Pet Lovers

[halfpint1]

I adopted her from a shelter over 2 years ago. The 1st year was okay and she nev er did this. She wants out side and when the door to the back is open for me going out she runs out. I now back out the door if she is near --under the kitchen table waiting. I don't know why. She is sweet other wise and comes up to me sitting and bonks me alot--no other cat I had did. Sometimes she stays out a few minutes and this week a couple of hours when it was dark. If I see her I say no and she understands. There is a fence and gate all around--block wall. Didn't want to go to sleep when she was out. Dogs in the neighbor hood all around. She isn't out every day. She likes to roll around on the cement walk. 

[Katcat1]

@halfpint1    My cat is strictly indoors.  Since you adopted her, she was probably use to being outside but you need to keep her indoors.  She could get hit by a car, catch some kind of disease, get in fights.  So my suggestion is pick her up and place her in another room when you plan on opening the door to go out.  She sounds very sweet.  I have a sweetheart too.  

[shopperqvc]

@halfpint1 Mine would run out in a minute if they had the chance. In fact the one would sit and watch the birds, if one landed on the porch, she did her little "pouncing dance" and she would have jumped through the window if she hadn't been stopped. I ended up putting screen material over the inside of the windows that face the porch. I really was afraid she would jump through. I either lock them up in a room they consider theirs when I need the front door open, or I use the back door with the kitchen door closed. Then there is no chance they will get past me. I'm too old to run after them, and they are not wise to traffic. They would be off and running if they ever got out, and the fence around the yard would be nothing to them.

[felixmom]

I had an outdoor cat for 17 years. I know, I know. There are so many reasons to keep them in. I got him as a kitten so he only had one home. I would open the door and call his hame, and he'd be under a bush in the yard, and he would fly in the door. The best cat.

[x Hedge]

Hi @halfpint1. You have posted about this before.

I forget whether you confirmed your cat was spayed/neutered.

Assuming that's been taken care of, I'd buy a cat harness and run a tethering line out in my yard.

In nice weather I'd sit outside with my cat tethered to the line for an hour or so.

Take a few toys out.

Grow a little catnip bed outside.

Just make sure you stay outside and supervise, and don't leave it alone as some cats roll until the line winds around their neck or torso.

[beach-mom]

@halfpint1 - DH will tell all of his patients' parents: "Nothing good can happen to a cat outside." He strongly believes this. Your kitty sounds normal. Thank you for adopting her BTW! You don't know her background, so you don't know how long she was a stray before the shelter took her in. 

Keep her inside with you where she's safe. We have, and have had, kitties who were strays with an unknown background. We're pretty sure our newest one was out for quite a while. Believe it or not he never teases to go outside here. Only one of ours does, and she knows the rules! 

The bonking or head butting is normal too. Just another way of showing affection for you! 

[candys mine]

Your beautiful kitty is normal.  She just finds things more Interesting out of doors.  Now the key is to make it Interesting for her Indoors.  And harder for her to slip out as you open the door.  My sisters cat would wait under the table by the door.  They put a trash can under the table to block off quick escape now they can see him coming and act accordingly. 

[deweydoo]

Nowadays, cats should be indoors, so many bad things can happen to them outdoors. My niece had 2 cats that she started letting out, had a six foot fence around the entire backyard, so she was confident that they could not get out of there. Well, one got hit by a car, and the other one came up missing, so there is no containing a cat who will climb. Better safe than sorry. I also have shelter cats who are more than content to be inside cats. He is probably just testing you, keep a fly swatter by the door and tell him no while pushing him back with it. He will get the message.

[Kachina624]

Last Saturday afternoon, a coyote was spotted and photographed a couple of houses up the street from me.  There are two cats missing in the neighborhood.  Coyotes are becoming less and less nocturnal.

[denisemb]

I'm older than dirt and as a kid on a farm, we had many barn cats.  That's all I knew.   MUCH later on when we moved to a fairly rural area, our calico came home dragging her tail behind her (close call).

Later yet, DH and I hadt wo cats in a home with a 'cat flap" into the garage  Thought it was a great idea until they learned the sound of the garage door, with two disadvantages. This was the end of outdoor cats forever.

Fast forward about 15 years - we bought an early generation bengal kitten who'd always lived indoors (breeder had a special heated/air conditioned cattery, with music for the pregnant mothers and new litters.  Separate wings for studs ansd queens not being bred. This was probably half the size of our house, LOL)

Anyhow, brought Rocko home and one day husband decided to CARRY him outside.  Roicko peed all over the front of his shirt.

We later adopted his great-grandma (retired breeder)n She LOVED going outside on her harness and leash.