How to break this pattern?

[rosie1979]

So this is how my evenings have been going.

I go outside for a smoke.

Most of the time we leave the patio door screen locked but the door open so the cat can look outside at the birds in the feeder and the bugs.

Cat hears me open the door (he is leash trained and gets at least one "walk" per night) and comes running.

Cat starts crying, very dramatic. Communicating his desire to go on his walk.

I ignore him until he stops crying. Wait a few minutes and if I have time take him outside on his leash. Feed him treats while putting on the leash and most of the time he doesn't struggle. If he does struggle I give up and he doesn't go outside.

I get eaten alive by the mosquitos. Sneezy sits there and stares at bugs and birds.

We go inside, I pick Sneezy up. Sneezy bites me hard on my wrist as if to say "I'm not done out here"

Bring Sneezy inside, feed him treats while taking off the leash and harness to make if a positive experience. 

Sneezy then bites my ankles. I tell Sneezy NO! Sneezy turns to my ancient sick little Jack-Chi dog and attacks him. I tell him NO!

He jumps up to attack me, most of the time claws not out, but sometimes he draws blood.

Sneezy gets a time out in the upstairs washroom (most boring place in the house) Comes out of bathroom in less than five minutes (more like two minutes) sometimes he cries in there. Ignores me and the dog and goes to look outside.

I play with my cat indoors and he is rarely alone in the house. I even schedule play dates with my friends dog with him. He's not lonely or not getting enough attention I am sure.

I understood fully when I started taking my cat out on a leash that he would want to go out all the time. I never thought he would be so......vindictive? It's like he's biting me because he doesn't want to come in and then he wants to take it out on me and the dog.

My husband is offering to build an enclosure for him, I don't know if that will help or make things worse? We live in Northern Ontario so it would not be usable for quite a bit of the year.

It really hurts my feelings.

Any suggestions on how to stop this behavior without giving up his "walks"? 

Thanks.

 

[rosie1979]

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• rosie1979
• Jun 16, 2015

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• rosie1979
• Jun 16, 2015

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• rosie1979
• Jun 16, 2015

 

[mingking]

I'm not sure how to help with Sneezy's aggression so I hope someone will address that.

I think an enclosure is a great idea even if it's only used during the warmer months.

For my cat, sometimes I'll tie his leash to our lawn chair (it's sturdy and heavy) and just let him be while I do my stuff. I'm not very comfortable leaving him in the yard by himself, but I've had to several times and he's fine just to walk around and lay in the grass on his own. That might be something you could do under strict supervision (so you don't get eaten by mosquitoes). It also helps that I have high fences on 3 sides of my yard so I'm not too afraid he'll run off and away. 

 

[rosie1979]

Thank you for your help MingKing

A few summers ago we were outside on the deck BBQing and there was a young black bear just walking through our yard. I wish I could leave the cat out where we are but we don't have high fences like you do either and I worry about the wildlife. The joys of living in Northern Ontario! 

 

[handsome kitty]

I have a few questions.  Can you take your cat out with you when you smoke so he can be out longer?   How long do you stay out with him?  Sometimes I take my cat out earlier in the day depending on the temp.,  noon is too hot here unless it's cloudy.  It's less buggy out in the mornings as well.  I also have one of those bug wrist bands that they sell.  I carry it to keep the bugs away - if you try this keep it away from the cat, I think they are toxic to animals.  My cat is the same way, he likes to go out and just sit in the shade.  Even if we stay out for an hour he will want to stay out longer.

I like the idea of an outdoor inclosure but you'll have to watch for the wildlife.  I'm not sure how it would stand up to a bear.  Some people have catios w/a cat window so the cat can go in and out at will.