Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,814
Jun 26, 2014 1:20:09 GMT
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Post by Just T on Aug 28, 2020 16:25:56 GMT
I need some help from cat experts!
I have posted before about my kitten is a little over 3 months old. Her mama was a pregnant stray that was taken in by my daughter's friend's aunt. The kittens were not kept outdoors, so she has always been an indoor cat. All of the sudden, she tries everything in her mighty little power to run out the door. And man, she travels at the speed of light!
She cannot be an outdoor cat. I live in a typical suburban subdivision, and the neighbors would not be at all happy to have a cat roaming around pottying in yards and digging in flower beds. I don't know what to do!
I do have a screened in patio underneath my deck so I thought about letting her go out there with me, thinking that might satisfy her craving for the great outdoors, but then I worry that might make her crave being outdoors even more.
She has been a handful anyway, and I finally feel like she is turning into a "good" kitty (if there even is such a thing?? LOL)
Is it hopeless?
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Post by scrapcat on Aug 28, 2020 16:36:55 GMT
I would do everything to not let her out. It's dangerous out there for kitties. She is young and curious, and has a lot of energy so it is expected. Have you considered harness training? I did it with my cats, but now they are calm enough to just come sit on patio when I'm out there and not wander away.
What about a window seat?
Everything I've learned about cats is if you don't want them to get into trouble and start trouble, they need to be played with regularly. Like with wand toys or laser pointers. Get her running and get energy out for a bit.
If you end up letting her out, make sure she is up to date on shots and not before she is fixed.
You have a ways to go through adolescence though...I wish you luck!
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,814
Jun 26, 2014 1:20:09 GMT
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Post by Just T on Aug 28, 2020 16:42:03 GMT
I would do everything to not let her out. It's dangerous out there for kitties. She is young and curious, and has a lot of energy so it is expected. Have you considered harness training? I did it with my cats, but now they are calm enough to just come sit on patio when I'm out there and not wander away. What about a window seat? Everything I've learned about cats is if you don't want them to get into trouble and start trouble, they need to be played with regularly. Like with wand toys or laser pointers. Get her running and get energy out for a bit. If you end up letting her out, make sure she is up to date on shots and not before she is fixed. You have a ways to go through adolescence though...I wish you luck! Oh, I will definitely NOT let her out!! No WAY. We do play with her a whole lot--it's the only way to keep her from attacking us. LOL She went through a very aggressive phase that was awful. She is much better now. But again, she will not be allowed outdoors, even after she is spayed. We play with her with a laser pointer and have several of the fishing pole typed toys. I have even made a ribbon wand that I run her up and down the stairs with. LOL As of right now, we are just trying to get out the door fast, but it's hard. We have two dogs that we let our back door, and she comes running every time. I've started putting her down in the basement when I am putting the dogs out. Then she sits at the door and cries like she is being held in a torture chamber.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 7, 2024 5:15:38 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2020 16:46:03 GMT
My cat loves hanging out on our porch. It's gated and partially screened. He's not a jumper or climber so he just chills out on the patio couch and watches people walk by. As long as the gate is closed, he doesn't wander off.
We've let him out in a fenced in area since he was 5 once we figured out he's not a climber or jumper. SIL harness trained her cats from a young age because they are climbers (shredded her curtains) and they get to hang out in their backyard, also fenced in.
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Post by scrapcat on Aug 28, 2020 16:56:35 GMT
Oh, I will definitely NOT let her out!! No WAY. We do play with her a whole lot--it's the only way to keep her from attacking us. LOL She went through a very aggressive phase that was awful. She is much better now. But again, she will not be allowed outdoors, even after she is spayed. We play with her with a laser pointer and have several of the fishing pole typed toys. I have even made a ribbon wand that I run her up and down the stairs with. LOL As of right now, we are just trying to get out the door fast, but it's hard. We have two dogs that we let our back door, and she comes running every time. I've started putting her down in the basement when I am putting the dogs out. Then she sits at the door and cries like she is being held in a torture chamber. Ok, happy to hear that! Check out Kitty Holsters: www.kittyholster.com/I follow some cats on Instagram that walk really well on a leash and do many outdoor adventures. My cats don't quite have the disposition for it. I've also read when they are holstered like that, it may create a calmness, kinda like a swaddling baby. If you start young, it may work. I started just by walking them in the house, giving them a treat if they did good. Then we moved to the patio. Now they come onto the patio with nothing and are good. If you really think she might try to run out then you will have to train her somehow not to do that...does she respond to the water spray bottle? So either somehow train/learn to take her out safely, with you present, or deter her from wanting to!
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Post by katlady on Aug 28, 2020 17:14:33 GMT
I had a friend who everytime it would rain, would put her cat outside. The cat soon associated the door with being wet and would not go near the door. Maybe you could do something to associate your door with something the cat does not like, such as being wet.
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,814
Jun 26, 2014 1:20:09 GMT
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Post by Just T on Aug 28, 2020 17:21:02 GMT
I hope this works. I thought I would share some recent pics of my little psycho kitty. For some reason, she loves being in the dishwasher. Sometimes, she gets back in the corner and "hides" from me. LOL
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,814
Jun 26, 2014 1:20:09 GMT
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Post by Just T on Aug 28, 2020 17:22:55 GMT
Just for comparison, this is her a few days after we got her.
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,814
Jun 26, 2014 1:20:09 GMT
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Post by Just T on Aug 28, 2020 17:24:05 GMT
I had a friend who everytime it would rain, would put her cat outside. The cat soon associated the door with being wet and would not go near the door. Maybe you could do something to associate your door with something the cat does not like, such as being wet. I may try that! It hasn't rained here for a while, but we are supposed to get a few remnants of the outer bands of Hurricane Laura, so I may try that if it rains today.
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Post by katlady on Aug 28, 2020 17:26:31 GMT
I had a friend who everytime it would rain, would put her cat outside. The cat soon associated the door with being wet and would not go near the door. Maybe you could do something to associate your door with something the cat does not like, such as being wet. I may try that! It hasn't rained here for a while, but we are supposed to get a few remnants of the outer bands of Hurricane Laura, so I may try that if it rains today. Your kitty is so cute!! Good luck with kitty proofing the house, they get in to everything! lol!
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,814
Jun 26, 2014 1:20:09 GMT
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Post by Just T on Aug 28, 2020 17:27:16 GMT
Oh, I will definitely NOT let her out!! No WAY. We do play with her a whole lot--it's the only way to keep her from attacking us. LOL She went through a very aggressive phase that was awful. She is much better now. But again, she will not be allowed outdoors, even after she is spayed. We play with her with a laser pointer and have several of the fishing pole typed toys. I have even made a ribbon wand that I run her up and down the stairs with. LOL As of right now, we are just trying to get out the door fast, but it's hard. We have two dogs that we let our back door, and she comes running every time. I've started putting her down in the basement when I am putting the dogs out. Then she sits at the door and cries like she is being held in a torture chamber. Ok, happy to hear that! Check out Kitty Holsters: www.kittyholster.com/I follow some cats on Instagram that walk really well on a leash and do many outdoor adventures. My cats don't quite have the disposition for it. I've also read when they are holstered like that, it may create a calmness, kinda like a swaddling baby. If you start young, it may work. I started just by walking them in the house, giving them a treat if they did good. Then we moved to the patio. Now they come onto the patio with nothing and are good. If you really think she might try to run out then you will have to train her somehow not to do that...does she respond to the water spray bottle? So either somehow train/learn to take her out safely, with you present, or deter her from wanting to! I thought about training her to walk on a leash. My aunt and uncle have two cats they walk every day. Maybe I will try that this weekend. Yes, we have used the spray bottle technique. LOL Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Sometimes, all I have to do is show it to her, and she runs away. I will try it as a way to keep her from running out the door.
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,814
Jun 26, 2014 1:20:09 GMT
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Post by Just T on Aug 28, 2020 17:30:17 GMT
I may try that! It hasn't rained here for a while, but we are supposed to get a few remnants of the outer bands of Hurricane Laura, so I may try that if it rains today. Your kitty is so cute!! Good luck with kitty proofing the house, they get in to everything! lol! OMG. She sure does get into absolutely EVERYTHING. I have a few plants, and I can always tell when she has been in them because she has dirt on her face. LOL It's like having a crazy toddler in the house, and I have had to put so many things away, otherwise, they would be broken by now.
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Post by peano on Aug 28, 2020 17:37:15 GMT
She is SO cute. We have an escape artist named Vinny, who’s been that way since he was a kitten. We got him in December and about a week after he came home with us, I was doing my before bed routine of locking doors, and just happened to look outside and see him huddled on our outdoor dining table. We had no idea how long he’d been outside or how he got out.
My husband has a harness for him and occasionally tethers him outside while he supervises him. I’m not convinced this reduces his wanderlust—I think it makes him more determined to go outside. We keep a spray bottle of water to deter him from coming near the door, but sometimes he hides in the shoe rack and makes a run for it. It’s an ongoing struggle. Good luck!
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Post by hopechest on Aug 28, 2020 17:57:26 GMT
I have 2 kitties - a momma and her baby that I got from a rescue, so not sure if they were ever outdoor cats or not. They are 1000% hell bent on going outside. We try as hard as we can but inevitably 1 or both of them slip outside about once a week. The momma is usually gone for 1-3 days each time. Stinker.
I live in a very wild area, so although cars and neighbors aren't really a concern, mountain lions, fox and such definitely are. The first time they got out I was positive they had been eaten.
We try our very best not to let them out, but I have a dog and a toddler and sometimes that dang door is open for more than 2.3 seconds. ;P We regularly screech across the house "don't let the cats out!!!!!"
I had to just let it go and know we tried our best not to let them out.
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Aug 28, 2020 17:57:26 GMT
She is much better now. But again, she will not be allowed outdoors, even after she is spayed. Not spayed, that's the problem! IF she gets out, be prepared for kittens!
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,814
Jun 26, 2014 1:20:09 GMT
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Post by Just T on Aug 28, 2020 18:05:29 GMT
She is much better now. But again, she will not be allowed outdoors, even after she is spayed. Not spayed, that's the problem! IF she gets out, be prepared for kittens! Can she get pregnant at three months old?? She will definitely be spayed, but our vet doesn't do it this young. He said no earlier than 5 months. Are there vets who will spay a kitten this young?
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Aug 28, 2020 18:31:58 GMT
Not spayed, that's the problem! IF she gets out, be prepared for kittens! Can she get pregnant at three months old?? She will definitely be spayed, but our vet doesn't do it this young. He said no earlier than 5 months. Are there vets who will spay a kitten this young? I don't know. It's been so long since I had kittens. Years ago I would let my cat go to the door when it was very cold or raining hard. She changed her mind!
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Post by Linda on Aug 28, 2020 19:24:43 GMT
yes - get her spayed - our humane society does it at 12 weeks (I think there is a weight minimum also).
Our mama cat (adopted as a pregnant stray) - the vet said she was 6 months old when she gave birth so still a kitten herself.
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Post by pierkiss on Aug 28, 2020 19:33:22 GMT
Has she been fixed yet? If not I would get that done ASAP and see if that reduces the urge to be outside.
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Post by nlwilkins on Aug 28, 2020 20:39:45 GMT
Kittens can be so fearless! Mine had to be put in the bathroom at times to keep her out of trouble. But she grew older and wiser and now shows a bit of restraint about open doors. That bit of hesitation is good. So in order to foster that bit of fear I would not let her get comfortable with being outdoors. But, that is just my two cents worth.
Some of the things that caused my cat to be hesitant and look before she leaps is loud noises, thunderstorms, dogs barking, heavy machinery noises. If she gets out and then panics it might lead to disaster.
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Post by pierogi on Aug 28, 2020 20:46:53 GMT
Jackson Galaxy has recommended putting outdoor-seeking kitties in a harness and leash, and walking them around the yard. In other cases he's helped owners build a "catio," a sort of safe enclosure where they can enjoy the scents and fresh air, but stay safe. I don't know if those could be solutions for you, but I have seen people walking their cat in our neighborhood. It's quite a sight.
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,814
Jun 26, 2014 1:20:09 GMT
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Post by Just T on Aug 28, 2020 21:01:05 GMT
Has she been fixed yet? If not I would get that done ASAP and see if that reduces the urge to be outside. No she hasn't. She is only 3 months old, and our vet said that is too young. Maybe if I tell him she is now doing everything in her power to get outside, he will change his mind. He lives down the street, so I will walk down and ask him this weekend.
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,814
Jun 26, 2014 1:20:09 GMT
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Post by Just T on Aug 28, 2020 21:02:17 GMT
yes - get her spayed - our humane society does it at 12 weeks (I think there is a weight minimum also). Our mama cat (adopted as a pregnant stray) - the vet said she was 6 months old when she gave birth so still a kitten herself. She is not 12 weeks, but I can check into the humane society if the vet won't do it.
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Post by wahinelei on Aug 28, 2020 21:19:23 GMT
I have my cat harness trained and he will walk with the leash on. One thing you should know if no ones told you is that cat walking on a leash is nothing like walking a dog! Dogs move forward, cats want to explore their surroundings. So it’s a lot of standing around while they sniff an area then suddenly they take off to explore a new area.
I trained my cat from a very early age. There are YouTube videos showing how to introduce the harness and how to eventually get them comfortable with it. I take my cat out for a walk every day at 6pm, after I’ve taken the dog outside to the park. He now knows when it’s 6pm and will wait for at the door ready to go for his own walk. He doesn’t try to run outside anymore so I think having him harness trained has helped with that.
Good luck with your little one. She’s definitely a cutie!
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Post by Skellinton on Aug 28, 2020 22:52:37 GMT
I “cookie” my cats when I leave, keeps them distracted while I am getting out the door. Currently no one seems interested in outside, but they expect cookies when I leave so it just a habit for all of us. Basically I just give them a few cat cookies right as I am about to head out the door, and I mean purse on, coat on, etc. I cookie them and then leave immediately. That might not help since you have to let dogs out though.
. Some vets don’t like to fix girl cats too early because it may cause behavioral problems which is why they often say 6 months, There is a school of thought it makes them moodier. Are you positive about her age? I think the earliest you can do it is 3-4 months.
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Post by pjaye on Aug 28, 2020 23:14:50 GMT
Not spayed, that's the problem! IF she gets out, be prepared for kittens! Can she get pregnant at three months old?? That's the problem, she's either already in heat or about to be, and that is why she is so desperate to get out and yes they can get pregnant at 3-4 months of age. They can absolutely be desexed at that age, although many vets will require the animal to weigh at least 1kg. Waiting 6 months is extremely old fashioned and that's why there are still so many unwanted litters and kittens being dumped. Cats can be safely desexed after around 8 weeks/1 kg in weight. There are no behavioural issues and in fact it is safer for them and can prevent some serious medical conditions. LINK link
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,814
Jun 26, 2014 1:20:09 GMT
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Post by Just T on Aug 29, 2020 0:12:16 GMT
Some vets don’t like to fix girl cats too early because it may cause behavioral problems which is why they often say 6 months, There is a school of thought it makes them moodier. Are you positive about her age? I think the earliest you can do it is 3-4 months. Good Lord, she does NOT need to be moodier. LMAO Yes, I am positive of her age. One of the issues is she was taken from her mom way too soon. She was only 5 weeks when we got her; the gal who took the pregnant cat in thought it was okay to give the kittens away because the mom had weaned them. She was so tiny I could hold her in the palm of my hand. She was almost like a feral cat for a while, and I have finally gotten her to a point where she is pretty good most of the time. So I do not want to make her even moodier.
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,814
Jun 26, 2014 1:20:09 GMT
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Post by Just T on Aug 29, 2020 0:15:42 GMT
hat's the problem, she's either already in heat or about to be, and that is why she is so desperate to get out and yes they can get pregnant at 3-4 months of age. They can absolutely be desexed at that age, although many vets will require the animal to weigh at least 1kg. Waiting 6 months is extremely old fashioned and that's why there are still so many unwanted litters and kittens being dumped. Cats can be safely desexed after around 8 weeks/1 kg in weight. There are no behavioural issues and in fact it is safer for them and can prevent some serious medical conditions. There is such conflicting information. I am going to talk to our vet this weekend. He lives down the street, so I will walk down and tell him about this new behavior, and hopefully, he will go ahead and spay her. If not, I will call the Humane Society and do it there. I definitely do NOT want her to go in heat or have kittens.
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Post by Skellinton on Aug 29, 2020 0:29:02 GMT
Some vets don’t like to fix girl cats too early because it may cause behavioral problems which is why they often say 6 months, There is a school of thought it makes them moodier. Are you positive about her age? I think the earliest you can do it is 3-4 months. Good Lord, she does NOT need to be moodier. LMAO Yes, I am positive of her age. One of the issues is she was taken from her mom way too soon. She was only 5 weeks when we got her; the gal who took the pregnant cat in thought it was okay to give the kittens away because the mom had weaned them. She was so tiny I could hold her in the palm of my hand. She was almost like a feral cat for a while, and I have finally gotten her to a point where she is pretty good most of the time. So I do not want to make her even moodier. I don’t know that the moodier thing is a fact, I think it I just the reason it has been discouraged to have cats fixed earlier. Poor baby! I am glad she has a loving home. We got a kitten who was about 3 or 4 weeks old, she couldn’t even walk correctly, she crab hopped sideways when she first came to us. She was my moody girl but my sweetest baby too. Hopefully your vet will be willing to do the surgery and that will help the little rascal. I am glad you want her to be an indoor kitty, it really is the very best thing for cats.
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Post by katlady on Aug 29, 2020 0:33:06 GMT
I’ve heard you can fix a cat as early as 8 weeks as long as they weigh a certain minimum. I know my local humane society does it as early as 8 weeks.
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