# Indoor cat wants outside



## Amanda (Mar 13, 2004)

I have a 3 year old indoor cat who lately seems so desperate to get outside. A few weeks ago, she somehow managed to get outside for several hours before I finally found her, she was just sitting on the back porch. So today I took her outside and followed her around as she sniffed the ground and bushes. I don't have a leash for her or anything and I don't have a fenced in yard and I don't want her outside without me, because I'm afraid someone would take her or she would get hurt somehow. But I'm wondering if anyone else has indoor cats that they let outside occasionally and how they go about doing that, with a leash or not?


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## Ioana (Jul 12, 2003)

Is he neutered? Because if he isn't you need to hurry and have him altered or he will father more unwanted kittens into this world. Plus an intact Tom will be so much harder to find because he will always want to be out and about looking for the females that he smells need his *attention*
However, whether he is neutered or not now he has got the taste for the outdoors and he will always want to get out. I strongly recommend against having an outdoor cat. There are so many dangers out there for them that it is not worth it to take the chance.
In order to deter him from wanting to go/sneak out secure the exists - make absolutely sure he doesn't come out when you are about to exit/enter your house - esp in the dark. Make some noises around the exits that will make him not even want to get close to them. Provide him with window seats where he can watch the outdoors from, animal videos ..and lots of rythmic sessions of play(with fishing poles, little balls to chase..etc) to keep his mind off of it. This way he will forget about it in time.
Best of luck and let us know how he does!


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## icklemiss21 (Aug 29, 2004)

My cats are indoor cats - but I do occasionally bring them out in the garden with me. I put them on a cat leash and they are quite happy to just go out for a little while and sniff around and do not bug much to go out after that. Mostly once they get out they want back inside!


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## MJColeNC (Sep 29, 2004)

I have three cats, all are netured, and all are indoor cats. I couldn't stand if anything happened to them.

One of mine however, tries his hardest to keep getting outside. I won't allow it because we don't want anything to happen to him. In fact, we are going through a phase right now of having to try and keep our younger cat from being nasty to him because he had been outside for several hours without our knowledge. We are lucky now, after four days, that they can actually stay in the same room.

Good luck in what you decided


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## Lynda J (Sep 8, 2004)

I have a very good customer that has Burmese. He has built a "cat patio"
The cats have access to this wonderful screened in outdoor room. It's about 12x12 and he built things for them to climb on in it.. It is screened on all sided and the top. But the bottom is grass. They can access it through a cat door on one of the bedrooms. He has a couple of chairs out there and will go and sit in there with the cats. They love it and he doesn't have to worry about them being in danger. He said the only problem he has is when he needs to mow. Since they can go and come during the day when he isn't there he didn't put a door in the enclosure itself. So he "mows' with the weedeater. I keep thinking about building one for my babies. The only thing is none of mine show any interest in going out at all. They will lay in the window sil but if it is open they lay on the back of the chair.


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## lolakitty23 (Aug 17, 2004)

icklemiss21 said:


> My cats are indoor cats - but I do occasionally bring them out in the garden with me. I put them on a cat leash and they are quite happy to just go out for a little while and sniff around and do not bug much to go out after that. Mostly once they get out they want back inside!


This sounds very similar to us. We just got Skeeter a harness and leash and take him outside with us in the evenings (and any other spare moment we have). We live next to busy roads, though, with hardly any yard area, so the leash is great for all of us. He's been very accepting of it and actually brought the harness to us this morning, like a dog does when he wants a walk! 
Pretty much every time we go out, though, something scares Skeeter and he runs back up to the porch and paws at the front door.
Before we tried the leash, I'd brought it up on the forum and most of the responses I got told me just to keep him indoors where he was safe and warned me that he'd probably become a "door rusher." Well, I felt terrible not letting him experience the outdoors in some way, so we got the harness and leash. It's worked out great for us! (And he hasn't turned into a door rusher, but he does meow at the front door sometimes.)
You should just try out the leash on your babies and see if it works for them. Older cats might not take to it as easily. Good luck!


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## Doeremi (Aug 21, 2004)

If you don't want your cat meowing or desiring the outside you have to stop allowing them outside. I used to allow Peekaboo outside and regretted it! He would constantly meow at the window and sliders. Slowly I am curbing him of this by not taking him outside. If I do then I know I will have an hour of meowing at the door. Just be ready for the meowing...


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## mizzkitty (Jun 13, 2004)

my cat is an inddor cat and once in a hwilw id put aleash and stand right out front and eat plants anf smell them but he started getting a li ltoo ussed to it so i stopped doin it nowi just hold him take him for somefresh air and use the leash on fewer occassions or else he gets too used to it and meows if i go by the door but its 4 his own good i monly thinkin aobut his safety


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## Doeremi (Aug 21, 2004)

Yeah, my cat learned to open the screen door on the slider if there was even the slightest crack. He's a runner when we open the door to the back. Not the front. I'm sure if we took him on walks out the front he'd bolt out that way. He's a fast one..


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## sleeperalty (Jan 10, 2004)

Lexus is mostly an indoor cat, but she loves to go outside and roll around in the grass, and dirt, ans just sniff around the neighborhood. I dont mind letting her out once in awhile, I just dont let her out if she's in heat. my yard isnt fenced in either, but she knows her neighborhood, so she always goes to the same spots, so if i need to get her back in the house, I know exactly where to look.


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## Superkitties (Jan 30, 2004)

Leashes have been a very positive experience over here. I've taken my kitties out for a couple years now. I walk them on harness and leash, and we mostly roam around our house and yard, although Mozart is really anxious to run along the rest of the street and INTO the street. I can just imagine what he would do if he had no leash.

They don't rush out the door, and they don't meow at me to go out. Mozart will run up to me sometimes and do that adorable silent chirp, but will stop after a few minutes.

I just remembered something important. I've NEVER let them walk out the door/patio. I always have their harnesses on inside, then carry them outside first.


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## Doeremi (Aug 21, 2004)

Superkitties said:


> I just remembered something important. I've NEVER let them walk out the door/patio. I always have their harnesses on inside, then carry them outside first.


That's a VERY good idea. That way the cat associates the leash with walking outside rather than the door with going outside. Very smart!


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## EqusArch (Oct 7, 2004)

All seven of our cats go outdoor. We live in a very rural area though. I do worry about coyotes and cars, but for the last 7 or 8 years we haven't had any probelms. A few close calls with coyotes, but we have a large supply of guns(or my brother does anyway).

Our generaly scratch the door frame when they want out.


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## Konafa (Aug 16, 2009)

*Re:*



Doeremi said:


> If you don't want your cat meowing or desiring the outside you have to stop allowing them outside. I used to allow Peekaboo outside and regretted it! He would constantly meow at the window and sliders. Slowly I am curbing him of this by not taking him outside. If I do then I know I will have an hour of meowing at the door. Just be ready for the meowing...


First of all, sorry for replying in an old topic but I don't want to duplicate threads here.

Doeremi, did you manage to stop your cats from meowing? I am having the same problem.  

Now every time my cat sees our entrance door opening, she would just run to outside! I don't mind may cat to play outside but there is an entrance gate out there that can lead her to the streets.
So when she fails to run outside, she would just sit in front of the door and meow.  

Putting her on the window is a bad idea because there are lots of street cats in my area and one of them before was almost going to jump into my window because it saw my parakeet in its cage! :!: 

My point is...I can't allow my cat to go outside. At the sametime, I don't want her to feel that I'm abandoning her. What can I do? :?:


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## Doeremi (Aug 21, 2004)

Yeah he finally did stop his annoying meowing. In case of accidental getaways make sure you put a collar on with an id tag. Last summer I allowed them to stay in the open breezeway/mudroom. Then Nala started going through the dog door into the backyard. If something like that causes more meowing then just don't do it. 

If she is a meower just do something to distract her. You'll have to make sure she doesn't get out. Might have to get some kitty toys or catnip.. After time she will stop. But you won't be able to take her out and expect her not to meow.


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## Sarah-Lou (Sep 22, 2009)

My friend has two indoor kittens...they have been fine about not going outside until recently when Alfie realised there were females that want his 'attention'...he is booked in to be neutered but his little exploration sessions of the back yard have been put on hold. He started to jump the wall and go in search of females...he didn't get very far and could usually be found less than 10 metres up from my friends house meowing and looking upset  he's a baby really! Whilst her other kitten shows no intention of going outside and is quite happy to live inside with Alfie.


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