Limited to Indoors

[gitabooks]

So we have a kitty named Nym, about 4 or 5 years old. He is a neutered male, very large (I'd say around 15 lbs, and he's not over-weight) and can be quite nasty. We raised him since he was two weeks old as an orphan. He was raised around people, other cats, and animals like dogs and chickens, but his personality is just a little nasty (he likes to start fights and he tends to win them). We moved a couple years ago to the suburbs from a farm and since he has come here he has sort of terrorized the neighborhood cats. We've worked really hard to set a schedule with him so that he is only out when most cats are in (he demands to get his energy out outside. He will meow and meow at the door non-stop and become quite grouchy and aggressive if kept inside). Anyways, I guess someone threatened to file a complaint (didn't even contact us) and we've been told we have to keep him inside permanently. We hope to move in a year or two, but that's a long way off. Nym is now going to have to get use to being inside permanently, and he doesn't play, so he won't get any energy out. Any advice for what we can do beside just endure that time?

Despite his quirks, we love him. He may be a nasty boy prone to biting and scratching, but we made a life-long commitment to him when we brought him home as an orphan.
We have 6 dogs that sometimes overwhelm him in the smaller house we've moved to, so he doesn't really like to be downstairs with them. He'll go from having walked around and explored for 8 hours a night to being confined all the time. : (

 

[1 bruce 1]

You said he's overwhelmed by the 6 dogs in the house. Do the dogs chase or aggravate him? If so, let them know that is not allowable.
Would building a covered, outdoor cat enclosure be a help? Unless you have very small dogs, you could put a cat screen in so only he could fit into the outdoor enclosure. It doesn't have to be huge, but if he had his own "spot" that the dogs couldn't access, while being outdoors, he might be a little less scrappy and more friendly and bite and scratch less. If he's stressed, that might be why he's so bitey and not so friendly. If he has a place that he can be outside, whenever he wants, without the dogs bothering him, he might be a happier cat.

 

[gitabooks]

Thanks for the reply!

Coral, our biggest and newest dog, does like to chase him sometimes. We tell her no, so she generally doesn't, but it bothers Nym. He's not really scared, just frustrated by it. He grew up with six dogs (five of the ones we have now), so he's use to them running around and barking and playing, I think its the smaller, more crowded house that has him stressed about it.

He's the kind of cat who can be completely chill, sleeping on the bed or a chair, and you reach out to pet him and he attacks your hand. He's just grumpy. He rarely lets people touch him, anyone, even when he is relaxed and away from the dogs. I think it's just his personality (he was like that at the old house too). He's gotten a little better since he got over being a teenager. I guess you never know what you'll get when you start off with a kitten. We spoil him anyways : )

 

[Luc]

Maybe you could take him out on a leash ? A clicker and some treats should help.

 

[rubysmama]

Is a catio an option?

Cat Enclosures
Catio Incoming

If not, try to make the indoors more appealing for him.

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[Pjg8r]

You made a comment that sometimes you approach and he’s sleeping and he attacks people. Have you checked his hearing or eye sight? I am a month into owning a blind kitten and I make sure I tap my foot on the ground before I approach her if she’s sleeping so she isn’t startled.

 

[gitabooks]

Thank you all for the replies!

We don't have a lot of money, so a catio wouldn't be an option (though I work for a cat rescue that has them, so I know they are AWESOME). We might try the harness and leash thing, but he is really mouthy about being handled.

I've worked with blind and deaf animals, Nym seems perfectly healthy, just a grumpy dude. I work at a cat rescue, have volunteered and fostered for a shelter, and worked with feral cats and other pet cats, and Nym just seems like one of the grumpy ones. I don't want any of the neighborhood kitties hurt, so I understand if that was the issue it is good to keep him inside, hopefully he will get use to it and not freak out until we can get back out into the country.