Keeping Cats Inside

[nerdrock]

Lloyd and Meowzers are both indoor only but have shown a great interest in trying to get outside. This hasn't been an issue because we've been in apartments but we're moving to a townhouse this weekend and I know they're going to try door darting. We want to try to nip it in the bud before it becomes a huge issue. I know that Mike and I will be extremely careful not to let them out but I can't say the same about our friends or other people that might be over. Of course we will tell them and make every effort to enforce it but I just don't want to take the chance.

The only thing that we have been able to think of is to get a can of compressed air and sit outside with the door open, then spray it in their direction when they come near (not at them) but that seems a harsh ans traumatizing.

Anyone have any suggestions or is spraying the air in their direction really not that bad?

 

[catspaw66]

If you have a window on the opposite side of the house from the door, put something in front of it that they can get on to look outside.  Then put a sign on the door inside and outside "Please don't let the cats out" 

Sitting outside with the door open and then using an air can seems to me to defeat the purpose.  The open door says it is OK to go out, you are outside and then comes the burst of air.  It could tend to make your relationship with them worse.

 

[nerdrock]

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't think there's a window beside the door but I can't remember. I think we're going there tonight to pay our rent and do a walk through with the landlord before we sign the lease so I'll double check. We are planning on putting a sofa table with cushions on it behind the couch so that the small dogs and cats can look out the front window, Bruce (the big dog) won't be able to though, lol.

I really don't want to make our relationship with them bad, Meowzers has just started to be cuddly - it took her almost 2 years and for the first 2 weeks after we got her we didn't even see her. I know with the move she will revert a bit, I don't want to make that worse. They will also have their own room upstairs, I suppose when we have a lot of people over that we can just lock them in that room too.

Lloyd is a feral born bottle baby, he's the one that we're most concerned about. The street is busy, so I don't want him getting out and getting hurt.

Meowzers always thinks she wants to go out but then freaks out when she actually gets outside.

We'll start with the sign, hopefully that will remind our friends whenever they come over.

 

[catspaw66]

You want the window for them to look out as far away from the door as possible.  One beside the door gives them a chance to see anyone coming and get into position for a door dash.

Also, politely remind visitors that the cats have the same traffic sense as a two-year old child.

 

[bentliy]

I don't use compressed air, but what I found funny was that I did have a Glade Sense 'n' Spray near my front door, and whenever they got near it, it would spritz and scare them off a little, haha. I've had a bit of a problem with Max bum rushing the door, and my only advice is to be nimble when coming and going, and also to gently discourage them away from the door whenever you see them near it. I agree with the idea of giving them a window to look out and sniff the air instead. Do whatever possible to make THAT the comfiest spot to spy on the neighbors!

 

[stella123]

you could get a cat run for your cats......ebay have loads at little price's

i was very worried about my cat going outside...but he was never going to give up getting out the door at all...

he was 10 mths old when i took him in,and cryed day in day out...destroyed my home..and was very depressed...no amount of attention,cuddles,toys would distract him...

after he was neutered i thourght this may settle him into staying inside...but it didnt at all..

so 3 weeks after he was neutered i started taking him outside in my yard..with me there at all times...then he gradually found his condifidence and jumped my 6ft wall...i was panicing...i can't get out my back gate due to loosing the keys for the pad locks...but never use the back entrance anyway..but this also ment i couldn't run after my cat...

after 3 hours my cat still hadn't come back...i was very nervous....then i heard his bell on his collar....and he came back inside feeling very proud of himself...

i now have a cat flap and my cat comes and goes through the day..i keep him home at night.

Cats will always find their way back to you if they can...they know where thier food and shelter is and where the safest place on earth is for them...with you!!

some cats will be content to stay indoors for the rest of thier lives....some won't.

but if they really really want to go outside...they will eventually find a way out..any chance of escape and they will take it..

I do not believe that cats have the mentality of a two year old child at all...

my cats only got to hear a car or loud noise and he runs back indoors....cats do get run over or injured.....thats a fact....but most cats stay away from busy roads and fast objects bigger then themselves....a cat will not try and take on a larger animal if it doesn't have too.

The first time i let my cat out alone....he went for a walk along the tall walls...then he came back to play in the yard.....not all cats will die or get hurt going outside....but cats that have spent most of thier lives indoors are more then likely the ones who get hurt and have escaped from thier homes in a mad dash for freedom and have no real sense of danger ...they are the ones that run in front of cars..

cats that have been going outside since an early age are alot more street wise...

but its always a risk letting your cat outside....but thats your choice to make...you have to assess your area front and back...and decide.

all my cats over the years have been indoor/outdoor...all lived long lives....except one who had to be put down due to illness that was un-related to going outdoors!!!

if your cats want to go outside...they will eventually find away...only takes one person to leave a door or window open...and quick as a shot that cat will be out....i think for cats that want to go outside..its much better they do it on your terms and in your way...then simply making a run for it alone..

 

[melhammouche]

We have one cat in this same situation she has a place to sit where se can see the outside world from two of our windows so she knows what outside. And when we open the door from either side she runs up and has a look but never actually takes the step to walk out. I think you just need to have a place for them to see what's outside, and also when you walk through the door have a bit of solid play time with them.

Oh and maybe if its possible for the first couple weeks shut them into a smaller area away from the front door until you think they can handle it. If your new house can do that.

 

[gingerkid]

Let them run outside when there's several inches of fresh snow on the ground, and its below freezing... That's what happened to us (accidentally).  Murdoch snuck out when a friend came over one evening and we didn't notice until about 15 minutes later because he wasn't harassing the new person.  He wasn't anywhere in the house and the shake of a treat bag produced no cat so we checked the front door and sure enough there were little kitty footprints going across our deck over to the neighbor's.  I went over and rescued him from the neighbor's deck since he refused to walk through any more snow.  He's gotten out once more since then, but only got a few feet before he turned around and came right back inside.

Before all that happened though, we got to be pretty good with blocking his path out of the door using whatever we were carrying; or we'd tag-team it with one of us opening the door and the other person standing ready to catch the cat.

 

[Willowy]

Maybe you can try to usual remedy for door-dashing dogs---train a "go to your mat" command, even making it automatic whenever the door is opened. I'm no expert on clicker-training cats but there are a lot of books available and I'm sure you could do it without too much trouble.

 

[nerdrock]

I'll look into clicker training them - thanks for the idea!

If we didn't live so close to a semi busy road, I might be more open to letting them have some access to outside, but we're just too close for me to feel comfortable with it. Our yard isn't fenced just yet, when they do it I'm not sure how small they are going to make it - right now our neighbours yard is pretty small (maybe 10x10) but they have the parking spots behind their house. Ours is right beside and I think our yard will extend past the parking spots, so our yard would be maybe 10x20 but again, I'm not sure how they're going to fence it, if it will be the same as the neighbours. The neighbour on the other side of us has the longer yard, but no parking spot on this side... I'm not sure if they have one at all to be honest. We're also putting in raised gardens in the spring, so that will take up a good chunk of the yard, and we're renting, so I'm not sure that a cat enclosure will be practical, doable or even allowed. I'll look into it in the spring when the fence is put in. 

Right now it doesn't seem to be too much of a problem, the only time the cats seem to even go to the door is when we're outside on the porch. They spend most of their time upstairs anyways, maybe because the dogs are with us nearly all the time and they don't really go upstairs unless they follow us up. They were staying upstairs all the time when Bruce first came to us, but since he doesn't bother with them I think they're starting to realize that he's alright. They'll actually be on the same floor as him and have started to sleep with us again (Bruce will either sleep in the bed with me until Mike comes to bed, or he'll sleep on the floor). I guess we'll revisit the problem if it actually comes up again.

Most of our friends will also bring their dogs over when they come over, the cats don't really like new dogs so when they're over the cats tend to stay upstairs in the bedroom. I think they're starting to associate the door with dogs, which seems to be working in our favour. We'll see how that goes when they start to get used to the different dogs that come over, lol. Tomorrow Mike has band practice so there's a husky coming over (he's been here so many times, I think they're getting used to him) and a beagle mix (new dog), so there will be 5 dogs here and I imagine the cats will be upstairs most of the day. 

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

 

[ligwa]

I have a cat that was an outdoor guy when I got him. After he got torn apart by another neighbor cat I started keeping him inside. It's been over 2 years and he still wants to go out. If he had the chance he would dart right out the door. We're careful. And so is anyone that comes over. He hasn't got out yet. That said; we do have an outdoor enclosure that he cat access from a window. The enclosed area doesn't have to be large, just large enough for your cats to go out and soak up some sun and fresh air. If you're worried that he may escape at some point, make sure he has a collar on with your name and phone number. Even if you decided to let him out at all, make sure he stays inside for at least 3 weeks after moving. This is the time cats get lost. When moving in to your new place, put the kitties in one room for a bit. A couple of days is good. That way they get used to a new surrounding and you don't have to worry about anyone getting out the door during the coming and going.