Outdoor cat turned indoor and hates it!!

uglycoyoteng

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
5
Purraise
0
We have a seven year old male DSH named Phantom. Phantom has been neutered since he was less than a year old so he's not prone to starting fights. However, that doesn't stop other cats from wanting to fight with him. Unfortunately, they are mostly better fighters than him so in the past three months we've had to take him to the vet three or four times to have an "overnight" to get an abscessed wound cleaned and sutured. We've decided, very reluctantly, to make him an indoor cat. He hates it!! I'm looking for any advice on what we can do to make him happy and still keep him safe.
 

tunaqueen

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jun 7, 2006
Messages
76
Purraise
0
Location
Florida
patience, patience, and even more patience.

Give him lots of love, special treats and be on the alert for possible "escape routes". Some people have successfully retrained their kitties to be indoor cats by allowing them some outside time while on a leash, but to me that's just torture to a cat who's used to his independence. I would probably forfeit the leash and just keep him inside, trying to make his new lifestyle as comfortable as possible. He may always yearn to go back outside but with lots of time and patience will get accustomed to being a happily pampered kitty. Be prepared though for some rough times, and don't let his wailing get to you if he starts crying pitifully at the injustice of it all. You're doing this for his own safety and wellbeing and eventually Phantom will adjust, even if it doesn't seem like it. Make sure he's got someplace to go when he wants to pout, a clean box turned on it's side serves nicely as comfy den in which to sulk
 

heidrun

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Jul 28, 2006
Messages
18
Purraise
1
Location
Iceland
It is my opinion that if a cat is used to the outdoor life, then he will never be perfectly happy as an indoor cat, but a cat that only knows indoor life is most of the time perfectly happy if he doesnt get a "taste" of the outdoor life.

Did you recently move to another location? It is my experience that when I moved to a new village, and my cat became outdoor cats they got into fights nearly every day for few months, and frankly it is a little bit humorous to look back at that time, it was like being in a warzone animal hospital, everybody walking with a limp and schratched all over. After a while the fighting stopped and I think my cats havent been wounded for over a year now. When a new cats moves into a new area it is all about marking their territory, showing off for others, and it can take some time to get everybodys boundaries in place, and while it lasts there will be some injuries.

I initially took my cats to the vet with their wounds, but soon found out that I could do this as well by myself. It is all about cutting as much fur from the wound as possible, get the puss out and clean it. Even if my cats screamed with pain while I was tending the infected wound, they never lashed at me, guess they knew what I was doing, and besides there was no nerve-wracking drive to the vet.
 

goldenkitty45

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Messages
19,900
Purraise
44
Location
SW Minnesota
Wow, that's tough. In our barn cats, we had one 7-8 yr old spayed female who would be much happier outside. Her 2 grandsons could be indoor cats with no problems.

If he really hates it that much, I'd do a few things:

1. Build or buy an outdoor run (totally enclosed) with access to inside but also have shelter outside.

2. Find him a home in the country where he can be outside.

3. Train him to a harness/leash and give him outside time.
 

cdubbie

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Apr 26, 2005
Messages
842
Purraise
3
Location
Maryland
Originally Posted by UglyCoyoteNG

Unfortunately, they are mostly better fighters than him so in the past three months we've had to take him to the vet three or four times to have an "overnight" to get an abscessed wound cleaned and sutured. We've decided, very reluctantly, to make him an indoor cat. He hates it!! I'm looking for any advice on what we can do to make him happy and still keep him safe.
We made our 10 year old cat indoor-only for the same reason.
It was so bad then when she was out, but would see a neighbor kitty she would actually tremble and run to us for "help" - no matter what the other cat was doing. It wasnt easy for us or her, but her safety was worth it.

Make sure there is a perch place that is all *his* by a window. Put a birdfeeder ini front of it. Lots of fun with that!

My dad let her out in the morning when he got up first to graze on grass as he called it. She enjoyed it and didnt go far. It lasted less than 5 minutes then she went right back in. We also leashed her and tied her to the railing when we were on the back porch. She would just hang out when we were there.

Have a set play time and work her vigorously. Not as good as outside...but it helped use her hunting energy up.

occassionally she would get free and run up the tree as high as she could - to say defiantly Ha! Ha! Can't get me now! We just waited her out.

Eventually, as she got older, she had less and less interest in going out to roam freely.
 

arcadian girl

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
May 29, 2006
Messages
994
Purraise
3
Location
san francisco
Originally Posted by heidrun

It is my opinion that if a cat is used to the outdoor life, then he will never be perfectly happy as an indoor cat, but a cat that only knows indoor life is most of the time perfectly happy if he doesnt get a "taste" of the outdoor life.

Did you recently move to another location? It is my experience that when I moved to a new village, and my cat became outdoor cats they got into fights nearly every day for few months, and frankly it is a little bit humorous to look back at that time, it was like being in a warzone animal hospital, everybody walking with a limp and schratched all over. After a while the fighting stopped and I think my cats havent been wounded for over a year now. When a new cats moves into a new area it is all about marking their territory, showing off for others, and it can take some time to get everybodys boundaries in place, and while it lasts there will be some injuries.

I initially took my cats to the vet with their wounds, but soon found out that I could do this as well by myself. It is all about cutting as much fur from the wound as possible, get the puss out and clean it. Even if my cats screamed with pain while I was tending the infected wound, they never lashed at me, guess they knew what I was doing, and besides there was no nerve-wracking drive to the vet.
and you saw your cats "screaming in pain" as an acceptable side effect of letting them go out?
 

tru

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
996
Purraise
2
Location
Michigan
One day I hope to surprise my guys and turn them all into.....
Inside/Outside In The Enclusure Guys!

Hopefully within the next year!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

uglycoyoteng

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
5
Purraise
0
Thanks everyone for your ideas. Phantom lives in mothers room for the most part, and gets a lot of love and attention. He has the whole closet to sulk in, and dose regularly. Since the room is on the second story of the house, how would I get a bird feeder up there? Any ideas? And Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d really like to make him a cat enclosure outside, so if anyone has any instructions or tips theyâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d like to share, please do, it would help.
In regards to tending wounds myself; They are usually puss filled wounds that need to have stitches and drains. Also, I love my cat, and I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t want him to view me as the bad guy, nor do I want to put him in pain. The small scratches and such, I have peroxide under consent from his veterinarian. However, I would NEVER try to treat the injury at the cost of my cat, who, due to instincts tries to hide his pain, screaming in pain. Thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cruel, in my opinion.
 

gracie37

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Jun 25, 2006
Messages
15
Purraise
0
Location
Virginia
My cat was an outdoor cat too, and when we moved here, we didn't want to take the chance of him getting into fights where it was already claimed by other cats. Its been about 6 months now and he does try to sneak out. He will stand by the door and meow and meow.
We just try to keep him occupied by playing with him alot. The laser light works well

The other thing is that we found is he has become much more attentive and affectionate toward us since he became indoors. He loves to be around any one of us, much more than I have ever seen with any other cat.
 

alikatt

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Mar 15, 2005
Messages
502
Purraise
1
Location
Georgia
I can totally understand, and with a heavy heart relate to this. When Sylvestor(RIP) found me, he was an outdoor cat. How long he had been, I'll never know but once he trusted me, he never left my side... except to go out. He was fine at first, but then, the meowing, screaming, and ache of wanting to be back outside started. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't break him of his desire to be outdoors. I wanted him inside for my peace of mind, but I wanted him happy, and he loved being outside. He met his match a meer 3 months ago now by a snake, and never came home. He may hate it, but I am hoping with lots of love, patience, treats, and being treated like a king, the desire will cease and he'll be a happy house cat for you.
 
Top