Indoor cat going outside

[jhyatt]

I am having a problem with my male Maine Coon cat named Hammie. Some background information on the cat. I adopted him 4 years ago from an animal shelter when I lived in Colorado. His previous owner had him declawed and he has always been an inside cat. One year ago I moved to Louisiana. Rural Louisiana to be exact. I live out in the woods. Just after I moved here Hammie started running out the door every chance that he could. I guess he felt it was a game. At first he would just run out and stop, I would pick him up and bring him back in. Eventually these little escapes started getting worst. He would run under the house and would not come out. I would start my truck and he would then run up on the porch. However this no longer works. The next trick was to shine a flashlight under the house while making hissing noises. That no longer works. We have now reached the point that he runs under the house and I can not get him out. I have attempted crawling under the house at which point he runs out, across the yard, and disappears into the woods. This may all seem humorous, but I am not laughing. I had to come home from work one day to find my elderly mother laying in the yard after she fell trying to catch him. I have been late for work attempting to catch him. And currently it is 11:20 PM at night and he has yet again ran out the door. He has been out there for two hours now. It also might seem simple to just be watchful for him when opening the door, but he is very stealthy and quick. I can usually stop him but my elderly mother can not. I do not know what else to do with this cat. Like I have said, I live out in the woods. We have wolves, coyotes, bob cats, and snakes when the weather is warmer. He has no claws or defense mechanisms, so he cannot defend himself. Any suggestions on breaking him of this behavior?

 

[maito]

have you tried walking him? Show him the safe places around the house. I believe that when he satiate its curiosity he won't try to run away anymore, he won't get so easily afraid either and so won't hide.