When to start "traveling" with kitten?

[ZombieTiger]

So, Roscoff is 17 weeks and has been with me for 2 weeks now. It's crucial that he is comfortable being in his traveling bag while being taken places and moved about. He's definitely comfortable in it when it's in our apartment, the only place he's been since moved here, and he spends a lot of time in it with the door open, playing and sleeping, even after I've moved it around the apartment a couple of times.

I'm planning on starting to bring him outside in his bag today, but I'm very unsure how far I should push it? Do I only take him with me down to the mailbox, should I sit us in the common area outside the building for a little bit, or should I walk around the block and sit us in a park straight away? Any advice is helpful!

 

[ZombieTiger]

I think I'll start with taking him to the mailbox at first too see how he reacts. When/if he's fine with that, how soon should I move it along though?

 

[ZombieTiger]

Well, that ended up being simpler than I thought, we ended up sitting outside for 2 minutes and he didn't really mind, he ate his food and looked around from inside his bag (soft cage).

 

[ArtNJ]

Sounds like you are doing it right. The only advice I would give is that in addition to gradually escalating to real conditions (car ride or whatever) I would also not let the training lapse. Like if you complete your training in a few weeks and don't need him to travel this way for six months you might have issues.

 

[ZombieTiger]

Sounds like you are doing it right. The only advice I would give is that in addition to gradually escalating to real conditions (car ride or whatever) I would also not let the training lapse. Like if you complete your training in a few weeks and don't need him to travel this way for six months you might have issues.

Good point, I'll remember that.

 

[ZombieTiger]

So far we've only been to the back yard 2 or 3 times, but I'm itching to take him in his carrier to a small park area close by, mostly because I think he's starting to get a little bored only being inside, and he's very interested in the things outside the window. He started life more or less as a barn cat and has ended up being a single indoors cat in the city, btw.

(I'm slowly learning him to walk on a leash in the apartment , but his app at the vets for chip, vaccines, neutering etc is almost 2 weeks from now, so definitely don't want to risk him running away just yet).

Thoughts, anyone? Is it too soon to bring him to the park in his carrier, you think?