How old should my cat be to go outside? Are frogs or toads dangerous?

The main factors to think about are risk of injury (by cars and by other cats), risk of picking up disease (from other cats, intestinal parasites), and risk to wildlife (more of a concern if your cats like to catch songbirds) VS risk of increased stress due to being indoor only and risk of aggression between the two cats because they are stressed inside. From a behavioral perspective, being outside is much better. There is way more stimulation and it's a natural life for them. From a health perceptive, being inside is probably better, but we don't fully know the effects of the stress of being kept indoors. There are definitely ways to mitigate the risks of going outside, namely vaccination for Feline Leukemia and use of flea/tick preventatives, along with yearly fecal to check for intestinal worms. FIP, which is basically feline AIDS is not one that we vaccinate for and is transferred during cats fights, so they'd be open to that if outside. I hope that helps you think through your options! There's no perfect answer.

I would have to say that preferably and in an ideal world they would be kept inside to keep them safe from predators and also from getting into fights with other stray cats. But if they must go outside they are safe after they are fully vaccinated which is around 4 months of age. And ideally having them all spayed and neutered before going outside will reduce the chances of injury and also increase their lifespan. Look into a low-cost spay and neuter facility in your area that may be able to assist you with these kitties. Best wishes.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The possible things that he could be exposed to outside include cat fights, cars, dogs, and possible infectious diseases that can be transmitted to him. I recommend that you have him completely vaccinated, neutered if he not yet and dewormed so that he is less likely to get infected and affected by anything. Good luck and have a great day!

Possibly - especially if she is now pretty tame. If she is easily spooked or still not particularly attached to you it might not be a good idea. I recommend starting with short supervised trips outside. You should only feed your cat indoors and offer food during specific meal times to make sure you get her to come back in at night. You can also practice calling to her and giving a treat. Keep in mind that living indoors is much safer for cats and there are risks in going outdoors: infectious diseases, fights with other cats, and cars and dogs are a few of the threats. If she has not been vaccinated for the Feline Leukemia virus I would recommend completing that vaccine series before letting her outdoors where she could contact other cats.

Great question! Given that they are about six months old, you can start introducing them to the outside now. It's fine to do them together at the same time, and I would start by letting them outside on their own with you monitoring for 10-15 minutes, and then slowly increasing the time they are allowed outside over the next couple of weeks. I would recommend having them indoors at night and only letting them out during the day. Nighttime is when there can be lots of fights with cats and predators will come out at night, so it will be safer for them to be indoors then.

If you cat is acting normally, still eating and drinking, and not vomiting or having diarrhea I wouldnot be too concerned, even if he did eat the frog. And you don't have to reward him for catching things unless you want to. In most cats it is instinctual and they know they are supposed to hunt and catch prey. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

There is no fail safe way to make sure he will be completely safe as accidents can always happen, but personally I believe cats should be able to go out as it allows them to exhibit natural behaviour. Because he is an older neutered cat he is unlikely to stray too far, but obviously he hasnt had the experience of outdoors since he was young. I would start by taking him out on a harness, let him get used to your garden and outdoor sounds such as engines etc. When you come to let him off for the first time don't feed him before so he has a good reason to come home if he does venture off. Make sure he is microchipped and has an id on his collar just in case. To an extent you will just have to leave him to it, but he should be fine. Investing in a cat flap is a good idea too and make sure he is vaccinated. Good luck!