Escape artist! 4m/o kitten

lyrajean

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Aya has developed a new bad habit (besides biting and jumping on my legs). She has determinedly tried to escape the apartment the last 3 days as I leave for work.

Last time she got all the way down the stairs before I caught her. We live in a city concrete jungle, there are other ferals out there, and busy streets.

I live in a 1 bedroom studio so putting her in another part of the house won't work. She's too big to stay in the bathroom all day.

I think part of it has to do with the fact that she's lonely and bored all day. We have tons of cat toys. There's no room for a cat tree, but there are 2 window sills she can climb onto and look out.

Suggestions?
 

addiebee

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Cats love to get vertical. Is there no way to put some sort of small cat tree in your apt? Or put extended shelving on the walls for her to climb? Or... get her a buddy?
 

pami

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At 4 months old, is she spayed yet? I mention that because you said there are cats outside, she may be trying to get out to mate. Spaying her, should settle her down, if shes not already.
If she is, I agrre with Addie and would suggest a playmate for her.
 

ut0pia

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I have the same problem w/ my four month old kitty. As soon as someone opens the garage door, which is mostly the door we use he is out! Thankfully the garage is closed by then....And I thought indoor kitties are supposed to be afraid of the outdoors!
 
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lyrajean

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Originally Posted by AddieBee

Cats love to get vertical. Is there no way to put some sort of small cat tree in your apt? Or put extended shelving on the walls for her to climb? Or... get her a buddy?
Cat trees. I would love to have room (may aprtment is the size of a large bedroom or small hotel suite. Also I've not seen cat trees for sale here in Japan.

Buddy. I was not planning on having a cat as my lease forbids it, as do most apartments here, so Aya is contraband. a lot of people have pets this way so I'm not too worried. She was rescued from the street, and the alternative was letting her die out there. If she is 'discovered' and the landlord complains I'll have to speed up the process of exporting her to my family in the US. I'm not going to intentionally add another cat that I might have to get rid of to that situation. If I find another dying kitty in the street well, that's another matter...

We have lots of shelves. And she loves climbing, my curtains, bookshelves, sofa... I can't screw anything onto the walls. I have faux wood paneling.
 
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lyrajean

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Originally Posted by Pami

At 4 months old, is she spayed yet? I mention that because you said there are cats outside, she may be trying to get out to mate. Spaying her, should settle her down, if shes not already.
If she is, I agrre with Addie and would suggest a playmate for her.
Best guess is that she was born sometime around Nov. 1st and I found her at about 4weeks. Japanese vet won't spay till 6 months and 2 kilos of weight. She is starting to settle down a little (like lounging and letting me pet her and easing off on the biting a bit).
 

pami

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Cats are enduced ovulators, so if there are tomcats outside, they will send her into heat. Cats can also have silent heats.

So just be careful and always be aware that shes trying to get out. I really believe that she will setlle down once shes spayed.
 

mai_kitties

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Treats... keep them by your door and make sure they are ones she loves. When you are getting ready to leave toss the treats in the opposite direction of the door. With any luck your escape artist will be more interested in the tasty treats you just tossed and run after them and you slip out quickly.

When we lived in our apartment our little girl always tried to make it out the door. We had no screen door to use as a barrier in case we saw her heading for the door so we had to devise a plan. We tried tossing toys but the door was more tempting. Her favorite treats were just the thing. Only bad thing (or good thing as the case may be) was she learned that whenever we went to the door that meant she was getting treats
 
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lyrajean

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Originally Posted by Mai_kitties

Treats... keep them by your door and make sure they are ones she loves. When you are getting ready to leave toss the treats in the opposite direction of the door. With any luck your escape artist will be more interested in the tasty treats you just tossed and run after them and you slip out quickly.

When we lived in our apartment our little girl always tried to make it out the door. We had no screen door to use as a barrier in case we saw her heading for the door so we had to devise a plan. We tried tossing toys but the door was more tempting. Her favorite treats were just the thing. Only bad thing (or good thing as the case may be) was she learned that whenever we went to the door that meant she was getting treats
That sounds like a good idea to try. Now I have to go find some treats!
 
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