what do i do about my cat?

Question

my kitten's name is rocky. hes beautiful with grey fur and white paws and stomach. but theres a problem he always wants to go outside ever since i brought him out there with me. we wanted him to be an inside cat but he wants to go outside all the time , what should i do? i dont want him to go outside because our next door neighbors have a pitbull and they let him run loose and everyone knows what a pitbull can do to a little baby cat :(

Answer 1

give him stuff to do inside!
1-put something next to the window so he can see outside
2-by him toys that resemble mice or birds and hide them under chairs and around corners so that he can hunt them
3-hide his food around the house for him to find rather than putting it in his bowl
4-watch the videos at this site to find great toys (you can make or buy) and games for you and him to play together:
http://petvideo.com/index.cgi?category=28
5-read these two articles to understand that your cat is bored inside, but there are things you can do to keep your cat from getting bored:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?dept_id=&aid=833
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?dept_id=0&siteid=1&acatid=209&aid=1639
6-if all else fails: buy a leash and a well fitted collar and take your cat outside for some supervised outdoor time everyday

my kitten is not allowed outside unless he's on his leash, however I use all of the above websites and tips to keep him happy while he is inside

Answer 2

My cats never, ever go outside. If you insist and make sure your cat stays inside, eventually they will stop trying to get out. I think your neighbors are breaking the law...check with your local police dept., etc. Where I live, dogs are not allowesd to run loose. Before leaving the house, set the cat in a room away from the door.

Answer 3

It sounds like your cat was an outside cat before you got him. I have one like that and I used to let her go out since we live in the country and have woods she roams through, but recently a stray tom cat ripped her back leg open all down the back about 5 inched long. I got rid of the stray and I keep her inside now. She's not really happy with the arrangement, but it's not worth it to see her hurt like that again.

You'll have to make his inside life fun and exciting. Make sure he has lots of toys and that you spend plenty of time playing with him. If possible, make or buy him a cat tree that he can climb on in the house. Also, having him neutered will calm him down some and make him less likely to roam.

Answer 4

Easy- get a harness and a leash (they make them for cats). It took a while for my cat to get used to it, but now she runs whenever she hears it jingle. I have a leash with the extender elastic so she can roll around the yard but stay in sight.

You CANNOT tie a cat to a post though, cats wiggle and can easily slip out of collars and they can also choke... so make sure you get a leash and a collar and you take him out yourself.

You can also get a cat run, but they can be expensive...
http://www.catsplay.com/kittywalk_lawn.php3

Other than that you can get your kitty a window perch and keep the window open (with a screen of course), so he can at least get fresh air and hear all the sounds and feel the warm sun. :)

Answer 5

He may want to go outside but YOU control the door.

Keep him indoors or the loose dog may kill him very quickly. You know there's a danger there, so don't even expose the kitten to it.

Answer 6

It is natural for a cat to want to go outdoors, although careful to let him go far while s/he is too young. Perhaps you can talk to your neighbours about keeping their dog behind fences.

Answer 7

Do you have a screened in porch? My parents live in the country and can't let their cats out anymore due to coyotes so they let them on the screened in porch and they love it.

Answer 8

my cat does the same thing. what I do is just ignore him and after a while he settles down try that.