Buttered cats

[givemushypeasachance]

I've been talking about my new cats at work (adopted two weeks ago, fluffy kitten angels of my heart, I'm well wrapped around their little toes as cat-slave) and the topic of when I was going to first let them go outside came up. Several colleagues chipped in that when I do, I should smear butter on their paws to stop them from wandering off. wtaf? Apparently it's an old wives' tale and not one I intend to try (sounds like a recipe for slippery cat chaos and very greasy floors). How can buttering your cats paws help with them not wandering off and getting lost? Has anyone had experience of actually doing this?

[Fluffycloudland77]

I've never done it. He still found his way back.

Smile & nod op.

[RubbishMantra]

Old wives tale. Besides, cats shouldn't have butter, being lactose intolerant.

You'll notice, it's always people without cats that give this 'advice'...

[BuilderMammy]

Actually buttering their paws is supposed to be done if you move house or when they're newly adopted. The idea is to make them feel comfortable and at home, because they normally lick their paws when they're happy.

I've never buttered any of my cats and they've managed to adjust pretty well. I find my house is quite greasy enough with two buttered toast-loving preschoolers.

[givemushypeasachance]

I've experience of trying to give hairball paste to one of my Mum's cats and having to smear it on his paws so he'd lick it off since he wouldn't take it otherwise - but that didn't seem to make him feel any more at home!

Someone here has claimed their cats feet were buttered when they were a child to help it settle in after a move. I can't imagine it achieved much more than smearing butter across their new kitchen floor tbh! Nodding and smiling plan has been activated while still thinking wtaf...

[RubbishMantra]

The thread title puts me in mind of butter basted cats...

Especially as my semi- hairless kitten kind of looks like a little plucked chicken.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

I always Pavlov train my cats before I first let them out. I tap the food bowl in a certain before I feed them so they associate the sound with food. I then first let them out 1 hour before a meal and then tap the bowl to bring them home. I reinforce this every so often by tapping the bowl at an unusual time and then giving Dreamies when they come.
You could also use a clicker in the same way.

[givemushypeasachance]

Yeah my two are showing interest in going outside (probably to try to eat the birds visiting my bird feeder) but as they were at the sanctuary since they were kittens (they're 10/11 months now) they've never had unfettered access to the outside world and have no street smarts at all - initial forays into the garden will be short, supervised and just before a meal! Since they have wet food in addition to biscuits they already associate bowl clattering and sachet noises with dinner and I've recently acquired a clicker I'm using when giving treats, so they're very alert to food related noises. Or me going anywhere near the kitchen in fact - they wanted some of my cereal this morning despite me being very clear it wasn't theirs...

[thecatneuterer]

Old wives tale. But at least it's a more benign one than the 'they should be allowed to have one litter' harmful nonsense.