how do i stop my cat from going outside?

Question

hi. i have just got a new kitten. its a ragdoll and i want it ti be an inside cat. i have grown up ish! kids but things like windows and the back door which i tend to leave open for fresh air

Answer 1

If you have open windows or doors the cats going to go out everytime you aren't looking, they are sneaky. I would suggest getting screens, or try putting double sided tape in front of the door and on the window sills that way when he goes to go out it will be very unpleasant. Try this over and over several times until he doesn't try to go out anymore? Just a suggestion good luck!

Answer 2

I also have a Ragdoll and the trick I found when he was a kitten is to pick him up when I was walking out the door, then give him a little kiss, then set him back inside as I shut the door. You have to face him and tell him "no" in a soft voice so the cat will know that is not allowed. Keep all your sreen door's shut, and train you children or company to keep an eye out for the cat before opening the doors. If you don't already have screens on the windows, put them on all of your windows. I also open my windows for fresh air, as long as the screen is there, the cat will be happy to sit there and enjoy the fresh air and to see and hear what's going on outside. You will find with a little patience and training, you and your cat will form a bond and the cat will get used to what they are "allowed" to do and what is not allowed. I think it took me 2 weeks tops following these procedures to get my Ragdoll trained properly. Remember to have screens and let them enjoy the fresh air as much as possible with the safety of the screen. I have had cats all my life, and have found the Ragdoll to be one of the most beautiful breeds. I am sure you will enjoy your happy life together!
Happy days to you both!

Answer 3

Hi Lou,

If you want your cat to stay indoors, you have two options:

1. Buy and install window screens.
2. Keep windows and doors shut when kitty is in the room.

I tried leaving my windows ajar, but eventually my cat managed to push it open and get outside. It was horrible looking for him - I really thought I'd lost him. If you have a latch or another way of securing the windows so that they are only a little bit opened, then this would be fine as long as the gap is not big enough for your kitten to escape.

You'll have to make sure your kids keep the windows closed too!

We have a mixture of floor-ceiling length windows and waist-high windows in our apartment. We keep the floor-ceiling ones on the latch (or keep our cats out of the room for a little while if we have those windows open). The higher one, which our cat can't get to unless he jumps up to the windowsill, we can open wide. We have horizontal blinds that are fixed over the recess, not inside it, which means that if we pull the blinds down we can open the window fully, as our cat cannot jump onto the windowsill! So that's a suggestion for you.

A final suggestion is that if you have a garden, consider installing some specially made cat fencing ( http://www.purrfectfence.co.uk ). You can make it look more appealing by growing plants up it, etc, and it means that your kitty will be kept safe in your garden - allowing her to enjoy the outdoors, but being safe from harm. If I had a garden, I would definitely install this.

Remember of course that your kitten cannot go outside until it has had all of it's injections by 12 weeks old anyway, so be extra vigilant about closing windows and doors - and get your kids to do the same.

Trust me, most cats won't just sit on a windowsill looking out of a wide open window! They will be straight outside!

xx Emmie

Answer 4

You really need this kitten to stay indoors if it is a real ragdoll. Ragdolls are not bred to be outdoor cats-due to their laid back and passive nature they do not have the natural defenses that other breeds have. If you research the breed it will tell you not to let these cats outdoors unattended. I have two ragdolls and I can tell you that neither of them would survive long alone. Our male cat does like to go outside sometimes, but he is always with one of us. He is also good if we tether him with a long rope so he can explore but not go too far-this is for when we want to do some yard work and are not keeping on eye on him 100% of the time. But I would not leave him out there when I go back in the house.
So you need to train not only the cat, but yourselves, about open doors and windows. If you can't put screens on or somehow make the door safe so the cat can't get out, then I would think your only choice is to confine the kitty while you air out the house. It's harder for kitties since they have so much energy, but once it is grown most cats (like mine) prefer to find a warm place to sleep most of the time anyway. If you can buy a window ledge thingy for your kitty that might help too-they sell things you can put in front of the window so your cat can lay there and look out while staying safely indoors. We have a porch with a ledge that our male cat basically lives on in the evening-he's safe and happy to see outside. Good luck!

Answer 5

you will have to get screens for the windows and always remember to close the door. I don't believe in keeping cats in and to be honest my cats prefer to be in most of the time but will take a break from sleeping for about 3 to 4 hours to go out in the garden and kill a few flies etc.

Answer 6

Its only natural that your cat wants to go outside its in the nature to roam around, they are very private animals that like to be on there own a lot, you have not said why you do not want it to go out is it because it a small kitten, if it is screen the windows you wish to open.

Answer 7

Put screens on your windows and doors so you'll still get fresh air, but the cat can't get out.

Answer 8

You'll need to keep the doors and windows closed for a few weeks until he is used to being inside, otherwise he'll just get out.

Hope that helps

Answer 9

If you keep him indoors for a few months eventually he will be too afraid to go out, and then you will be able to leave doors and windows open and he wont even try to go out.

Answer 10

Get a squirt gun & shoot vinegar w/ water at it a few times. I had to use this on my kitten recently to not do things, & he gets the point because they HATE the smell. I don't even have to hardly spray it anymore, I just point, & sometimes aim it at his nose so he gets a good whiff... & then he goes elsewhere & sulks, then plays with something else, hehe. If you don't want to squirt it all the time, maybe just spray towards the area you don't want him going to. I had to do this with my cat to set him straight. He also escaped a few times (luckily just in the bushes near my door) & got more fleas, which brought even more in my place!! They just have to learn what's allowed & not allowed when they're young before it gets out of hand.