Stopping Cat Crossing Lane

vegas elvis

I’m seeking a bit of advice on stopping our cat roaming across a busy lane in front of our house. To give a bit of background – we moved to a house in the country on a couple of acres 2 and a half years ago, prior to that we lived in an apartment. The offending cat lived indoor only for a year before we moved. Since then he’s had the run of the place through a cat flap.

Up until a couple of weeks ago he’d been happy just to stay round the back of the property and was never interested in crossing the lane. The main concerns with him crossing are:
1. He only has one eye so his range of vision isn’t what it should be
2. In the last year he’s gone from a total wind-bag to completely fearless / stupid around cars and strangers

At present we’re keeping the gate closed to try to dissuade him from leaving the front of the house but this isn’t proving too effective. Can anyone suggest any way of preventing him crossing the road or start using the other parts of the garden?

Thanks

Elvis

Whispered

If at all possible, keep him in. If not, could you build a cat run out the back? They are supposed to be great (I don't have one so can't comment personally)

vegas elvis

Keeping him in permanently isn't an option after being outside for more than 2 years. To be honest after seeing the him go from timid scaredy cat to the confident fella he is now I wouldn't want to keep him cooped up. With so much space for him to roam it'd be a shame.

Whispered

Yeah my two are indoor outdoor too. I know it would be better for them to be indoor only but they love getting out and the area is quiet.

Hopefully someone will come up with something to help you. I can't think of anything else.

annefitzy

Just wanted to add my own experience to this.

A few years ago I used to have mainly outdoor cats, some went missing some got killed on the road some got mauled by dogs and humans... I baulked at the idea of having a completly indoor cat, but I knew I could keep letting them out to there death, A few years an feral cat came to stay with me she and her sister were sick sadly her sister had to be pts but the otherone recovered so I got her nuetered vaccinated microchipped ect she now sleeps on my bed, I also have a cat with one eye and he would see no danger in walking up to a dog or humans he is also a complete indoor cat, someday when I win the lotto I will have a proper outdoor run for them until then they will remain as indoor cats, time permitting I do take Jasper out on his harness:)

Non of my cats suffer from not being outdoors they have plenty of toys, littertrays,scratchposts, ect I also hide different treats in the house for them, so they also dont end up like overweigh fat lumps

At the moment I am trying to coax a feral cat with food:) I am slowley winning her around;)

Good luck on what ever you decide but I know since I made the choice to have them as indoor cats I dont have to worry about where they are.

joyce2009

have you had him nutered,, that usually settles them down a good bit,,we went from having a tom that we only saw once a day to feed and then we got him nutered and now he only goes out to the garden to do his business,,

Whispered

annefitzy wrote: »

, someday when I win the lotto I will have a proper outdoor run for them until then they will remain as indoor cats, time permitting I do take Jasper out on his harness:)

Non of my cats suffer from not being outdoors they have plenty of toys, littertrays,scratchposts, ect I also hide different treats in the house for them, so they also dont end up like overweigh fat lumps

You're 100% right, I would love to have them indoors only and I have tried. My tom is always inside, or out the back and I think would eventually settle into being indoor only. My girl though, well she's a different story. I have tried to have them indoor, longest was two weeks. the girl stopped eating and lost weight, refused to use the litter box and started attacking feet. I felt like she was miserable. the boy just spent the entire time crying at me, but we could have overcome that.

I made the choice at the time, that I would prefer to have them out and happy. Not that they couldn't be happy in, but they just weren't taking to it. I suppose the fact they spend most of their time lounging on the patio seats or in the dogs kennel made me a bit complacant in keeping them in too. Which of course is my own fault. If I was to ever get another, they would be used to being indoors from day 1.

anniehoo

I cant think of an answer either apart from the cat run option. If you have the space i think it really the only answer unless you supervise him when he goes out.

vegas elvis

joyce2009 wrote: »

have you had him nutered,, that usually settles them down a good bit,,we went from having a tom that we only saw once a day to feed and then we got him nutered and now he only goes out to the garden to do his business,,

Hi Joyce

Yep he was nutered when we got him - he is a rescue from catsaid.

Sigma Force

As mentioned, keep the cat in and by providing toys and other stuff it may not be the outdoors but at least the cat will be safe.
You could easily end up with a dead or seriously injured cat which will cost you more than it would to build a simple run. Halloween is on it's way not a good time for cats to be out at the moment anyway.

vegas elvis

Guineapigrescue wrote: »

As mentioned, keep the cat in and by providing toys and other stuff it may not be the outdoors but at least the cat will be safe.
You could easily end up with a dead or seriously injured cat which will cost you more than it would to build a simple run. Halloween is on it's way not a good time for cats to be out at the moment anyway.

Hi Guineapigrescue

point taken as regards halloween, every intension of keeping him (and his sister) locked in on the night, although we're lucky in so much as we're fairly rural and don't have the constant fireworks in the months around halloween that you get in cities. There hasn't been any this year so far thank god.

Don't want to get into a debate as regards the rights and wrongs re keeping cats indoors - when we lived in dublin we did have him as indoor only and I totally accept the benefits of doing that in a built up area. However where we live he has 2 acres of our own land plus farmers fields on 3 sides of the house and it's only in the last month or so he's seemed interested in crossing the lane. Was thinking of putting food down the opposite end of the garden to encourage him to stay down there, not sure about it though. Basically trying to get him to consider the back of the house his territory but not the road.

could try dressing up as a cat and chasing him away from the gate every time he goes near it either:)

Magenta

vegas elvis wrote: »

I wouldn't want to keep him cooped up. With so much space for him to roam it'd be a shame.

Would it be more of a shame if he was run over? Because it sounds like that's what's going to happen.

The Sweeper

vegas elvis, space isn't always the solution you think it is. I used to let my cats out when we were in Australia first, because we were on an acre, with 12 acres of bush behind us, a 1.5 acre property on our left, the same on our right; a quiet road runs in front of the property, and across that road is a nature reserve that goes on for thousands of acres.

Eric got hit by one of the seven or eight cars that pass the property every hour on that road.

He survived it (cost me $800 in vets bills if I recall correctly) and he's currently asleep on the top of the bookcase behind me.

I keep my cats indoors only now, and we have also moved house into a more built up area, but I'm waiting for my gates to be made - when they are, and installed, I'll be cat-proofing the tops of the fences and allowing the moggy hoard the run of the 800m2 or so of garden that will be totally fence-enclosed.

joyce2009

i did have another thought but it sounds a bit cruel,,,if you could wait for him to go to the lane and give him a fright,,bang sauce pot lids together or a squirt of water so he'd associate the lane with a scary place,,sounds mean but it might work:eek::(

vegas elvis

joyce2009 wrote: »

i did have another thought but it sounds a bit cruel,,,if you could wait for him to go to the lane and give him a fright,,bang sauce pot lids together or a squirt of water so he'd associate the lane with a scary place,,sounds mean but it might work:eek::(

tried something similar by lifting him up by the scruff of the neck and bringing back to the garden. I've read lifting him like this reminds them of being kittens ie they go lip and submissive. Hasn't had the desired effect though:)
There's a house being extended on the far side of the lane that seems to be what he's interested in - the builders should be moving off soon so hopefully the curiosity factor will be gone as well. When the new neighbours move in I'll be asking them to shoo him off if they see him.
This was the first time in two and half years he's been interested in straying so I'm hoping once the builders are gone he'll revert to his lazy uninterested self

Whispered

vegas elvis wrote: »

tried something similar by lifting him up by the scruff of the neck and bringing back to the garden. I've read lifting him like this reminds them of being kittens ie they go lip and submissive. Hasn't had the desired effect though:)

Probably not a good idea at all. I would imagine prety painfull.

vegas elvis wrote: »

There's a house being extended on the far side of the lane that seems to be what he's interested in - the builders should be moving off soon so hopefully the curiosity factor will be gone as well. When the new neighbours move in I'll be asking them to shoo him off if they see him.
This was the first time in two and half years he's been interested in straying so I'm hoping once the builders are gone he'll revert to his lazy uninterested self

Building work often brings rats and mice to the surface. That could be your problem. Kitty has a new hunting ground.