Thread: Letting your Maine Coon Out?

Personally i wouldn't, way too many dangers that a pedigree will just not understand plus the added problems of people nicking them to sell them on and make money!!

when you weigh it up the cons are higher x

You could think about building a small run off your house or cat proof fencing the garden if it's fenced/walled etc - i wouldn't be without my cat proofing now, they're safe and can enjoy the outside without me having to worry x

We weighed up the pros vs cons and found the same as Louise. Wwaaayyyyyy more cons than pros. I would be worried sick letting them out of the house and would always be beating myself up if something did happen.

We've got a few months to go yet, but will almost certainly be installing cat proof fencing in the garden. This would be for 'supervised excursions' where we let them out at some point and then make sure they are back in the house way before it starts to get dark.
I would be interested learning about your experience with cat proofing your garden if you have time to share Louise? ie: Is yours 'open top fencing' or is it a pen. Have you ever had any issues with it, things you would do differently etc.

Ive done a bit of research already and the best website Ive found so far is this one, Cat Proof Containment Fences & Fencing , which looks at several different companies products.

For me personally, the risks of letting a cat wander outside unprotected are just too big, no matter where you live (countryside or city). I was raised in the countryside and unfortunately lost some cats due to accidents, poison, and one even got shot. :( So none of my cats can go outside (except for our balcony that is made entirely cat proof): my maine coons, my oriental shorthair, my housecat, they all stay safely inside.
Don’t ever think that they would mind for one bit… It’s far worse having to scrape them off the road after they get hit by a car than to keep them safely inside. I know that sounds a bit hard, but that’s just how it is… ;)

I'm worried about this too and haven't even got my kitty yet. My worry is in the summer, when windows and doors are often open. What do you do when it's hot outside - do you keep them shut in a room? We live in the country down a very quiet road and fields out the back but I'd still worry.

Originally Posted by Karena

I'm worried about this too and haven't even got my kitty yet. My worry is in the summer, when windows and doors are often open. What do you do when it's hot outside - do you keep them shut in a room? We live in the country down a very quiet road and fields out the back but I'd still worry.

At this point, our balcony door is open all the time during the warm summer days. So the air can come into the whole apartment and the cats can go outside to get some air there.
We're looking for a house at this moment and we really want a house with a garden, so we can build a secure cat house in the garden that will give the cats the chance to let the cats go outside in a safe way.
What we would like to build is something like this:


There are so many safe ways to let the cats go outside, that it's absolutely not necessary to expose them to the dangers in the street. ;)

We have a large back garden with gates into six acres beyond which we sometimes let out to a local shire breeder - it would be impossible to make the garden cat secure so an enclosure would be our only option. I will have to take it a day at a time and see how things go I think. We live down a small no through road which only leads to a farm and very rarely has traffic going past and out the back is just fields. Still I understand the other dangers there are and have thought about getting a harness so I can take him for a walk around the fields out the back with the dogs

Originally Posted by Karol

At this point, our balcony door is open all the time during the warm summer days. So the air can come into the whole apartment and the cats can go outside to get some air there.
We're looking for a house at this moment and we really want a house with a garden, so we can build a secure cat house in the garden that will give the cats the chance to let the cats go outside in a safe way.
What we would like to build is something like this:


There are so many safe ways to let the cats go outside, that it's absolutely not necessary to expose them to the dangers in the street. ;)

now that's a fab looking enclosure, thats the sort of thing we'll be doing for the cats though on a larger scale when we find somewhere with a larger garden space :D x

Originally Posted by LoopyKoonz

now that's a fab looking enclosure, thats the sort of thing we'll be doing for the cats though on a larger scale when we find somewhere with a larger garden space :D x

It's definately something I want for myself as well when we find a house with a large garden. We keep on looking and hopefully 2010 will be the year in which we find something.
Right now; they go outside on our catproof balcony, and they really like it like that. What they really love, is to sit on the table and watch our neighbours or the birds in the tree right in front of the balcony.

I am going to put the cat among the pigeons, possibly literally! I do let my 2 older cats out. They have access to my garden and the woods beyond. They bring me gifts of mice and shrews on a regular basis and are happy and healthy. I understand the worries everyone has and I totally share them,however I do think cats should be able to hunt as they would naturally! I hope I don't offend anyone and I am sorry if this is controvertial. I totally respect your points of view too!