please help me and stuart

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jceantnsa - 07 Aug 2006 22:07 GMT

i've grown up with cats my whole life. i love them more than anything. i
would love, absolutley, just love, to have my cat run around safley and enjoy
the outdoors. unfortuantley, i live on a very busy road. i know it is
completley normal for a cat to long for the outdoors, all of mine have.
however, since i've been living in this house, my indoor cats are getting out
and getting hit. my baby Simba was only 3 years old and he would come running
to the sound of the sliding door opening. he would dart out at anytime he
could. it would take us hours to find him. one night he never came back, and
we found him across the street in the morning. it broke my heart more than
ever. i have a 4 month of kitten named Stuart, right now, and already he is
running to the sound of the door, and darting out when he can. i will try
anything and everything. i just want my kitty to be safe. he has claws, and i
will not declaw him. therefore a fenced in area wouldnt work. i wouldnt be
able to afford a cat jungle gym for the backyard, and if i could move i would
in a heartbeat. but it isnt a possibility. if there are any tricks or
training tools of any kind to at least keep him from darting out, i would be
so happy. thank you so much!

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Dan Espen - 07 Aug 2006 22:40 GMT

> i've grown up with cats my whole life. i love them more than anything. i
> would love, absolutley, just love, to have my cat run around safley and enjoy
> the outdoors. unfortuantley, i live on a very busy road. i know it is
> completley normal for a cat to long for the outdoors, all of mine have.

We have one now that makes no attempt to get out.
She'll sit by an open door and look out, but that's it,
she doesn't try to go out.
She does love the screened in porch, but only during the summer.
She got out once by throwing herself against the screen
and breaking through but
I don't think she was trying to get out as much as trying to
scare some animal.

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Matthew - 07 Aug 2006 22:44 GMT

Not true cats can and do live very healthy lives inside with feet never
touching the outside soil. I have had litters of kittens born inside never
went out or even wanted to go out. The pack that I have now wants nothing
to do with the outside except to look out the windows at the lizards that
drive them nuts. Leave the door open they bypass it even before when the
high pitch avoidance device was not even in place

See what Phil has to say
http://www.maxshouse.com/behavior__training.htm#Prevention%20of%20Roaming

> i've grown up with cats my whole life. i love them more than anything. i
> would love, absolutley, just love, to have my cat run around safley and
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> be
> so happy. thank you so much!

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wester@laway.net - 08 Aug 2006 22:11 GMT

>i've grown up with cats my whole life. i love them more than anything. i
>would love, absolutley, just love, to have my cat run around safley and enjoy
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>training tools of any kind to at least keep him from darting out, i would be
>so happy. thank you so much!

I understand your concerns. My previous house was on an extremely busy
street, and my formerly in/outdoor cats became indoor only from the
day we moved. I was fortunate this house had a separate family room
entry, and I kept the interior doors to that room closed so there was
no problem.

When I bought my next house, I was fortunate that there are screen
porches outside the front and back doors, so I always latch them
before I open a door to inside. My Xedo does have a tendency to charge
the door. I can't really think of any way to stop this behavior except
to put some kind of cat-proof barrier between the cat and the door to
the outside. Perhaps difficult, but not impossible.

My girl cat doesn't show any interest in going out. My boy cat does
like to sit on the screen porch when it isn't too hot outside, but
both have adjusted and seem healthier for it--no slit ears, no fleas,
ticks, etc.

Good luck.

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Rhonda - 09 Aug 2006 19:50 GMT

If your cat thinks he can get out at the door, he will keep trying. When
he understands that you will not let him out, it will be easier.

I don't understand how he is getting out. We have indoor cats and we are
very conscious of the door. We walk in or out and close it quickly. We
always check if a cat is close before we open a door. Do you have
someone in your house that is not watching very closely?

It works well to pretend that your cat is a child and it is your
responsibility to protect him. If you had a child that wanted to dart
outside, what would you do?

You have to be tough with Stuart and be careful, and just be aware that
every time you touch the door it should send up a red flag to go into
alert mode.

Good luck. I'm sure you can do this to help Stuart live longer.

Rhonda

> i've grown up with cats my whole life. i love them more than anything. i
> would love, absolutley, just love, to have my cat run around safley and enjoy
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> training tools of any kind to at least keep him from darting out, i would be
> so happy. thank you so much!

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