begging to go out

A few months ago my two cats got out while I was at work and when I came home I found them both basking peacefully in the sun on the patio. I thought "great! They can go outside but they actually don't wander off anywhere!" Of course it only was a matter of time before their curious little minds began to wander. After recieving a call from one of my neighbors (a friendly one who likes cats thank goodness)letting me know my little grey one, Armani, was sleeping on her new satin sheets in her bed. (with a name like that does he deserve anything less?) I figure letting them wander was a mistake. Now Armani constantly yowles and paws at all the windows and doors trying to get out of the house. Also, despite the fact that it was 102 degrees the other day, I'm unable to open the windows because he learned how to pop the screens out and if I leave the window slightly ajar he figured out how to slide them open (along with the sliding door to the patio) he also managed to rip out a 6 inch diameter hole in the screen door. I've tried the spray bottle method and that doesn't seem to work either. Does anyone have any advice on how to turn him back into an indoor cat once he's had a taste of the outdoors?

I had 2 that I had to convert to indoor kitties. They had gone outside all their lives, until I moved to a place so close to the road, it just wasn't safe. I just have to listen to them cry. It's heartbreaking to hear them cry SO pitifully, but it would be even worse to have one injured or killed, It's been over a year, and they still cry and try to sneak out. I have to stay on top if it constantly. One of them seems to have gotten used to it, but the other will go for it every time the door opens. Good Luck on this. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

One of mine used to always run for the door. But when I grew a big container of cat grass for her, it seemed to take away the urge to escape. I don't know if it will help your kitties, but it won't hurt to try.

I don't have any good advice for you, but if nothing else works maybe you could consider either buying or making an outdoor cat enclosure. That way, the cats could satisfy their desire to go outside and you wouldn't have to worry about their safety.

Your Armani is one smart cat!

lotsocats has a good idea with the cat grass - you can try growing containers of catnip, too. You could try the very wide masking tape to hold the screens in until Armani finds that trying to pop them out is futile. The double sided masking tape may help deter him from tearing holes in the screens. You might also get a harness and leash for him and take him on short, supervised outings so he doesn't get too frustrated. Just some thoughts. Best of luck1

Hey I like the ideas about growing some cat grass for them. Spacecat...it's funny that you mentioned those ideas! Today I used a strong adhesive tape over parts of the screens that he ripped open and glued the screens to the window. I hope the apartment staff will understand!

My two cats I have now don't go outside, but the one I had before them was an outside cat for his first two years, then we decided it was best to put him on a leish. The first day he was a pitiful sight, he ran to the end of the leish and stretched out his body as far as it would go and layed there. All of us were gathered around the kitchen window saying "oh!" But the next day we put him on the leish and he behaved like he had been using the leish all his life. It was easier after that summer to have him indoors more and more. We just always had to be careful there was nothing he could climb and hang himself from.

one of my cats is the same way-he's always been indoors but LOVES to play outside. If i go anywhere near the door to the patio he starts whining so loud to go outside. we live in an apartment, so I can't let him out-not even on the patio b/c he crawls through and starts running around. so once a week or so, I take him to my parents' house to play in their backyard, and he is actually very good about staying in-he knows not to climb the fence and go out. maybe you could teach your cat to stay within a certain area? of course, my kitty can be so naughty-he knows it's not ok to climb the fence, but once there was a hole down at the bottom, so I think he figured he can't get in trouble for climbing through....

The cat I grew up with that is now 18 and at my mother's just LOVES to be outside. She will cry at the door endlessly until we let her out. We have a little stake that screws into the ground with a leash type of thing that we hook her to. She is completely content with that and will stay out there for hours. Yes, we do keep an eye on her.