Hello All! My 5 year old neutered male orange cat Kobie is obsessed with going outside. I found Kobie after he had been hit by a car four years ago. I don't want him going outside, because he obviously doesn't know to stay out of the road. Also, I live in an area very unfriendly to roaming animals, especially cats. His safety is my first priority, but his happiness in a very close second. He isn't miserable inside. He plays with the other cats, sleeps on sofa, eats like a king, and has lots of attention from his human family too. But anytime ANYONE goes near that back door he is there like a flash ready to bolt outside.
We have fought this problem every since we have had him. The best solution seems to be, if we are going outside, Kobie gets a treat and spends some quality time in the dogs crate. We've tried pheromone sprays to keep him away from the door, we've tried keeping him in a separate room all of the time (but he doesn't get as much interaction that way). I am at my wits end. It wouldn't be such a problem except my mother is disabled and is always afraid she will fall trying to come in the door and watch for the cat.
I don't want to punish him because right now he comes back to me pretty readily, and I don't want to hurt him.
Any suggestions on how to keep him indoors and happy about it?
On a related question: He routinely tries to mount my spayed female cat. I have often wondered if he was not neutered properly and maybe that is why he still has this urge to roam. Does anyone know how I can find out?
We have fought this problem every since we have had him. The best solution seems to be, if we are going outside, Kobie gets a treat and spends some quality time in the dogs crate. We've tried pheromone sprays to keep him away from the door, we've tried keeping him in a separate room all of the time (but he doesn't get as much interaction that way). I am at my wits end. It wouldn't be such a problem except my mother is disabled and is always afraid she will fall trying to come in the door and watch for the cat.
I don't want to punish him because right now he comes back to me pretty readily, and I don't want to hurt him.
Any suggestions on how to keep him indoors and happy about it?
On a related question: He routinely tries to mount my spayed female cat. I have often wondered if he was not neutered properly and maybe that is why he still has this urge to roam. Does anyone know how I can find out?