I have a kitten - just coming up to 6 months. He is fully vaccinated and due for neutering this month. My intention was to let him out and about once he had "the chop" but now I am in two minds about it. On the one hand he seems very contented being inside and has LOTS of toys and I make sure he gets exercise running about, but I don't think it is fair to not let him out. I know there are plenty of cats who are house cats but I live in a one bedroom flat which isnt massive. Also I would feel bad in not allowing him to pursue his natural instinct to hunt.
I bought a harness for him and have taken him out a few times which he didnt seem too bothered about.
I have 2 neighbours with cats - one which is allowed out, and another which is a house cat. My flat is not on a main road but there is a busy road only a 1 minute walk away and my huge fear is that he will go there and get run over.

Ive only had him a few months and in that time he has been such good therapy for me and the thought of losing him terrifies me. Obviously I would get him microchipped if I decide to allow him to go out and get a cat flap installed but I am in 2 minds about it and don't want to be cruel or feel like i am keeping him couped up. I am at home a lot of the time so he is never left for very long periods on his own and whenever he is on his own he just sleeps anyway.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - Ive had pets in the past when I lived with family but this is the first pet I have had of my own so I am very cautious and wary

Im in the same boat as you. My kittens are coming up to 7 months old, but due to being unwell they havent been able to be speyed yet, so havent been allowed outside. I have to admit I'm dreading letting them go out because I'm so terrified of something happening to them, but at the same time I dont think I can bring myself to make them housecats because they are intrigued by outside and see all the cats sunbathing in our garden.

But until they get better theyre staying in with me.

I got harnesses for my two and they didn't mind them at all, the little girl used to walk me! Makes it handy if you travel with them. I take mine quite regularly to my parents who have a huge garden so it made a nice break for them, and allowed them to get aquainted with sites and smells, etc. I kept this going until they were about 1 year old.

But I got them microchipped when I got them neutered so 6 months approx. That gave me peace of mind.

I'm probably alone in saying this but there is nothing wrong in keeping your little fella indoors. If anything, it will induce a closer bond between you and will mean he'll bugger off less (putting it very crudely).

My two were really kept in for a year or so, with the odd trip to my parents, supervised and often in harnesses.

Now they have full reign of the garden and neighbouring gardens, have got into the odd scrap with the neighbour's cats - which shocked them as much as me - and enjoy the fun of mousing, catching voles, moles, etc. Their instincts have come to the fore (the girl is a pure hunter, and an expert at it whilst her brother steals the prey and brings it to me for rewards/pets).

But, the minute I call them, they come running...and I can only put this down to them being in my company 24/7 for the first 12-15 months of their lives. I am Mummy so if I call it must be important.

This is great as it takes the worry out of things (I did once have a tomcat who'd disappear for weeks ) and means we all know our boundaries.

But I find they stay close anyway and if I say 'No' they know it's not safe. They've learned that cars are 'No' and Doggies are 'No' and anythingelse is ok. They've learned by themselves that bees and wasps are 'Noooooooo!!!!' Lol.

Do what you feel is right. I had guilt trips for a while when they were very young but now I'm glad they were a little cosseted when young. They're no short of enthusiasm for the outdoors but come home when it's dark and when I call...and when it rains or snows. LOL

It is all about the individual cat.

I've had indoor and outdoor cats, and outdoor cats that chose to be indoor cats as they got elderly.

I have Layla who hasn't the right personality to have unsupervised access to outside - when we got slack with supervision she disappeared for a week!! She has no fear, no self preservation instinct, no nose and a high maintenance coat (rescued Persian Breeding Queen) Keeping her in is a kindness

Whereas Stripe was an outdoor cat until the day she died (from CRF) Keeping her in would have been cruel. Well, cruel to her not cruel to the Blackbird she killed three days before she died.

You know your cat best. I personally would allow outdoor access unless there is a compelling reason why not to, but it is a personal thing and I don't think it is necessarily a detriment if you don't - especially if you are there most of the time to stimulate him and he doesn't seem bothered.

Indoor/Outdoor is a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation.

Base your decision on what you genuinely think is best for your cat.

I'm glad he brings you so much joy and that you care enough to consider his needs

Thanks for the replies.....I have another question (sorry!) - should I still get him neutered this month (when he will be 6 months) or leave it a little longer? The vet said the earliest he can be done is 6 months so obviously this is ok but just seems a little young.

I do have a very strong bond with my kitten - right now he is flaked out behind me laying on his back looking like he is smiling. He follows me everywhere and is amazing company!

Glad that I am not the only one in this boat - its a tough choice and I suppose one that only i can make.

He did manage to get out the front door once but froze when he got onto the balcony so he didnt bolt which was a relief. I do live on the first floor so he would have to go up some stairs to get back into my flat if I do let him out - that was why I bought the harness (so he knew how to get back to my flat). Maybe I am worrying too much!

Definitely get him done as early as possible. A case of 'what they don't know, they don't miss' but also it should prevent spraying - which stinks and they may continue after neuter if older. And lessen any desire to go outside.

Some Vets will neuter at 12 weeks so six months is definitely old enough.

^^ Thanks! Dont really fancy him spraying everywhere!

6 months is an ideal age. I got my male done at 5.5months as he is half Siamese (hormones develop quicker) and he has a sister (which he was trying to mount).

I doubt you'd see him spraying anywhere before he is a year old but I'd get him done asap. Get him microchipped at the same time. Will save you 1) money, 2) the worry of having him put to sleep twice (ie sedated for the op), 3) the worry of him going missing and no one knowing who he belongs to.

Make sure you get him a collar with a name tag/phone number etc.

Get him into a routine for the garden and it will be a doddle.

Put his collar on when he goes out and take it off when he comes in (believe me, this will save you from going up the wall later on when he's crying to go out. If he knows he only goes out when his collar is on, it helps). If on a harness/not on a harness, make sure he knows that when it's dark, you both go in...then when you call, he goes in. It will be funny to watch the first time he's out when it rains or snows (and also it's their natural instinct to go a bit potty when dusk falls).

Just do what you're doing, if he has a close attachment with you now, it will only be stronger when he's neutered.

I lived in a one bedroom flat when I got my cat as a kitten (she's now 15). I had two cat flaps installed, one in my front door and one in the communal door with the permission of the other leaseholders. It was a fairly quiet area but I had no direct access to the shared back garden so Tabitha never really saw it as her territory - she used to go into other people's gardens that were more accessible for her. I remember being so stressed and worried whenever she was out, I never knew where she was and she never came when I'd go out calling her, sometimes in the early hours of the morning because I couldn't sleep for worry.

However, when I tried locking the catflap she made me feel so guilty! She just wouldn't take no for an answer and would spend literally all night scratching at it. I once secured some cardboard over it, thought if she can't see it she wouldn't be tempted. She managed to dismantle this with much determined effort.

Then when she was a year old she started bringing in live mice and birds and trying to finish them off in the flat but they'd escape - under the bed or the sofa and I'd then spend hours trying to retrieve and remove them. Tabitha would get bored after a while and go out hunting for more to bring in! I used to dread coming home from work and would enter my flat with trepidation - sometimes there'd be a bird flapping around with Tabitha asleep on my bed.

In those days I really wished I had kept Tabitha as an indoor cat because my life was not enhanced by having her, much as I loved her. However, once she'd had a taste of the great outdoors there was no turning back.

When she was eight I moved to a house with direct access to the back garden and my life has been transformed. She hardly ever wanders beyond it and she spends almost the whole Summer outdoors where I can see her.

She's in her 16th year and remarkably well and healthy. The vets say, when she has her annual check ups, that they would age her as around 9-10. I have another cat now who's five and I never worry about him outside. He goes out and about for a patrol but comes in as soon as he's called and is probably more of an indoor cat.

The advantage of letting cats outside is that it negates the need for a litter tray. Tabitha has not used one, except at the cattery, for about 12 years and Bernard only used one for a few weeks when he first arrived and was kept locked in.

I believe cats are happier when they have the freedom to do what they want to do. This time of year even Tabitha reverts to being an indoor cat but I am glad now that I gave her outdoor access when I lived in my flat. It was stressful but she's lived a long and happy life.

Our kitten got speyed and is now healed at 10 months and ready to go out. We had her chipped at the same time. We are also worried about letting her out and losing her tbh. But i've taken her out and held her and she was just so curious about smelling stuff. She hasn't been let loose yet as we work till its dark now, and its also going to be bonfire night now. Next saturday though she is going to have her first legs in the garden

One nice feeling though was when i was holding her first time out side her heart was racing and stayed held by me for the longest she ever has before she got resltess. I think she felt safe in my arms.

Although I live in a flat, there is a communal garden and behind the flats there is a huge field which I am sure he would love exploring. My plan was to get him chipped at the same time so I will probably go ahead and then let him out in due course. He is very close to me - I live alone with him so it is just the two of us!

I do feel very guilty and I know this is going off topic but I am a smoker - I really should quit and I plan to very soon, particularly as my mum was diagnosed with lung cancer in March this year. I think the stress of everything made it difficult to quit. My kitten has given me so much love, especially because of what is going on with my Mum and I feel so awful that I smoke. Initially I would go outside and keep him in the living room but he continually cried so it was a bit difficult. I feel bad because he didnt ask to be bought into a home with a smoker and I feel like a failure. To be honest, he gives me motivation to quit due to the guilt so I will definitiely do it soon

Definitely get him neutered at 6 months, otherwise he could develop antisocial habits which will be hard to break. As SM says some vets will neuter at 3 or 4 months so 6 months is by no means 'early'.

If you decide to let him out, how about just letting him out at restricted times, e.g. let him out at breakfast time and get him back in well before dark. If you get a four-way lockable catflap it's easy to control his access to the outdoors. Also when you let him out for the first week or two, go with him and walk around with him and see what he gets up to.

As SM says each cat is different, some don't want to go out much and others love exploring, let's hope your cat is the stay at home type!

If you do decide to let him out dont feed him before you do. They tend to come in easier when they are hungry. I have both indoor and outdoor cats. I do prefare them indoors but 5 of mine like too go out. The other have either never been outside the garden or not speyed or too young and a couple have no road sense. I wouldnt be responsible too people and cars outside if i did let them out.

Maisey Moo - how many cats do you have? It sounds like you have a houseful! I would like more but it isnt viable due to the size of my flat, and I dont know how Jasper would respond to another cat/kitten

When i lived in a flat across the road i had 4. I lost one so got 2 brothers and i moved across the road to a house as i just got my children back. I have 15 altogether, including 3 nearly 18wk old kittens. My orginal one is Kado, We then rescued guinness who wasnt being treated properly. We looked after guinness on bonfire night as he lived in a pub and wouldnt let him back. The owner had no choice to agree. I then got simon who we lost in 2009 to liver failure. Kay came along we lost her too a RTA in 2008. In 2008 we was told about Lucky who was running around a neighbouring street the vet said he was about 5wks old. In june 2009 Maisey moo was dumped in the park and somehow found us. 2 wks later the local school brought us gabby. Maisey escaped whilst Simon was ill and got pregnant. . I could have got rid of the kittens but after loosing simon i just couldnt. She had 4 kittens Vera, Peaches , Chunkey and Spirit. Then last november, i was brought smokey with a healed broken leg in a carrier he was aged about 5wks as well. I couldnt keep him caged to take him too the vet for a neuter and had to borrow a cat trap. In the mean time he caught vera. She had a realy tramatic birth and it has realy been touch and go for her 3 kittens Garfield Stalker and diamond. Yes i do have 15 but they are love go too the vets when they need too and they are never without food. OH said i could only have 1 cat but that didnt work out.

Maisey - I love your cat names - very cute! Sorry to hear about the cats that you lost. I would love to have loads of cats but I dont have the room unfortunately. I was always more of a dog person but have totally changed since getting Jasper - mind you, he behaves like a dog at times!

I also used to look after friends dogs when i was in the flat. There was a westie, jack russel and a shihtzu. So kado and my orginal cats are used too them. So if they see any of the same breed as them they just sit and stare. None of them are frieghtend at all by dogs. When vera and her siblings where born all i could describe there colours has is like a rottweiller, there torties but also act like dogs as if there is food around they are there.

I think deciding to start letting cats out depends an awful lot on where you live. If there is a road nearby (and there is for most of us) cats have awful road sense, and I've heard of cats having accidents on roads quite some distance from where they live.

When i got Rufus I was letting my cats out, and he was already used to it. Keeping him in all the time would make him very, very unhappy. However he's made it to 14 1/2 without an accident so I suspect he is fairly street-wise.

Max and Minnie I don't let out. I live near a road that is often busy, plus Max is very stupid - they did get out once when I was recovering from major surgery and hadn't shut the bedroom door properly. Minnie was around in the morning, it took a couple of days to find Max who was terrified and cowering in a nearby garden - the other side of the road. I have tried to cat-proof the garden but it's not easy. However that would be ideal.

I have lost two cats to road accidents and it was traumatic especially the second, as it took three days for him to sucumbe. His accident was on a quiet cul-de-sac in a quiet village - my neighbour was simply driving too fast on auto-pilot.