Changing their ways?

patsue53 · Post by **patsue53** » Jul 02, 2005 12:47 pm

Since my kitty, Sylvie disappeared last fall I've been thinking about turning the rest of the pride into indoor-only cats. Then last week my Moonie disappeared and was gone for over a week! He has disappeared for 2 - 3 days at a time but never for this long and I was just about to start making the rounds of the animal shelters when he showed up last night!

So now I'm thinking even more strongly of confining them to the house but I don't know if they'll ever let me to it. They just cry and cry to go outside and Moon especially just will not let up. I'm thinking of confining them to the screened-in porch but I'm afraid Moon and Flower will climb the screens and ruin them. Taffy is so old that he doesn't leave the yard so I'm not so worried about him.

Has anybody ever turned an adult cat into an indoor cat?
Any advice or words of warning?

Snow · Post by **Snow** » Jul 02, 2005 1:34 pm

Yes we did - and I wish we'd done it year ago with other cats. We took Smokey in a few years ago, and our other three cats were already indoor only cats. Smokey had been a city cat, an outdoor country cat, and lord knows what else. We just refused to let him outside. We all became very adept at putting our feet between him and the door when going in and out. We made sure there were always open windows for him to sit in (screened, of course). He "escaped" after a few weeks, and actually spent the night "missing" in the woods nearby. We tried everything but couldnt find him. We left an open can of tuna on the front doorstep and sure enough, he was there eating it the next morning. The second time he "escaped" was several months later, if I recall. This time, lo and behold, he simply walked around and around the house and yard - wouldnt come to us but never strayed out of sight. It was as though he was saying "look at meeeeeeee ha ha!". Finally as he came closer to the front door, I just stepped outside and approached him nonchalantly and he came right to me. I picked him up and brought him inside. He's slipped outside a couple of times since then, and actually did not WANT to stay out there, but instead headed right back for the door. They actually do learn to prefer the security of indoors, and the knowledge that they have food at hand.

jmboyer · Post by **jmboyer** » Jul 02, 2005 7:05 pm

I agree entirely with Snow. I've done it several times over the years and recently, since losing Kibbie, I will not allow either Ebony or Misty to go outside. It can be nervewracking in the beginning. Ebony cried and cried to go out, and Misty is my little escape artist. So one must be quick when letting out the dogs. Now and then Misty gets out, but again, I agree with Snow. Act as though nothing in particular is wrong. Go outside, tend to this bush or that flower, and very soon the wayward little one is rubbing up against you and able to be taken gently back into the house. Both have windows that can look out and I keep their three litter boxes scrupulously clean. It's a lot of work, and scooping twice a day is not my favorite thing to do when I'm tired, but a messy litterbox is one reason they prefer to go outside. Misty remains ever alert to dash out when she can, but Ebony seldom cries anymore to go out. Make sure they have lots of toys to keep them occupied and stay firm. It's usually our soft hearts that defeat us. It can be done. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Old earth dog · Post by **Old earth dog** » Jul 03, 2005 1:48 am

Keep a really big, mean dog outside.

Did I say that with my outloud voice?!

Annie · Post by **Annie** » Jul 03, 2005 7:48 am

It can be done but be ready for them crying and trying to run for the door every time it's open. My Waz still tries to get out. And he does when my hubby goes out the door. He did this once and we didn't know he was gone till the next morning and we heard him outside crying. He had a big hole in his side from something. But he still tries to get out, just gotta watch for him. When they do get out do just like the others say and walk up to him and don't make a big deal out of it and pick him up. Thats what I do with Waz.
Good luck!

PeggyC · Post by **PeggyC** » Jul 03, 2005 12:42 pm

Pat, I agree with everyone that its tough at first to get them used to being in the house! But it does work out in the end! Good luck!

janet · Post by **janet** » Jul 03, 2005 12:53 pm

I did, too, Pat. Aggie was six when I moved here and had been going in and out every day before then (never gone overnight). When she was a kitten, I taught her to come when called and she always does, no matter what. Because we have so many creatures here that eat cats, I decided it wasn't a good idea for her to be out, even when I was out there with her. Cats are just too good at sneaking away...even in the house!

It was hard at first, but she got used to it fairly quickly. I grow grass for her inside and she has lots of 'exploring' games that frequently change...keeps her from getting bored. There are also a couple of logs for her to sharpen her claws on. I tried to bring some of the outdoors in for her, if you know what I mean. And when the snake came in on it's own, I was really glad that she had once been an outdoor cat...she caught it in just a couple hours. Such a good girl!!

She's been inside seven years now and no longer tries to get out. I do let her in the garage (attached) to hunt mice and chipmunks when I see signs that they have moved in (just another 'exploring' game in Aggie's book I suspect). Best of luck to you.

Tundra_Queen · Post by **Tundra_Queen** » Jul 04, 2005 1:55 am

Hi
Wilbur has always been an indoor cat, though he did get out a few times and after we had construction done two years ago he realized there was life on the other side of the wall and he tried to escape as soon as the door was opened which always put me into a panic when he did. This April he got scared outside when a chainsaw and siren noise happened at the same time and has no interest to getting outside again, thank goodness.

I was told that when u come into the house, don't greet your cats at the door,,,,walk away from the door area to a safe place and greet them there. Chris mentioned one time about putting some coins in a pop can and shaking the can when the cat did something wrong. (wish I had know about htis trick when Wilbur was young as it works great.

) So maybe if the cat goes to the door u could shake the can to scare it away until it got the idea that the can and going to the door were related?

Also interactive toys where u could play with the cat and tire it out a bit might help too? I'm not reall sure as I said, Wilbur has always been an indoor cat, but hope my suggestions help.

Debbie

patsue53 · Post by **patsue53** » Jul 04, 2005 9:24 am

Thanks for all your suggestions.

So far noone has asked to go out! That's not unusual for Moon after he's done one of his disappearing acts. I know that before long he's going to be crying to go outside and your suggestions will help! I've been keeping my bedroom window open enough that they can sit on the windowsill and watch the world go by.

When he really starts begging to go out I've decided to allow them to go out onto the screened in back porch. When I took Hugo out this morning both Flower and Moon were sitting at the storm door watching me but neither of the tried to sneak out when I came in. (of course they dont' like to get that close to Hugo so that's no surprise.

)

Hopefully this will not be too difficult. DS will probably be the biggest problem. When I told him that the cats were not to be let outside anymore he just looked at me...smirked, and said "yeah, right!"

jmboyer · Post by **jmboyer** » Jul 05, 2005 8:05 am

That sounds like something my son would say!

So when are we going to see some photos of these critters, Patsue? Soon, I hope.

Garden_of_Mu · Post by **Garden_of_Mu** » Jul 05, 2005 12:09 pm

We used to have a cat named Chuck that had been born on a farm, moved to town with us and was always outside. Only came in to eat or if weather was bad (very small town, doors and windows could stay open and the animals mostly came and went as they liked). After we all had moved away and mom got remarried Chuck was brought along to the city where he had to become an indoor cat. He hated it. For years he would sit at the door crying to be let out. Even ten years later he would still ask, though he didn't expect it. After he was old and too slow to run away mom did let him go out one day and he poked around the fenced back yard for awhile. He passed away in his sleep later that same day and I was happy to hear he had gotten to go outdoors again before he died. I know that made him happy.

Gracie has been confined to the house while we are at the rental. Chewie and Tuck stick right around the house so I don't worry about them and let them out to the fenced back yard, but Gracie roams, and after that last disappearing act I don't feel inclined to take the chance. She only asks to go out if the rest of us are out there. She'll sit at the door and cry about it. We're planning a fenced courtyard at the new place for them.

janet · Post by **janet** » Jul 05, 2005 2:31 pm

A friend of mine in Boston lives on the fourth floor of a four-story building. She has rigged a big wire crate-like container on her fire escape so her two cats can go in and out the window to their own private 'deck' whenever they so desire. They cannot get between the window and the walls of the crate and they cannot get out of the crate except through the doorway back into the kitchen. It's absolutely ingenious and the cats, of course, just love being out in the sun four stories up with the pigeons!!

In case of fire, she says she'll just throw the wire crate over the side and proceed down the fire escape with the cats in their travel crates. Just another example of the lengths we'll go to for our critters, right?