Transitioning Stray Cat to Indoors

Last summer I started feeding a stray cat.  I had him neutered and found out he has FIV.  I tried keeping him indoors, but gave up.  He comes here for food and a place to sleep sometimes, that's about it.  Now we're moving, and I'm not sure how to get him to transition inside - but he definitely won't be safe if he gets out at the new place.  I looked into surrendering him as a barn cat, but it seems like those programs are swamped with cats as is.  I have been giving him valerian root (liquid) to keep him calm, and am trying to feed him enough to fatten him up a little.  I figure maybe with the valerian, extra food, and feliway diffuser (which I have ordered) - that I can get him to accept being an indoor only cat.  I also want to create a cat patio area, but thought it would be best to get him indoors first, so he doesn't spend all his time trying to find a way out of the patio.

So, I was wondering - how long does it generally take for a cat to transition like this?  We have other pets as well, and he generally gets along ok with everyone, but after being in for some time he gets very aggressive toward everyone.  He can also open windows and rip through screens.

All of the answers can be true!  It just depends on the cat.  I think you best bet is to get the catio built as soon as possible and allow him access. 

When you move, make sure he has a room with locked windows and don't open them until he is safely outside.  He sounds like a neat cat, actually.  The issue with him being inside may not be being inside - it may be he's feeling a little cramped with the other cirtters in his "territory."  The catio will be a perfect solution.

Thank you for taking him with you.  A lot of people would not have done that!

It does depend on the cat. I took in a cat a year ago who was used to spending most of his time running around outdoors. His owner had multiple cats who weren't fixed, and who had flea and parasite infestations, and they were all running around the neighborhood where I work.  He's only now just truly settling down as an indoor cat with my 4 other indoor cats. I've been taking him outside on a leash and harness. He hates the constriction of the harness, but he loves to eat the grass and nose around outdoors, and he's become quite the site in my neighborhood walking around on a leash. This is our compromise. But he had a rough few first months with me, and lots of conflicts with the resident "alpha" cat in the house. The two of them are frenemies now, they horseplay and mess with each other, but that's good because they leave my two geriatric and my one lame cat alone in peace. I find that taking time to play with ALL the cats with wand toys and laser toys helps them to all adjust to the changes.

It's great you're taking this cat with you when you move. He would have had a very difficult time if you left him since he's become dependent on you for food. No matter how difficult a transition he may have, it will be much easier for him than if you'd left him behind. It will also be less difficult for you to deal with whatever transition issues he has than if you left him behind and was worrying about him. Some cats do adjust to indoor life quickly and easily--a few summers ago I took in two older feral kittens and they both adjusted within just a few months. My experience has been that all cats (at least the non-feral ones) do adjust and adapt and learn to live peaceably together. It just takes some patience.

BTW, be careful giving him the Valerian Root. I had a cat who got into my things and ate an entire capsule several years ago and went into acute kidney failure. It would be better to get him catnip or feliway.  

Thanks both of you!  I wasn't sure if a cat patio would make things better or worse.  It does seem like he likes to sit in front of a window, but this is only when he isn't going nuts trying to get out of it.

Thanks for telling me about the valerian root.  I only plan on using it until I get the feliway and that starts to kick in (I read that it takes about a week).  I tried a catnip plant but he tore it up immediately, and he doesn't seem to react to the dry catnip in toys.  But I will use the valerian root sparingly. 

I definitely feel like he has become dependent on me for food (although there are people in my neighborhood that feed their cats outdoors). I also don't like the fact that he fights other cats outdoors  - luckily inside he's neutral to the other pets until he starts getting anxious about going out.  I just wish I had been more insistent with him last summer, but I had no idea we'd be moving.

By the way, MsAimee - How was your cat when you first took him out on the harness?  I did buy a harness last year, but when I put him on it, he went nuts, ping ponging so hard I thought he might hurt himself.  But, this is in a busy neighborhood: cars, neighbors, kids; the new place is very quiet with woods in the back so maybe he'd be better on it there.  Just wondering if your cat went crazy on the harness at first too.

I think cat patios and windows are great for cats--they all love to look outside and smell the air. Restricting all access to anything outdoors would only create more frustration for the cat, so go ahead with the catio.

There are instructional videos on YouTube about how to harness/leash train a cat. However, I generally take short-cuts with my cats, and leash training Sonny was no exception. I know how much he loves to be outside, so about 4 months ago I just put the harness and leash on him and took him outside. He fussed a lot at first (and still fusses sometimes), but he loves being outside so much that after a few minutes he forgets about the harness and leash and starts eating grass and sniffing and walking around. Sometimes he takes off into a run to get away from me and the leash, but I don't mind--I have two leashes connected, so there's plenty of leeway and I run along with him. He gets frustrated if he wants to go some place where he isn't allowed, and I have to pull him back. However, he has a good time for about 30-40 minutes outside before he gets too fussy.  

I think if you put the harness and leash on him and took him immediately outside, he might be so interested in being outside that he won't fuss as much.

It's all about compromise and trial and error. For some cats, going outside at all will make them more vocal and frustrated at being confined indoors. For others, such as Sonny, he is happy for whatever time he gets outside.