Will he ever adjust?

I had no idea it would this hard to adjust a cat to indoor only.
Will it ever pass? It's been months now and he won't let go.
He literally claws at the door. Are some cats just
so into being outdoors it won't change?

He has a panic mouse and other toys. I play with him a lot.
But several times a day he cries very loudly at the door.
We have a very small place, and it's impossible to tune him out.

I swear, I am fine with the tearing up things up, and other
cat stuff. But this is so hard. Like take today for instance, as I posted
on another post, he got out last night when we were distracted for the first time in months and
didn't return for hours. Today he is sleeping non stop and I am worried
he has a cold (it was cold last night)

I had decided not to adopt another
cat for several reasons, but I may have to try it out and see
if he is mostly lonely for another feline. Do you think that's it?

Do you have time in your day to take him outside on a harness and leash for about an hour?

When I turned my outdoor cats into indoor cats they all still wanted to be outside, so I set aside 2 hours every day after work to take first one and then the other outside. They quickly learned to accept the harness, and in fact, just reaching for the harness and long line about 20') would get cats walking around and between my legs and reaching up to my hands and purring and purring! Walking a cat is not like walking a dog. You basically go where the cat goes but you can influence that direction so that he doesn't go into neighbours gardens but walks along on sidewalks and lawns, or stays on your own property, smelling, exploring, rolling around, eating grass, chasing bugs, whatever.

Even now my cats all want to go outside - even those who have never been outside - and they will cry and Tristan will claw at the door. With 5 I am not able to afford the time to take them outside but today when Tristan slipped out a door that wasn't closed properly, I followed him out and he spent 10 minutes in the yard with me there. I then brought some grass back inside and they all indulged.

A companion would certainly help him with things to do inside, but I think that he will always want to go outside even if he is happy inside.

Last night when he got out he probably had the time of his life and was active the whole time so he is sleeping now to catch up. That is the level of activity that he wants - enough to tire him out so he sleeps from exhaustion, not boredom. He wouldn't catch cold from being out in cold weather although if he isn't used to cold weather, it probably took a lot of energy for him to stay warm.

Try a harness and long lead and see how that goes:-). It is also a great way to meet your neighbours and get the reputation as 'the girl who walks her cat'. People think that is really cool:-).

Kathryn

Thanks for your wisdom, I do have a harness but don't take out enough in it.
I Think I was afraid it would just make him want out more, but it sounds like it would help.

I think you are right that he is just tired today, boy is he crashed, but breathing fine etc.

He does really like being out, he loves fresh air and jumping

Originally Posted by Marge

Thanks for your wisdom, I do have a harness but don't take out enough in it.
I Think I was afraid it would just make him want out more, but it sounds like it would help.

I think you are right that he is just tired today, boy is he crashed, but breathing fine etc.

He does really like being out, he loves fresh air and jumping

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Maybe he is bored. Having another kitty there would give him someone to paly with. If you are to get another cat, you should go for a younger female kitten.
As for taking him outside on a leash, I personally am always afraid if I would do that, cats would want to go outside. Mine two however never show any interest in going outside and seem to be afraid of it.
But they like each other's company and love to play with each other. Ceirtanly, they seem to love each other so I think it's good idea to get a second kitty.

Marge?

Perhaps this will help him, he will be able to get outside, but the outside won't be able to get to him-

http://www.kittyview.com/kittyview.html

Thanks, that seems like a good one.

I did the harness this evening. I think it confuses him a bit, cause he keeps wanting back in the house, but then cries to go out the minute I close the door. So I am sure it's just an adjustment. At one point I attached the leash to a hook and just let him sit there and that seems to work also.

He always looks across the street at where this one cat lives. I think he wants to hang out with him mostly.