4 tips for introducing your cat to the outdoors
There’s nothing better than spending time outside, breathing in the fresh air and basking in the sunshine. Well, believe it or not, our furry friends have the same desire. Cats love spending time in the great outdoors and allowing them to have freedom to explore their surroundings is one of the most enriching things you can do. Help ensure your cat stays safe whilst outdoors by purchasing a Safer Pet GPS cat tracker.
Unfortunately, many cat owners don’t allow their pets to spend a lot of time outdoors over fears they could get lost or hurt. It’s understandable. Our pets are our babies and allowing your cat time to roam free is almost as terrifying as dropping your child off for their first day at school.
To give you peace of mind, we created a list of our top tips to keep your cat safe outdoors.
Benefits of your cat spending time outdoors:
- Better immunity to diseases
- Less likely to be overweight
- Require less attention indoors due to entertainment outside
- Get to express natural behaviour
- Benefits their mental health
Introduce them to your garden first
Spend time with your cat within the boundaries of your own garden before letting them explore further. A new atmosphere can be intimidating, but knowing you’re there with them will be a source of comfort. When your cat seems comfortable with being outdoors, you’ll be able to let them go without your supervision.
Reduce their food
Yes (we know) it sounds cruel, but trust us! Slightly reducing their food intake for the first few days that you allow your cat to roam free can be a huge benefit in the long run. The calories they’ll burn from exploring along with the smaller amount of food will increase their hunger and encourage them to return home to be fed. Just be sure to add that extra food on to their meal when they come back!
Teach recall signals
Recall signals are likely to make you feel less anxious when anticipating your cat’s return home. There’s a few techniques fellow cat owners use to train their cats to come on back on command.
Tapping a tin before you give them their food will teach them it’s time to eat. They’ll then associate this sound with feeding time and will make them more likely to come back on command when they hear it.
Other sounds like whistling or calling their name paired with rewarding them with treats when they come back are also proven to be successful.
Invest in an GPS Cat tracker tag
Even if your cat is microchipped, it’s a great idea to purchase a GPS Cat tracker to fit to your cat’s collar for extra security.
With our GPS Cat tracker, you’re able to download the app to find your furry friend if they go missing, track their activity and use the history mode to see where that little explorer has visited.
There’s really no better way to spy on your cat and ensure they’re safe while exploring!
We hope these tips will provide you with peace of mind when it comes to introducing your cat to the great outdoors.