The call of the wild??????

[sbw999]

My little buddy Hobbs was a stray when I took him in. He was about 6 months old by my estimation. When I bought a new house, and thinking that I wanted him to still enjoy the outdoors, I put up a 6 foot privacy fence, thinking that would be high enough to keep this little squirt inside my backyard. WRONG!!! Even without his front claws, he now jumps right to the top of that fence, and when I see him balancing on the top of the fence, and he looks back at me, he jumps over and just sits in the high grass waiting for me. Why on earth does this cat feel the need to jump that fence?????? He has a huge backyard to explore! Now he can't be left out back by himself anymore because I dont want to lose him. But its frustrating. Is it just that he was once wild, and cant help himself from trying to be on his own again? This cat gets spoiled to death; and he doesnt even know how tough it would be for him out there by himself. Is there anyway to stop him from wanting to do this????

 

[goldenkitty45]

Easy answer and very true: He does it because its there

I've had kittens look at the top of curtains and give you a look of "I can walk across the rod" - then jump up to prove it. Had a kitten do that before. He walked from one side to the other, jumped back down and never did it again!

As far as not getting him to do it, keep him inside. Cats don't need to go outside. If you really want to give him some outside time, train him to wear a leash/harness (not a collar) and supervise him for awhile. Or you can get him those large cat enclosures where he sits in the mesh cage for awhile.

And you should NEVER let a declawed cat roam outside without supervision - they are helpless if a dog, etc. gets ahold of them.

 

[solaritybengals]

Cats do not understand boundaries. Also they like high places. The fence lets him get up high and then he realizes there is extra territory for him to explore. Cats naturally have quite wide ranges. The only kind of fence that works for cats is the kind advertised at the top of this forum. Otherwise they will figure out just about anything.

Trying to constrain a cats territory is not an easy task. They go where they want.

 

[luckygirl]

you can't control the cat...the cat controls you...

seriously, just keep him indoors. ESPECIALLY since you said he has no front claws. If he came in contact with another cat he WILL get really hurt. Short story: my cat when I was young, we had her declawed (back then it was just what you did to indoor cats), then one time she got out....she ran for the door and we couldn't catch her. We looked everywhere... 2 days later she came limping back. Her one eye was almost completely scratched out, she was definately blind, and her spirit was destroyed.

Don't let Hobbs out without claws. Your putting him into a losing battle. Cats are climbers, they climb trees, did you really think your fence would keep him in? And it's not just other cats, ground hogs, opposum's, racoons... anything can hurt him and he has NO SELF DEFENSE.

 

[sbw999]

Thank you for the responses!!

I'll just keep Hobbs indoors. He'll yowl like a banshee about it, but it will keep my little boy safe.

 

[mybabies]

Originally Posted by sbw999

Thank you for the responses!!

I'll just keep Hobbs indoors. He'll yowl like a banshee about it, but it will keep my little boy safe.

I have been having the SAME problem with Ben! HE is out on a harness and leash but the minute I look away from him over the fence he goes (6 foot fence with netting sticking out from it on an angle).

Right NOW he is on a harnss and leash so I can retreive him BUT I am looking for some kind of metal poles that can be bent so they go UP and OUT from the fence (picture the number 7) and are covered with netting. THAT way he can jump up BUT only to the top of the INSIDE of the netting (inside the -- part of the 7) and will hit his head on the netting and hopefully be unable to climb over.

Maybe you can try that!

Good luck to BOTH of us! <sigh>

 

[sbw999]

Originally Posted by MyBabies

I have been having the SAME problem with Ben! HE is out on a harness and leash but the minute I look away from him over the fence he goes (6 foot fence with netting sticking out from it on an angle).

Right NOW he is on a harnss and leash so I can retreive him BUT I am looking for some kind of metal poles that can be bent so they go UP and OUT from the fence (picture the number 7) and are covered with netting. THAT way he can jump up BUT only to the top of the INSIDE of the netting (inside the -- part of the 7) and will hit his head on the netting and hopefully be unable to climb over.

Maybe you can try that!

Good luck to BOTH of us! <sigh>

I was looking at the advertisement above. It seems like a great idea, but $695!! Yowser. I cannot afford that! Good luck to you and Ben.