I have a female cat and she is definately an out door cat. She refuses to stay indoors. I am moving to another home and I am taking her with me. I am afraid when I move there and if she gets out she might freak out and get lost or run away...Should I force her to stay indoors and for how long? Any suggestions?
2006-07-04 18:09:29 · 18 answers · asked by D 4 in Pets ➔ Cats
i work with animals and I know this may seem strange...in order to better familiar your feline friend with your new nieghborhood get a harness and leash and spend some time in your yard with your little furry friend and let the leash out little by little to let your cat explore at his her pace without ever letting go of leash do it for about 15 min next day half hour and continue that for almost a week I garentee your cat will become more comfortable with his her surroundings..i did it with my cat and it worked wonderful not to mention it help with my own fears
2006-07-04 20:58:34 · answer #1 · answered by true_pzzazz 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely force her to stay inside when you move. When you move it is a move for her as well and she will not have established her territory (in other words, she will have no idea where she is, she'll get lost and have no idea where to come back to). As far as how long...this varies from cat to cat. You will need to make her an indoor kitty until she becomes familiar with where she is. Probably keeping her inside and walking her outside on a leash with you so that she can learn the boundaries of her perimeter wouldn't be a bad start.
2006-07-04 18:15:45 · answer #2 · answered by boxerpitk9 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure this will sound totally bizarre, but I'll tell you anyway.
My mom has 3 cats. They were all strays that she adopted, and are all outside cats. Over the past 10 years, my mom has moved 7 times (she has had to relocate for work). Each time she moves, she buys a tub of margarine and writes "CAT FEET" on the lid (so no one will spread it on their toast).
Each time the kitties go out (for the first couple of weeks) mom wipes their paws across the margarine. The kitties go out, they take a few steps, stop to lick a paw, walk a little more, stop to lick a paw, and so on. My mom's theory is that when they stop to lick the margarine from their paws, they also look around, and become familiar with their surroundings.
Sounds crazy, I know ... but in 7 moves (and most were to different states) she hasn't had a cat get lost yet!
2006-07-04 18:15:42 · answer #3 · answered by flamingo_sandy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keep the cat inside the house for about 3-5 days when you first move in
2006-07-04 18:18:57 · answer #4 · answered by (((((K!NG))))) 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have been told that you need to keep a cat inside in a new location for at least 1 week to insure that they don't try to find their way back to what they think of as home. In a new home there is often enough to explore and do for that long. I would put her down in the spot furthest from the door and keep her in that room a bit - with litter and food in opposite corners. Let her gradually explore from there.
It is also important to explain to the cat what's going on and what is going to happen. I try to tell them verbally and kind of think at them (sit quietly with the cat and picture the activities that will happen - visualize you getting in the car with her and taking her to a new place and her getting out into the new place and being happy there with you).
Peace!
2006-07-04 18:13:43 · answer #5 · answered by carole 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you move I recommend leaving her indoors for the first few weeks. I highly recommend getting her microchipped, it will help if she does run away. Which is a possibility. I would also recomend that when she is allowed outside to stay out with her for quite a while, it helps her adjust more to her surroundings. Also, if you can, leave a kennel outside for her. One last thing. Before you let her go outside make sure you canvas the neighborhood, looking for potential dangers. i.e dogs that may eat her, traffic, a crazy neighbor who hates cats and will shoot one if he sees her etc. Good luck!
2006-07-04 18:33:46 · answer #6 · answered by Adalina 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If your cat is over the kitten stage I recommend locking her up for about a week then walk her around on a lead for the first couple of days.
Give her plenty of encouragement and feed her well.
She will get to love her new home.
It's very important that you DO NOT let her outside less than a week b/c she could run off and you might never see her again.
Goodluck.
2006-07-04 18:25:26 · answer #7 · answered by tamilia4u 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I moved I kept my outdoor cat inside for a few days so he would get used to the new smells of the new place.Then when you feel comfortable take her outside with you and walk her around a little. As long as you are feeding her she will remember. She will be a little cranky the first couple of days but remember it is only temporary.I always waited about a week, but it's up to you.Hope this helps.
2006-07-04 18:21:46 · answer #8 · answered by mrsford072602 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My sister just moved... I was surprised by her outside cats... She did keep them inside for about 3 days just to get them use to the surroundings. I believe cats run away when they are moved to a house with out their owner and looking to get back to them any way possible... Hope this helps
2006-07-04 18:24:50 · answer #9 · answered by luv2lysalittle 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Search at Amazon.com for "Pam Johnson-Bennett". She *is* a "cat whisperer". Buy her books. Read them. Keep the cat indoors, and follow her recommendations for keeping the cat happy. Outdoor cats live *much* shorter lives than indoor ones.
2006-07-04 18:13:40 · answer #10 · answered by Riothamus Of Research ;<) 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋