Helping a Pet Transition

[blazeno.8]

I know that there have been quite a number of pet posts lately, but hear me out!

When I first moved, I agreed to take a cute black and white cat. It was my first time living with a house pet like this. Before I had only had fish and they don't really do much. But soon enough I noticed that this cat was doing things like waiting outside the bathroom for me, getting on my chair before I could sit down, and opening doors that I thought I had closed.

She's an indoor outdoor cat, but when I first moved in, she would ask to be let in a lot. When I told her previous owner, he was shocked because she just didn't come in that much before. Now that I'm planning on moving, I have a friend who would love to have her at the place, but the land lord refuses to have outdoor cats of any type. I had my friend over for dinner and we kept her inside and she flipped out. She eventually calmed down, but it was such an ordeal.

I tried keeping her inside a little longer other times, and in response to not being let out, she jumped onto the window sill and tried to take the screen off the window... 3 times. Does anyone have tips for how to help an outdoor indoor cat have a smoother transition to being mostly indoor?

 

[LMD84]

well both of my cats are indoor cats and always have been. however what i would say is that you must make sure you have plenty of toys for the kitty. because otherwise it will get bored and start to destroy your things. plus pay lots of attention to it if possible so that it doesn't feel like being kept indoors is a punishment for it

 

[purrtykitty]

It is possible to turn an outdoor cat into an indoor cat. Both of my cats were outdoor cats at one point in their early lives. We make sure to have plenty of toys for them, and lots of perches so they can view the outdoors. We also take them on 'supervised' visits outside. Meaning, we take them outside for 10 or 15 minutes, and monitor so they don't wander off. When we first started taking them out, they were in harnesses attached to a leash. Once they figured out we weren't going to let them go just anywhere, we took the harnesses/leashes off. We still have to watch them, though, because they have been known to dart off under a bush or chase after a leaf.

Both our cats often beg to go outside, but we just ignore them. Kitty can get used to being indoors, even if she doesn't like it.

 

[blazeno.8]

Thank you. Will she start playing with more kinds of toys the longer she stays in? Right now, she only likes long ones that you can wave in front of her, but she doesn't like rolling toys. Unfortunately the rolling ones are the ones that she can manage alone.

 

[LMD84]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blazeno.8 Thank you. Will she start playing with more kinds of toys the longer she stays in? Right now, she only likes long ones that you can wave in front of her, but she doesn't like rolling toys. Unfortunately the rolling ones are the ones that she can manage alone.

yeah it'll just take time. at one point one of mine only liked ones where i had to dangle a feather in front of him. now he likes balls with bells in them. oh and i do rec an electronic toy! we have a little lady bug (random right?!) which takes a little battery and it will wizza round the floor until you turn it off! drives mine insane!

 

[blazeno.8]

Another question I forgot to ask: about how long does a transition take?
She moans and groans all day and goes crazy howling at night wanting to be let out. I brought her into my room and she calmed down a little bit but still howled every now and then so I had to move her back into the other room because I didn't want to disturb my neighbors.

 

[purrtykitty]

It could take a little while. You might try playing with her at night to tire her out, and making it an activity where she really has to run around, such as chasing a string or ribbon, chasing a laser pointer. Also, feed her right before you go to bed. That way, she'll have a full belly, be tired, and she'll sleep through at least part of the night.