**Help** House Move & I need advise

[aimeelou]

Good Morning, 

We have recently, 5 days ago, moved to a much bigger house. Our cat is an 8 month old Bengal x Russian Grey. Our previous house was classed as Rural, with only other houses and fields beyond therefore he never came into contact with traffic etc. We started to let him out when he was around 5 months old and he never showed much interested and would always lurk around the gardens and then come back in on an evening and stay in. Our new house is much bigger which he enjoys, however i am almost contemplating restricting him to the house. It is in the middle of a busy village on a new estate and we have lots of traffic around us. 

I don't think i can bare to let him go outside in case he gets run over.

What should i do?

How long should i leave him before he can have his first taste of the outside world in the new house. 

He is already sitting at our patio doors and front doors meowing to be let out.

Help me please, i dont want to loose my baby He has never experienced moving traffic, is this a good thing so he will shy away from it?

He is timid towards new people; in actual fact if your not his mum, dad or big sister he really isn't interested in you what so ever but will allow anyone to pick him up etc.

Thank you

 

[shadowsrescue]

If it were me, I would not let him out at all.  You already know there is traffic and that is a huge huge danger.  Think about what would happen if you do let him out and something dreadful happens to him.  I am sure he wants out, but try your best to keep him inside.  When you move, it is best to give your cats 3-4 weeks of inside only.  This allows them to adjust to their new surroundings.  IF you place him out now and he gets lost since he doesn't have the scents yet, he will try to return to his old home.  It is a cats nature.  So you must keep him inside for 3-4 weeks.  By that time hopefully he will no longer want out.

You can try feliway plug ins to help him adjust as well as a calming supplement.  Here in the states there is a product called Composure.  It really helps to calm a cat. 

Moving is a stressful situation and cats sometimes have a hard time adjusting.  Make sure he has his toys and special perch to look outside.  Also be extra cautious when going in and outside so that he doesn't escape.

 

[aimeelou]

That is exactly what I am leaning to at the minute. I cannot get the thought of him being hit by a car out of my head. I just do not want to appear cruel by keeping him indoors. I read that he should be left for around 4 weeks. He has a large new scratch and play climber, new toys and treats and he seems to have really settled in - in fact he has adjusted much more quickly than the rest of us have he seem's very much at home, and if I dare chance it, more settled. He sits waiting behind the door when you are going in and out and makes a dash for freedom. My partner had to chase him and detach him from the fence last night. I know people may say that I'm just worrying too much but I can not bare the thought of loosing him, especially going from rural to residential.

I've considered the idea of getting another cat for company as we work full time.

 

[Columbine]

I don't think keeping a cat indoors is cruel at all. If you want to give him outside access, you could always enclose part or all of your garden so he can go outside but stay safe.

 

[aimeelou]

Apologies, i do not mean cruel in general, i mean with him being used to roaming the fields and countryside to now lock him in the house. But i feel i have no other choice? 

 

[betsygee]

Can you build him an outdoor enclosure?  That way he could get outside but stay safe.  

http://www.thecatsite.com/newsearch?search=catio&type=61