The Wanderer

[georgiagirl8]

Stinkie is a 10 year old male cat. He was neutered as a kitten. I've had him since he was just maybe 5 or 6 months old when I rescued him from an animal shelter. Anyway, he loves to be outside during the day, although he has a curfew and has be back inside by a certain time. But he's bad about wandering around into the neighbors yards. And lately, he's started to wander further and I'm so scared something might happen to him. He's my baby and that would kill me. He's currently grounded (has to stay inside) because of it. But that doesn't really work so great because when he goes back outside he still does the same thing. Is there any way to make him stay home?

 

[ldg]

Would you like links to ideas on building an outdoor enclosure for him? That way he gets in and out - but safely.

 

[ldg]

Well, I went searching. I found this one first: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=215525

 

[white cat lover]

Unfortunately there's not much you can do to keep him from wandering. The two options I can think of are:

1) Build an outdoor enclosure (Click here to see the small one I built)
2) Keep him strictly indoors

 

[ldg]

Found another thread - has more ideas for enclosures and links to more pictures and ideas: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78887

And this thread has pictures of hissy's fabulous enclosure: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=153179

Googled and found a great resource with lots of pics and links: http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/catrun.htm

 

[stephanietx]

I would ground him for life and keep him inside and/or build an enclosure for him.

 

[ldg]

You can also consider trying to leash train him and take him out..... though I think the enclosure is a better idea if you've got space for it.

 

[farleyv]

It only takes one time for him to wander in the road or fall victim to cruel people or get attacked by animals.

Hind sight is 20 20. Regrets are terrible to live with.

Please build him an enclosure or buy one. Drs. foster and Smith have some great ones that just pop themselves open. Or keep him in.

 

[jack31]

You won't find much advice here beyond keep him inside or an enclosure.

I have one fulltime outside cat and another working on fulltime outside. With Ginger I have found that she stays within our block of 4-5 houses. I know I can't make her stay in our yard but she doesn't cross the street-unless we go for a walk together and she knows to listen and look beforehand. I think that you just have to decide if you and your neighbors are okay with wandering a bit. I know Ginger is okay where she goes. Yes there are risks but she's happy and 5 happy years is better than 10 miserable ones. Her daugther goes out now too and is staying close to the house for the most part. She seems to follow her mommas scent and I'm not worried.

I don't worry about them getting lost, cats have a keen sense of smell and for weeks Ginger would go back to our old 1/2 mile from where we moved. I told her to stop going and she did.

Good luck
Leslie

 

[mike john]

he really will be happy in an outdoor enclpsure , but mostly cats are not addicted to them they sleep where they like .