a link to an
article about indoor/outdoor debate, from the UK view. Did you come across
that?

Anyway I gotta go, the cat need to undertand and get used to the fact that
this is it's new domain, otherwise she might try to get back to her old one!

bye
sham126

> Just got a 5 year old female cat from the Cats Protection League. The
> cat had been living with an elderly lady but she recently had a stroke
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> potentially come and go as she pleases but we don't want to unlock it
> until she's settled in. When should we unlock the cat flap?

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Ellie Pea - 24 Jul 2003 22:38 GMT

A friend of mine has just moved house and has kept her cat in for a couple
of weeks and is now letting her out under a watchful eye. She's also
letting her out just before she is due to be fed....then she has a good
reason to come back in!

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Cap'n Stinky - 25 Jul 2003 10:10 GMT

>She's also
> letting her out just before she is due to be fed....then she has a good
> reason to come back in!

That's a great idea! Cheers!

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Elaine Rene - 24 Jul 2003 23:53 GMT

If she is willing to accept it, use a long leash to get her used to her
surroundings the first times you let her out, under supervision as well. I
always did it this way with my indoor/outdoors whenever we'd move to a new
location.
Its a happy event she found a good home :-)

Elaine

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*~*SooZy*~* - 25 Jul 2003 11:18 GMT

I always keep them in 3 weeks and make sure they are hungry before letting
them out..... I normally stand outside with them at first, then call them in
feed and do this over a few days... till you feel happy! but just make sure
they are hungry before you let them out

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Luv'n'Stuff
*~*SooZy*~*
http://community.webshots.com/user/ragdollcatsuk

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