Inside cat bored, is walking him a good solution ?

KUROE

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Hi everyone !

I'm pretty new to the forum so I'll present myself and my cat family a bit first.

I am a student who lives in colocation in a rather big appartment (about 70m2) with a 10m2 balcony.

I have one cat, Timome (see little black demon under), who is just over one year old. I got him from an association at about 3 months old. He is spayed. He is a friendly cat (never has been once agressive) but rather independant. He doesnt like pets and only cuddles with me late at night on the bed for 20 minutes before I go to sleep. He is alors really really smart (opens cabinet doors and treats boxes, learnt to sit and high dive in a day).

20200522_091342.jpg
Every weekends ans for holidays, I go back home with him to my parents. He is ok with traveling and is used to both homes
My parents have a pretty big gardent but I never let him outside because I feared je would get depressed at my appartment.

At first he was rather playful (like all kittens) but as he grew up he because bored with EVERY toy you can imagine. New toys last 2 days before he finds them Boring. I tried mouses balls feathers catnip, nothing works. He juste stays in the same place sleeping all day Except when he is eating or chasing my parents cat.
The thing is, he finds insects absolutely amazing to chase and I wonder if he's not just too smart for my ridiculous toys ?

A few monts ago we installed a grillaged door so that he can hear see and smell the garden, and since then he spends EVERY woken hour in front of a door meowing like a mad man (cat).

20200601_214943.jpg



So a few days ago I gave up and bought a harness and a leash and we spent a little time in my parents garden. He LOVED it. He went wild with running, I had never seen him so happy before.

20200529_193102.jpg

But the down side is, he spends even more time in front of the door meowing.
And I dont know what to do anymore. I feel crazy guilty to keep him inside when all he wants is to go out. He is definitively not an indoor cat. But if I let him roam freely at my parents he will get crazy back at my place ? I planned on talking hop outside my building with the harness as with have a courtyard (dont know if it is the right Word sorry for my english) with some flowers and grass, but I feel like it will never ne enough for him.

I do everything I can to make hum happy but what can I do it he doesnt want to play, and doesnt want affection but just playing outside ?
I feel like such an awful cat mom its really depressing.

Sorry for the rant, id really appreciate if you had advices or if you went through something like that with one of your babies ❤
 
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KUROE

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Wow sorry for all the typing mistakes my corrector is not used to english
 

Moonlight_wolf

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It sounds like you’re doing a good job taking care of him and trying your best to keep him amused. Taking him for walks on a leash is a great way to get him some fresh air and exercise without the dangers that outdoor cats experience.

I would not let him roam outside at your parents house though. Especially if he’s not used to it. Harnesses are safer.

You could also find other ways to Have him experience the outdoors. My cat has a window box. It’s from ‘cats with an altitude, and it fits in the window like an air conditioner. Mia loves it and it makes her feel like she’s outside in safety.

But walks are a great idea. And it’s good to get him used to them while he’s young. Just make sure he can’t get out of his harness and all should be good.

Also your grammar is fine :) I understood you perfectly!
 

minish

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It's difficult to compete with the lure of outside once it's tasted. My cat minish lives similarly, at my apartment with balcony normal times and stays at my parents' house with garden on holidays. The difference is we let her out at parents' place. There she never plays indoors no matter how innovative the game is.
But of course it's dangerous. Although spayed, minish wanders off sometimes and doesn't return 1 or 2 days. She enters fights and gets minor injuries. But also she hunts, bathes under sun smelling fresh grass, proud in control of her wider territory. it's so fulfilling for her I have decided to take the risk.
She almost always returns at mealtimes and she is locked down at night after her last meal. She cooperates and demands to be let out next morning. comes and goes, usually lies in the porch..
When she's back in my apartment, she whines for about a week but she knows the rules here is different and adapts. Here we play a lot. She gets bored much more easily than when she was a kitten but we change toys and routine a lot. She also enjoys conversations, helping with chores, exploring new cabinet spaces or boxes etc. As long as you are engaged with him like in training for tricks, it's OK for your cat not to play as long as before.
Although I do it in an environment I believe to be safer, I don't recommend letting the cat out to anyone because it's still dangerous. A difficult choice people must make on their own.
I think your solution with harness is great. Cats are like small children they will test their boundaries. They are also smart enough to understand schedule and nuances in rules (i.e. She will be out with harness at parents house but never in apartment) If you set a specific time of day and take her out everyday the same time while you're there, her demands will cease. Consistence is key to whatever we decide for them
 
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KUROE

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Thank you very much for your kind answers !
I checked out the window box, it looks amazing but unfortunately my windows aren't slide windows so it wouldn't work. He can still get on the balcony (I secured it with a net) when I'm home so it's better than nothigng I guess, and he has the door at my parents house.
Actually I harness trained him when he was still a baby, figured out it could get useful sometimes so he really doesn't mind ! I bought a dog harness because I can adjust it better, so I don't think he can slip through it.

We live rather far from the road and all my neighbours are animal lovers but i think I wouldn't ever relax if I let him ou on his own so I think it will be with me or nothing. Maybe I'll take him outside in my appartment courtyard I haven't decided yet.
Yes we do a lot of training, he knows sit, up, high five and give paw ! He still likes to play with wands under covers or through holes in card boxes but I can't get him to run after toys like before, I guess I'll have to stick to what he likes.

I take him before mealtime at night so he knows that something great awaits when we get back inside and maybe it feels less like a punishment, I hope.

Thank again for your answsers, I feel a little better now. In my area it's not usual to jkeep cats inside so I get a lot of remarks and sometimes it makes me doubt what I do, I fear that he is unhappy. But you two reminded me that I was trying my best so I actually feel better about all of this :hearthrob:
 

minish

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You should be proud. Who puts that much consideration in anyting? As long as you give informed decisions and endure a bit of protest from him, all will work out fine. Your cat is very lucky :hearthrob:
 

joaniem

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Hi everyone !

I'm pretty new to the forum so I'll present myself and my cat family a bit first.

I am a student who lives in colocation in a rather big appartment (about 70m2) with a 10m2 balcony.

I have one cat, Timome (see little black demon under), who is just over one year old. I got him from an association at about 3 months old. He is spayed. He is a friendly cat (never has been once agressive) but rather independant. He doesnt like pets and only cuddles with me late at night on the bed for 20 minutes before I go to sleep. He is alors really really smart (opens cabinet doors and treats boxes, learnt to sit and high dive in a day).

View attachment 337278
Every weekends ans for holidays, I go back home with him to my parents. He is ok with traveling and is used to both homes
My parents have a pretty big gardent but I never let him outside because I feared je would get depressed at my appartment.

At first he was rather playful (like all kittens) but as he grew up he because bored with EVERY toy you can imagine. New toys last 2 days before he finds them Boring. I tried mouses balls feathers catnip, nothing works. He juste stays in the same place sleeping all day Except when he is eating or chasing my parents cat.
The thing is, he finds insects absolutely amazing to chase and I wonder if he's not just too smart for my ridiculous toys ?

A few monts ago we installed a grillaged door so that he can hear see and smell the garden, and since then he spends EVERY woken hour in front of a door meowing like a mad man (cat).

View attachment 337280



So a few days ago I gave up and bought a harness and a leash and we spent a little time in my parents garden. He LOVED it. He went wild with running, I had never seen him so happy before.

View attachment 337281

But the down side is, he spends even more time in front of the door meowing.
And I dont know what to do anymore. I feel crazy guilty to keep him inside when all he wants is to go out. He is definitively not an indoor cat. But if I let him roam freely at my parents he will get crazy back at my place ? I planned on talking hop outside my building with the harness as with have a courtyard (dont know if it is the right Word sorry for my english) with some flowers and grass, but I feel like it will never ne enough for him.

I do everything I can to make hum happy but what can I do it he doesnt want to play, and doesnt want affection but just playing outside ?
I feel like such an awful cat mom its really depressing.

Sorry for the rant, id really appreciate if you had advices or if you went through something like that with one of your babies ❤
I'm in the same position with my cat..He is an indoor cat and he escaped out the window a few times too many times. He came from a pet shelter and would have no experience of the outside world so we bought the harness and leash and two weeks in he loves getting outside twice a day and is very content 😊
 

joaniem

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I'm in the same position with my cat..He is an indoor cat and he escaped out the window a few times too many times. He came from a pet shelter and would have no experience of the outside world so we bought the harness and leash and two weeks in he loves getting outside twice a day and is very content 😊
Ps try taking him outside before his dinner that way hel not be crying to get back out hel ne ready for a nap 😊🤣👍
 
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KUROE

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I'm in the same position with my cat..He is an indoor cat and he escaped out the window a few times too many times. He came from a pet shelter and would have no experience of the outside world so we bought the harness and leash and two weeks in he loves getting outside twice a day and is very content 😊
I'm relieved to hear that I'm not alone in this case ! How long do you take him out ?
And yes, I take him right before his meal so he knows he's getting back inside for something great :biggrin:
 
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KUROE

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He loves it 🥰
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20200607_185542.jpg
 

joaniem

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I'm relieved to hear that I'm not alone in this case ! How long do you take him out ?
And yes, I take him right before his meal so he knows he's getting back inside for something great :biggrin:
I take him out for around fifteen to twenty minutes sometimes twice daily if I have the time. He loves to get a sniff about and is happy enough to come back inside to his comforts 😁 best of luck
 
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