Acclimating An Outdoor Cat To Be Indoors
Zavian
universal peace sounds better than forever warRegistered User regular
universal peace sounds better than forever warRegistered User regular
So for the past few years since I moved into my current condo, there's been an adult stray cat living around the complex. He's always been friendly and never hissed at me or shown signs of being feral, so my guess is at some point he was abandoned by a tenant and has been living outside ever since hunting lizards, mice and birds. One of his ears is clipped which tells me he's been neutered (local service gives shots and neuters stray cats, then clip ear). I've been feeding him off and on, but mostly he just hangs around outside my front door and wants pets and neck rubs. He lets me pick him up and is comfortable eating inside by the door, but always runs back outside afterwards. If I close the door, he meows mournfully until I open the door. He has all his claws, but never once has scratched me or threatened me in any way.
The reason I want to take him in is lately I've been seeing bloody scratches on his head from fighting with another very much feral cat who also lives around the condo complex. I know outdoor cats have short lifespans, and I really want to give him a better life by trying to see if he can adapt to the indoors.
My plan is to take him indoors, give him a flea bath, then try to keep him in my bedroom with the door closed as there's no electronics or anything he could really mess up or get into. I made some space to put a litter box and plan to use some cardboard boxes to make an enclosure around it. Luckily I work from home, so even if he's in my bedroom with the door closed I'm only a few feet away at all times in the living room. The bedroom has a sliding glass door to look out of and that he also really can't mess up or break or anything. I got these supplies off Amazon which are arriving later today (I already have dry cat food):
I also plan to get a cat carrier and take to the vet for shots and check-up next week. I had cats as pets when I was younger, but it's been a long time since then.
I could use some help/advice! I think I got all the basic supplies covered. The litter boxes are disposable and temporary until I can find a deal on a better one.
Here's a pic of him:
The reason I want to take him in is lately I've been seeing bloody scratches on his head from fighting with another very much feral cat who also lives around the condo complex. I know outdoor cats have short lifespans, and I really want to give him a better life by trying to see if he can adapt to the indoors.
My plan is to take him indoors, give him a flea bath, then try to keep him in my bedroom with the door closed as there's no electronics or anything he could really mess up or get into. I made some space to put a litter box and plan to use some cardboard boxes to make an enclosure around it. Luckily I work from home, so even if he's in my bedroom with the door closed I'm only a few feet away at all times in the living room. The bedroom has a sliding glass door to look out of and that he also really can't mess up or break or anything. I got these supplies off Amazon which are arriving later today (I already have dry cat food):
I also plan to get a cat carrier and take to the vet for shots and check-up next week. I had cats as pets when I was younger, but it's been a long time since then.
I could use some help/advice! I think I got all the basic supplies covered. The litter boxes are disposable and temporary until I can find a deal on a better one.
Here's a pic of him:
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He will probably go crazy at first trying to get out and eventually get used to it.
If he bites you when capturing him or taking to the vet be very careful with the wound. Wash out with disinfectant and if it shows the slightest sign of infection go to urgent care/the ER. Cat bites can potentially kill you or cause you to lose a limb.
if you have a window or door you can put a screen on that might help; that way he can still see/smell the outside without being able to actually go out and get in fights
that's why we call it the struggle, you're supposed to sweat
Oh yeah 99% sure he isn't someone else's. I'm still going to bring to vet to check for microchip first though
microchip with lifetime registration is $32, nail trim $30, deworming if necessary $27, tapeworm treatment if necessary $42
I called around and those seem good prices; one place wanted $450-550 for those same services
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I got a cat carrier and brought to vet just now, they checked for microchip and didn't find any. Because of holidays, earliest appt for shots and check-up is Monday so set appt for then. Also plan to get him microchipped.
he was crying last night to be let out, but as soon as I start petting him he stops and starts purring. he slept at my feet in bed and was very calm the whole night. I put a nice blanket bed for him next to sliding glass doors so he can comfortably sit and watch outside which he seems to enjoy (he kneads the blanket bed).
I also got some cat clippers so plan to clip his nails later today. i'm hoping it goes as smoothly as the bath did. he's such a sweet, calm cat!
If he slept on your bed the whole night then I think you've already been adopted.
yeah luckily he's gotten used to me over the past three years or so that he's very trusting of me; he was showing his belly for rubs for the past year or so. It's made stuff like giving him a flea shower (which was a good thing I did that first since I pulled out quite a few dead fleas while grooming him today, and have another bath on the 29th) as well as clipping his nails very easy as he gets calm and purrs when i hold him. I still need to do his back claws though, he still isn't 100% happy being on his back for nail clipping.
I'm keeping him in my bedroom for now as it's escape proof, unlike my living room where he could run out the front door when I go out or have to open the door for a delivery, etc. Also much less expensive computer stuff, and most importantly my work station isn't in any danger while he's confined to my bedroom.
He seems content to stay there as well; sometimes when I'm remote working I keep the door open and he just sits watching me safely from the middle of the bedroom (if I keep the door closed he cries). I'm going to put cat tree right along that back wall so he can perch and stare at me and also outside like the stalker he is
I have a 1.5 year old cat that to this day, despite all of the toys that have been bought, just wants pom-poms that he can carry in his mouth. Spending $10 on a bag of 40 1" pom-poms was objectively the best entertainment to cost ratio ever.
The only toy he likes better is a roughly 2" ball of fake fur (which is just a ball of fake fur with another piece of fake fur sewn around it) that has a small bell attached to it that he will chase with or without anyone else's help.
Buy something for yourself.
Literally anything.
Crumple up the receipt and toss it on the floor in front of cat.
This is very true! But you need to watch them.
Some cats *cough*our older cat Roxie*cough* end up chewing the paper to a pulp and trying to eat it which can be bad news bears especially with certain kinds of receipt paper.
he still has no interest in the toys, but I did get him a mouse toy that can be filled with treats and also one of those puzzle box toys, and he's slowly seeming to learn how to get treats out of them. He shows flashes of being interested in the fish wand stick toy when I dangle it near him, but only a couple swats. I got him a motion activated bird toy thats coming tomorrow and also a cat tree thats arriving wednesday (shipping got delayed), so hopefully he'll like those.
I also got a cat tunnel and put it under my bed since thats another one of his hidey holes (he's currently under there after the vet, he isn't a fan of being in the cat carrier). I'm glad he's in good health, the tooth removal is going to be pricey at around $1,000 at least, but it isn't urgent and I'm going to save up a bit each paycheck to pay for it when it needs to be done in a few months.
Good luck! Sounds like you're both getting along well.
One of my coworkers has fostered literally hundreds of cats at this point (I want to say she’s been fostering for 15 or 20 years) so if you have other questions that come up I can forward them on to get her advice.
I’m glad your new old cat has settled in so well already
Both because that's well past kitten/adolescence but also because outside has all the toys. Leaves, insects of all kinds, slow birds, etc
Sounds like you've got everything well in hand Zav!
Has he got a name yet?
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I named him Rusty as an homage to the name of the condo complex he's lived around since before I moved in three years ago. He isn't used to the name yet though, he actually gets startled when I talk on the phone or talk normal volume level. I think he likes that I'm quiet most of the time, and my home is also very quiet as I always wear headphones.
He's stopped meowing all the time and is a lot more relaxed. He only starts meowing around dawn, when I get up to clean his litter box and food tray and give him his morning meal. He seems to be getting used to that routine, I get up around then anyway to make my coffee before work so it's working out for both of us. I know cats love steady routines so I'm glad he's starting to get used to it
My cats specifically know if I call them all at once its(most likely) food time.
'Spoots/Nox/Luna, time to eat'(specifically in that order by age/weight hierarchy(nox and luna are littermates but luna's growth was stunted and shes perma adolescent size)) will result in a cat stampede to battle feeding stations.
Use it with a trill for giving a treat outside mealtimes and your Rusty will figure it out quickly.
[Insert supercut of evrytime someone says Rusty from the Venture Bros here]
I also got this new litter box which has been a huge quality of life improvement. It uses pellets instead of clay, so the cat doesn't track anything around after using it, and because it dehydrates the poop instead of clumping it makes clean up much more easy as well. There's significant less smell, zero 'kitty litter' smell, and just makes dealing with the kitty litter much easier. it came with a one month supply of pads and pellets. I put it next to old kitty litter box, and the cat started using it no problem.
May he be a friend for life, please keep posting pictures
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Pretty good, cat has gotten used to things and haven't had any issues. He has another vet appt on the 27th, also going to get him microchipped then. He's finally started to play with the feather wand toy so I've been making sure to do at least 20 minutes of playtime every day with it. He's also gotten used to the roomba and just sits on the bed watching it
EDIT: here's a picture of him I took today perched on his cat tree intensely staring at something outside
Does anyone have any experience/opinions on this, including possible harnesses and backpacks? I was eyeing these two from Amazon:
It's one thing for them to get used to a restricted territory that provides everything they need, they're pretty adaptable in that regard, but another to then suddenly reintroduce the idea that there is prey and other cats as part of this - especially as homes are pretty well insulated so whilst there may be some captivating things outside the window to occasionally attract attention, everything else is saying that you are safe and home. Vision is not really a cat's primary sense, it's hearing followed by smell, perhaps tired with the mental map of their territory (they're also quite significantly short sighted) - so kind of imagine a window as more akin to a quiet radio in the corner or one of those scent diffusers to a human. There's moments of interest but it's very different kind of distraction from having a great big TV in the corner of a room showing to try and get your interest. They're not yearning for a look at the great outdoors and wide open spaces and adding those areas to their potential territory without letting them defend it may only lead to stress.
Taking an independent cat that used to outside, out of it's safe, known territory in a confined space and walking it through a wild space full of prey, predators and other cats which it will be able to properly sense but not interact with doesn't seem to me like a responsible or kind thing to do. Even the cats we raised from kittens rather than rescued, and had more of a direct bond, would behave differently with us outside of the house just in the garden - even when they had free access to the outdoors. They would be far more skittish and cautious, running off and hiding before running back to reconnect and reassure themselves we were still there and on their side or at other times seeking to establish their independence from us and maintaining some distance.
Remember, we are very large and vision focused creatures. Our idea of the space around us is huge and our focus is generally on things in the distance and things that are also big. A cat is much lower to the ground and can't see clearly more than about 20 feet in a straight line. However their hearing is outstanding and their focus more on things in their immediate surroundings - what can I pounce on and what can pounce on me, they survive through their stealth and agility (something your cat has learnt to do!), so being put back into that place in an exposed and confined space might not be the pleasant trip you might have planned for your companion.
Also whilst you can train cats to go on leashes (the in laws did with their cat whilst they were in a flat in London*), they're not quite as convenient as dogs in their innate behaviours. Cats tend to go under things rather than jump over them, and if he's a cat that got used to catching birds rather than rodents he will want to go up trees and climb. They're also not pack animals, so whilst a dog on a lead will be keeping you and your position in mind as you go walking together, a cat is going to get reminded more often at the extent of the leash.
Basically, if your cat doesn't seem stressed and seems happy in their new domain - let them remain the masters of their domain and leave them be. Cats like to sleep, they don't hike for fun.
Thanks! This is definitely why I was asking for opinions first!
My Backloggery
A mesh tent might be worth looking into if you have a spot outside for it. Once our Maine coon understood what it was he'd walk into it himself and we'd hang out on the deck.
Bubba - Our first, a Tuxedo, and he has always been an indoor cat but always super curious to go outside and always willing to scamper through an open door and go climb on top of the house and be a real pain in the ass to bring back inside. After a while, we started putting him on a long ass tether so that he couldn't reach anything he could climb, but still had rocks and grass to roll around in and lay on. He now begs for this time daily, standing by the harness and looking at me, and really only needs 5-10 minutes, especially if it's cold, and then he's just super happy and lovey for the rest of the evening.
Boo - Our second, a black Norwegian Forest Cat, was a stray. Well, at least I think so. He was way too friendly to be a stray, but I put in significant legwork to find out if he belonged to someone and struck out over and over again. Still, I had no intention of capturing him until it was -30 F one week and he was just a kitten and he looked miserable and was staring at me through the door, so I took him inside. There was some resistance the first day, but he became king of the house not too long after that. Unlike Bubba, I take Boo outside every day without a harness or tether. I just let him do what he wants. What he wants is for me to sit in a lawn chair and rub up against my leg while we watch the sunset, apparently. This has been his routine for like 8 years now. He doesn't get very adventurous, and I just keep my eye on him and make sure he's not inching over to my neighbor's rabbits. If someone approaches us he runs to our front door and we're just done for the day. I think the only reason I ever just let him come outside with me and trusted him was because I wasn't even 100% sure at the time that keeping him was the right move. I was just trying to rescue him from an extremely cold week when he was so little. But he just followed me around outside and then followed me inside and I was like, oh okay so this is a done deal, cool.
Also, I have to push my favorite cat toy so far:
I got this a few months ago, and it entertains all 4 of my cats simultaneously, they fucking love it. I charge it while I'm at work and then when I come home I put it on the floor and turn it on. I have it toggle between modes because 2 of my cats love the floor swipy thing and 2 of them love to bat at that fucking butterfly, so they take turns and take breaks with it.
https://www.amazon.com/Potaroma-Chargeable-Automatic-Interactive-Fluttering/dp/B0BX9KXKPH?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1