Becoming an outdoor cat. How??

I have had, well, many cats in the past 3 years, one, got curious to the outdoors, and ended up sadly , dying, due to the fact of slaming doors, [don't want to get into that story], another cat, got out and never returned home, again with 2 other cats, I now currently have 3 cats, spynx, about 2 years now, mischeif, 1 year, and the newest family member, Boots, about 6 months, spynx is fine, he goes and comes, i have not had any problems with him, before i got boots, i had a cat named tigger, mischeifs sister, she dissapeared, but her sister stayed, I don't know why, she was fine at first. bascially, what im getting to is, my new little kitten, is now curious, and I want to know if theres any way to make sure, he will come home, if say I let him out side the first time, and he does not find his own way. If anyone has any tricks or heard anything, please let me know, I don't want to lose another cat, its heartbreaking, i love them so very much. [ I also tried with my past cats to go outside with them and keep an eye on them, making sure they stick around the house, and then bring them in, to see if maybe they will get use to the outside of there home, if they are to ever travel further, that didnt work]

As i forgot to mention, my cats, are indoor and outdoor, they are in as much as they are out, if not more. I probably should have explained that.

Is there a reason why you can't keep them inside only?

There's only one thing you can do - KEEP THEM INSIDE!!!!!

If they are disappearing and getting injured, surely that's enough of a reason to keep them inside?? A couple of years ago our cat died from a snake bite, and we were completely heartbroken. Our cats have been inside cats ever since, and they are absolutely fine!

I agree. If your cats keep dissappearing, then why don't you just start NOT letting them outside? Problem solved.

i have tried that, and the experience wasn't to nice, my cat was a very angry cat, and when he did find a way outside, my brother attempted to get him , only to be scratched very badly, and then my cat was never seen again, i'm just afraid of that happening again, he also would attack my sister while she was lying down, for no reason, could have just been the cat, all my cats have been out door, plus, since two of my cats are already out door, my kitten seeing them go outside, make him more curious.

Originally Posted by tinyone21

i have tried that, and the experience wasn't to nice, my cat was a very angry cat, and when he did find a way outside, my brother went to get him , he scratched my brother very badly, and then was never seen again, i'm just afraid of that happening again, he also would attack my sister when she was lying down for no reason, could have just been the cat, but all ym cats have been out door, plus, since two of my cats are already out door, my kitten seeing them go outside, make him more curious.

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Was your cat neutered? This to me sounds like very frustrated intact male behavior. He wants to go out and mate, so if you stop him, he'll react with violence.

That was probably the problem, the only thing is, getting my cats nuetered, is not an option for me, at the moment, seeing as I don't have a job, and my parents won't pay for it, because they have me and 3 other siblings to spend their money on.

Originally Posted by tinyone21

That was probably the problem, the only thing is, getting my cats nuetered, is not an option for me, at the moment, seeing as I don't have a job, and my parents won't pay for it, because they have me and 3 other siblings to spend their money on.

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Uh oh... You're going to be up to your armpits in strays if you keep letting your cats out.

They do have very cheap neuter/spay clinics (something like $30/neuter, go mow two people's lawns and you can make that). Just ask your local humane society.

I'm not worried about spynx or mischief, I have had no problems, spynx has been in and out for 2 years now, and missy, almost a year, it's just, when boots decides he wants out, i want to know if theres any way to make sure he will know where his home is, like an old friend on mine boots butter on her cats paws, so when he stepped outside, he'd leave a little butter trail, and when he got hugry, hes find that sence, or something along those lines, anyways, shes had her cat for over 10 years.

Originally Posted by tinyone21

I'm not worried about spynx or mischief, I have had no problems, spynx has been in and out for 2 years now, and missy, almost a year, it's just, when boots decides he wants out, i want to know if theres any way to make sure he will know where his home is, like an old friend on mine boots butter on her cats paws, so when he stepped outside, he'd leave a little butter trail, and when he got hugry, hes find that sence, or something along those lines, anyways, shes had her cat for over 10 years.

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Errmm.... not sure how to break it to you, but if boots is a male and you keep him intact, what happened to your old cat will surely happen to boots.

He will most likely become an outdoor cat. Also I have a female cat, so if boots doesn't get any outside, he'll probably do what my oldest cat spynx does, and go after her, I don't have to worry about her getting pregnant either, not because shes nuetered, because shes not, but because, she had one litter, but i take it because she was an insest kitten, things didnt work out so well, and sadly and heartbreaking, lost her two kittens, and since then, she hasnt been able to get pregnant.

That's still no reason to not get her spayed. You don't know for a fact that she can't get pregnant, what happens in the future if she DOES get pregnant? You can't afford to spay and neuter your current cats, how're you going to be a good owner and spay and neuter 5 (maybe even 10) more kittens? And to top it off, leaving your female (and your males, as a matter of fact) intact, you're giving them the opportunity to die of cancer.

Sorry, but I think you're being horribly irresponsible. At the very least, STOP getting more cats when the rest get killed.

Originally Posted by Aussie_Dog

That's still no reason to not get her spayed. You don't know for a fact that she can't get pregnant, what happens in the future if she DOES get pregnant? You can't afford to spay and neuter your current cats, how're you going to be a good owner and spay and neuter 5 (maybe even 10) more kittens? And to top it off, leaving your female (and your males, as a matter of fact) intact, you're giving them the opportunity to die of cancer.

Sorry, but I think you're being horribly irresponsible. At the very least, STOP getting more cats when the rest get killed.

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What she said. Isn't it obvious to you that going outdoors is dangerous, since your cats keep getting killed? Cats can live very happily indoors, you just need to give them toys and things to do, play with them, and be patient with them while they make the transition. Also, as Aussie_Dog said, you don't know for a fact that the cat can't get pregnant, and what are you going to do with more kittens? Perhaps you should delay pet ownership until you are able to pay for basic things like spay/neuter? What do you plan to do if one of your animals gets sick, if you don't even have 30 dollars to get them fixed?

I'm not sure how to keep him around your house.Blaze is an inside/outside......but ONLY during the day!At dusk,she comes in until the next morning.She was very stressed out with the orphans that I found.SO, we started letting her out on the deck with us and then she was allowed off the deck ONLY in our yard.She will not stray from our yard and we live out in the country,so there isn't any dangers about being killed from strays and suck.
Since you know that your cats ARE being killed,I think the safest thing to do for them, would be to keep them indoors.Do you have a garage that they can stay in?Or even a shed of some sorts?A barn that they could be kept in?ANY of those would be sooooooooooooo much safer for your cats than to just take a chance on them being hurt in the open.That's like playing "Russian Roulet" with your cats lives.
If I KNEW that my cats would get killed/seriously injured,then I would keep them inside no matter what.And if that wasn't an option for me,then I would find new homes for them.

Originally Posted by crittermom

I'm not sure how to keep him around your house.Blaze is an inside/outside......but ONLY during the day!At dusk,she comes in until the next morning.She was very stressed out with the orphans that I found.SO, we started letting her out on the deck with us and then she was allowed off the deck ONLY in our yard.She will not stray from our yard and we live out in the country,so there isn't any dangers about being killed from strays and suck.
Since you know that your cats ARE being killed,I think the safest thing to do for them, would be to keep them indoors.Do you have a garage that they can stay in?Or even a shed of some sorts?A barn that they could be kept in?ANY of those would be sooooooooooooo much safer for your cats than to just take a chance on them being hurt in the open.That's like playing "Russian Roulet" with your cats lives.
If I KNEW that my cats would get killed/seriously injured,then I would keep them inside no matter what.And if that wasn't an option for me,then I would find new homes for them.

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Honestly, I think this is gonna be one of those "preaching to the chior" threads

Plain and simple - not only for their safety, but to help keep the cat population down - keep them inside. You're contributing to the abundance of poor stray sickly kittens/cats.
They will have litters, they will get other cats pregnant, and they will get hurt.
Keep them inside please!!! They will get use to it.

Originally Posted by Aussie_Dog

That's still no reason to not get her spayed. You don't know for a fact that she can't get pregnant, what happens in the future if she DOES get pregnant? You can't afford to spay and neuter your current cats, how're you going to be a good owner and spay and neuter 5 (maybe even 10) more kittens? And to top it off, leaving your female (and your males, as a matter of fact) intact, you're giving them the opportunity to die of cancer.

Sorry, but I think you're being horribly irresponsible. At the very least, STOP getting more cats when the rest get killed.

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I have delted this post!

Originally Posted by lisasha3

Plain and simple - not only for their safety, but to help keep the cat population down - keep them inside. You're contributing to the abundance of poor stray sickly kittens/cats.
They will have litters, they will get other cats pregnant, and they will get hurt.
Keep them inside please!!! They will get use to it.

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I can't just, take my cat, and force him to stay inside, after hes been out and about for over 2 years now, I just don't see that as fair, but like I said in that long thing above, I am going to look for away to get money, and get them neutured, its not easy, and will take time, I will do my best, because i also want the best for my cats, and for well, other cats also, I'm still going to have outdoor cats, its just what the 2 are use to. And I do hope to make boots indoor, I have since the beginning, im just worried he won't want to be.

Originally Posted by crittermom

I'm not sure how to keep him around your house.Blaze is an inside/outside......but ONLY during the day!At dusk,she comes in until the next morning.She was very stressed out with the orphans that I found.SO, we started letting her out on the deck with us and then she was allowed off the deck ONLY in our yard.She will not stray from our yard and we live out in the country,so there isn't any dangers about being killed from strays and suck.
Since you know that your cats ARE being killed,I think the safest thing to do for them, would be to keep them indoors.Do you have a garage that they can stay in?Or even a shed of some sorts?A barn that they could be kept in?ANY of those would be sooooooooooooo much safer for your cats than to just take a chance on them being hurt in the open.That's like playing "Russian Roulet" with your cats lives.
If I KNEW that my cats would get killed/seriously injured,then I would keep them inside no matter what.And if that wasn't an option for me,then I would find new homes for them.

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My cats are NOT being killed, one was killed, and that was my two brothers fault, as they were chasing each other around, and er, They slammed the stupid door and his neck was broken, and the poor thing died instantly, I didnt want to talk about, but since you keep, saying my cats keep dieing due to the fact of letting them outside, i felt i had to.

I wanted to write so much here, but I am just frustrated. Everyone has been very respectful and kind to you, but it is very difficult for me to feel that way, I guess I am not that compassionate. The bottom line is, your cats must be neutered and the should stay indoors at all times. If you can't do that, don't want to do that, or can't afford it, you SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY CATS!!!

Now I know everyone's circumstances are different, but will you please get the message???? If you can't do the right thing which has been described to you over and over, take all your uneueterd cats to a shelter so that you don't keep populating the world with unwanted feral cats subjected to lives of pain and misery. Maybe they will have a chance for a good life.

Hope this wasn't too harsh, but sometimes a direct approach is the best.