Make an Outdoor Cat an Indoor Cat

Our cat (pictured to the right) used to be an outdoor cat before we adopted him. When he became officially ours, we made the decision to keep him indoors because there are so many dangers that come with being an outdoor cat. There is the danger of fighting with other stray cats, catching diseases, getting lost, mean people who do not like cats, and coyotes that wander in our neighborhood.

It was not an easy transition for him. Even to this day he begs to go outdoors, however, not nearly as much as he used to. One thing for sure is he is very smart and knew how to push our buttons! In the very beginning when he wanted to go out, he'd stand by the front door and meow. When he realized we wouldn't let him out, he would begin scratching our couch because it was right next to the door.

Of course, we gave in because he wouldn't stop. We'd let him out and he'd come back after about an hour or so. Luckily, he didn't go far but we still didn't like giving in.

Obviously there are a lot of things outdoors to keep your cat occupied. It is our job to make them just as happy indoors so that the need to want to go out becomes less and less. We accomplished this by purchasing toys that he could chase. Funny enough, out of all the toys we got him, his favorite are just a plain bootlace and a rope. He loves chasing them and biting them.

Next we got him a scratching post. This solved all of the scratching of the furniture. He uses it daily and it is tall enough for him to get a good stretch. Our first scratching post was made of all carpet and he completely shredded it. The second one we purchased was made of sisal which is much more durable. He has barely made a dent in it.

Overall, make sure your cat has plenty to keep him stimulated. After some time, our cat got into a good routine and doesn't beg to go out as much as before.

Tig still enjoys the outdoors and we didn't want to take it away from him completely. We just wanted him to be safe. We decided to let him out as long as he is supervised. We purchased a custom made cat harness that has velcro straps that make it easy to put on and take off. When he wants to go out, we are right there with him and keeping him safe because he's on a leash. We get a few funny comments from neighbors who aren't used to seeing a cat on a leash but most are used to it now.

He usually sits in the sun or sniffs a few plants. It makes him happy and makes us happy because he is safe. If you decide to walk your cat, I suggest a harness versus a collar. I think it is more comfortable and a lot more secure for them.

Give your cat time to make the adjustment from outdoor to indoors. Trust me, Tig lived his entire life as an outdoor cat before we got him and even he has managed to adjust. It will take some patience but it can be done!