Adjustments for outdoor -> indoor cat?

[Anita18]

My husband's friend's family owns an apartment complex, and one of their tenants passed away recently. She left a few cats. The friends want to adopt one of them, but need to move to a new apartment first. So they've asked us to foster it for a few months while this is happening.

We had to say goodbye to our cat more than a year ago (I still miss him ) so I'll be all for this...except the cat in question has been living at least partly outside. I don't know how the adjustment to being an indoor-only cat will be. We live on the second floor, and have a substantial balcony area. Most of the cats in the complex are indoor-only cats, although I've seen a few collared cats outdoors and using the stairs, haha.

My husband is also worried about the cat running away and trying to get back to its old neighborhood. It's been there ever since the tenant passed away. Right now apparently (my husband isn't the greatest when getting details like this) a neighboring family has been taking care of it, but they don't want to take care of it anymore. I'm assuming this means they've also been letting it inside, since what do you do with an outdoor-only cat besides feed it?

Any experience, or tips to keep in mind? Hubs is also meeting with his friend tomorrow night to talk out more details. We might be getting the cat this weekend. TIA!

 

[made_in_canada]

I took in a stray cat once that became an indoor cat. She never really got over wanting to be outside but she managed just fine. She needed more interaction and play than the other cat I had at the time That had only ever been an indoor cat. We just had to be careful when opening the door.

I think a lot depends on the cat’s personality. I’ve had indoor only cats that were desperate to get out and strays that were perfectly content to be inside all the time once they realized that food and a warm sleeping spot were readily available. Good luck!

 

[Aussie Willy]

They just have to deal with it. Give them lots of scratching posts.

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

If the balcony is safe, I'd give the cat access after it is familiar with your home. I agree, the hardest part will be if it races to the door when opened.

 

[floridaice]

Is your balcony large enough to have a small enclosure / catio? Something like this might work -- kitty gets air & sunshine, but is contained: wire pet crate

We have sliding glass doors onto our deck and we got an insert with a pet door so the cats can go outside -- we connected the pet door to a large dog kennel on the deck. pet door insert dog kennel (why yes, we are crazy cat people)

A friend of ours has a leash trained kitty -- we have tried with a couple of ours to no avail. But it is doable. I think you have to start very young.

Kitty may like being inside -- their life has been turned upside down recently, they may respond to routine and consistency without having access to the outside.

 

[StitchMonkey]

This is a cat by cat thing. Unfortunately when my grandfather died he left a neighborhood cat that my mom really wanted to adopt. Kitty was happy to come inside his house and hang out with him, and heck my mom was even able to pick it up and get it in a carrier without sustaining claw and bite damage. Sadly when confronted with new digs... kitty revolted and manged to claw out a screen to return home... lucky for kitty it was not far and kitty did show up and old place. But my mother did not try risking it again... very very bad roads kitty managed to cross. This cat just did not want a different life.

Your cat sounds a bit more tame, but i wanted you to have warning. My advice would be to take as much stuff that smells like home as you can for kitty and keep kitty locked in one room at first to get used to the new smells and the new people. I would not let kitty on the balcony...at least i never let mine on my second floor balcony off leash.

But really you need to get to know the cat. Kitty may get home and happily want to sleep on everything or kitty may seem board crazy and need a bird-feeder to watch. A lot of what to do is cat dependent. But I do think small rooms at first are getting to be pretty standard advice.

 

[twinsissv]

Awww...Sasha and I are hoping that you'll be able to get kitty used to being inside permanently and happily.
It's just safer there for kitty and more calming and peaceful for the birds.

 

[Anita18]

Thanks for all your answers!

If the balcony is safe, I'd give the cat access after it is familiar with your home. I agree, the hardest part will be if it races to the door when opened.

How would a balcony be considered safe? The walls are enclosed (it's wood, not iron) and are pretty high, around 4 feet. Although there's a 7 inch ledge all around that a cat could definitely sit or lie on if they manage to jump up to the top....

Is your balcony large enough to have a small enclosure / catio? Something like this might work -- kitty gets air & sunshine, but is contained: wire pet crate

We have sliding glass doors onto our deck and we got an insert with a pet door so the cats can go outside -- we connected the pet door to a large dog kennel on the deck. pet door insert dog kennel (why yes, we are crazy cat people)

A friend of ours has a leash trained kitty -- we have tried with a couple of ours to no avail. But it is doable. I think you have to start very young.

Kitty may like being inside -- their life has been turned upside down recently, they may respond to routine and consistency without having access to the outside.

Our balcony is huuuuge. The equivalent of another room. (And we do need to use it more that the weather is getting warmer, haha.) We could definitely fit a wire crate in it. Although the hubs is a minimalist and will probably balk at all the stuff to get for a cat we're foster for 3-6 months.

I think we'll take it as it goes. It's good to hear it's usually not impossible for a cat who's already friendly with humans.

Awww...Sasha and I are hoping that you'll be able to get kitty used to being inside permanently and happily.
It's just safer there for kitty and more calming and peaceful for the birds.

Yes, I am a HUGE fan of indoor-only cats! Not only for the safety of birds and other small animals, but Mickey had fleas once and it was terrible. Hopefully we'll get Happy (yes, that's the cat's name apparently) situated inside and I can give him lots of cuddles.

 

[StitchMonkey]

You can always put kitty on a harness and take kitty outside on the balcony to sniff the air.

 

[Winnipeg]

Keep the cat inside. Make sure you have a good scratching and sleep post near a window.

It is safer for the cat to be inside!

 

[aliceanne]

We have a cat at our apartment building that belonged to a former tenant. He gave it away when he moved, but the cat kept coming back to our building. He is very social, but is not a one-person cat, and is more attached to the building than any one person. So yes, if your cat goes outside he may try to go back to where he lived before.

 

[mysticchic]

Something I can answer! An outdoor cat needs shelter. Somewhere to get out of the heat and the cold. I think we are both on FB. I can send you some ideas that are cheap and easy to set up. They need a feeding station. That means putting out food and water the same time day or night (water can stay out, but food will attract flies, raccoons and all kinds of stuff). Start out with smelly wet food. You can change to dry food slowly.
If it gets cold there, some straw and a extra large plastic bin can be made into a shelter. You can put it behind a garage or in a backyard.

Make sure they have all their shots. I would get flea prevention.
collar with a bell (to warn birds),
A cat will jump from a 2nd story balcony.

 

[BittyBug]

Years ago I converted my indoor / outdoor cats to indoor cats when I moved from a ground level apartment to an apartment on the 2nd floor. Even though they used to drive me crazy in the prior apartment at all hours of the night either wanting to go out or wanting to come back in, when I moved, they really never tried to get out. Maybe it was the complete disruption of their environment, maybe it's because they were no longer on a ground level, I can't say, but it was a pretty easy transition.

They key to relocating a cat is to confine him or her to a single room for 24 - 48 hours and then gradually let the cat out - first for a few hours while returning the cat to that room, and then eventually just giving the cat free reign.

How would a balcony be considered safe? The walls are enclosed (it's wood, not iron) and are pretty high, around 4 feet. Although there's a 7 inch ledge all around that a cat could definitely sit or lie on if they manage to jump up to the top....

Do not under any circumstances let the cat out on the balcony unless it is completely enclosed. The cat would not hesitate to jump onto the railing, and then it's at risk for "feline highrise syndrome" (Google it).

 

[Anita18]

Thanks all! I met Happy last night - she is a SUPER friendly cat and LOVES people! We went to visit her as a group, since they wanted me to see the "running meow" she does - she trots up to people, meowing all the way haha.

She already sleeps in a crate, and as far as I've heard, doesn't wander too far from the corner of the complex's parking lot where she has her crate, food, and water. So hopefully she will take to being inside pretty readily.

Our friend doesn't think she's ever used a litter box, but I've seen completely feral cats use a box (my planter box where I was planting things...) so I don't think that will be a problem, LOL.

One more question. Happy is a long-haired cat and she needs a good brushing when we get her inside. We were told she doesn't like combs, but likes brushes. What is a good grooming brush that will take all the dirt clods out of her fur and tail? Will have to bathe her to get her clean?

 

[BittyBug]

Even if she doesn't like regular combs, most cats will tolerate a detangling comb. But if brush you must, you could try something from Furminator.

As far as cleaning her is concerned, you could try wetting paper towels with either water or one of those pet-safe enzymatic solution and gently working it through her tail, noting that you might need a few rounds.

 

[Peaches LaTour]

Song birds are being killed by outdoor cats in alarming numbers. Keep the cat indoors. Outside time should be in a large enclosure with someone close by.

Lola was our late cat that spent her life outdoors until abandoned by her previous owners. She adjusted very nicely to being indoors after she was rescued by us. A cushy bed, clean litterbox & good food. What was not to love?

 

[mysticchic]

Thanks all! I met Happy last night - she is a SUPER friendly cat and LOVES people! We went to visit her as a group, since they wanted me to see the "running meow" she does - she trots up to people, meowing all the way haha.

She already sleeps in a crate, and as far as I've heard, doesn't wander too far from the corner of the complex's parking lot where she has her crate, food, and water. So hopefully she will take to being inside pretty readily.

Our friend doesn't think she's ever used a litter box, but I've seen completely feral cats use a box (my planter box where I was planting things...) so I don't think that will be a problem, LOL.

One more question. Happy is a long-haired cat and she needs a good brushing when we get her inside. We were told she doesn't like combs, but likes brushes. What is a good grooming brush that will take all the dirt clods out of her fur and tail? Will have to bathe her to get her clean?

I use a slicker for long haired cats. It doesn't pull as badly as the other type. https://www.chewy.com/safari-self-c...MIneO7_JPU2wIVkoppCh33wA5zEAYYAyABEgIpzvD_BwE

 

[Japanfan]

Song birds are being killed by outdoor cats in alarming numbers. Keep the cat indoors. Outside time should be in a large enclosure with someone close by.

That's not possible for us. We're in a house with doors that open directly to the outdoors. I like to keep my doors open a lot of the time for fresh air and don't like screens. Our patio is small and has no room for an enclosure.

A friend of mine suggested there should be a law requiring cat owners to keep their cats inside. I told him that it would never work, but if there were such a law, a lot of cats would be surrender to the SPCA.

That said, my cat has never to my knowledge caught a bird. Not even a mouse. And we've a family of rats living underneath our front porch. This cat is obviously missing the mouser gene.

 

[Peaches LaTour]

That's not possible for us. We're in a house with doors that open directly to the outdoors. I like to keep my doors open a lot of the time for fresh air and don't like screens. Our patio is small and has no room for an enclosure.

A friend of mine suggested there should be a law requiring cat owners to keep their cats inside. I told him that it would never work, but if there were such a law, a lot of cats would be surrender to the SPCA.

That said, my cat has never to my knowledge caught a bird. Not even a mouse. And we've a family of rats living underneath our front porch. This cat is obviously missing the mouser gene.

You can't put screens on your doors?

And, yes, I am in favor of a law keeping cats indoors. According to three vets we've had over the years, an "indoor only" cat enjoys better health & is not exposed to the overall dangers of being outside. Better for cats, better for birds.

 

[Japanfan]

You can't put screens on your doors?

I can, but I don't want to. I hate them, they make me feel squeezed in.

And, yes, I am in favor of a law keeping cats indoors. According to three vets we've had over the years, an "indoor only" cat enjoys better health & is not exposed to the overall dangers of being outside. Better for cats, better for birds.

The other side of that argument is that cats have a more natural and stimulating life if they can spend time outdoors. IMO it's half a dozen of one and six of another.

And that law would never work for people like me who don't like screens and want to keep doors and windows open that give a cat easy access to the outdoors - as is the case for many people with a house. In the summer I'm coming and going on to the patio from the kitchen all the time, and the cat can easily get outside.

If there were such a law, I'd rather not have a cat TBH. As I said already, if that law were passed a lot of people would just surrender their cats to the SPCA.

Also (again as I said already) my cat appears incapable of even catching a rat, so he is no threat to birds.

 

[ballettmaus]

Our friend doesn't think she's ever used a litter box, but I've seen completely feral cats use a box (my planter box where I was planting things...) so I don't think that will be a problem, LOL.

You may know that already but put her in the box when you first take her home and then let her find her way out. That way, she knows where to find it.

Song birds are being killed by outdoor cats in alarming numbers. Keep the cat indoors. Outside time should be in a large enclosure with someone close by.

I heard that cats only catch birds that have a handicap to begin with and that completely healthy birds are too quick for a cat to catch.

 

[BittyBug]

I heard that cats only catch birds that have a handicap to begin with and that completely healthy birds are too quick for a cat to catch.

Do you consider being a fledgling a handicap and an unhealthy state? Because they are the most vulnerable, especially for ground-nesting birds.

 

[ballettmaus]

Do you consider being a fledgling a handicap and an unhealthy state?

No, I don't. Guess, I could have thought of that myself.

 

[Japanfan]

Do you consider being a fledgling a handicap and an unhealthy state? Because they are the most vulnerable, especially for ground-nesting birds.

Farm/barn cats are vulnerable to predators such as coyotes and kittens are particularly vulnerable. But I don't think you could convince farms to keep cats indoors or not to keep cats at all because they use cats as mousers in barns and stables.

Nature has it's way and predation is part of it - a key part of the balance of all things, even though it can seem cruel.

 

[BittyBug]

Farm/barn cats are vulnerable to predators such as coyotes and kittens are particularly vulnerable. But I don't think you could convince farms to keep cats indoors or not to keep cats at all because they use cats as mousers in barns and stables.

Nature has it's way and predation is part of it - a key part of the balance of all things, even though it can seem cruel.

You seem to be justifying the crisis of domestic cats killing birds by citing the fact that cats are also killed, but there is a big difference between the two scenarios. In yours, you have a native predator opportunistically preying on a domestic animal. In the scenario of house cats being let outdoors, you have an invasive species killing native wildlife.

That's what domestic cats are - they are invasive species. They would not be present in their current incarnation, locations or incredible numbers were it not for humans. And they are decimating wild bird populations.

I love cats and could easily become a cat lady if left unchecked, but I also believe domestic cats should be kept indoors.

 

[el henry]

We have six cats, all rescued from outside. We also have three bird feeders and a completely “organic” garden outside with lots of shelter for outdoor critters.

I would never never never never never never knowingly let those cats outside. And these are cats that have captured bats that have gotten into the house and poked at us like what do we do next? The instinct is there, and it is baby birds and baby chipmunks and baby squirrels that will pay the price.

Hawks and owls getting the babies is nature, domestic cats is not Humans developed the domestic cat and humans are responsible and humans should keep them, if they can be socialized at all, inside.

If I want to experience the great outdoors and my lovely garden, I’ll go outside. The last thing I’ll do, because of the cats, is leave the door open. (Then again, we have friends who have invited us to dinner in the summer, no AC. Oh, cooling breezes, they say. Oh, it terrible to be cooped up they say. Oh, it’s NE Penna, it’s not that hot they say. Horse manure, we say. We visit in the winter. So I will admit that it is very difficult for us to understand that concept.)

Ours have adapted. They might be unhappy for a while, but your two year old might throw a tantrum when he doesn’t get his way either. Too bad, so sad. And I echo the slicker brush for long hairs.

ETA: I guess this makes me a crazy cat lady the avatar will change back to a cat once football season starts

 

[MacMadame]

I heard that cats only catch birds that have a handicap to begin with and that completely healthy birds are too quick for a cat to catch.

Personally I think that's a myth. If my cats can catch a baby gopher (and they have), I don't see why they couldn't catch a healthy bird.

OTOH, I've seen articles that critique the studies that claim cats killing birds is so high to be a crisis and say the numbers are far lower than that and those studies make a number of questionable assumptions. I still keep my cats indoors but mostly because I think it's better for them.

 

[Anita18]

We'll only let Happy outside if she really is bothersome about it. We'll get her tomorrow.

I'd rather have cats be indoors too, but mostly because of cars and fleas. And Happy really is dirty and gross being an outdoor long-haired cat.

 

[Japanfan]

You seem to be justifying the crisis of domestic cats killing birds by citing the fact that cats are also killed, but there is a big difference between the two scenarios. In yours, you have a native predator opportunistically preying on a domestic animal. In the scenario of house cats being let outdoors, you have an invasive species killing native wildlife.

That's what domestic cats are - they are invasive species. They would not be present in their current incarnation, locations or incredible numbers were it not for humans. And they are decimating wild bird populations.

I love cats and could easily become a cat lady if left unchecked, but I also believe domestic cats should be kept indoors.[/QUOTE]

Do you think there should be a law that people are required to keep their cats indoors?

As I've said, if there were, I'd choose not to have a cat. Others would do the same, as I'm not the only one whose lifestyle (open windows and doors allowing a cat access to outdoors) doesn't work for having an indoor cat. Others would feel the same, and many cats would be surrendered to the SPCA.

And my cat does not catch live animals - the family of rats living under our front porch are thriving.

Why should my cat be punished for something other cats do?

And please provide a source for your claim that birds are being decimated.

 

[Scrufflet]

We have 4 cats. 3 have never been outdoors and wouldn't have a clue as to how to defend themselves from animals and cars. The 4th one loves outside and likes to meet humans. We solved the problem by putting a small screened in porch off our sun room. All love it. We also take the 4th one out front in a harness and leash and yes it is a lot of work but worth it. In this part of the country you do need screens to keep bugs, raccoons, squirrels, skunks and even gophers out. We have all of the above and are in Toronto, close to where Medved will be! But that's another thread, consumed by bagged milk.