Openair walks for a sick cat

Hi everyone, I was advised to create a new topic because they will not see it in the old forum http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...ew-to-cat-diabetes.205671/page-2#post-2285010. My cat is 2 years old, subgenera Turkish Van, and has recently been diagnosed with diabetes, we hold on and are still cute! the fact is that we live in a private house and I want to make a door for him that he would walk in the garden, but I am afraid that it would not be harmful for him !!! So I ask you for advice, is it possible to do it or is it better for him to go home?

 

Hi Ivan, well done for finding your way here! I'm sorry your lovely kitty has been diagnosed with diabetes - two years old is very young, did the vet say what has caused this?

Your question is about the safety of your cat going into the garden... this depends really on what's in the garden, is there any wildlife and is the property near busy traffic? Has he been allowed outside before? If so, and you think the garden is a safe place for him to be, there's no reason why diabetes should make any difference to this. In fact he will probably be quite unhappy if he was once allowed into the garden and then suddenly finds he can't go out. Whereabouts in the world are you? Some members here live in parts of the world where it is simply not safe to allow a domestic cat outdoors, whereas in other places (such as the UK), it is commonplace to allow cats out to enjoy the great outdoors, although if this is the case we take great care to keep them safe and always make sure they are indoors at night.

If your cat hasn't been allowed outside before and is quite happy indoors (has plenty of comfy places to sleep, toys, etc) then it's totally up to you if you choose to let him out or not.

As well as this issue, is there anything else you're unsure about as far as managing the diabetes is concerned? We have members all over the world who are very experienced and can answer any questions you may have.

Good luck!

 

We live in Toronto, we have our own garden with a fence, I'm just afraid that some kind of insect like a flea or tick can dramatically affect his health

 

Fleas can get anywhere, indoors or outdoors, and you can give your kitty treatment to avoid this. Ticks might be more worrisome.
I'm not familiar with the Toronto area and the risks of letting a cat out - maybe one of our Canadian members can look in here and give their suggestions... @Tuxedo Mom @Kris & Teasel

 

Oo it will be cool, maybie u know some else forums about cats?

 

He should be fine outside as long as he's closely supervised. The biggest threat would be of him escaping and running away if he's not normally an outside cat.

 

This board is all about cats! Mostly but not all diabetic issues - have a look at other forums and threads, you might find something of interest!

 

I am in Winnipeg where kitties are not allowed to roam on the street. In Toronto there is no law against kitties roaming. Although a secure yard is a nice way for a kitty to have outside time, I would advise supervising your kitty when outside. Cats are great escape artists and other cats ( and critters) may also be able to enter the yard space. Fleas can occur when outdoors and can also be brought into a house especially if you have patted another kitty. Also mosquitoes can carry a number of diseases including heartworm. If you plan on having your kitty outside for any length of time, you may want to talk with your vet about what vaccinations might be necessary.


ETA Also Toronto requires a pet license for kitties as well as dogs, so it may be prudent to make sure yours is up to date in case your kitty does escape.

 

Hi Ivan, we used to live in a high rise apartment in Toronto. Now we're down to 401 in a house.
While keeping a cat "locked up" goes against most cat's nature, and there are benefits to fresh air and being outside, the outdoors can be a nasty and dangerous place. Toronto and the GTA go through cycles of Raccoon distemper and your cat doesn't have to eat raccoon poop to get it. All he has to do is step in it and lick his paws. We have had street smart cats that wouldn't leave the yard or front steps but we live on a very busy corner with a lot of dog traffic. All it takes is one nasty dog getting away from it's owner and even without a bite the cat is terrified and then what?
Photo 1 is what we did for Elmo on our 7th floor balcony near Bay and Bloor. It's not cheap chicken wire and the landlord was okay with it. Photo 2 is something many vets have glossy brochures for. They are expensive but you can take them with you if you move, tamper proof and there's no way for a rabid bat or nasty raccoon or opossum to get in.
We adopted Marco at age six and we were not told he was an outdoor cat. He will dash out between my legs and I won't even know it. I tell everyone here how smart he is but last year he crossed the street which is a huge no-no. A cat can be safe outside but it requires a lot of planning. Sometimes a perch on a screened in window is all it takes. Best of luck!

 

I live in Ottawa and my three are indoor only in my 5th floor condo. If you can take your beautiful kitty out under supervision preferably leash/harness trained that would be safest. I really like the idea of a "catio" too. Neither of those possibilities would protect him from insect bites or fleas, etc. but he'd have some outdoor time in a safe manner.

 

I'm not in Canada at all. I am in New Zealand.

If you wish your cat to be able to go outdoors then a cat flap is the way to go.
Fleas are not a problem provided you treat for that . Ticks you will need to be more vigilant.

Much depends on what can endanger your cat outside the confines of your own garden . Be that traffic and vehicles or other animals that can kill, injure and harm.

We have nothing like that here where we are so we let the cat out of a morning and lock her in before twilight. She knows where her home is . - add: She comes and goes as she pleases.

To ensure the cat knows where it is you must keep the cat inside completely for the first two weeks . Once you allow outside it is best that you remain in the garden with the cat. Unless you intend to keep on a leash be prepared that at some point the cat will wish to explore further afield. Train the cat to come to your call or a sound.

 

interesting, do u know some forums about cat training?

 

Thank you!!

 

I used to take my kitties outside but I never left them unsupervised. Depending on where you are in the city, I would also caution you about coyotes unless you have high fencing around the entire perimeter of your garden. I live in Etobicoke and have come across a coyote standing in the middle of the road beside a park area just north of me. Sadly, there have been pets taken/attacked within the city limits in recent years. I also had a red tailed hawk swoop down out of a tree toward one of my kitties a year or so ago which scared the daylights out of me. My kitties' garden outings have been far less frequent since these two events.

 

One option is to install an outdoor cat enclosure. Some of the designs are configured so the cat can access them directly from the house. These would keep your cat safe while outside.