My newly made indoor ferals Moley and Scarey

kathym

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My question is this: How long do I need to keep my babies in the laundry room before I can introduce them to the house without them looking for an escape route? They have been in the laundry room for 11 days now. They are still a bit cautious but come up to me for pets and loves......I said to my husband another week but now I am not quite sure.. any advice? Thanks in advance....kathy
 

ondine

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I think 11 days is plenty of time for them to get used to being inside - if you have no other inside cats (I can't remember). If they are the only cats, let 'em loose. Remember, they will find all sorts of hidey holes, so make sure there are no places they might get trapped or stuck. They will hide, too - everything is so new. But soon enough, they'll be out and about, just like they own the joint!

If you have other cats, just make sure the two new ones are healthy - no URIs to share. Good for you for giving these two a new inside home.
 

skimble

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I let mine have access to the rest of the house in increments. They were in a bedroom, then I left their bedroom door open and closed the other doors in the house. Then I just kept opening doors to the other rooms.

No way to tell really how long is right for them. You have to do what you feel is best at the time. They will probably hide more in a new area until they feel safe.

I also left their food and litter box in their "safe room" (original room) and put a second set in another area.

I would make sure everything is cat safe for them to explore.

Just let them progress on their time with no expectations and things will work out fine.
 
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kathym

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Morning - I have no other cats in the house and Moley is always the one looking to explore. Our idea is to let them explore and keep the laundry room as their "safe" house. My other concern is Moley is the vertical kitty - she likes things high up and I am not one for letting cats on the table or the counters. Being my hubby is allergic (he has been a champ thru all this) I also do not want them on the couch. Any suggestions?? I certainly do not want to regress with their progress......Kathy
 

StefanZ

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Originally Posted by KathyM

Our idea is to let them explore and keep the laundry room as their "safe" house. My other concern is Moley is the vertical kitty - she likes things high up and I am not one for letting cats on the table or the counters. Being my hubby is allergic (he has been a champ thru all this) I also do not want them on the couch. Any suggestions?? I certainly do not want to regress with their progress......Kathy
It is difficult to stop them in 100% from getting everywhere... They will more or less obey you when you look at them, but when you arent there....

Try with cat sounds, ie hissing and such. So it will not be the big human who is angry with them, but simply another cat...

In fact, it is useful to have some area forbidden for the cats. It helps discipline them and upheld your status as the alpha-cat.
You must be careful with uphelding status with dogs. It is much more freely with cats, but the fact is, you should have some hatch on them anyway...


As for the sofa. When the sofa is unused, have a cover by an aluminium-sheet (=aluminium-paper, aluminium wrap-paper). Cats dont like the sound of aluminium-paper...
You may also try with some piss-off spray. There are such sold in animal-shops.

Most important is of course no cats in your hubs sleeping room. Thus sorrowfully, no cats in your bed either. This is probably the greatest sacrifice of a allergic cat-owner...

Unless, of course, you do have two separate sleepings rooms...

A good air-cleaner is much useful. Vacuum-cleaner should have a good filter, feks the HEPA-filter.
Wipe of the dust with a wet cloth!

Good if you can let the cats swim or bathe in water...

There are more advices...
 
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kathym

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Originally Posted by StefanZ

It is difficult to stop them in 100% from getting everywhere... They will more or less obey you when you look at them, but when you arent there....

Try with cat sounds, ie hissing and such. So it will not be the big human who is angry with them, but simply another cat...

In fact, it is useful to have some area forbidden for the cats. It helps discipline them and upheld your status as the alpha-cat.
You must be careful with uphelding status with dogs. It is much more freely with cats, but the fact is, you should have some hatch on them anyway...


As for the sofa. When the sofa is unused, have a cover by an aluminium-sheet (=aluminium-paper, aluminium wrap-paper). Cats dont like the sound of aluminium-paper...
You may also try with some piss-off spray. There are such sold in animal-shops.

Most important is of course no cats in your hubs sleeping room. Thus sorrowfully, no cats in your bed either. This is probably the greatest sacrifice of a allergic cat-owner...

Unless, of course, you do have two separate sleepings rooms...

A good air-cleaner is much useful. Vacuum-cleaner should have a good filter, feks the HEPA-filter.
Wipe of the dust with a wet cloth!

Good if you can let the cats swim or bathe in water...

There are more advices...
It is funny that you say to let them swim or bathe......Scarey loves the water, she is forever putting her paws in the water dish and then she will cup her paw and drink/lick it!
Your idea about the hissing and the aluminum foil is a great idea as I am a tad adverse to using the spray bottle route. We will be keeping all the upstais bedroom doors shut when they are out and about. I am also going to try to train them to go in their safe room at night for bedtime. I know that will take some time - then I wont have to worry about them climbing all over everything when we are either gone or asleep.

Thanks for the advice StefanZ.....
 

wendyr

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The safe room/sleeping room issue is one we worked on - my husband is not allergic to cats (he had them his whole life) but he is asthmatic and requires our windows to be open while we sleep. From the first day that we took the ferals in, we ushered them out of the bedroom and closed the door. At first, they would really try and stay in our bedroom (comfy, warm!) but within a few weeks, the minute we started getting ready for bed, they would just go downstairs on their own. We had some friends visiting this weekend and they were amazed that our cats didn't try and get in the bedroom or didn't whine outside the closed door - all down to consistency and early training. Your cats will pick up the pattern quickly!
 

skimble

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I keep a sheet that matches the color scheme over the sofa and remove it when needed. Wash the sheet often. That way the husband can sit without worry of the allergies.

Do you have a cat condo so they can climb. That might help.

So glad that things seem to be progressing.
 
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