# Keeping a cat in a flat



## Cammy (Jan 10, 2010)

Hello Everyone!

Does anyone have experience of keeping a cat in a flat? We live in the upstairs of a maisonette so have a front door leading directly outside, I would not be able to fit a cat flap as I am a tennant. Do cats adapt to a routine of being let out at certain times? I am around the house most of the day so could let it in and out, I am just worried that it may not come back? What is the best way to establish a routine? 

thanks!


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## melysion (Mar 12, 2007)

Dont worry, it will be fine. Your little companion will just ask you to be let outside if he cant get out on his own. However, dont let him out for the first month or so so that he gets to know where he lives and make sure he is neutered. That way he wont go wondering too far and will find his way back easily.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Something else I would do, is train him to come at your call AND provide a safe little snuggle-y area where he can wait until you *do* come to the door to call him in.

Growing up out on our farm I had a whistle-call I used to call the cats in. During the winter and inclement weather, if my house-kitty was outside I would whistle-call for a minute or so and she always came running from the back-side of the house. Turns out she had access to the crawl-space under the house and had a little 'area' that was protected from drafts. It was still cold, but it was dry. _The minute of calling was to allow her time to hear my calls and/or decipher it from the wind noises and make her way to her access point and then run around the house to me at the slider-door._
If you can give him something similar near the door or in a protected area around the side/back of the home for him to be able to wait for your call I think it would be a good idea. _There will be times he won't be within hearing distance to come and you have will to leave him out until you do get back and can call for him again._ Just be sure it is protected and has no way for an animal (_cat or dog_) to trap him in there.

A member here 'taught' one of her rescues how to remain at home as an outdoor cat. She harness trained her and with her husband 'walking' the kitty around the yard, she would stand at the porch and call for her kitty. When the kitty was coming consistently at the call (food/treats as reward) and the harness-walks had allowed her to become familiar with her "home territory", the kitty was able to be allowed free-roam and her human family was confident they had done all they could to help her be a successful outdoor kitty. ..._this person also created a safe-place on their porch for their cat to hang-out in bad weather_...

_I have also had indoor/outdoor cats here. These cats began life as feral and already street-smart. I built a little 'cat house', similar to a dog house, and kept it by our backdoor. I fed the kitties there and kept a soft/warm catbed in the cat-house for them. Two cats could sleep comfortably in there and Dusty and Pretty used it all the time during the winter or bad weather._
Good luck!
heidi =^..^=


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## nanook (Jun 12, 2005)

I have cats that live strictly indoors in an apartment and are purrfectly happy. They don't go out at all (it wouldn't be at all safe here: we have too many cars and coyotes) and show no desire to. So don't worry, your kitty will be fine.
If your area is safe enough for her/him to go outside, first make sure they are spayed/neutered! Aside from the myriad of other reasons, cats that are unfixed will tend to roam a lot more than ones that are. As Ali said, keep the cat in for a few weeks before you let them out so they really know where they live and then I'd only do it for short, supervised stints until you are absolutely sure the cat is comfortable.
My friend taught her cat to come when she jingled her keys. It was so cute! She'd come home from work and jingle them and Holly would come running from...where ever.
Good luck!


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