Fur Baby Hates Catio - Help!!!

[Ashleyannmerk]

Let us know how the cat tree works out. My cats are big & long too, so I don't know what size tree to get. Most of them look like they are kitten size...I didn't have a good experience with the Kitty Holster walking jacket. Demi got out of it and hid in the woods for 2 days. If I get a different one, it would be the Come With Me Kitty harness that straps them in good.

I’ve heard great things about the Come With Me Kitty harness! At a first glance, I’d think the vest would be safer but the more I think about it, the more I think it would be easier to slip out of. I can’t believe Demi got lost in the woods for two days!!!! I’m sure you were going NUTS!

Omygosh yes they’re all so small and look like they’re for kittens!!! This one seems a bit bigger from the photo, as you can see. Plus it’s a pretty gray and it’s only $49.99 and free shipping on Amazon. The description says it’s for kittens and smaller cats up to 12 lbs, but I went through the reviews and photos and people were getting it for much larger cats and said it was big enough and very sturdy. I’m going to order it now and I will def let you know how it is!! Here’s some info on it if you want to take a look:

As you can see in the second picture posted by a customer it’s pretty large! I doubt my girl will be able to lay comfortably on the top perch since she’s very long, but she could definitely sit there.

 

[Ashleyannmerk]

My 7 yo (who adopted me this past fall) hates her new Catio I put together for her. I only did a small section for now because I’m at the end of my last semester with 7 classes so I didn’t have much time to put the rest together. Right now, it’s up against the garage door that she goes outside out of and is 12 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 7 feet high. I have some pop up tunnels in there, a bed, and a scratching post and I’m getting a medium sized cat tree in the mail tomorrow for it. Before the Catio, she would play in the backyard for the most part and then venture over to a few of the neighbors and hang out there for a little bit. Mind you, it wasn’t nice outside yet then. I’m trying to adjust her slowly to the Catio so I let her out in the Catio early in the morning and late at night and let her in the backyard during the day when I’m out there to watch her. But now - and I’m not sure if it’s because of the Catio or because it’s gotten nice out - she literally refuses to come inside ever!!! She’s like trying to get a bratty kid off the playground to go home everytime I try to bring her in! I let her out late morning/early afternoon after playing in the Catio for awhile (aka she cries to get into the yard) then she disappears for the entire day!!! She used to come home INSTANTLY when I would call her name and ring her bell, now she just ignores me and stays out until night time. Yesterday, I finally got her in around 7 then my sister accidentally let her out and she was out until MIDNIGHT and even then she was refusing to come inside. Is it because she doesn’t want to get stuck in the Catio or because it’s just nice outside? I think I’m going to have to put rollers on top of the fencing. My mom didn’t want me to do anything permanent since I’m moving out soon but she’s gotten so bad!! And by bad, I know she doesn’t actually mean to be bad but I’m a nervous wreck the whole time she’s gone so it’s a bad situation for me!

Any suggestions?? My sister said to put her on time out today but I don’t think she’ll realize she’s being kept inside because she wouldn’t come in yesterday. I think it’ll just exasperate the problem because she’ll feel even more trapped. Please keep in mind, my girl is extremely sensitive and independent and before she adopted me, she was our neighbors cat and they had pretty much left her to fend for herself so she’s not used to being confined.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi, she's not rebelling and you dont need to put her in time out, cats don't think like this, she won't know what youre doing.
It's spring she's behaving normally and wandering, that's what cats do. I don't recall, is she spayed?
Your intent is to have her in the catio and otherwise in the house, you'll need to get everyone on board with that. For in the house, you could try some YouTube webcams for cats or nature shows/DVDs.

 

[Ashleyannmerk]

Yeah I think not letting her out would only further make her feel confined and want to go outside more. She is infact spayed. My sister suggested she found a new family but I don’t think so because when she left her old family and came to us, she was skinny, timid, didn’t really know how to play with cat toys, her paws were bald from excessive licking (apparently from anxiety and depression is what a bunch of articles said online), her ears always either bleeding or full of large scabs from her ripping her ears open, and she’s looked homeless. I don’t see ANY signs of her being depressed and we’re extremely close so I don’t see why she’d find a new family again. I think I’m going to take down the Catio and install rollers over the fencing and see how that goes. Our yard is very very large and I’m done with school in a week, so I’ll have time to build some obstacle courses, play areas, finish the garden, I want to do a small pond for a few fish, etc. I’m really hoping this will do the trick. If she’s gone all day because she found a new family, I would be absolutely heart broken.

Hi, she's not rebelling and you dont need to put her in time out, cats don't think like this, she won't know what youre doing.
It's spring she's behaving normally and wandering, that's what cats do. I don't recall, is she spayed?
Your intent is to have her in the catio and otherwise in the house, you'll need to get everyone on board with that. For in the house, you could try some YouTube webcams for cats or nature shows/DVDs.

 

[danteshuman]

I let my boys in the backyard during the day (provided it is warm enough.) It took many years of training. My number 1 rule? Praise them EVERY time they came back, even if they snuck out to the front yard. Why? Because my sister lost her dog who thought running from her was a game. So reward her every time for coming back. Maybe just don't let her outside except in her new catio? Cats hate new. There is a good chance once she has accepted her limits she will like it Also you could look at fencing toppers to keep her in your backyard.

 

[Ashleyannmerk]

I let my boys in the backyard during the day (provided it is warm enough.) It took many years of training. My number 1 rule? Praise them EVERY time they came back, even if they snuck out to the front yard. Why? Because my sister lost her dog who thought running from her was a game. So reward her every time for coming back. Maybe just don't let her outside except in her new catio? Cats hate new. There is a good chance once she has accepted her limits she will like it Also you could look at fencing toppers to keep her in your backyard.

Whenever I would ring the bell and call her name and she came right home, I would give her pets and tell her how good she is and give her treats. But since the Catio or the nice weather or combination of both, she doesn’t answer when I call for her or ring the bell. I think I need to put the toppers on the fence and just make the backyard a little kitty oasis and even though she may not be thrilled about it initially, I think (and hope) as long as I can put enough things for her to explore back there, she will learn to accept it. I think after living pretty much on her own and wandering the neighborhood for 7 years, that the Catio is just too small for her. So sad I spent so much time and money making it just to get rid of it I think I may put a tarp over the top and let her use it when it’s raining out so she can get atleast go outside when it’s raining.

 

[Furballsmom]

Definitely, don't let your terrific work go to waste

 

[danteshuman]

It took years & a scary run in with a pit bull to train my bud to stay in the backyard. I would look at the catio or fencing so your cat can't escape. My other cat just wants to stay inside.

 

[danteshuman]

Oh & I supervise him in the afternoon during his backyard time.