Soem advice on moving

I have a stray who has been an outside cat that I am making into an indoor cat. So far she and my 11 month old Labrador are getting along much better than I expected.

She has been inside most of the last 24 hours. Right now she is in front of the kitchen door and wanting out. She is sitting there and will meow every once in awhile. We are still in the old place so even if I let her out she will stay around. Should I go ahead and "force" her to remain inside or still let her out periodically? I think this will be easier when her cat treet gets here next week.

Any advice?

When I found my kitty, Easy, she was a stray outside. She was pregnant and soon after had her kittens. The next day after her delivery, she wanted outside, I wouldnt let her. I would distract her anyway I could. I would take out cat toys, balls, tops to soda bottles, anything I could think of, to distract her from wanting outside.

I was very consistent and never gave in to her crying because I knew, where I lived, she would not be safe outside. She finally settled down to the point that now, 4 years later, she NEVER even asks to go out at all and she hasnt for over 3 years now.

Good Luck, just be patient and determined and do what you can to distract her, helping her to get her mind off the outdoors. It can be done!

i agree with pami keep her in and distract her. i also took in a stray who ended up pregnant and i was very careful to keep her in now 10 years later she never even thinks of going out. good luck

I agree, now that you have her in keep her in.
Back in November we brought a neighborhood stray inside.
He was about 18 months old at the time and had NEVER been in before.
The first week of so he would sit in the window and whine, chirp and meow but we didn't give in to him.

He's now living very happily as an indoor only kitty.
He still sits in the window and watchs the birds but he has no desire to go back outside.
He'll run a mile from an open door.
I think he knows just how much nicer and safer it is inside.

Thanks for the advice. I didn't let her out and she has been lounging around since. Funniest thing is that about 1 I lay down to take a nap. She was snoozing on the chair by my granny's sewing machine, Tal (my Lab) hopped in the bed with me.

I'll continue to keep her inside. I am going to start taking her for rides Monday. I know she will love that!

I respect the decision to have indoor cats. However we believe that cats are outdoor animals and have those instincts. So we allow our cats to come and go as much as they like. We move ever few years or so due to my job, and when we first arrive we make the cats stay in for a day or so for their baths and to settle to the house then we let them out. They take a little longer than normal to return and always freak me out, but they always have come back home.

We have been lucky, they are smart animals and know where home is. of course they also respond to a certain whistle call we taught them as kittens.

Originally Posted by faustmom

I respect the decision to have indoor cats. However we believe that cats are outdoor animals and have those instincts. So we allow our cats to come and go as much as they like. We move ever few years or so due to my job, and when we first arrive we make the cats stay in for a day or so for their baths and to settle to the house then we let them out. They take a little longer than normal to return and always freak me out, but they always have come back home.

We have been lucky, they are smart animals and know where home is. of course they also respond to a certain whistle call we taught them as kittens.

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Thanks for all the replies. I hear what you're saying. I thought about letting Midnight stay outside, or at least a mixture of indoor/outdoor but given we will be almost 1000 miles away and that she is getting older I wanted to make sure she stays healthy and well.

Did you get your cats as kittens? Midnight was already an adult when she came around but I'm sure with proper training she would have good recall.