Transitioning an outdoor cat to an indoor cat

[alicefive]

I have a male indoor/outdoor cat. He showed up on my deck as a starving adolescent and I fed him. He was so starved I thought he would die but after not moving for almost three days he recovered. It took almost 7 months for him to let me touch him. Winter was here and I was afraid he would freeze so I tricked him inside. Then I was able to get him neutered. He destroyed several sets of blinds but seemed to adapt until one day he ran out the door and refused to come inside for several days. We had milder weather but then we got a hard freeze and he ran back inside.
Since then he has been an indoor/outdoor cat. He spends the nights inside but loves going outside in the nice weather. He had become very destructive indoors but letting him out for several hours each day fixed that.
Here is the problem. I am disabled and was finally able to acquire a barrier free apartment. It is on the third floor of a large complex. You are not allowed to have your pets run free outside as this is terms for eviction. Plus it is in the city and I am moving from a semi-rural location. How can I turn him into an indoor cat? I want to keep him but I have no idea how to make the transition. I have no one to re-home him with so he can continue being an outdoor cat. But I don’t want to give him up anyway. I am moving in a month. The apartment I am in now is tiny (350 sq ft)but my new place is 1250 sq ft with large open rooms, 12 ft ceilings and large windows with deep windowsills. I am hoping having move room to run around in will help but how do I make the transition? He does come in every night. He won’t go out at all if there is deep snow or it is raining, even if I open the door. Any help/ideas are appreciate.

 

[rubysmama]

Hi. Thanks so much for rescuing this little guy and giving him a home. It sounds like he's a purrfect companion for you.

About transitioning him to indoor only, once you move and there is no door to outdoors that should hopefully make it easier. Most cats, even former ferals, can adjust and live happily as indoor only. Just ensure you have lots of things to keep him from getting bored. And a window where he can look outside.

TCS has these articles which will have some tips to help you out. Good luck with the move.

How To Move With Your Cat To A New Home In A Safe Way | TheCatSite
Renting With A Cat? Find Out How To Keep Your Landlord Happy

The Five Golden Rules To Bringing An Outdoor Cat Inside

How To Make Your Home Bigger (at Least For Your Cats)

Bored Cat? What Cat Owners Need To Know (including 10 Actionable Tips)
7 Proven Ways To Get Your Cat To Be More Active

How To Choose The Best Toy For Your Cat

 

[ArtNJ]

I don't remember what is in those articles, I'm sure it is good stuff, but at the heart of it, the process is simple in outline, although some of it can be highly challenging:

The process is:
(1) keep the cat inside;
(2) make sure cat doesn't sneak past you when the door opens; and
(3) deal with up to several weeks of possibly highly annoying whining before the cat adapts.

While I don't want to minimize (3) in which some cats drive some folks pretty crazy, step (2) can sometimes be highly difficult for the most able bodied folks, so if your disability interferes, you would need some kind of work around.

Are you concerned with steps 1-3, or are you more focused on trying to help your cat be active and happy in your home? It is impossible to avoid the whining of step (3) I believe, the cat will need some time to adapt regardless of what else you do, but I'm sure that there are some enrichment ideas in the articles rubysmama linked that will make for a happier more active cat in the long run. Just don't imagine that any of it will get you out of the adjustment period of whining, begging and trying to sneak out.

 

[fionasmom]

I have done this lots of times in my life and it can be successful. Read all the articles and see what you can do to keep him happy inside. He may not react in the same way that he does in your current place as this will be entirely new and might interest him just in that.

I agree that (2) is incredibly important, especially when relocating and that is the one that you probably need to be most concerned about initially.

 

[rubysmama]

(2) make sure cat doesn't sneak past you when the door opens; and

TCS has an article to with tips to help with that.
How To Prevent Your Cat From Darting Out The Door

 

[gilmargl]

I know it's not quite the same thing, but every rescued stray has to be confined in its foster home. I have had many who have been taken straight from a life on the streets to one room in my basement. I think they feel more secure limited to one room with food, water, cat tree and litter box, than being allowed access to every room, nook and cranny in the house. If (something which has never happened to me) the door to this one room is left open and the cat escapes into the house, there is little chance that the front door is also open and the cat runs out. I know, there have been accidents - particularly when children or other adults leave doors open - but think positive! As long as my fosters had a window sill to sit on, they usually spent most of their time well away from the door. In addition, I was lucky that they only complained when I was in the room! After 3 weeks being cooped up I was almost certain they would have adapted quite happily to becoming indoor cats, though most of them went to live an indoor/outdoor life or at least had access to a balcony.

Can you confine him for the first few weeks in one room of your new apartment? Or is it all open-plan?

 

[Buffster7]

I took in a little guy who had spent most if not all of his life outdoors. He's very active, very athletic, and typically suited for life outdoors. When I brought him indoors, he sent over a month confined to one small bedroom in my house. I tried to introduce him to my resident cat and it failed, so we had to start over with confining him to the one bedroom. All in all, he was confined to that room for about 3 months before gaining access to the house. Even then, once he had access to the whole house he would cry almost non-stop at the doors, begging to go out. It probably took a good month for that whining and crying to stop - it was heartbreaking and very difficult on the nerves.

To this day, he loves the room that he was confined to - it's his "safe" place. So I do think it's beneficial to confine him when you move to create a "safe" space for him in the new, unfamiliar environment...and to make sure that the sounds and smells of this new place are associated as home for him. But there really isn't any way to get around that adjustment period. Now and then my guy will still cry at the door...the call of the wild. But I know how unsafe it is out there, and I love him too much to take any risk - any time he got out could be the last time I see him, and I couldn't bare it. I've noticed lately that if I step outside the door to pick up a package, he stays seated indoors and doesn't try to get out. He's finally accepted indoors. I will always guard that door, though. Bless you for taking in and caring for your guy. Good luck in your new place, it sounds like a beautiful upgrade!

 

[maggie101]

I have a male indoor/outdoor cat. He showed up on my deck as a starving adolescent and I fed him. He was so starved I thought he would die but after not moving for almost three days he recovered. It took almost 7 months for him to let me touch him. Winter was here and I was afraid he would freeze so I tricked him inside. Then I was able to get him neutered. He destroyed several sets of blinds but seemed to adapt until one day he ran out the door and refused to come inside for several days. We had milder weather but then we got a hard freeze and he ran back inside.
Since then he has been an indoor/outdoor cat. He spends the nights inside but loves going outside in the nice weather. He had become very destructive indoors but letting him out for several hours each day fixed that.
Here is the problem. I am disabled and was finally able to acquire a barrier free apartment. It is on the third floor of a large complex. You are not allowed to have your pets run free outside as this is terms for eviction. Plus it is in the city and I am moving from a semi-rural location. How can I turn him into an indoor cat? I want to keep him but I have no idea how to make the transition. I have no one to re-home him with so he can continue being an outdoor cat. But I don’t want to give him up anyway. I am moving in a month. The apartment I am in now is tiny (350 sq ft)but my new place is 1250 sq ft with large open rooms, 12 ft ceilings and large windows with deep windowsills. I am hoping having move room to run around in will help but how do I make the transition? He does come in every night. He won’t go out at all if there is deep snow or it is raining, even if I open the door. Any help/ideas are appreciate.

If you do keep him get the cat micro chipped wether you keep indoors or let out. My friend moved and took a stray with her. He was indoor/outdoor. After a few weeks he never came back. Probably to where he was before but the next day there was a horrible flood so I dont think he made it to where I live.

 

[alicefive]

Hi. Thanks so much for rescuing this little guy and giving him a home. It sounds like he's a purrfect companion for you.

About transitioning him to indoor only, once you move and there is no door to outdoors that should hopefully make it easier. Most cats, even former ferals, can adjust and live happily as indoor only. Just ensure you have lots of things to keep him from getting bored. And a window where he can look outside.

TCS has these articles which will have some tips to help you out. Good luck with the move.

How To Move With Your Cat To A New Home In A Safe Way | TheCatSite
Renting With A Cat? Find Out How To Keep Your Landlord Happy

The Five Golden Rules To Bringing An Outdoor Cat Inside

How To Make Your Home Bigger (at Least For Your Cats)

Bored Cat? What Cat Owners Need To Know (including 10 Actionable Tips)
7 Proven Ways To Get Your Cat To Be More Active

How To Choose The Best Toy For Your Cat

Thanks so much, the articles helped a lot.

 

[alicefive]

If you do keep him get the cat micro chipped wether you keep indoors or let out. My friend moved and took a stray with her. He was indoor/outdoor. After a few weeks he never came back. Probably to where he was before but the next day there was a horrible flood so I dont think he made it to where I live.

I had him chipped when I had him neutered. I want to keep him, I have had him for a while and he won’t let anyone else touch him. He sits on my neighbors porch when they are outside but won’t let anyone get within 3 feet of him. So if I tried to re-home him I don’t think it would go well.

 

[alicefive]

I took in a little guy who had spent most if not all of his life outdoors. He's very active, very athletic, and typically suited for life outdoors. When I brought him indoors, he sent over a month confined to one small bedroom in my house. I tried to introduce him to my resident cat and it failed, so we had to start over with confining him to the one bedroom. All in all, he was confined to that room for about 3 months before gaining access to the house. Even then, once he had access to the whole house he would cry almost non-stop at the doors, begging to go out. It probably took a good month for that whining and crying to stop - it was heartbreaking and very difficult on the nerves.

To this day, he loves the room that he was confined to - it's his "safe" place. So I do think it's beneficial to confine him when you move to create a "safe" space for him in the new, unfamiliar environment...and to make sure that the sounds and smells of this new place are associated as home for him. But there really isn't any way to get around that adjustment period. Now and then my guy will still cry at the door...the call of the wild. But I know how unsafe it is out there, and I love him too much to take any risk - any time he got out could be the last time I see him, and I couldn't bare it. I've noticed lately that if I step outside the door to pick up a package, he stays seated indoors and doesn't try to get out. He's finally accepted indoors. I will always guard that door, though. Bless you for taking in and caring for your guy. Good luck in your new place, it sounds like a beautiful upgrade!

I have two bedrooms in the new place and I am going to confine him in one for awhile. I will put his cat tree right by the window so he can look out and put his cat box in the closet. I have already put a chair he likes to use to sleep in the room. I bought Feliway to see if it helps. I know I am in for a long period of whining because as soon as it is light he starts crying to go out. It’s the same thing every morning. But I am like you, everytime I let him out I worry it will be the last time I see him. He has a terrible fear of brooms, I think when he was little and looking for food maybe someone hit him with one. I have to put him in a bedroom or outside just to sweep. Thanks so much for your help!

 

[alicefive]

I know it's not quite the same thing, but every rescued stray has to be confined in its foster home. I have had many who have been taken straight from a life on the streets to one room in my basement. I think they feel more secure limited to one room with food, water, cat tree and litter box, than being allowed access to every room, nook and cranny in the house. If (something which has never happened to me) the door to this one room is left open and the cat escapes into the house, there is little chance that the front door is also open and the cat runs out. I know, there have been accidents - particularly when children or other adults leave doors open - but think positive! As long as my fosters had a window sill to sit on, they usually spent most of their time well away from the door. In addition, I was lucky that they only complained when I was in the room! After 3 weeks being cooped up I was almost certain they would have adapted quite happily to becoming indoor cats, though most of them went to live an indoor/outdoor life or at least had access to a balcony.

Can you confine him for the first few weeks in one room of your new apartment? Or is it all open-plan?

I have two bedrooms and I have started to set one up as a “cat room”. I will put all of his favorite things inside the day we move. I have large windows with very wide sills in the new apartment. But unfortunately no balcony or patio. And I think they will enjoy the air conditioning, they are suffering with this terrible heat. When I first brought him in he was very aggressive with my other cats. So I confined him to a very large cage at night and rigged up a net between the living room and bedroom door during the day so all the cats could get used to each other. This went on for about two months. One day I went out to run errands and when I got home they had pulled the net aside and all of them were sleeping peacefully on the bed. So hoping the one room thing will help.

 

[alicefive]

TCS has an article to with tips to help with that.
How To Prevent Your Cat From Darting Out The Door

Thanks, the article brought up some things I hadn’t thought about. I will be glad when this is over.

 

[alicefive]

I have done this lots of times in my life and it can be successful. Read all the articles and see what you can do to keep him happy inside. He may not react in the same way that he does in your current place as this will be entirely new and might interest him just in that.

I agree that (2) is incredibly important, especially when relocating and that is the one that you probably need to be most concerned about initially.

That’s the one I am most worried about. I only have one door to be worried about, this is an old building that was gutted and only has one door out of the apartment. That’s why the windows are so big, so you can escape in case of fire. So only one door to guard. I am feeling hopeful this can be done.

 

[alicefive]

I don't remember what is in those articles, I'm sure it is good stuff, but at the heart of it, the process is simple in outline, although some of it can be highly challenging:

The process is:
(1) keep the cat inside;
(2) make sure cat doesn't sneak past you when the door opens; and
(3) deal with up to several weeks of possibly highly annoying whining before the cat adapts.

While I don't want to minimize (3) in which some cats drive some folks pretty crazy, step (2) can sometimes be highly difficult for the most able bodied folks, so if your disability interferes, you would need some kind of work around.

Are you concerned with steps 1-3, or are you more focused on trying to help your cat be active and happy in your home? It is impossible to avoid the whining of step (3) I believe, the cat will need some time to adapt regardless of what else you do, but I'm sure that there are some enrichment ideas in the articles rubysmama linked that will make for a happier more active cat in the long run. Just don't imagine that any of it will get you out of the adjustment period of whining, begging and trying to sneak out.

Thanks for your suggestions, items 1 and 2 can be done, as for item 3, I am hearing impaired so hopefully it won’t drive me crazy!

 

[ArtNJ]

That’s the one I am most worried about. I only have one door to be worried about, this is an old building that was gutted and only has one door out of the apartment. That’s why the windows are so big, so you can escape in case of fire. So only one door to guard. I am feeling hopeful this can be done.

The difficulty tends to be that you find the cat on your heels or close by watching as you approach the door. So you then have a choice: pick up the cat and put in another room, closing the door, or back the cat off by very mildly scaring it. I used to stomp my feet, which worked pretty well until I met a cat that just wasn't afraid of that. For some reason, he was a bit afraid of a long cardboard tube, so I kept that by the door for a bit, and would sort of gently sweep it and click it up and down and that worked well. I've read some people use a jar of coins they can shake or something like that.

Coming in can also be tricky. If there is a ritual that the cat learns, like if you go out and there is a certain noise, that means you are taking out the garbage and will be right back, the cat might be primed to dart out. If there is no ritual and you won't be back for a random amount of time, there is still some risk. So you need a strategy for that side of the door as well. Crack it, look, and be quick will usually work. Slide a foot in and stomp can be used to back up the cat. Or, in my case, I kept the thing the cat was a little scared of on the other side of the door, and put that in the crack,moving that around a bit.

You also need to react correctly if the cat gets out. Chasing and trying to grab is almost always wrong because even a chubby cat can make most of us look pathetically clumsy and slow. Rather, be nonchalant, friendly and try to pet the cat. Only when the cat is totally relaxed, grab and bring in. If that doesn't work, get the treat bag and lure the cat in. Its very much not ideal to reinforce the escape behavior, but its the best option.

 

[maggie101]

I had him chipped when I had him neutered. I want to keep him, I have had him for a while and he won’t let anyone else touch him. He sits on my neighbors porch when they are outside but won’t let anyone get within 3 feet of him. So if I tried to re-home him I don’t think it would go well.

I should clarify. The cat left because he had a bff, female cat,stray, that lived in my apt complex.

 

[rubysmama]

One day I went out to run errands and when I got home they had pulled the net aside and all of them were sleeping peacefully on the bed

Oh, that must have been the most beautiful surprise for you.

Your cats sound lovely, btw. Got any pics you can share?
How To Add A Picture To Your Forum Post | TheCatSite

 

[alicefive]

I have a male indoor/outdoor cat. He showed up on my deck as a starving adolescent and I fed him. He was so starved I thought he would die but after not moving for almost three days he recovered. It took almost 7 months for him to let me touch him. Winter was here and I was afraid he would freeze so I tricked him inside. Then I was able to get him neutered. He destroyed several sets of blinds but seemed to adapt until one day he ran out the door and refused to come inside for several days. We had milder weather but then we got a hard freeze and he ran back inside.
Since then he has been an indoor/outdoor cat. He spends the nights inside but loves going outside in the nice weather. He had become very destructive indoors but letting him out for several hours each day fixed that.
Here is the problem. I am disabled and was finally able to acquire a barrier free apartment. It is on the third floor of a large complex. You are not allowed to have your pets run free outside as this is terms for eviction. Plus it is in the city and I am moving from a semi-rural location. How can I turn him into an indoor cat? I want to keep him but I have no idea how to make the transition. I have no one to re-home him with so he can continue being an outdoor cat. But I don’t want to give him up anyway. I am moving in a month. The apartment I am in now is tiny (350 sq ft)but my new place is 1250 sq ft with large open rooms, 12 ft ceilings and large windows with deep windowsills. I am hoping having move room to run around in will help but how do I make the transition? He does come in every night. He won’t go out at all if there is deep snow or it is raining, even if I open the door. Any help/ideas are appreciate.

Just an update, my cat seems to be doing okay. He hasn’t tried to run out the front door or even go near it. He looks out the window sometimes but not much. But every morning about 2 am he starts crying. I get up and sit with him or play with him if he wants to. He seems a little down but I hope that will improve.

 

[rubysmama]

Good to hear he's mostly content. The 2 AM thing, I wonder if he hears other animals roaming outside?