Feral bored living inside!!

m935

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She's been inside since may abd has done fantastic. My worry is that day after day she seems to be more bored. She may lije a toy for a day and tgen ignores it. ( I've bought and returned many). She doesn't like catnip. She is now chasing my other cat...but he just runs off. She has yet to try to escape. I even have a screen door my dog goes out of and she just stands next to it and looks out. But because i now see her walking from one end if my small apartment to the other.. I feel it's getting worse and she may try to get out.
I had anther feral years ago who just seemed content with being inside. I know i did the right thing abd don't regret it..i feel bad for her and the thought of taking her out to her big back yard/ woods and bringing her in at night has occurred to me. I don't really wsnt to.. I would be really worried and if i never saw her again.. Id never forgive myself. But what are your ideas???? Thanks!!!
 

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That's really normal. Former ferals tend to get bored of toys quickly.

I recommend trying to make some low cost toys. There's many videos on YouTube.

I also had really good luck with some toys that are made with Recycled fur of Etsy. (Person goes to used stores and buys fur and then makes cat toys).

I wouldn't recommend letting her be indoor/outdoor as it will potentially put her at high risk for many things. You could try harness and leash training her and taking her on a daily walk. Ours loves this :)

Alternatively, building a Catio can be rewarding for her. Or if you have a patio you can "fence" it in so she can enjoy the patio with you.
 

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If you have room for one, maybe a cat tree/condo in front of a window would appeal to her. Or some high place that she can get to herself. You could put a box out once in a while, or a paper bag. Change things out when she loses interest in them. Look for Jackson Galaxy's video about catifying your home. Also other videos on YouTube that are meant for cats... ones with little birds hopping around, or rodents.
 

di and bob

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Don't let her out, I can tell you from experience it's NOT worth it, there are way too many dangers out there. I have too many graves......
Get her a kickeroo on Amazon, they love them. Take some of her toys and bag them up and exchange them once in a while with her others to make them fresh again. She will get used to being inside after a while. Mine are all strictly indoors now. Your other cat will eventually accept her too, it can take a year or two.
 
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m935

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THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I guess I really wanted to hear "dont let her out". :) I do know better, but seeing her just sit there, afraid shes going to possibly even become destructive... reminds me of the freedom I took from her. But yes, I do have cat trees, she was excited about it at first, then fell off and stayed clear up until a week ago. So she is using that and I opened the screened window under the tree a bit to let her smell the air.. which she was doing when she first came inside. Thanks for the suggestions. Ill definitely look into those ideas.
 

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All of my cats are former ferals, including my avatar, who lived outside for at least a year before I was able to bring her in. The others were true rescues and have not expressed much interest in escaping because the out of doors was so frightening for them. Your cat may not want out as much as you think given that she does not rush the door when the dog goes out, but I am going to agree that you should not let her back out under any circumstances. Give her as much stimulation as you can and she will probably be content. If your window screens are lightweight or flimsy, watch to see if she tries to pick at them. If so, there is heavier cat proof screening available at places like Home Depot.
 

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She's been inside since may abd has done fantastic. My worry is that day after day she seems to be more bored. She may lije a toy for a day and tgen ignores it. ( I've bought and returned many). She doesn't like catnip. She is now chasing my other cat...but he just runs off. She has yet to try to escape. I even have a screen door my dog goes out of and she just stands next to it and looks out. But because i now see her walking from one end if my small apartment to the other.. I feel it's getting worse and she may try to get out.
I had anther feral years ago who just seemed content with being inside. I know i did the right thing abd don't regret it..i feel bad for her and the thought of taking her out to her big back yard/ woods and bringing her in at night has occurred to me. I don't really wsnt to.. I would be really worried and if i never saw her again.. Id never forgive myself. But what are your ideas???? Thanks!!!
Since she is an adult cat,she is in the hunting stage so anything she can chase afteror hide,watch,then pounce. Wand toys,cubes, tall cat tower,even shipping trash to hide in. Wand toys like the go cat catcher with a mouse. Adults still like chew toys
20200320_112425.jpg
 
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m935

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All of my cats are former ferals, including my avatar, who lived outside for at least a year before I was able to bring her in. The others were true rescues and have not expressed much interest in escaping because the out of doors was so frightening for them. Your cat may not want out as much as you think given that she does not rush the door when the dog goes out, but I am going to agree that you should not let her back out under any circumstances. Give her as much stimulation as you can and she will probably be content. If your window screens are lightweight or flimsy, watch to see if she tries to pick at them. If so, there is heavier cat proof screening available at places like Home Depot.
I'm definitely worried about the screen cause she can quickly destroy it... So i watch her.
She was outside for 14+ years by the way... Not sure if that amount of time means anything. She definitely gets to rest and eat whenever she wants now.
 
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m935

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Since she is an adult cat,she is in the hunting stage so anything she can chase afteror hide,watch,then pounce. Wand toys,cubes, tall cat tower,even shipping trash to hide in. Wand toys like the go cat catcher with a mouse. Adults still like chew toysView attachment 432786
Thanks! my living room is getting close to that. :) But she walks around most of it. i have a tunnel (which looks fun to me) she just grabs the kibble abd walks out. Ill keep trying!!
 

maggie101

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Thanks! my living room is getting close to that. :) But she walks around most of it. i have a tunnel (which looks fun to me) she just grabs the kibble abd walks out. Ill keep trying!!
My cats have no interest in the tummel. I need to donate it. They do love the cubes! How old are your cats?
 
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m935

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Booboo is 10 (born a feral) and Una is at least 14. Her last brother left in may and i brought her in a week later. She's very tiny. The runt for sure.. but survived the longest.
I had 2 cats who would fight over the cube. I wish i videoed the moment one used front paws to flip the other one out.
 

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Don't let her out, I can tell you from experience it's NOT worth it, there are way too many dangers out there. I have too many graves......
Get her a kickeroo on Amazon, they love them. Take some of her toys and bag them up and exchange them once in a while with her others to make them fresh again. She will get used to being inside after a while. Mine are all strictly indoors now. Your other cat will eventually accept her too, it can take a year or two.
I've found letting cats be indoor/outdoor will create door darters, and they'll zip by you before you know it and can't be caught.
OP, I have two cats that were born and lived outside for their first year or two. They've been inside cats since then, and at first they seemed to really want outside but that faded over time. They do have a catio but they haven't been in it much (I was finding fleas and wanted to nip it in the bud), and I think that is enjoyable for them if it's something you could make work. (If so I would strongly recommend that their way in and out is through a cat door or even a window, and NOT a door you use for the door darting thing I mentioned above. If they can dart out door #1, they'll try to dart out others.)
Have you played Cat TV, or calming music?
 

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Videos never around when you need it! My cat Coco did a 360 playing in her cubes! She cannot jump high but still aerobic. She is now 7. Rescued 2 yrs old. Also 8and 9. Peaches is the oldest and only 7 pds!
I've got two tunnels for them, and Lila loves them. Goof will occasionally play in them but not as much as she does. Sarah considers it undignified to "play in a tunnel" :p
My now passed on Tag (Papillon dog) would dart in the tunnel and race along a few steps at a time until he could peek around the edge at Lila. He'd turn and run through the tunnel and would be so happy if Lila decided to chase him. I could have watched them forever, Lila would chase Tag into the tunnel, and by the time they came out the other side Tag was chasing Lila. Then after that, they would just flop down side by side and sleep cuddled up to one another. It was just so, so cute.
 

Maria Bayote

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I agree with the above, especially the catio if you can make one.

I live in a tiny apartment but with a mini terrace. It is where my husband made the mini catio where my cats can be "outside" without leaving the safety of the apartment.
 
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m935

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Yes, the catio could work! Thanks! I think im just really surprised as she could be as old as 17, how I expected her to come indoors to retire and just enjoy staring out a window but instead wants to chase and jump (just very picky about what). But I guess that's a good thing too. It almost seems she enjoys what Im attached to... if its left on the door on on the floor its not the same unless Im waving it for her.
I do have another question. Ive been told and read many places how ferals can not be indoor cats. There were many ferals I felt would have done well inside, plus, you all seem to have had the same experience. Is this a myth????
Thanks for the stories. I grew up with dogs and got my first cat at age 30... cat lady forever now!
 

fionasmom

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There are ferals who can never be indoor pets, but you can identify those easily. They are the ones who have absolutely no contact with humans, might only be spotted from time to time, and when approached by a human will flee. The ferals I have outside fall into this category. One has known who I am since her birth and has always known that food is at my back patio; however, she still hisses and spits at me even when I am placing her food bowl in front of her....four years later. Her male companion (both TNRed) is even worse.

Many ferals have the potential for adoption and there may even be biological/metabolic factors at play in who does and doesn't. Your girl has definitely passed all the tests for living inside happily.

It is a myth that the word "feral" means any and all cats who are outdoors and seem unfriendly at first or happy to live outside.
 

Maria Bayote

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I do have another question. Ive been told and read many places how ferals can not be indoor cats. There were many ferals I felt would have done well inside, plus, you all seem to have had the same experience. Is this a myth????
Thanks for the stories.
I once had a feral kitty my husband rescued from a tree. It was a difficult rescue. She was afraid of anything moving. I placed her in my bedroom and for several days she just hid when I was around, but I knew she was eating and using the litterbox that was in my attached bathroom. After some time I could see her peeking from where she was hiding, but I pretended I was not aware of her presence. Day by day she would inch closer and closer to me, slowly getting her trust. Then one day while I was in bed, she suddenly hopped on my lap at first, then slowly came to my chest, and slept there. I was weeping with joy and it was one of the happiest days of my life. She became the sweetest one I've known. When I finally found her a forever home, I cried for days on end. To this day I still miss her.
 
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