Cats are curious creatures, and kittens are a level higher in terms of curiosity. They explore every corner of the house without knowing the dangers, making supervision considerably challenging for the owner.
The kitten may take some time to get fully accustomed to the new surroundings, and you have to be extremely patient with it.
But it is also tough to keep them under supervision at all times.
So, we often come across concerned cat owners asking about the time frame to let the kitten roam around the house without charge. This article will explain everything that you need to know about this particular aspect of kitten care.
When Should I Let My Kitten Roam The House?
There is no correct answer to this question as they grow up at their own pace. However, you can make the process fast by training the kitten.
Ideally, you can let the kitten roam the house under no supervision when it has sufficient litter training, and it is well-versed with the objects in the house.
When you are awake, you can let the kitten roam free with a few precautions while keeping an eye on it.
However, at night, you cannot control the kitten protected from harmful objects. So, you can only let them roam free when you go through the necessary steps.
We have to understand the risks associated with letting a kitten roam free in the house without your supervision. The kitten might face some of the following difficulties in that scenario:
Lack Of Litter Training:
Your kitten has to receive litter training before you decide to let the kitten roam around the house without supervision.
If you do not train the kitten well enough, it will make a mess around the house. They do not have a clear idea about their allowed elimination places unless you train them. A cat may take 4 to 6 weeks to undergo this training.
Hiding In Unusual Places:
There are several corners around the house where a cat might enter and cannot escape easily. Kittens are always curious, and they can enter any quite easily.
If you are not keeping them under observation, they can squeeze their way into a small place. It can make the situation meticulous as it is considerably hard to find kittens in these places.
Kitten Can Go Outside:
One of the main concerns of not cat-proofing your house is that the kitten might escape into the night.
If you keep a window open or keep a small opportunity to run for the kitten, it will go outside. As the surroundings are new, they can get lost, and it becomes incredibly challenging to find the kitten.
Things You Should Be Taking Care Of Before Letting Your Cat Roam?
You have to keep the young furballs away from any danger. You can change the house a little to make it safer for the kitten.
We will describe some of the ways by which you can modify the house according to the safety measures of having a kitten in this section.
Make Your Home Kitten-Proof:
There are several habits of a kitten that could harm it in some way. So, you need to get rid of all the potentially dangerous items from your house.
You can check the following thing to make your home entirely safe for the kitten-
- You have to restrict access to the high locations in your home. Cats have a habit of climbing on top of cupboards, curtains, etc. You have to shuffle your home’s accessories such that the kittens cannot climb on top of it.
- It is better to know all the hiding places in your home. Kittens can go inside any one of them, and you will know where to look. However, if you restrict their access to those places, you can avoid the situation altogether.
- You have to hide the breakable items from the kittens. The seemingly inaccessible places will not be beyond the reach of an active kitten. So, it is better to conceal the breakable items inside the racks and shield them using glass.
- If you keep plants inside the house, make sure that there are no harmful plants. Cats can have strong allergies due to lilies, aloe vera, daffodils, etc.
Keep A Specific Room For The Kitten:
You cannot let the kitten roam freely from the start. Even after going through the tedious litter training, the kitten can cause all sorts of house problems.
So, you can start with a confined place which you have already cat-proved, for the kitten.
Then, you can gradually expand the house depending on the behavior of the kitten. If the kitten is behaving irrationally, give it more time to adjust to the surroundings.
Collar With A Bell:
It is an adorable way of keeping tabs on your feisty kitten. You can put a collar around its neck and attach a little bell to it.
This solution comes in handy if the kitten has a habit of going into hiding places. If the cat decides to hide, you will quickly know its location from the sound of their tiny bell.
Conclusion:
Adopting a kitten comes with a lot of responsibility, and making it independent can also be a challenging part of the job.
You cannot expect the kitten to behave rationally from the get-go. There has to be a considerable amount of time that you have to spend in making the cat accustomed to the house.
If you are careful in this phase, the kitten will grow up to be a responsible cat that can take care of itself when you are having a goodnight’s sleep.
You have to maintain a safe environment for the kitten and take good care of it.
Related Reading:
Hi There, AJ Oren here. I am the founder of this amazing pet blog & a passionate writer who loves helping pet owners to learn more about their pets through my articles. I am also the content manager of this blog. I have experience in pet training and behavior, sheltering, and currently working for a veterinary clinic.