She Wants Out

Erin80

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Kaia and Binx are both just over a year. Binx is perfectly happy with his indoor life. Kaia on the other hand, wants out so badly and will not stop digging at the doors to try to get out.
We live way out in the country, on a dirt road, and I have thought about letting her out.....but we have large birds here, and even though our road is quiet she has zero street smarts, so wouldn’t know to be careful.
We bought them each a harness and leash and we have been walking her outside. She was so desperate to get out that she adjusted to the harness immediately, like she’d been wearing it all her life. She’s so adventurous, not worried or jumpy at all, not overly cautious. She just wants to explore.

I feel guilty and selfish keeping her inside. I’m doing what I know is best, but not what she wants. My husband does not want any kind of “catio” set up outside, so that’s out of the question. She has ruined our screen by digging at the corner to get out, we have to keep it locked because she knows how to slide it open. She’s now ruining the weather stripping on our house door to the garage as well.
She is spayed, so it’s not hormones. We have a very active house and I know she’s not bored. She just wants out!!
What would you do? Any suggestions?
 

rubysmama

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Some cats just have a desire to go outside. And, unfortunately, outside is not the safest place for a cat. :(

My first thought, when I read you live in the country, was to suggest a catio, but I see your husband isn't on board with that idea. Does he have a particular reason? If so, maybe we can help think around his concerns.

Meanwhile, here's a TCS article that might be helpful:
How To Prevent Your Cat From Darting Out The Door | TheCatSite
 

Kieka

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Would your husband allow a chicken coop that she could spend some sun time in? Not the commitment of a catio and smaller plus it would fit in your area without looking like crazy cat people (which may be your husbands misgiving).
 

Lisannez

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We have two cats, the Tuxie in the picture is the one that loves to go outside, she's 12 years old. Her sister the Ragdoll is perfectly happy inside. They were born that way. The Tuxie only shows outside interest when she knows there is a chance for her to go out. So when we lived in a condo with no outdoor space, she never asked. But now that we live in a house, she will meow and paw and scratch at the door constantly to go out. Two things we do. First we have a second floor patio that we allow her out on when we are in the room by the patio. She will sometimes sit out there for hours, while I work at the desk or watch TV. We did not build it, but the walls are high enough that she cannot jump out (and we make sure there are no chairs or tables to climb on) and the slats are very close together. Plus she won't jump from the second story even if she could. But she's an older cat and we know her behaviors. The second thing is a leash. We have a harness for when we travel but we got a very simple leash for free at Banfield and now she has learned when I pull it out she's going outside. At first she fought the leash. We live in the City, but we have a postage stamp yard with lots of greenery and trees. I will sit on the porch with her leash and if she wants to move she meows and I get up and go with her. Sometimes she asks to come in (it gets hot in DC and humid) other times we have to fight her, give her a little nudge. She hisses but obliges, and when she does come inside I give her a treat, so she associates coming in with food. It works for us. She usually goes out a few times a day for 15 minutes, just like I would walk a dog, and she's okay with that. The neighbors sometimes come by and look at us like we are nuts, but they all want to say hello, and she likes that too. She loves new people.
 

Dacatchair

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I have been having a similar problem with 2 young cats that were born and bred indoors. The older has become like a raging alcoholic when it comes to going outside, and going out with him for an hour or 2 every day just seemed to remind him what he was missing, and make him want out even more.

The older one spent a lot of time with me on a leash in the yard when he was a kitten, and we also were regularly going for long hikes on the forest trails behind and beside our home which is in a sparsely populated rural area. He is really smart and amazing on a leash. We can go for a 2 mile hike and he leads and keeps up most of the way, with only occasional breaks to do cat things.

The younger one has only been out on a leash a few times, partly because I can't manage 2 cats on a leash, and partly because I don't want him getting as attached to being outside as the older cat. The younger cat seems perfectly content indoors.

They have a pretty deluxe system of enclosures and walkways, and I have not found adding on more outdoor space helps the older cat at all, beyond the novelty of the first week. I think part of the problem is there is a lot of rodents here, and my older cat has been able to regularly catch mice, and also occasional rats, birds and bats, just out on the enclosed porches and other areas.

The younger cat is a lot more enthusiastic and clutzy, and mostly seems to steal the older cats catches, so I don't think he has really figured out where the mice come from. But my older cat is probably fully aware of the rustlings in the grass and all the things he is missing, just out of reach.

At this point most of the mice seem to have moved to safer accommodations, which maybe why my older cat became increasingly desperate to get out. For us, the solution may be just not talking the older cat out on a leash anymore at all, and substituting this with playtime and possibly some frozen and defrosted whole prey. It has been 2 weeks of no leash time, and I think I am seeing some improvements.

The "more playtime" part is a bit challenging because the older cat is very particular and slow to decide to pounce, and the younger cat will usually charge in and take over when my older cat is just getting warmed up. But the older cat is now asking for playtime and clicker training games, instead of outside. So this seems it may be a solution.

The area we live in is relatively safe for outdoor cats, and the older cat has an extremely cautious personality, and has developed excellent road sense and other basic survival skills after spending hundreds of hours out on a leash. But the younger cat is really relaxed, super sweet, but not as quick to figure things out, and may never be capable of learning even the basics. And the younger cat seems perfectly happy, unless he sees the older cat outside. Then he wants out too. So even though I do feel really guilty, and the risks to the older cat are minimal in this area, for these reasons and a few others, it seems best if I can find a way to keep my older cat happy indoors.

But it is really hard living with an unhappy cat!
 
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Erin80

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Would your husband allow a chicken coop that she could spend some sun time in? Not the commitment of a catio and smaller plus it would fit in your area without looking like crazy cat people (which may be your husbands misgiving).
We actually do have a chicken coop (and chickens but they aren’t always in there)....however knowing Kaia she would be trying to get out. She wants freedom! Haha
 

Maria Bayote

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It is much safer for your cats to just stay inside, and only out if under your supervision or on a leash. Since catio is out of the question, which could really help a lot, there is not much option but to walk her several times in a day if you have the time.
 
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