My kitty wants out..

[misskriss 0]

I have two indoor/outdoor kitties. If I let them out then there will be dead birds, mice, rabbits, etc at my door in the morning. I have rescued a few of these half maimed creatures and taken them to wildlife protective services. I can't take it anymore. The kitties are going crazy wanting out. Is it possible to turn them into indoor kitties or will I forever be cleaning up dead birdies?

[blondeflyer7 0]

awwwww....poor kitties....do the best at both remember to apply the flea medicine.....fleas in the home would not be comfortable

[Michele 1]

HI, Kriss.

yes, it is possible.

Allow them window space. Allow them high places to sleep (like a kitty condo). Do not allow them out again. Give them toys and catnip inside. Create an environment where they prefer in to out, and they will make the switch. Give them lots of love, cuddles, and really yummy food. Keep the litter very clean. I mean very clean.

My Charlotte was a feral cat. She had run away from a neighbors house. She was captured by another set of neighbors when she was very very pregnant, and she had the babies. Once the babies were old enough, my neighbors spayed her...and turned her out again. I made friends with her, and she came inside to live with me. For about 6 months, she hid. hated inside. Darted out whenever she could. I did everything I just suggested to you, and now I can actually leave my back door open (no screen) and she won't leave. She prefers it. She even sleeps at the foot of the bed now. Matter of fact, she is sitting on my chair behind my head right now, purring.

Yes, Kriss. It's possible. Just know that whenever they are whining to go out, distract them with love and kisses and cuddles.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[airtwardo 7]

Hang something around their necks...

Something that will cause enough commotion and ruckus that all the little creatures will hear, and run away to safety!

...Something like a PORKCHOP!
Any wolves nearby???

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[misskriss 0]

Thanks Michele, I was going to buy a kitty condo tomorrow. I opened up the blinds on the bottom floor and they are pawing at the windows. I will also buy new toys for them but I feel bad....it's like when the kids are crying.. The kitties are just looking at me like.."why won't you let me out."

[MrHixxx 0]

Get a big parrot. Once kitties discover birdies that fight back, they feel differently about them. I have an African Grey Parrot and an Abyssinian cat. My bird nipped the cat once when he jumped up on his cage while he was on his perch up top. The kitty maintains his distance now, even though the bird calls him by name almost tauntingly. Its disturbing in a funny way...

-Hixxx

death,as men call him, ends what they call men
-but beauty is more now than dying’s when

[Gawain 0]

Hey, they're doing good by you by bringing dead prey to the doorstep! Don't deny them their fun!

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[Unstable 9]

Use operant Conditioning to teach them a lesson. Every time they beg to go outside, make a scare noice or release the hounds. They'll learn, oh, they will learn.

sds

=========Shaun ==========

[misskriss 0]

I know they are hunters...but I have been woken up by baby bunnies screeching and then me rushing them to the emergency vet in the middle of the night. They told me I might want to consider keeping my cats indoors..

[bch7773 0]

aww damn, when I first saw the title of this forum post I thought there was gonna be good pictures haha... jk

but seriously, try putting little bells on their collars to help warn away the bunnies. if the bells are annoying inside, maybe put the bells on a seperate collar for when they go inside.

MB 3528, RB 1182

[Opie 0]

You could keep my dog outside your house for a few weeks. That'll make them want to stay inside.

If your worried about keeping my dog I could always stay with you too

[misskriss 0]

You already do stay with me......isn't that you outside my window now?

[Unstable 9]

Chain a 5 or 6 pound bell around their necks. They won't get no bunnies that way!!!

sds

=========Shaun ==========

[Opie 0]

Quote

You already do stay with me......isn't that you outside my window now?

actually I'm inside tonight, over here in the back room waiting....

[LouDiamond 1]

I thought this thread was about soomething COMPLETLY different

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[happythoughts 0]

Quote

I thought this thread was about soomething COMPLETLY different

The word "hijack" comes to mind, but you know that's what she would want. We are only aiding her in her insidious plan to control our minds. Mmmm... free the kitty...

[airann 1]

Michele has done her homework on this one. She is well versed on ferals. I had 21 to deal with. Litter after litter, I raised on bottles to try and let them bond to humans.

About your kitties, are they spayed? When one is in heat - its not fun. I did have a boy cat named Monster and he did the loud whinning thing and it was really irritating. A distraction is always a good thing. Sleeping and sitting real high is also good.

You can make a triangle shelf easy for the corner of a room including a handicap ramp that goes up there. But that is me building stuff again.

The thing with the varmits at your door... that is natural all felines do it. Bobcats... etc. Around my house there are many tailless lizards. The cat behavior is not because they are hungry. It is life in the food chain and a force that is inherently present. They bring it back to you as a sign of love and affection. (I am told) Mother cats in the wild will bring lunch back to the den. I am not too keen on the idea. Oh lookie a near death birdie. - Thanks.

The answer to your question is Yes. But work on your part is key. Try to wear them out with toys. Lazer lights on walls, feather toys on door knobs, bells inside balls, tennis balls... anything that works. I had a bell from a string tied under a cofee table. Look around your house and make up something.

It should work. Patience here can be fun if you make it that way.

The deal on large amazon parrots - More likely this bird would mimic the cats within a week and then you have a huge problem. Especially with an African Grey. They are the best of talking parrots. Avaian Vet bills are seriously high. I would not risk such an expensive bird as he has. Or that I had. Birdie, (Blue Front Amazon), was $800 and with me for 11 years. He could damn well take care of himself. Yet he was more than a bird.

Good Luck

~AirAnn~

[bvsdjumper 0]

For as long as I can remember, our family has always had one cat around. Now that I'm living on my own, I have a cat that was "given" to me by my sister (there's a story there).

My cat: Just a few years old. Maybe 6-7 now. When my sister had her she was indoor/outdoor. She was struck by a car and lived but her hind legs are little messed up (it's cute watching her run). Now that I have her, she is strictly indoor. My house sits too close to the road out front and there are too many dead cats on the road in the neighborhood (not littered with them, just the odd dead cat on the road here or there every 3-4 months). She's curious about the outside (sits on window seal, etc) but does not beg to go outside. She's happy being inside.

My parents cat: Totally different personality. He is an indoor/outdoor cat. If he wants outside he'll sit by the door. If no one comes, he will meow and meow and demandingly meow. He will bug the crap out of you untill he gets let outside. He doesn't take no for answer. He is so bad (but in this way good) that he doesn't use the litter box. He will go outside (even in the middle of winter) to do his thing. It is not unusual for him to go outside in the winter and then want back in litterally two minutes later.

My only point with this post is to say that in my experience it is possible to convert an indoor/outdoor cat to indoor only, but there are some cats that will be very unhappy (and let you know it) if you make them stay indoors. It depends on the cat.

--Art

Sky-div'ing (ski'div'ing) n. A modern sport that involves parties, bragging, sexual excesses, the imbibing of large quantities of beer, and, on rare occasions, parachuting from aircraft.

[suz 0]

Or a fish or two!!
My cat was a indoor cat. he loved the fish tank. I had over 20 fish in the tank, plus a yabbie. It kept my cat entertained for hours a day! Although I cant say much for the poor wee yabbie. **shrugs shoulders**

Don't bother me, I'm living happily ever after

[QuickDraw 0]

Use a home-made Borg helmet with a patch that covers one of their eyes,
this will fuck up their depth perception and resistance will no longer be futile.

-- Hope you don't die. --

I'm fucking winning

[PhillyKev 0]

Quote

aww damn, when I first saw the title of this forum post I thought there was gonna be good pictures haha... jk

but seriously, try putting little bells on their collars to help warn away the bunnies. if the bells are annoying inside, maybe put the bells on a seperate collar for when they go inside.

We had a cat with big ass loud bells and she was declawed. Still caught all kinds of stuff. Bells only work when they're not stalking something. They learn how to not make a sound when they move. She used to jump in the air, grasp birds between her two declawed paws and quickly pull them in and bite their necks.

Cats are cool.