Need tips for keeping kitty inside.....

[Minnie_me]

Last week I posted about our beautiful Siamese getting injured in a cat fight outside, and ending up with a terrible abscess. She had to undergo debriding (sp??) under anesthesia, and it was very traumatic for all of us.

Now the vet is telling us to keep her inside.

This kitty was born to be outdoors. I don't even believe in letting cats go outside, but this cat just lives for it. She lounges in the sun, she hunts in the meadow, she runs across the field. But unfortunately, she also gets into fights with other cats.

She came home from the vet on Tuesday, and didn't start meowing to go out until Thursday. But it's been CONSTANT meowing since then! As I mentioned above, she's Siamese, so she's a talker anyway. And LOUD!

We try to play with her inside, with all kinds of toys, but she doesn't have any interest. She wants OUT!

Anyone BTDT? We could use some advice.....

 

[AlleyKat]

Though this can be costly and/or time consuming, build a large(ish) cat enclosure with an easy access from your house.

I've seen amature built structures that were pretty clever.

Google "cat enclosures" or "cat enclosure plans", something along those lines...you'll be amazed at what you'll find!

 

[jwhtewolfd]

The most important thing to remember is to BE CONSISTENT. If you give in, even once, to her screaming at the door, you have rewarded that behavior and she will repeat it. All you've taught her then is that she just has to yell longer and louder. You have to be more stubborn than her, and that's going to be tough.

Now if you need to enter or exit and she's trying to dart out, that takes a little more finesse. With my darter we are lucky with the back door, it's located in the laundry room. We can close the laundry room door and use the back door normally.

The front door is a little more tricky, as there is no secondary barrier. Before going out give her something (a toy, a treat) that she really likes. Give it to her in a room away from the front door, and only let her have access to it when you need to use the front door so it stays novel and interesting. Coming in is the most tricky because they hear the car pull up and the keys in the lock, so they are poised and ready to dart. A footstomp and a frim, sharp "NO!" when we first crack the door usually works long enough to break his concentration for us to scurry in quickly.

You could also confine her to a bedroom or bathroom with a litter box, food, water and toys anytime you leave to avoid the front door dash. This is a better option if you have a larger family (we're just two that need to squeeze through the door) or young children who don't listen/remember well to speed it along. This is what we do when we need to bring in a car full of groceries with many trips in and out.

Hope some of this helps. Good luck.

 

[jmpurdy]

The next 1-2 weeks will be alittle trying, but your cat WILL get used to being indoors. And kudos to you for doing this. I work for a feline only practice and we get these questions alot. The price, both financial and physical (injuries to the cat) far outweigh the price of keeping the cat indoors. The enclosure is a good idea if you can afford it, but if not, there are some other things you can do. Make sure your cat has access to a window 24-7. Being able to see outdoors and birds is great. Also if you can put up a bird feeder to view, that is also entertaining. Switching out toys (not just having the same pile all the time) every week is good so they think they are getting new ones. Your cat will adjust, maybe never 100% to not going out, but you just have to persevere and don't give in. We had a client who came in with a terrible bite wound and was NOT vaccinated and was facing a 6 month quarrantine indoors. They were so mad at us for telling them this news, like they were offended the cat had to stay inside. Uh, they didn't vaccinate the cat, they brought this on themselves. I hope these tips help, you will have to tolerate some howling for a week or so......you can do it!

 

[Kath2003]

I wouldn't do it. We did it for 5 months with my cat and it was hell. My parents cat did it for 12 weeks and it was hell. You can't open windows in summer. You need to have them closed out of the area before you open any door to the outside. If they are born to be outside then they will never give up.

Personally, I'd insure her, accept that that's the kind of cat she is and take the chance. Alternatively, I'd rehome her to somewhere that she could be outside without running into other cats (i.e. an isolated rural environment).

 

[Minnie_me]

Thanks for all of the replies!

We really are going to try to make this work. We don't ever open our windows anyway, since we have central air and a child with severe allergies. So we've got that working for us! Also, we've been keeping the garage door closed, and exiting the house that way. So that if kitty does get out, she only gets as far as the garage.

We do keep her in all winter long. She hates the cold. So I'm thinking we can make it work.

Still welcoming more suggestions and tricks! Keep 'em comin'!

 

[jmpurdy]

cats LOVE to be up high, so if you can afford to purchase a nice (not cheapo) cat tree, that would be awesome. Cats love to be outdoors, there's no questioning this, but they (and us) love them to be safe and alive more.
Living in a rural isn't the answer either. They become a meal to a larger animal so its not the wonderful out in the open heaven we may envision. Ticks, mosquitoes, predators, cars, other cats, etc. etc. Its a personal decision. We see the worst in a hospital, so yes, we advocate for indoor cats. Sometimes its all financial. Outdoor cats are at least 3 x's more expensive than indoor cats. That would do it for me right there.

 

[torinsmom]

Get several window seats where she can sit and watch the outside world. Maybe put some bird feeders in trees nearby, so she has something interesting to look at. You might also invest in a cat tree, so she can climb like she does outside. This company makes great ones at good prices

http://www.armarkat.com/classic-cat-tree/cat_2.html

One of my cats actually goes out on a harness/leash, but we trained him to do that when he was a kitten. He is a Bengal and really needs the exercise. We don't walk him like a dog; we just hold the leash and follow him around. He enjoys eating the grass and chasing birds, but we don't have to worry about him getting hit by a car or in a fight.

Marsha

 

[flying_babyb]

I second the cat tree. Try your local fleet farm. I bought a huge one for $40 dollars there. It was normally $100 but on clearance!