How to move an outdoor cat indoors?

Spocker

I'm looking for some advice on how to get an outdoor cat to stay indoors... Please bear with me while I explain...

A couple of years ago, when myself and the missus lived in the country, she happened upon a kitten who came home to stay. All was well and good until a couple of years later we bought a house in another town, right beside the bypass. The decision was made to give the cat away, which we did (knowing he wouldn't last one truck on the road).

He went missing from his new home, turned up in a rabbit hole a week later badly injured - minus most of the skin on one of his back legs. 8 operations later he was restored to full health and the couple who live in the house behind us (back in the county) said they would look after him, but he would still be our cat (i.e. vets bills, shots etc). We tried again to move him, this time to her mother (who has other cats). Herself went down for a week to ease him in, all windows and doors kept closed. First day out - bang - he disappears for a week (but comes back of his own accord). So back the cat goes to the house in the country, all good and well.

Then came the final stroke - the couple who looked after him are moving back to their own country so were faced with a dilemma: obviously we can't leave him there (in his territory) as we could'nt expect the new tenants to look after him, yet we cant bring him to our own house and let him out, as we are *very* close to the road.

Would anyone have any suggestions as to how we could (train is too strong a word, lets say coerce) him into staying indoors. We do have a small back garden and it may would be feasable to "roof" it with chicken wire but I'm not sure thats the answer - Gizmo's only 4 and has plenty of years in him yet.... He's a tom, neutered but very used to being out pretty much all of the time.... We don't really want to give him away again, so how can we try and keep him in?

SMK

I have a cat fence around my garden and it works perfectly. My cats are mostly indoors and I only let them out the back for a while and then mostly during the summer. I have two male cats - 5 & 7 years old and they're both perfectly happy being indoors. You will have to be careful of open windows and doors of course. I don't think there is anything you can actually do to get him used to indoors. He will try his best to get outdoors because that's what he's used to but you'll just have to grin and bear it for a couple of weeks until he gets used to being indoors all the time!!

Alfasudcrazy

I can't believe that after all that poor cat has been through your not prepared to take him back and do whatever it takes to mind it.

We have two cats and also live near a busy road and they are always out and about - well at least when the dobermans allow them. I would say you should just stop fretting about it so much as cats are very independent and can pretty much take care of themselves.

Just have a safe place for them to sleep and and regular feediing times that they get used to.

The basic problem with this poor cat is that it does not really know where it belongs.

Spocker

I didn't say I wasn't taking him back - we left him in the country because a) its what he knows and b) the people there were good enough to look after him. It's just now they're moving away and because he didn't grow up beside the road he wouldn't be used to it.

I'd have no problem in brining him to our house and letting him out - I would have a problem scraping him off the tarmac if it came to it...

rediguana

I live beside the N11 and my cat is always out and about. She's too scared to go anywhere near the road itself. I wouldn't extrapolate too much from my cat though, as I've seen plenty of squashed cats in my time too. It's a conundrum for you, certainly.

For what it's worth, just keep the damn cat inside for a few weeks. It'll habituate to its new environment eventually, as it has little choice in the matter.

Spocker

Thats what I was thinking myself.....

Garth

I read something about keeping previously outdoor cats indoors, and it was something along the lines of habits and how a cat will readjust itself in a matter of approx 6 weeks to just about any situation.

Cat fencing is a very good idea, although I wouldnt' risk it until you've kept the cat in for a month or so til he knows for sure that's home, because cat fencing is not 100%.

Our cats are indoor only and 2 of them were strays previously and neither of them are even tempted near an open door. We play with them a lot and they have toys and a huge cat condo too.

Good luck.

cotton

Spocker, you will end up scraping him off the road.
I can't believe people are saying that cats have road sense, they don't. 1 in 4cats will get killed on the road, if something else doesn't happen to them first.
It takes 6 weeks to reprogram a cats behaviour.
A bit of hard work, plenty of toys & patience is what you need. Cats do adapt to being indoors, I've 7 here, happy as Larry. Most of these were outdoor/rescue cats.
There's a website, www.kittenadoption.ie where you will get tons of advice & support.
The very best of luck with it!