Keeping new outdoor cat inside until he bonds

[bill destray]

We have a new 10 year old male cat that belonged to an elderly woman who went into a nursing home. We have had him for 2 weeks. He wants to go outside soooooo bad. How long should I plan to keep him inside before I risk opening the door and letting him go outside? He had a routine with his former owner where he went out in the morning, came back in, slept all day and then went out again in the evening for a bit and then came back in and slept inside. I don't want him to run away but I'm not sure of how long I should keep him up. He cries at night but not in the daytime which tells me that he really wants out. I just don't want to lose him. He seems to be bonding with me, but its just hard to tell. He still seems skittish. I was thinking maybe a month would be long enough to keep him up. I've been saving his kitty litter and putting it around the yard for him to smell. That worked great when we moved from one house to another with our other cats, but they knew us and had bonded with us already.

 

[katzdesigns]

First, I would like to encourage you to turn this can into an inside cat. There are so many terrible feline diseases that cannot be prevented by vaccination, that it is no longer safe to let our furry friends run loose outside. The best way to help him lose interest in the outside is to have plenty of diversions inside. Another cat, interactive toys, etc. The problem with ever letting him out is cats have long memories and no matter how long you have him, he has more memories of his previous home. He may run away regardless. Good Luck