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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / October 2007How to....outdoor to indoor
Hi I took in a huge stray male cat almost 2 years ago. He was hanging around my barn for about 2 years before I befriended him and he adopted me. I've always had inside cats. This one goes out. I'm a worrier (about my animals). I worry as soon as I lose sight of him. Is it possible to make an indoor cat out of a stray who lives to go outside???? Thanks Joanne > Hi > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > animals). I worry as soon as I lose sight of him. Is it possible to make > an indoor cat out of a stray who lives to go outside???? Yes! Here is how you do it: Keep the door closed. ;) Just playing. Your cat might yell and complain, but he will get used to it. Make sure he has good window perches and plenty of play, and hiding places. If he bothers you at night, keeping you awake telling you he wants to go out, you may have to confine him to a comfy room with box, food, water, and toys at night. If he is really loud and your place is very small you might need to get a big Hepa filter and keep that by your bed to drown him out. I really appreciate your caring enough about your cat to decide to keep him safe. Outside life for cats is overrated. They spend as much time out there sleeping as they would inside. >> Hi >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >> animals). I worry as soon as I lose sight of him. Is it possible to make >> an indoor cat out of a stray who lives to go outside???? >Yes! Here is how you do it: Keep the door closed. ;) >Just playing. Your cat might yell and complain, but he will get used to it. >Make sure he has good window perches and plenty of play, and hiding [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >might need >to get a big Hepa filter and keep that by your bed to drown him out. Unless you have a siamese cat. They're worse than nails on a blackboard and are quite capable for howling for 200 hours uninterupted. Hate to say it, but all you can do is make sure to never let such a kitty taste the outdoors. >>> Hi >>> [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > Hate to say it, but all you can do is make sure to never let such a kitty > taste the outdoors. The last feral we had that did that. I set up a clapper attached to it was a hair dryer set to full blast. Took care of the problem after a few days. The only real time he ignored it. I got one of those air horns when he started and BAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. It took twice for him to get the picture and that was it. Now in retrospect I personally hoped it took more for it disturbed the ex wife ;-) >The last feral we had that did that. I set up a clapper attached to it was a >hair dryer set to full blast. Took care of the problem after a few days. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >twice for him to get the picture and that was it. Now in retrospect I >personally hoped it took more for it disturbed the ex wife ;-) I bet it wasn't a siamese kitty. With a siamese kitty, all you can do is what the kitty wants. There is no winning against a siamese kitty's vocal cords. My wife and I have tried to keep my buddy Mongo in a few times. We both agree that when she gets ready to strangle him, it's time to just let him out. We always lose. He howls day and night and runs laps over our bed all night long when he is kept inside. >>The last feral we had that did that. I set up a clapper attached to it was >>a [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > long > when he is kept inside. Sounds like he has you trained well ;-) > Sounds like he has you trained well ;-) Right. We are the ones with the large forebrains and opposable thumbs. We can win. This is what doors are for, and large HEPA filters. > >The last feral we had that did that. I set up a clapper attached to it was a > >hair dryer set to full blast. Took care of the problem after a few days. [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > always lose. He howls day and night and runs laps over our bed all night long > when he is kept inside. Been there. Unless yo'uve had a Siamese, you can't really understand this. They don't just meow pitifully at the door like other cats. Luke would *follow* me, from room to room, screaming "OOOUUUUUTTTTT". Then run back to the door, screaming "OOOUUUUTTT"....just in case I'd forgotten what it was he was wanting. Sherry Sherry I've had 7 Siamese over the past 22 years. I'm down to my last one now. He's 17 and is an inside cat. (They all died of old age.) If he decided he wanted out there would be no way in hell I could put up with the howling! LOL Joanne > Unless you have a siamese cat. They're worse than nails on a blackboard > and > are quite capable for howling for 200 hours uninterupted. > > Hate to say it, but all you can do is make sure to never let such a kitty > taste the outdoors. Hi Thanks for taking the time to reply. I know I need to practise tough love here but it's so hard. He will even go out when it's pouring rain or in a snowstorm if I let him. He really loves it. Right now he usually comes home in a short amount of time. I'm always afraid that if I don't let him out,if he gets out accidently he may not come back? In 2 years he has not spent a night outside. Has anyone ever used one of those underground fences (for dogs), for cats? Joanne >> Hi >> [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > there > sleeping as they would inside. > Hi > [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > > - Show quoted text - Would it be possible for you to build some kind of enclosure for him? It doesn't have to be fancy. Even a small area gives them some sunshine, fresh air, and an interesting view. If he's absolutely inconsolable as an indoor cat, that might help. Sherry > I took in a huge stray male cat almost 2 years ago. He was > hanging around my barn for about 2 years before I befriended him > and he adopted me. I've always had inside cats. This one goes > out. I'm a worrier (about my animals). I worry as soon as I lose > sight of him. Is it possible to make an indoor cat out of a stray > who lives to go outside???? Exercise is easy to provide with carpeted 1x4s or 2x4s (if you don't mind the weight). An electric staple gun is the easiest (of course you want to embed the staples deeply and on the opposite side of travel). Warming up to the idea might take weeks or longer, so don't get discouraged if he doesn't climb them immediately. Good luck and have fun > Thanks > > Joanne This cat weighs 20 lbs already! He's huge! I'd hate to see him gain even more weight. He also doesn't jump or climb things. He just loves chasing the mice out around the barn:-/ Joanne >> I took in a huge stray male cat almost 2 years ago. He was >> hanging around my barn for about 2 years before I befriended him [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Good luck and have fun > Hi > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Joanne Can you build an outdoor enclosure for him? That way, he can go "outside" but you can't lose sight of him. I have a small one outside a basement window...it's about 6 ft long by 3 feet wide. It's also coming into winter so can't keep the basement window open. I could look into making a bigger one in the spring with more interesting things in it though....that might work... Thanks! Joanne >> Hi >> [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > Can you build an outdoor enclosure for him? That way, he can go > "outside" but you can't lose sight of him. I would look into having the cat neutered if it isnt already. My female cat was born wild and after she was spayed she loves to spend her time either in my lap or sleeping on my chest. :) He was neutred before I even took him into the house:-) I had another male(Siamese) in the house. He just loves to hunt. If he would confine his hunting to the barn I would be content with it. Joanne >I would look into having the cat neutered if it isnt already. My female cat > was born wild and after she was spayed she loves to spend her time either > in > my lap or sleeping on my chest. :)
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