How do you move an "outdoor" cat?

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Marcia Marvin - 17 Apr 2004 22:06 GMT

I need some help. Brownie is a semi-feral that I adopted a little
over a year ago. I have now moved into another house not far from the
old one. I have moved Brownie over here three times. I have tried
to keep him confined for a few days, and he does not like it at all.
He gets depressed and acts like he's in prison and tries to find an
escape route. Each time he has been let out (or escaped), he's gone
back to the old house. I can't say that I blame him, since all he
knows about this new location is that he's confined.

I could bring him back again and confine him for longer. I could let
him find his way back here when he decides that the new place is
better than abandonment. I could hope he'll find a new home in the
old territory. Trying to make a housecat out of him is not an option
- major (i.e. psychotic) objections from my other cat and his anxiety
in the house prevent that. What has worked for those of you who have
tried to solve this problem?

I would very much appreciate mail to my address but will read group
replies as well.

Marcia
mmarvin@spiritone.com

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Steve Touchstone - 17 Apr 2004 23:04 GMT

>I need some help. Brownie is a semi-feral that I adopted a little
>over a year ago. I have now moved into another house not far from the
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>back to the old house. I can't say that I blame him, since all he
>knows about this new location is that he's confined.

<snip>
I don't really have any good ideas, but hope someone here can help.
When my sister moved a few blocks from her old house her cat did the
same thing. Eventually, she ended up offically giving the cat to one
of the old neighbors, while retaining visiting rights. Hope Brownie's
future works out.

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Karen Chuplis - 17 Apr 2004 23:34 GMT

> I need some help. Brownie is a semi-feral that I adopted a little
> over a year ago. I have now moved into another house not far from the
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> Marcia
> mmarvin@spiritone.com

Do you have the ability to build an outdoor enclosure? So he is "out" but
not "out" as it were?

Karen

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Kajikit - 18 Apr 2004 03:41 GMT

Marcia Marvin had something important to tell us on 17 Apr 2004
14:06:55 -0700:

You might have to just surrender him to his fate and hope he can find
a new owner at the old location... it's very difficult to persuade a
cat to abandon its recognised territory if it doesn't want to go.
Could you have a word to whoever's bought your old house and see if
they can take over the feeding regime? Then he could stay where he
felt comfortable and you'd be reassured that he was being cared for.
One thing - if he's made the house to house trek safely three times,
that suggests that if he really wanted to, he could come and find you
at your new house... for the moment he seems determined to stay.

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Karen Chuplis - 18 Apr 2004 05:15 GMT

> Marcia Marvin had something important to tell us on 17 Apr 2004
> 14:06:55 -0700:
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> that suggests that if he really wanted to, he could come and find you
> at your new house... for the moment he seems determined to stay.

Or just keep bringing him back and giving him REALLY good food everytime.
Eventually, he'll get the idea.

Karen

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GraceCat - 18 Apr 2004 05:06 GMT

I eventually had to return our cat back to her previous home because she
stopped eating, started hiding and became depressed. We're going to try
again with a smaller kitten once the house is built. But this time, it's
gonna be an inside/outside rather than strictly outside.

Grace

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EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) - 19 Apr 2004 20:19 GMT

> I eventually had to return our cat back to her previous home because she
> stopped eating, started hiding and became depressed. We're going to try
> again with a smaller kitten once the house is built. But this time, it's
> gonna be an inside/outside rather than strictly outside.

Mine had always been indoor/outdoor, but when I moved from Pasadena my
new place was a town-house, with just a teeny cemented patio, so I was
keeping the cats in. (They had their own bathroom - the place was
three-bedroom, two bath plus den.) My other cat was perfectly happy
with the arrangement (but he had been a stray before he found me). It
was just Miu who objected to his new home so strongly!

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Marcia Marvin - 18 Apr 2004 16:53 GMT

Thanks for all the wise and compassionate responses, suggestions and
comments. After reading them and also conferring with the cat-rescue
saint in our community, I'm persuaded to keep trying. I'm going to
continue to bring Brownie back a few more times (that is, if I can get
him into the carrier), give him really good food and attention when he
gets here, but *not confine him*. Maybe he won't bolt if he's not
confined - after all, the escaped prisoner doesn't hang around the
prison after he/she gets out. I'll let you all know what happens.
Many thanks again.

Marcia

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m. L. Briggs - 18 Apr 2004 18:21 GMT

>Thanks for all the wise and compassionate responses, suggestions and
>comments. After reading them and also conferring with the cat-rescue
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
>Marcia

This is an "Old Wives Tale". If you put butter on the cat's paws, it
will never leave home. When we were kids (150 years ago) we did this.

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jmcquown - 18 Apr 2004 19:45 GMT

>> Thanks for all the wise and compassionate responses, suggestions and
>> comments. After reading them and also conferring with the cat-rescue
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> This is an "Old Wives Tale". If you put butter on the cat's paws, it
> will never leave home. When we were kids (150 years ago) we did this.

And the cat didn't object? Persia would lick the butter off and probably
look for more :)

Jill

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EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) - 19 Apr 2004 20:14 GMT

> I need some help. Brownie is a semi-feral that I adopted a little
> over a year ago. I have now moved into another house not far from the
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> I would very much appreciate mail to my address but will read group
> replies as well.

Traditionally, you're supposed to butter the cat's paws, and once he's
licked the butter off, he'll stay in the new home. Dunno if it works,
it may just be an old-wives-tale, I've never tried it. Maybe if you
just continue to put food out for him in your new place, and let him
wander, he'll get the message? (I'm assuming there are no busy streets
or similar dangers between the new and the old homes.) I had one cat
who managed to get out after I'd moved from Pasadena to the San Fernando
Valley. He disappeared for nearly a month (I'm sure trying to find his
way back to his old home), finally reappeared at my front door late one
night, crying like one of his Siamese ancestors (filthy dirty and with
an injured tail-tip that required amputation of about an inch of it).
After that, he showed no desire to go anywhere!

> Marcia
> mmarvin@spiritone.com

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