Help! I've created a monster!

We have leash trained Zissou. This is not the problem. She took to her leash and runs right down the stairs of our walk-up 3rd floor apt and waits by the door, comes right back in and runs up and waits for us by our door. She doesn't seem upset by wearing it when we take her back in the woody field behind the building.

But now she meow meow meow meows at the door all day when we are home! We can't and won't let her out without her leash and us, but we also can't go outside with her every five minutes. How do I keep her from meowing at the door. It is stressing us out! I think it's also stressing her out, since then she isn't playing, napping on our lap, etc. Just wanting out. I've tried distracting her, I've tried ignoring her. Argh!

So here is the current sitch. She was spayed and broughten home yesterday, and has not meowed at the door since. Should we just stop altogether? We all enjoy the actual walks so much, but if it's going to make her do this all the time, then that pretty much outweighs it. She is only 5 1/2 months, so I don't think she was in heat.

Thank you

Well, she is still recuperating from her surgery which explains her silence and lack of enthusiasm for walks.
I think you should wait till she's fully recovered. Having been spayed she may be less noisy and demanding.

I don't take my cats out on leashes for that reason. They drive me nuts once they realize what they're missing! Better they don't know...

Hmm...I bet right now she's just recouping from the spay. But cats can go into heat that young. Mooch did, and she was actually younger than that.

Thank you all.

She knows what is outside, she was a stray baby until she was about 3 mos old. If the meowling was because she was in heat, should we try again one more time once she is absolutely healed, so that we know if it was just, well, erm, hormones? I have seen a kitty once that was only excited to go out once his leash was on!

I agree that it is because she is recouping from the spay--her little voice is so hoarse from the intubation! This is why I figured that if we have to stop altogether now is a good time since she can't go out for at least a couple weeks-ish anyways.

Try to establish set time(s) for going out, and once she knows it will happen (and don't forget) like mealtimes, she'll relax and give you a break.

Originally Posted by Larke

Try to establish set time(s) for going out, and once she knows it will happen (and don't forget) like mealtimes, she'll relax and give you a break.

Click to expand...

....then I`d agree with this post. Cats love routine!
Linda

Well, she's at it again. Her spay scar is almost completely healed. Although she got sick, which was a lovely weekend of cleaning up cat vomit and diahrea as well as an emergency vet visit on a saturday night! So since she has started feeling better, she has started meowling at the door again, though not as much. However, now it's of course snowing outside, so it will be awhile before it's warm out again. I will try the set time approach and see if it helps.

We take our boys out on leashes too. They used to be terrible with meowing at the door all day. But now that they're older they've settled down quite a bit. We try to take them out around the same time. Now they only get excited if we rattle the leashes and unlock the door.
I'd urge you not to give up the walks. I believe it really enriches a cat's life to be able to safely go outside and explore. I think it's important that they have this stimulation.