Someone on here must have been through this.
We re-homed two cats (as in we took them on from previous owner).
It's been suggested that we keep them in for two weeks to acclimatise. We are at the end of week 1.
Both are starting to look like they have cabin fever and it almost seems wrong to keep them indoors as they stare out the window.
They seem to have settled ok. Roaming the house at will, eating well, interacting with the four of us so not sure what more another week (just at end of week 1 now) will do.
Anyone been through this and got any handy advice for "release" to make sure they know where to come back to?
They're about 10 miles from old home if that makes a difference.
We have always kept them in for 2 - 3 weeks and have never had one tunnel under the wire and try to make a home run.
They need to see the inside of your house as their new, safe territory before they can be introduced to the big, wide world again.
In the meantime, get a Da Bird and wear them out inside, they'll love you for it.
Our rescue mog got the full 2 weeks in the cooler. Didn't seem to be worth the risk. We have also moved house 3 times with her and she got 10-14 days lock down then too.
It makes me feel like a total prat but in the 2nd week I've taken her for walks outside in my arms back and forwards from the point of access in the hope that she'll have a better idea of her surroundings when released into the community. She sits there looking very alert and appears to be taking it all in.
We have always released for the first time in a new area on an empty stomach.
Our cat has this alarming habit of starting with an unrealistically large roaming area when first in a new home and getting smaller and smaller as she settles in. Those first few missions out look way too far for her to make it back but she does. Then again we have friends who had a cat they took away in their camper. They would stop in random campsites or even car parks and she'd get out and have a wander about to the point of going out of site but always make it back to the camper.
We've never managed more than about a week before letting our rescue cats out and have not had a problem.
3 in total.
The cats seemed happy enough before we let them out and they all had a wary day or two before exploring a bit further.
rpsca told me 4 weeks. He was getting a bit mental towards then end and I brought it forwards by a few days. He never ventured very far once I let him out.
The old wives tale was to put butter on their paws, by the time they had licked it off, they had worked out where their new home was. It worked with our cat when we moved.
(IANAOW)
We managed 13 days before 1 got out. All fine, no running off. We were recommended to scatter used litter around the perimeter of our garden. We did this, but no idea if it really helps.
On balance looking like its probably another week of kitty prison then.
Thanks all. 🙂
Ours had three days in the living room, the rest of the week in the downstairs then another week for the whole house then she was allowed outside. After a brief period of annexing the neighbour's houses she's all good and doesn't venture too far. She knows she's spoiled rotten here though.
We've had about 15 rescue cats. Never had a single one that needed to go outside. Our birds are grateful.
We let ours out after 2 weeks after a protest wee right in front of us. We let them out when they hadn't been fed and they both did a runner, didn't see one for 3 weeks and the other turned up after 6.
They did not come back home, they were actually taken to the vet by their new owners and we got them back from there. No problems now with them, the ball and chain round the front paw seems to be effective
Butter those paws 😆
Sudocrem is the modern alternative.
We went out with ours the first few times (they were rescue kittens) and kept a close watch on where they went (not very far).
One did mange to get next door and then got stuck, he couldn't work out how to get back, so just sat there miowing until we came and got him.
We've gone up to 4 weeks after moving house. No harm being inside that long. We also stayed in the garden in the first outing and went back on lockdown at the earliest opportunity on the first day out to remind her where home is before letting her truly roam the next day.