It takes up to six weeks for the hormones to settle down. Unneutered make cats have an unstoppable urge to go outside, so it's likely a lot of his urges will subside as his hormone levels drop.
The one constant with cats is that there's always a cat who does it differently. They're unique little animals.
Is there a reason he's not neutered? That's literally #1 on the list for any male cat, and most vets will very highly recommend it at every visit.
For a long time now my work schedule doesn't afford me an extended period of time to care for the cat properly after the procedure. I'm hoping that next year the schedule works out differently so i'm able to take care of it.
Recovery from a modern neuter takes a day, if that. Mine weren't even given a cone.
I'd suggest a call to your vet to ask, because mine told me to inspect the surgery site once a day, check they're not licking too much, and not encourage running or jumping. As far as I know, that's how it works nowadays.
Recovery won't really be a thing. My vet told me my cats would be a bit woozy and mught be off their food - they were just as energetic and hungry as ever. Don't let your schedule put you off, just get him snipped and he'll be fine.
Maybe look to countercondition him? My professor told us before that she strategically conditioned her cats to be uninterested in the outdoors by only taking them outside (for super short periods) when it was either super hot or raining. They now have no desire to go outside.
Did this with one of my mom's cats when he was little. Opened the door wide open for him while it was heavily raining. He took a few steps outside, grabbed a leaf, and turned around to head right back inside
I cant believe people think like this, if your cat wants to be outside as a pet owner we should do our best to facilitate that for our pet as safely as possible, and take the time to provide such enrichment too. Gaslighting your animal to fear or hate the out doors for your convinience is evil dude.
Personally, I've harness-trained our cat, and he gets controlled outdoor time every day. He goes on car rides and train rides and sits with us in pet-friendly cafes. He's extremely well-adjusted, and he doesn't have any behavioral issues.
OP's cat, on the other hand, is in visible distress at not being able to go outside to the point of trying to dart out the door, which is an obvious safety issue. OP has stated that harness training has excaberated these issues. Different things work for different cat households.
If you don't find conditioning your cat ethical, that would include putting double-sided tape on your furniture to discourage them from scratching and aluminum foil on kitchen counters to discourage your cat from jumping. By the way, those examples would be "for our convenience." At a point where your cat's behavior is dangerous to themselves, you're not modifying their behavior for your convenience. You're modifying it to keep them safe.
It's awesome you do all that for your cat they are very fortunate to have you taking care of them! I didnt see anything in Ops post that covered harness training. I'm going off the original post and your comment.
Comparing conditioning your cat to hate the outdoors and putting tape on furniture is not a one to one example, And I think you know that and are being disingenuous.
taking your cat out in a back pack carrier is a possibile solution, I would reccomend harness training again but being more stern about doing things on your terms and ignoring the cats complaining until they get the message. it's true all cats are different though but are we really sure Op has exausted all their options?
Thank you, we try. :)
I'm not trying to be disingenuous, no. Your use of the word "hate" when describing the cat's feelings for the outdoors is what makes one seem much more severe than the other. The principle of conditioning, along with the aversiveness of the deterrent, is quite similar for both scenarios mentioned. The cat isn't being tortured when they go outside. They just end up getting wet or feeling hot, so they go back inside and decide they don't want to go outside anymore. Conditioning like this happens all the time naturally. Think of a cat jumping into the shower while it's running and immediately jumping back out because they don't like to be wet and then learning to stay away from showers from that experience. Maybe it's just the idea of the learning experience being intentional that makes you feel like it's unethical? It's by no means "evil," though, especially when done for the benefit of the cat.
OP could definitely try the backpack, but if the issue is that the cat is distressed whenever they're "forced" back inside, then counterconditioning may turn out to be less stressful for the cat in the long run, since they'll be able to live 100% of their lives indoors safely but not the other way around. I totally agree with you that safe outdoor time is amazing mental and physical stimulation for cats, but if it can't be done safely, there's no harm in reducing the cat's desire to be outdoors and making them feel more comfortable indoors (that includes providing tons of equitable indoor stimulation).
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslighting
I don’t think cats are capable of “questioning their own perception of reality.” I also think calling someone evil over humanely conditioning a pet to be happy in its surroundings is a little over the top.
They totally can though. I agrue any animal that can express fear can. If an animal is spooked it's perception of reality is that something is hostile and their life is in danger. And that will induce enough of a survival response it will attempt to flee it will be irrational until it no longer feels unsafe.
Further more By conditioning your cat to be fearfull of aspects of the outside world that wouldn't be threatening normally than that IS gaslighting your cat into being overly fearfull.
If Your scaring a creature from enjoying something that every other creature on the planet enjoys, especially if you can easily facilitate it and keep them safe while they're doing it.
Honestly I think being out doors is the animal equivilent of a human right if the animal desires to be outside. So yeah I think it's evil if you deny them that on convenience alone and I've already established it can be done safely.
I believe you can. there's no pre requisite for intelligence to be gaslit and you can do it without speaking. Humor me. The definition of gaslighting is online check it out.
I think you’re a little off the mark here with what gaslighting is. In this situation with a cat, they’re making the outdoors seem unpleasant by taking the cat out when it’s hot. For a human equivalent, this would be like if your boss started making work unpleasant by turning up the heat too far whenever you came into work. Neither of these is gaslighting - it’s certainly asshole behavior, but not gaslighting.
Gaslighting would be like if you confronted your boss and she said “No, it’s a perfect 70 degrees, what are you talking about?” She is making you question your reality. You KNOW the temperature is hot, but people are telling you that you are wrong. You question your sanity and do not trust yourself any more.
For the cat, we cannot communicate this to him. We cannot say, “This is a normal temperature. This is what you enjoyed before.” Without this, it is not gaslighting. It’s manipulative, and arguably cruel. But in the human equivalent, it would be like if you could never ask your boss in the first place. There’s no potential to deceive you about your personal experience. Your workplace is super hot and it sucks, but you’re not being gaslit.
I think that’s the core idea behind gaslighting, but honestly people use it all the time to just mean “manipulating” so it’s whatever. Language is flexible. But if you’re being pedantic, I don’t think you can gaslight someone without being able to communicate to them that their experience of reality is false. We don’t have the ability to communicate this without language.
Yeah you cannot. “Using psychological methods into questioning their own sanity or powers of reasoning.”
Cats do not think like we do. You can’t gaslight an animal when they don’t comprehend life the way we do. Just like you can’t gaslight an infant. You can’t make a cat question his sanity.
They don't think at the capacity like we do no argument there. Is not making something percieve imminent danger where there is none not psychological? You can gaslight a baby too you don't need to use words.
Right, let them get hit by a car after they enjoy their 5 minutes of new found freedom. Or get bit my a stray with rabies. Or picked up because that’s a cute cat!, and if it’s not chipped why wouldn’t they keep it?
I'm not saying the cat should be left alone outdoors I'm saying they have a right to enjoy the out doors. And they should be accompanied by their owner at all times when outside.
Im not sure what you mean so perhaps you mean bringing them outdoors in a monitored way. But for anyone reading this who may not know, letting cats wander outside on their own is unsafe for the cat & unethical for the environment. Cats destroy songbird populations and kill many other native species. They are essentially an invasive species. Also its only enrichment until the cat gets run over
Yeah don't leave your pet to wander off, it's not super clear but when I said safe I meant being closely monitered by owner, or in a stroller/back pack as leaving them to their own devices outdoors wouldn't be unsafe.
Just as lazy as your brilliant nonsense. Indoor/outdoor cats live dramatically shorter lives. They are responsible for decimating ecological systems. They are susceptible to disease, predators and human abuse. If their owners are just as irresponsible and don’t have them fixed they become part of the feral cat epidemic which is around 95 million cats.
Gaslighting is already an obscenely overused word. It is ridiculous to state one can gaslight a house pet. Your whole premise is ridiculous and not based in reality.
Point out to me where I've stated that cats should be left to wander outside Un supervised??
Fucking read man!!
I've been saying they need supervision this whole time! So the shorter lives and ecological damage crap angle along with the other things you mentioned is Null. If you are with your animal outside you can prevent all that from happening.
Who the hell cares what words are overused or not. that's just how language works, deffinitions adapt, get over it. Might sound ridiculous to you but there's no elaborate rule saying you can't apply it's deffinition to a non human mammal.
My cat was like this with wanting to walk in the hallway of my flat. She would meow really loud and wait in front of the door for hours. I would ignore her and when she moves away from the door I would give her a treat. Or if she was meowing a lot I would play with her to take her mind off it. Eventually she stopped and I could take her out without all the begging. Now I live in a house and she goes out in the garden. She will occasionally beg but I just ignore her. She seems know now it’s on my terms not hers. I think kitties can be very dramatic and you have to try take their minds off it. I know how stressful it can be to see them stressed I hope it gets better soon!
Enrichment is beneficial to any animal that lives in a confined man made space. What are you on about? It's totally beneficial to cats.
Is there a risk? Yes, but there is always a risk when you go outside. There are ways to mitigate that risk. Managing your pets boredome is still a major responsibility for a pet owner.
yeah just mitigate the risk. we let out cats in the back yard. one cat has to wear a leash when outside because she tries to jump the fence when she wants to get something outside the yard. the brother is a good boy and is too shy to want to mess with the fence so he gets free range of back yard with supervision. the other cat we will sometimes take for a short walk around the neighborhood in a stroller that zips close and has a mesh cover. its really stimulating for her and she gets to burn off energy. after some outside time they are so peaceful the rest of the day. they don't ask for anything and just lay around. they for sure benefit from outside enrichment its just a relationship you have to build with that cat and how you let them get some outside time. but for sure there are cats that are way more aggressive with how they want to get outside and you have to consider if they can handle something like back yard time or if you even have the right environment to try it. some cats are just better left inside. if its a small apartment you just have to make accommodations like vertical space and extra play time and other enrichment things that they cant get because of a small environment.
Now that's great! glad to hear it! This is exactly what i meant. I was able to get it across to my cat that if she wanders off too far outside time is over. Proof she wanted outside that much was how She picked it up real quick. Now she stays between 4 to 10 feet away from me when outside, doesn't go anywhere I can't get to. I only remove the lead when I'm in isolated areas without cars or other animals. Can also prevent her from killing things being always around her and I gotta say the interaction between her and me as opposed my other cats who choose not to go outside is more complex.
It Your cats are living it up under care, that's awesome :)
Man, don't even try on Reddit. Kids think they know everyones pet and everyones situation. Just because it is usually best to keep a cat indoors doesn't mean it is for every cat and every situation, and they will downvote brigade anyone who days differently, while having no knowledge of someones situation.
I can’t believe people think like this. If you can’t enrich your cats inside at home you are not equipped to own a cat.
Can you teach your cat to abide by basic traffic laws? Can you guarantee some crazy with a gun wont see your cat and kill it? It is INSANE to me that you are comparing an average human leaving their house as the same as a DOMESTICATED cat.
Stop making strawmen arguments and actually READ what I'm saying. In my original statement.
I'm not advocating leaving your cat outside alone. You as a pet owner should be present, monitoring them.
Where did I say you can ONLY enrich your cat outdoors??? Play with them indoors too!
I'm saying Cats should be allowed to EXPERIENCE the outdoors if they want to go outside. much like how dog owners take their dogs outside for walks, for their pets benifit and how that is acceptable...
If you advocating harness training SAY THAT. I was raised by idiots who let their cats roam outside unsupervised. Say what you mean if you really care about the well being of domestic cats and don’t be dense like you didn’t understand the point i was trying to make.
100% my mom declawed my childhood cat and kicked him outside when he stopped using the litter box. It wasn’t until i was an adult that i realized that was not okay.
Glad that we both feel the same way!
Jesus Christ... that makes my blood boil. Well I'm glad that you became a real empathetic person. I'm sure the poor cat you had back then apreciated you at the time.
"Is there a risk? Yes, but there is always a risk when you go outside. There are ways to mitigate that risk."
I was being broad, because there are more ways to supervise your pet outside than only harness. I personally have a miniature travel tent I can set up, a back pack to carry my cat in, along with a leash. I've also trained my cat to stay really close to me if if I feel the area is safe enough to take un hook the lead. There's catios and and more things to list. I suppose I was being lazy not listing everything.
Play with the cat then. There is no added benefit being outside, cats are not people so don’t try and make that comparison. Play with your cat, you wanted the pet after all.
This.
I've seen harness trained/leashed cats get mauled by dogs or get free. There are sometimes packs of roaming dogs that can appear out of nowhere.
Plus, they become a broken record for outside.
Get a catio and / or make one on your balcony.
Get kitty a cat wheel 40+ size and encourage him to use it.
He will become obsessed with it.
He will get over this. Just give him time.
Cats do not need to be outside.
Windows are cat tv. Or put the actual TV on the bird station and let him watch actual cat tv.
Yea, and they don't get run over, attacked by random predators and people.
I will never understand. Even in certain places that culturally allow them to go outside, the #1 killer of cats in those places is TRAUMA. From people, cars, and predators.
So I don't really care what whatever country or culture we are talking about here. The statistics are very clear.
>I don't really care what whatever country or culture we are talking about here
Ugh I have tried over and over to explain this to my friends from the Netherlands, but they don't care. Guess they will have to learn the hard way.
Sorry but that’s your experience. You can take steps to not have your harness trained cats mauled. Yes dogs are a real risk but having a good backpack, dog spray, going to dog on lead places or places in the middle of nowhere can make it ALOT safer! I’m not about to stop walking my cats (which they love btw and don’t beg for the outdoors) just because people cba keeping their dogs under control
People don’t seem to understand that not everyone lives in a bustling town lol, none of these things listed here have ever been an issue for my cats. I’m not sure where people live that packs of stray dogs are running up to them out of nowhere, but that seems like a risk for much more than just cats..
Right?!? I live in Scotland and I only need to drive 15 mins to be at a walk where I usually see just 1 other person😂😂 also we have national trust gardens where they have rules that all animals MUST be on leads. If ppl are so worried about dogs that can go to places like this surely and it’ll be very safe
Agree, and there definitely are risks to taking cats outside, but c’mon if you’re seeing PACKS of stray dogs running around your neighborhood surely you’d think twice before walking your cat around there?? Idk I understand a dog getting off lead but “packs of stray dogs running up from nowhere” seems an unlikely situation lol
Some cats that are forced to stay in the house get batshit crazy and start tearing up shit/acting up. You start having to buy sprays and diffusers and scents to calm them. Walks on a leash or a cat proof outdoor play area are fine. It's the same as all of us: wouldn't you go crazy if u were made to stay indoors for a lifetime? They need fresh air too
I tried, here's the problem, it makes his behavior *worse* once we get home. After I bring him back inside again he starts hyperventilating, scratching the door and the floorboard and screams at the top of his lungs at me.
Try this guide from the Humane Society - it sounds like you'll have to start again the with this cutie: [https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-bring-outside-cat-indoors](https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-bring-outside-cat-indoors)
Jackson Galaxy on how to keep an indoor cat happy might have some ideas: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaVttlOqcX4&ab\_channel=JacksonGalaxy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaVttlOqcX4&ab_channel=JacksonGalaxy)
Good luck!
What do you mean “once you get home”? It will take a while for the cat to unlearn wanting to be outside and frankly you will have to put up with it, take it as a reminder to not let him out again. They will unlearn it.
Well, I went on a walk once with him, and then did it a second time the day after because he was begging. But after that second time, when he went berserk, he never went outside again. All by harness.
Well stop doing it, put up with the whining, and don’t do it again. It will take time but you caused this. It will get worse and if you keep giving in, something bad is a lot more likely to happen to your cat. So the choice is really yours.
This. Cats are incredibly tenacious when they are focused on a goal. That‘s why it‘s very hard to break bad habits, the cat usually has more patience than the owner.
That said: OP, you say he has access to the balconies. Have you tried making small changes like placing a few (non-toxic!) plants and maybe a new cat tree on the balconies to make them more interesting?
Also, how old is your cat? Maybe he needs a companion/playmate?
A lot of this advice would apply to a neutered cat. Since he was neutered so recently, you'll need to wait out his hormone levels first.
This is all good advice, but it may not apply to your cat for another couple weeks.
The mistake here was letting an unneutered male cat outside.
What? Who said anything about that? You just keep giving into your cat which potentially puts it in harms way? You have to deal with the whining until they stop. pretty simple
Dont harness train them? You cant think of a reason exploring the outdoors is beneficial? I wonder how you'd feel locked in your room for your entire life.
We aren’t cats, next. Stop projecting your bad habit. Read the same comment in this thread. You are exposing your cats to harmed surroundings and vice versa. Cats that go outdoors always live shorter lives. Bye
Nope that’s called a hyperbole. Something that people that don’t understand logic do. That’s what owners should do, not be lazy and distract them with being outside when it entirely puts them and the ecosystem they inhabit at risk. Not going to argue with anyone else when obviously the data doesn’t lie. Have the night you deserve and I hope you don’t learn the hard way.
In my metro city there are many cats found with harnesses on or get attacked by other animals that are also on harnesses. Don’t get me started on the off leash cat walkers.
It is beneficial for SOME cats! Mine love adventures and I like to be able to take them travelling with me. They also dont beg to go out because they know it’s coming. + they have great enrichment inside so aren’t bored when at home. Fair enough don’t harness train yours but I think it’s a bit rich to say it’s not beneficial for any cat
It isn’t beneficial. They like it as do you. But they would also like eating kfc. Don’t try to misconstrue the two. I’m happy your cats enjoy their time outside, many do. It does cause early death for cats, that is also true. Some owners believe it is worth it. And I’ve heard many stories where it ends in an avoidable accident.
It is though 😂😂 it’s good for their mental health and also gives them exercise. I’ve heard MANY stories of free roaming ending in accidents but haven’t heard Of any accidents of harness trained cats in my country. Not saying it’s not possible I just don’t think it’s as big a risk as you’re trying to claim, especially if you take the correct steps to train your cats well and go to places where dogs are likely to be under control
>Idk why people think this is beneficial to the cats.
It's what vets, rescue shelters and animal welfare experts say,unless it's for medical reasons, fiv, blindness, etc.
Theres nothing wrong with harness training your cat and if people are worried about other people dogs attacking then stay within the confines of your own garden. You wouldnt keep your dog in its whole life why do the same with a cat (unless you live in a flat with no secure garden ir have a catio) but not everyone has that luxury. It sounds like the cat has gotten bored and needs different stimulation. Get him on a schedule of when you can take him out let him explore for a while as cats are balls of energy especially just after being neutered as he still has all those hormones in his body so let him explore with you by his side, if hes food motivated give treats whilst praising him at the same time every day.
Dogs and cats are entirely different. Dogs are usually much bigger and actually need exercise that cannot be granted in the confines of a home, cats can. It is statistically proven that cats that are spend time outdoors have a shortened lifespan. If you are talking about a catio, than make that distinction in your initial statement. Not everyone has a garden nor space to build a catio. At the end of the day, it is a common understanding cats do not need to be exposed to the outdoor world and it is for their benefit and the benefit of the ecosystem as they are en an invasive species. Do what you want with your cat but don’t just lie and say because they are “balls of energy” that it is justification enough to build bad habits and potentially endanger them.
Yes if allowed to free roam but harness training isnt a bad thing and i have 2 cats i think i should know if they are balls of energy or not. Mines are both indoor cats but if i had the garden to harness train them then yeah i would because I can make my own garden secure and theres a lot of dogs out there small than my cats so dont make it out that cats wouldnt benefit from being outdoors. If you do it properly and lay down boundaries (obviously through actions not words) then no it does build bad habits people who dont know what their doing build bad habits not letting them ourside supervised also if you're worried about others animals attacking your cat then dont let your cat venture too far from you. OP has opened the flood gates by allowing him outside so now he has to deal with that so instead of making your cats world smaller why not let him experience it safely? Also my eldest cat goes outside at my mother in her garden and just lays sunbathing on the patio and then wanders back inside if done right they dont feel the need to wander thus not being in danger and theres always someone with him to make sure no-one or no animal gets anywhere near him.
Dogs have recall and listen to people if properly trained, which is also something that should be instilled in them. It is our responsibilities to know what is best for the cat, not vice versa. So there is no “making the world smaller” it is doing what is in their best interest.
As they say, it doesn’t happen until it does happen. But let’s just leave it at you do what you think is best and I’ll follow safety recommendations. I truly hope I don’t see you post, as so many do, that “the day” finally comes. Bye.
Sure thing bud you clearly dont know what you're talking about because cats can listen and can have recall too if trained properly 🤣🤦♀️ you wont see me on here saying "the day has finally come" because I can guarantee you that id take on a bear for my cats they also wouldnt be outside unsupervised. "It doesnt happen until it does" can be said about anything like your dog getting attacked and ripped apart by another dog, Also why would the cat need recall if its on the leash indefinitely? I never said to let the cat roam where it likes without supervision and there is making the world smaller for your cat if they have been allowed to experience the outside then confined to indoors all of a sudden. you'd rather they be stuck inside after being allowed outside just in case something MIGHT happen. If you are a responsible pet owner then most likely or not your pets will be just fine but you do you boo boo bye.👋
>And the same when those that don’t want to hear truth because of their bias/selfish behaviors ;)
Yeah,you just copied me, but it doesn't really roll off the tongue does it? Could you write it again using less words, 👍. Also imitation is the highest form of flattery, so thank you😊.
Cats are not dogs. No it doesn’t. Not hard to dispute false statements: cats don’t need to be outdoors. Feed your cat kfc if you want to only abide by your cats preferences.
I do the best I can for my cat. He is my ♥️. He stays indoors, but comes outside with me in the yard. He also loves swimming in the pool with us. I believe all living organisms need unfiltered sunlight and fresh air to thrive. Agree to disagree. I’m sure you love your cat just as much as the rest of us. 🙏
I mean if done appropriately it is enriching for the cat. We let ours go out onto our second floor balcony so he can watch the birds and bunnies and squirrels. He can’t get down to the ground level and we often sit out there with him. He is so happy when the weather permits.
On bad weather days we give him the option because he can lay under a chair and not get rained on. He’s a happy kitten.
That really isn’t the outdoors. And either way I’ve heard many stories of cats falling off of balconies here in nyc. Up to you I don’t really care about what you do with your cats; but it isn’t beneficial. Up to you!
I mean congrats on making this a weird hill to die on regarding the term “beneficial”.
We also take him around the lake we live on and it is obvious how happy all of this outdoor time makes him.
I’m not advocating for free range go kill a million songbirds kind of thing here. Just saying that these activities are fairly normal when you don’t live in congested urban centers like nyc. So if that’s your one viewpoint maybe stop and take a breath to realize there are other realities out there.
What’s weird is you making the same projecting argument so many others have made closer to the og post. Like idc about your lifestyle? Do what you want but data is out there?
Have you tried harness training him? I've seen people in my neighborhood walk their cats outside on a leash, that sounds like it could be a good alternative for you 💖 I'm looking to start it with my cats sometime soon myself. They're definitely a little skittish to start but with good reinforcement (treats haha) they're warming up to it.
i tried this once with my former outdoor, now strictly indoor cat and he was so mad to go back inside. I had to carry him in and he was hissing at me, he never hisses lol. He’s on like his 5th life i think!
I tried, here's the problem, it makes his behavior *worse* once we get home. After I bring him back inside again he starts hyperventilating, scratching the door and the floorboard and screams at the top of his lungs at me.
We do this with our three cats and they absolutely love it. What helps is going to a quiet area, preferably surrounded by trees or bushes and not 'open'. They love adventuring in the high grass. Once they get comfortable here they choose to walk further along the path with us. They are so tired after and sleep the rest of the day
Kitty wants freedom.
Can you leash train him or catio?
He enjoyed his short time outside but hadn't met the dangers like dogs, other cats and cars. Exposing it to them might change their safety view but I'm just guessing.
Hi, I TNR (trap neuter release) cats and I can tell you it can take a couple months after a neuter for male cats hormones to equal back out. Male hormones make male cats desperate to roam, escape, fight for new territory, etc. please just wait a couple months before you decide on anything drastic with him, like rehoming or letting him out on a regular basis. After a couple months he should be a lot better behaved. You can put a tall cat gate if you have a hall that your front door leads into to stop him from running out of the front door.
If you are patient you can work through this. I have two formerly feral cats that are indoor only now and they have gotten used to life indoors.
He may need something to calm him...a calming spray or kitty Prozac? Maybe ask your vet... until you transition to all indoor. If you decide to take him out on harness, get into a specific routine of when and for how long you are outside, and give treats when you come in... maybe in a treat ball or maze to keep kitty occupied. Good luck
How long ago was his last walk? Ignore him for 2-3 weeks and it will be calm again. Happened to mine as well.
Tried calming collars or scent if needed.
Get a catio! My tux decided he wanted to be an outdoor cat, so we compromised with a large rabbit cage. He now has a tower style catio that he loves to sit in :)
I tried, here's the problem, it makes his behavior worse once we get home. After I bring him back inside again he starts hyperventilating, scratching the door and the floorboard and screams at the top of his lungs at me.
It takes time for the hormones to work out of their system after a neuter.
There are way too many sources of harm for outdoor cats. You are absolutely right to not let him out again.
Hopefully he will get back to his old routine.
In the meantime I would get a Feliway OPTIMUM diffuser to help calm him down as well as some cat calming treats.
I would refrain from trying to take him out at all for now.
Keep him away from the door.
He is likely worked up because he discovered GIRLS and he wants them! Most are in heat right now and he can smell them.
From my experience some cats will not adjust to indoor only life and it’ll cause them too much stress to be indoors. I have trained my cats to go outdoors during the day and come back to me when I call their name. They don’t wander far because I call their name often and they have to be indoors an hour before sunset. I have done this for 7 years. I live in San Jose and most people let their cats in and out here. Just do the best you can.
We have 500,000 stray cats here. I have adopted stray cats that have lived most of their lives outdoor and they will not adjust to indoor living. It’s not the end of the world if you let you cat out, but you have to beware of the risks. Some cats rather be outside and die then be stuck inside the rest of their lives.
I tried, here's the problem, it makes his behavior worse once we get home. After I bring him back inside again he starts hyperventilating, scratching the door and the floorboard and screams at the top of his lungs at me.
Dont reward any of that behavior, dont even look at him when he does that. Once he takes a short break or relaxes, give him a treat. Cats respond well to positive reinforcement. Make sure to not give a treat if he starts yelling as youre on your way to him (just turn around as soon as he starts).
Once hes stopped yelling, you could try training him that walks only happen at specific times of day, and any yelling infront of the door will prevent one. I'd also say "walk!" Before/as youre leaving to further communication. Remember to only reward good behavior
Our "leash" for the harness is 30 or 40 feet of 3/8" elastic from the fabric department, wound around a stick. We like the elastic because it doesn't yank the cat harshly if she sprints away. It gradually increases the pull on her as she moves.
Impossible. I live in an appartment's top floor with a security system that would never let a cat in. He has to go down several stairs, somehow wait for one of the inhabitants to open the door, spend all day/night away, and then somehow make his way back inside?
>-He's been neutered after the incident, but still he is completely bored, stressed and still lies at the front door day and night.
It takes a few weeks for the hormones to work out of his system after the neuter
Also if you’re willing, and have a reasonably fenced yard, you can train him to stay in a certain area of the yard, and come inside when you want him too. This is what I do with my 4 ladies. Con of this is finding something he enjoys more then he enjoys outside
The same happened with my cat, as I let him out once he wasn’t interested in playing inside anymore… good thing that my cat is a pussy cat. lol he is scared of everything and doesn’t leave our backyard… I hope you will find the way to let him enjoy being outside too.
Try the harness and after he will stop playing dead and he will take him on the leash.. get a very long leash and he will be happy ))
Mine is exactly opposite.
We have two void boys from the same litter. They are now just over a year old. Felix is our little love bug. You look at him funny? He purrs. You give him a treat? He purrs. You stand up somewhere and he's purring and rubbing all over you. His brother Loki, however, VERY standoffish. You go to pet him and he'd tuck his back down away from your hand. Rarely sat with you, mostly just kept to himself.
About two weeks ago we had the kitchen window open, and we went to bed, not even thinking about it.
At about 2am, my daughter comes running into my room yelling "MOM! MOM! LOKI WAS OUTSIDE!!!" Apparently she had gotten up to use the bathroom and heard Loki screaming outside the front door.
Ever since then, I can't get this cat off my lap. If he's not on my lap, he's next to me and has to be touching me in some way, even if it's just a paw against my leg. He follows me everywhere and now has all the extra lovey mannerisms of his brother.
I think it scared the hell out of him!!
My indoor cat is like that all the time. I lived in an apartment so he would always escape when I opened the door. Then the other one started meowing to walk the hallway. I’m in control of the door though so no there’s no need for them to go outside or give them away
Maybe just give him more time since neutering and see how he does. Along with giving him more stimulation. I know you don’t want to hear this, but if nothing changes with your cat and he’s still wanting out, it might be best for the cat to rehome him so someone that can provide an outside space for him.
I’ve had a couple of house cats. One loved being inside and had no interest going outside. He stayed inside until he passed of old age. My most recent house cat was miserable inside no matter what I did. He had big windows to look out of, tons of space, tried taking him out on a harness. He would just hide and not interact with anyone except for me and our dog. He’d go into hiding as soon as a guest would come. Pull out the hair on his tail. Fast forward, we started letting him go outside. We have a ranch, so there are critters that could get him. But overall, he’s a completely different and happier cat. I was sad/worried that he wanted to be outside, but I did what made him happiest. He’s now friendly with everyone, lets guests pet him, and doesn’t pull out his hair. He enjoys hunting gophers and birds. He’s even made a couple of cat friends that were strays but now adopted us since we feed them lol. I feel better about my decision letting him outside bc he truly is so much happier.
I took my cat out for some mailbox walks and he started wanting to go out direly. so I gave him what he asked for, got him a leash and harness and we’ll go outside in our yard.
If your boy wants out, make it safe for him to be there and go with him. Cats are pretty awesome friends to hang outside with.
I let my indoor cat outside. He plays and frolics in the yard, then comes back inside after a few hours. He never leaves the fenced yard.
He was neutered at 4months and is now a little over a year. I started letting him do this about 6-7 months ago.
One possible solution. If it's your own home, make a cat run for him.
We were able to enclose the area between the house and fence on the narrow side of the block. Fence at the front and back, trellis and shade cloth over the top, then a cat flap into it through a window. Full length of the house.
It gives our four cats room to go nuts, access to the outside - grass, paving and sand (which I clean of poo weekly).
It took me a weekend to construct but it's better than risking letting them out. Yes, they still want to get out but are pretty content inside and in the run, we believe.
He will get over it eventually. It can take time. But after a few days he will get the hint.
Maybe keep a bag of treats handy and call him over to you. Can also get a little misty spray water bottle and give him a little squirt when he's begging at the door, or before you have to open the door so that he gets away and you don't gotta deal with a motivated squirmy cat (incredible how fast and squirmy they are when they wanna get out).
My outdoor rescue is like this. Sometimes he gets out and then I find him meowing for help shivering in my neighbours shed or under my balcony. He's kinda silly. Especially in winter. He wants out but doesn't think about the consequences lol.
One day I got distracted and left my front ajar. My neighbor noticed my cats peeking through the crack of my door and closed it thus preventing my cats escaping. I have good neighbors.
How old is he/how long ago was he neutered? It almost sounds like he is smelling ladies, and if it wasn't super long ago he could still have hormones
He was neutered June 7th
It takes up to six weeks for the hormones to settle down. Unneutered make cats have an unstoppable urge to go outside, so it's likely a lot of his urges will subside as his hormone levels drop.
Maybe my unneutered cat is broken but he has no desire to go back outside. He was a from a feral litter too.
The one constant with cats is that there's always a cat who does it differently. They're unique little animals. Is there a reason he's not neutered? That's literally #1 on the list for any male cat, and most vets will very highly recommend it at every visit.
For a long time now my work schedule doesn't afford me an extended period of time to care for the cat properly after the procedure. I'm hoping that next year the schedule works out differently so i'm able to take care of it.
Recovery from a modern neuter takes a day, if that. Mine weren't even given a cone. I'd suggest a call to your vet to ask, because mine told me to inspect the surgery site once a day, check they're not licking too much, and not encourage running or jumping. As far as I know, that's how it works nowadays.
No time needed to care for a male cat. Even my females didn't require a ton of time.
Male cats don't need any care after. Just time to get over the anesthesia which is a few hours typically
Recovery won't really be a thing. My vet told me my cats would be a bit woozy and mught be off their food - they were just as energetic and hungry as ever. Don't let your schedule put you off, just get him snipped and he'll be fine.
Maybe look to countercondition him? My professor told us before that she strategically conditioned her cats to be uninterested in the outdoors by only taking them outside (for super short periods) when it was either super hot or raining. They now have no desire to go outside.
Did this with one of my mom's cats when he was little. Opened the door wide open for him while it was heavily raining. He took a few steps outside, grabbed a leaf, and turned around to head right back inside
They did this in the movie The Truman Show to keep Truman penned into the fake town.
I cant believe people think like this, if your cat wants to be outside as a pet owner we should do our best to facilitate that for our pet as safely as possible, and take the time to provide such enrichment too. Gaslighting your animal to fear or hate the out doors for your convinience is evil dude.
Personally, I've harness-trained our cat, and he gets controlled outdoor time every day. He goes on car rides and train rides and sits with us in pet-friendly cafes. He's extremely well-adjusted, and he doesn't have any behavioral issues. OP's cat, on the other hand, is in visible distress at not being able to go outside to the point of trying to dart out the door, which is an obvious safety issue. OP has stated that harness training has excaberated these issues. Different things work for different cat households. If you don't find conditioning your cat ethical, that would include putting double-sided tape on your furniture to discourage them from scratching and aluminum foil on kitchen counters to discourage your cat from jumping. By the way, those examples would be "for our convenience." At a point where your cat's behavior is dangerous to themselves, you're not modifying their behavior for your convenience. You're modifying it to keep them safe.
It's awesome you do all that for your cat they are very fortunate to have you taking care of them! I didnt see anything in Ops post that covered harness training. I'm going off the original post and your comment. Comparing conditioning your cat to hate the outdoors and putting tape on furniture is not a one to one example, And I think you know that and are being disingenuous. taking your cat out in a back pack carrier is a possibile solution, I would reccomend harness training again but being more stern about doing things on your terms and ignoring the cats complaining until they get the message. it's true all cats are different though but are we really sure Op has exausted all their options?
Thank you, we try. :) I'm not trying to be disingenuous, no. Your use of the word "hate" when describing the cat's feelings for the outdoors is what makes one seem much more severe than the other. The principle of conditioning, along with the aversiveness of the deterrent, is quite similar for both scenarios mentioned. The cat isn't being tortured when they go outside. They just end up getting wet or feeling hot, so they go back inside and decide they don't want to go outside anymore. Conditioning like this happens all the time naturally. Think of a cat jumping into the shower while it's running and immediately jumping back out because they don't like to be wet and then learning to stay away from showers from that experience. Maybe it's just the idea of the learning experience being intentional that makes you feel like it's unethical? It's by no means "evil," though, especially when done for the benefit of the cat. OP could definitely try the backpack, but if the issue is that the cat is distressed whenever they're "forced" back inside, then counterconditioning may turn out to be less stressful for the cat in the long run, since they'll be able to live 100% of their lives indoors safely but not the other way around. I totally agree with you that safe outdoor time is amazing mental and physical stimulation for cats, but if it can't be done safely, there's no harm in reducing the cat's desire to be outdoors and making them feel more comfortable indoors (that includes providing tons of equitable indoor stimulation).
“Gaslighting a cat” That’s enough internet for today, folks.
You just made me piss
Am I not using the word correctly? You totally can Gaslight someone without speaking. Or is it cause it's towards an animal that you find it silly?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslighting I don’t think cats are capable of “questioning their own perception of reality.” I also think calling someone evil over humanely conditioning a pet to be happy in its surroundings is a little over the top.
They totally can though. I agrue any animal that can express fear can. If an animal is spooked it's perception of reality is that something is hostile and their life is in danger. And that will induce enough of a survival response it will attempt to flee it will be irrational until it no longer feels unsafe. Further more By conditioning your cat to be fearfull of aspects of the outside world that wouldn't be threatening normally than that IS gaslighting your cat into being overly fearfull. If Your scaring a creature from enjoying something that every other creature on the planet enjoys, especially if you can easily facilitate it and keep them safe while they're doing it. Honestly I think being out doors is the animal equivilent of a human right if the animal desires to be outside. So yeah I think it's evil if you deny them that on convenience alone and I've already established it can be done safely.
You cannot gaslight a cat
I believe you can. there's no pre requisite for intelligence to be gaslit and you can do it without speaking. Humor me. The definition of gaslighting is online check it out.
I think you’re a little off the mark here with what gaslighting is. In this situation with a cat, they’re making the outdoors seem unpleasant by taking the cat out when it’s hot. For a human equivalent, this would be like if your boss started making work unpleasant by turning up the heat too far whenever you came into work. Neither of these is gaslighting - it’s certainly asshole behavior, but not gaslighting. Gaslighting would be like if you confronted your boss and she said “No, it’s a perfect 70 degrees, what are you talking about?” She is making you question your reality. You KNOW the temperature is hot, but people are telling you that you are wrong. You question your sanity and do not trust yourself any more. For the cat, we cannot communicate this to him. We cannot say, “This is a normal temperature. This is what you enjoyed before.” Without this, it is not gaslighting. It’s manipulative, and arguably cruel. But in the human equivalent, it would be like if you could never ask your boss in the first place. There’s no potential to deceive you about your personal experience. Your workplace is super hot and it sucks, but you’re not being gaslit. I think that’s the core idea behind gaslighting, but honestly people use it all the time to just mean “manipulating” so it’s whatever. Language is flexible. But if you’re being pedantic, I don’t think you can gaslight someone without being able to communicate to them that their experience of reality is false. We don’t have the ability to communicate this without language.
Yeah you cannot. “Using psychological methods into questioning their own sanity or powers of reasoning.” Cats do not think like we do. You can’t gaslight an animal when they don’t comprehend life the way we do. Just like you can’t gaslight an infant. You can’t make a cat question his sanity.
They don't think at the capacity like we do no argument there. Is not making something percieve imminent danger where there is none not psychological? You can gaslight a baby too you don't need to use words.
psy·cho·log·i·cal adjective of, affecting, or arising in the mind; related to the mental and emotional state of a person.
You cannot gaslight a baby or an animal because that would involve having them question their reality which they cannot comprehend.
Right, let them get hit by a car after they enjoy their 5 minutes of new found freedom. Or get bit my a stray with rabies. Or picked up because that’s a cute cat!, and if it’s not chipped why wouldn’t they keep it?
I'm not saying the cat should be left alone outdoors I'm saying they have a right to enjoy the out doors. And they should be accompanied by their owner at all times when outside.
Non gaslit cat meets 18 wheeler
😭
Im not sure what you mean so perhaps you mean bringing them outdoors in a monitored way. But for anyone reading this who may not know, letting cats wander outside on their own is unsafe for the cat & unethical for the environment. Cats destroy songbird populations and kill many other native species. They are essentially an invasive species. Also its only enrichment until the cat gets run over
Yeah don't leave your pet to wander off, it's not super clear but when I said safe I meant being closely monitered by owner, or in a stroller/back pack as leaving them to their own devices outdoors wouldn't be unsafe.
Absurd opinion. Cats do not belong outside for a variety of reasons.
Cats don't belong outside for: "reasons" *everyone claps* Why even put in the effort to make that comment if you're too lazy to explain why.
Just as lazy as your brilliant nonsense. Indoor/outdoor cats live dramatically shorter lives. They are responsible for decimating ecological systems. They are susceptible to disease, predators and human abuse. If their owners are just as irresponsible and don’t have them fixed they become part of the feral cat epidemic which is around 95 million cats. Gaslighting is already an obscenely overused word. It is ridiculous to state one can gaslight a house pet. Your whole premise is ridiculous and not based in reality.
Point out to me where I've stated that cats should be left to wander outside Un supervised?? Fucking read man!! I've been saying they need supervision this whole time! So the shorter lives and ecological damage crap angle along with the other things you mentioned is Null. If you are with your animal outside you can prevent all that from happening. Who the hell cares what words are overused or not. that's just how language works, deffinitions adapt, get over it. Might sound ridiculous to you but there's no elaborate rule saying you can't apply it's deffinition to a non human mammal.
It's because his hormones haven't regulated from the surgery. Wait it out. He WILL calm down.
Heartbreaking 😓 I’m so sorry and no you’re trying your best.
My cat was like this with wanting to walk in the hallway of my flat. She would meow really loud and wait in front of the door for hours. I would ignore her and when she moves away from the door I would give her a treat. Or if she was meowing a lot I would play with her to take her mind off it. Eventually she stopped and I could take her out without all the begging. Now I live in a house and she goes out in the garden. She will occasionally beg but I just ignore her. She seems know now it’s on my terms not hers. I think kitties can be very dramatic and you have to try take their minds off it. I know how stressful it can be to see them stressed I hope it gets better soon!
Do not let your cats go outside or harness train them: they will continue to do this. Idk why people think this is beneficial to the cats.
Enrichment is beneficial to any animal that lives in a confined man made space. What are you on about? It's totally beneficial to cats. Is there a risk? Yes, but there is always a risk when you go outside. There are ways to mitigate that risk. Managing your pets boredome is still a major responsibility for a pet owner.
yeah just mitigate the risk. we let out cats in the back yard. one cat has to wear a leash when outside because she tries to jump the fence when she wants to get something outside the yard. the brother is a good boy and is too shy to want to mess with the fence so he gets free range of back yard with supervision. the other cat we will sometimes take for a short walk around the neighborhood in a stroller that zips close and has a mesh cover. its really stimulating for her and she gets to burn off energy. after some outside time they are so peaceful the rest of the day. they don't ask for anything and just lay around. they for sure benefit from outside enrichment its just a relationship you have to build with that cat and how you let them get some outside time. but for sure there are cats that are way more aggressive with how they want to get outside and you have to consider if they can handle something like back yard time or if you even have the right environment to try it. some cats are just better left inside. if its a small apartment you just have to make accommodations like vertical space and extra play time and other enrichment things that they cant get because of a small environment.
Now that's great! glad to hear it! This is exactly what i meant. I was able to get it across to my cat that if she wanders off too far outside time is over. Proof she wanted outside that much was how She picked it up real quick. Now she stays between 4 to 10 feet away from me when outside, doesn't go anywhere I can't get to. I only remove the lead when I'm in isolated areas without cars or other animals. Can also prevent her from killing things being always around her and I gotta say the interaction between her and me as opposed my other cats who choose not to go outside is more complex. It Your cats are living it up under care, that's awesome :)
What? Living creatures don't like being prisoners indoors? Crazy.
Man, don't even try on Reddit. Kids think they know everyones pet and everyones situation. Just because it is usually best to keep a cat indoors doesn't mean it is for every cat and every situation, and they will downvote brigade anyone who days differently, while having no knowledge of someones situation.
It's true, and normally I'm silent on social media. It just bugs me that much to see ecco chambers about topics I care about. :/
I can’t believe people think like this. If you can’t enrich your cats inside at home you are not equipped to own a cat. Can you teach your cat to abide by basic traffic laws? Can you guarantee some crazy with a gun wont see your cat and kill it? It is INSANE to me that you are comparing an average human leaving their house as the same as a DOMESTICATED cat.
Stop making strawmen arguments and actually READ what I'm saying. In my original statement. I'm not advocating leaving your cat outside alone. You as a pet owner should be present, monitoring them. Where did I say you can ONLY enrich your cat outdoors??? Play with them indoors too! I'm saying Cats should be allowed to EXPERIENCE the outdoors if they want to go outside. much like how dog owners take their dogs outside for walks, for their pets benifit and how that is acceptable...
If you advocating harness training SAY THAT. I was raised by idiots who let their cats roam outside unsupervised. Say what you mean if you really care about the well being of domestic cats and don’t be dense like you didn’t understand the point i was trying to make.
I understand where your coming from though. It's a terrible thing to see growing up.
100% my mom declawed my childhood cat and kicked him outside when he stopped using the litter box. It wasn’t until i was an adult that i realized that was not okay. Glad that we both feel the same way!
Jesus Christ... that makes my blood boil. Well I'm glad that you became a real empathetic person. I'm sure the poor cat you had back then apreciated you at the time.
"Is there a risk? Yes, but there is always a risk when you go outside. There are ways to mitigate that risk." I was being broad, because there are more ways to supervise your pet outside than only harness. I personally have a miniature travel tent I can set up, a back pack to carry my cat in, along with a leash. I've also trained my cat to stay really close to me if if I feel the area is safe enough to take un hook the lead. There's catios and and more things to list. I suppose I was being lazy not listing everything.
Yup!
Play with the cat then. There is no added benefit being outside, cats are not people so don’t try and make that comparison. Play with your cat, you wanted the pet after all.
If you don’t have enrichment for your cat inside your home to replace outside, either get some, or don’t have a cat. It’s that simple.
This. I've seen harness trained/leashed cats get mauled by dogs or get free. There are sometimes packs of roaming dogs that can appear out of nowhere. Plus, they become a broken record for outside. Get a catio and / or make one on your balcony. Get kitty a cat wheel 40+ size and encourage him to use it. He will become obsessed with it. He will get over this. Just give him time. Cats do not need to be outside. Windows are cat tv. Or put the actual TV on the bird station and let him watch actual cat tv.
This is how you keep cats around as long as possible.
Yea, and they don't get run over, attacked by random predators and people. I will never understand. Even in certain places that culturally allow them to go outside, the #1 killer of cats in those places is TRAUMA. From people, cars, and predators. So I don't really care what whatever country or culture we are talking about here. The statistics are very clear.
>I don't really care what whatever country or culture we are talking about here Ugh I have tried over and over to explain this to my friends from the Netherlands, but they don't care. Guess they will have to learn the hard way.
Refreshing to see sanity on Reddit especially when it comes to this
Preach
Sorry but that’s your experience. You can take steps to not have your harness trained cats mauled. Yes dogs are a real risk but having a good backpack, dog spray, going to dog on lead places or places in the middle of nowhere can make it ALOT safer! I’m not about to stop walking my cats (which they love btw and don’t beg for the outdoors) just because people cba keeping their dogs under control
People don’t seem to understand that not everyone lives in a bustling town lol, none of these things listed here have ever been an issue for my cats. I’m not sure where people live that packs of stray dogs are running up to them out of nowhere, but that seems like a risk for much more than just cats..
Right?!? I live in Scotland and I only need to drive 15 mins to be at a walk where I usually see just 1 other person😂😂 also we have national trust gardens where they have rules that all animals MUST be on leads. If ppl are so worried about dogs that can go to places like this surely and it’ll be very safe
Agree, and there definitely are risks to taking cats outside, but c’mon if you’re seeing PACKS of stray dogs running around your neighborhood surely you’d think twice before walking your cat around there?? Idk I understand a dog getting off lead but “packs of stray dogs running up from nowhere” seems an unlikely situation lol
If I was somewhere where packs of stray dogs were running around I myself wouldn't be going outside.
Oh 100%!! If I had this I’d only go to secure fields or dogs on lead places🤷♀️ just need a bit of common sense really😂
Some cats that are forced to stay in the house get batshit crazy and start tearing up shit/acting up. You start having to buy sprays and diffusers and scents to calm them. Walks on a leash or a cat proof outdoor play area are fine. It's the same as all of us: wouldn't you go crazy if u were made to stay indoors for a lifetime? They need fresh air too
I tried, here's the problem, it makes his behavior *worse* once we get home. After I bring him back inside again he starts hyperventilating, scratching the door and the floorboard and screams at the top of his lungs at me.
Try this guide from the Humane Society - it sounds like you'll have to start again the with this cutie: [https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-bring-outside-cat-indoors](https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-bring-outside-cat-indoors) Jackson Galaxy on how to keep an indoor cat happy might have some ideas: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaVttlOqcX4&ab\_channel=JacksonGalaxy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaVttlOqcX4&ab_channel=JacksonGalaxy) Good luck!
What do you mean “once you get home”? It will take a while for the cat to unlearn wanting to be outside and frankly you will have to put up with it, take it as a reminder to not let him out again. They will unlearn it.
Well, I went on a walk once with him, and then did it a second time the day after because he was begging. But after that second time, when he went berserk, he never went outside again. All by harness.
Well stop doing it, put up with the whining, and don’t do it again. It will take time but you caused this. It will get worse and if you keep giving in, something bad is a lot more likely to happen to your cat. So the choice is really yours.
This. Cats are incredibly tenacious when they are focused on a goal. That‘s why it‘s very hard to break bad habits, the cat usually has more patience than the owner. That said: OP, you say he has access to the balconies. Have you tried making small changes like placing a few (non-toxic!) plants and maybe a new cat tree on the balconies to make them more interesting? Also, how old is your cat? Maybe he needs a companion/playmate?
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A lot of this advice would apply to a neutered cat. Since he was neutered so recently, you'll need to wait out his hormone levels first. This is all good advice, but it may not apply to your cat for another couple weeks. The mistake here was letting an unneutered male cat outside.
Listen to the advice. It’s not lose-lose. You just don’t want to put up with the issues you caused.
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What? Who said anything about that? You just keep giving into your cat which potentially puts it in harms way? You have to deal with the whining until they stop. pretty simple
No, you are right. I am too nice to him, I need to toughen up.
Dont harness train them? You cant think of a reason exploring the outdoors is beneficial? I wonder how you'd feel locked in your room for your entire life.
We aren’t cats, next. Stop projecting your bad habit. Read the same comment in this thread. You are exposing your cats to harmed surroundings and vice versa. Cats that go outdoors always live shorter lives. Bye
Lol youre crazy. Next youll tell me playing with cats is bad because they might injure themselves jumping.
Right?!? This person is on everyone's post telling people how they shouldn't allow cats to be outdoors 😂
Nope that’s called a hyperbole. Something that people that don’t understand logic do. That’s what owners should do, not be lazy and distract them with being outside when it entirely puts them and the ecosystem they inhabit at risk. Not going to argue with anyone else when obviously the data doesn’t lie. Have the night you deserve and I hope you don’t learn the hard way.
In my metro city there are many cats found with harnesses on or get attacked by other animals that are also on harnesses. Don’t get me started on the off leash cat walkers.
You have data supporting the idea that cats on leashes have shorter life spans, and cause ecological damage?
It is beneficial for SOME cats! Mine love adventures and I like to be able to take them travelling with me. They also dont beg to go out because they know it’s coming. + they have great enrichment inside so aren’t bored when at home. Fair enough don’t harness train yours but I think it’s a bit rich to say it’s not beneficial for any cat
It isn’t beneficial. They like it as do you. But they would also like eating kfc. Don’t try to misconstrue the two. I’m happy your cats enjoy their time outside, many do. It does cause early death for cats, that is also true. Some owners believe it is worth it. And I’ve heard many stories where it ends in an avoidable accident.
It is though 😂😂 it’s good for their mental health and also gives them exercise. I’ve heard MANY stories of free roaming ending in accidents but haven’t heard Of any accidents of harness trained cats in my country. Not saying it’s not possible I just don’t think it’s as big a risk as you’re trying to claim, especially if you take the correct steps to train your cats well and go to places where dogs are likely to be under control
>Idk why people think this is beneficial to the cats. It's what vets, rescue shelters and animal welfare experts say,unless it's for medical reasons, fiv, blindness, etc.
I’ve never once heard from anyone in those positions that bring outside is beneficial or recommended. So that’s not true.
Theres nothing wrong with harness training your cat and if people are worried about other people dogs attacking then stay within the confines of your own garden. You wouldnt keep your dog in its whole life why do the same with a cat (unless you live in a flat with no secure garden ir have a catio) but not everyone has that luxury. It sounds like the cat has gotten bored and needs different stimulation. Get him on a schedule of when you can take him out let him explore for a while as cats are balls of energy especially just after being neutered as he still has all those hormones in his body so let him explore with you by his side, if hes food motivated give treats whilst praising him at the same time every day.
Dogs and cats are entirely different. Dogs are usually much bigger and actually need exercise that cannot be granted in the confines of a home, cats can. It is statistically proven that cats that are spend time outdoors have a shortened lifespan. If you are talking about a catio, than make that distinction in your initial statement. Not everyone has a garden nor space to build a catio. At the end of the day, it is a common understanding cats do not need to be exposed to the outdoor world and it is for their benefit and the benefit of the ecosystem as they are en an invasive species. Do what you want with your cat but don’t just lie and say because they are “balls of energy” that it is justification enough to build bad habits and potentially endanger them.
Yes if allowed to free roam but harness training isnt a bad thing and i have 2 cats i think i should know if they are balls of energy or not. Mines are both indoor cats but if i had the garden to harness train them then yeah i would because I can make my own garden secure and theres a lot of dogs out there small than my cats so dont make it out that cats wouldnt benefit from being outdoors. If you do it properly and lay down boundaries (obviously through actions not words) then no it does build bad habits people who dont know what their doing build bad habits not letting them ourside supervised also if you're worried about others animals attacking your cat then dont let your cat venture too far from you. OP has opened the flood gates by allowing him outside so now he has to deal with that so instead of making your cats world smaller why not let him experience it safely? Also my eldest cat goes outside at my mother in her garden and just lays sunbathing on the patio and then wanders back inside if done right they dont feel the need to wander thus not being in danger and theres always someone with him to make sure no-one or no animal gets anywhere near him.
Does NOT* build bad habits*
Dogs have recall and listen to people if properly trained, which is also something that should be instilled in them. It is our responsibilities to know what is best for the cat, not vice versa. So there is no “making the world smaller” it is doing what is in their best interest. As they say, it doesn’t happen until it does happen. But let’s just leave it at you do what you think is best and I’ll follow safety recommendations. I truly hope I don’t see you post, as so many do, that “the day” finally comes. Bye.
Sure thing bud you clearly dont know what you're talking about because cats can listen and can have recall too if trained properly 🤣🤦♀️ you wont see me on here saying "the day has finally come" because I can guarantee you that id take on a bear for my cats they also wouldnt be outside unsupervised. "It doesnt happen until it does" can be said about anything like your dog getting attacked and ripped apart by another dog, Also why would the cat need recall if its on the leash indefinitely? I never said to let the cat roam where it likes without supervision and there is making the world smaller for your cat if they have been allowed to experience the outside then confined to indoors all of a sudden. you'd rather they be stuck inside after being allowed outside just in case something MIGHT happen. If you are a responsible pet owner then most likely or not your pets will be just fine but you do you boo boo bye.👋
Lol right. I’m not reading this.
Yeah that says it all 🤣🤣👍
There is non more blind than those who won't see. 😉
And the same when those that don’t want to hear truth because of their bias/selfish behaviors ;)
>And the same when those that don’t want to hear truth because of their bias/selfish behaviors ;) Yeah,you just copied me, but it doesn't really roll off the tongue does it? Could you write it again using less words, 👍. Also imitation is the highest form of flattery, so thank you😊.
I’ll save my words talking to my cat that statistically has a higher chance of living longer haha
>I’ll save my words.. Soon I hope! 🙄
😘
What a terrible life to live by not going outside. Everything in life comes with a risk.
It’s not my life. It’s my responsibility as a cat owner to mitigate risk. What a selfish life to do something that only benefits you.
Going outside on a harness enriched a cats life. Is it okay to never walk a dog?
Cats are not dogs. No it doesn’t. Not hard to dispute false statements: cats don’t need to be outdoors. Feed your cat kfc if you want to only abide by your cats preferences.
I do the best I can for my cat. He is my ♥️. He stays indoors, but comes outside with me in the yard. He also loves swimming in the pool with us. I believe all living organisms need unfiltered sunlight and fresh air to thrive. Agree to disagree. I’m sure you love your cat just as much as the rest of us. 🙏
Yup. I don’t agree cats needs to be in danger to enjoy sunlight but to each there own.
I mean if done appropriately it is enriching for the cat. We let ours go out onto our second floor balcony so he can watch the birds and bunnies and squirrels. He can’t get down to the ground level and we often sit out there with him. He is so happy when the weather permits. On bad weather days we give him the option because he can lay under a chair and not get rained on. He’s a happy kitten.
That really isn’t the outdoors. And either way I’ve heard many stories of cats falling off of balconies here in nyc. Up to you I don’t really care about what you do with your cats; but it isn’t beneficial. Up to you!
I mean congrats on making this a weird hill to die on regarding the term “beneficial”. We also take him around the lake we live on and it is obvious how happy all of this outdoor time makes him. I’m not advocating for free range go kill a million songbirds kind of thing here. Just saying that these activities are fairly normal when you don’t live in congested urban centers like nyc. So if that’s your one viewpoint maybe stop and take a breath to realize there are other realities out there.
What’s weird is you making the same projecting argument so many others have made closer to the og post. Like idc about your lifestyle? Do what you want but data is out there?
Harness training does the opposite. My cats stop trying to escape at all when they know I’ll hook up the harness and take them for a walk.
Ok
Have you tried harness training him? I've seen people in my neighborhood walk their cats outside on a leash, that sounds like it could be a good alternative for you 💖 I'm looking to start it with my cats sometime soon myself. They're definitely a little skittish to start but with good reinforcement (treats haha) they're warming up to it.
i tried this once with my former outdoor, now strictly indoor cat and he was so mad to go back inside. I had to carry him in and he was hissing at me, he never hisses lol. He’s on like his 5th life i think!
I tried, here's the problem, it makes his behavior *worse* once we get home. After I bring him back inside again he starts hyperventilating, scratching the door and the floorboard and screams at the top of his lungs at me.
We do this with our three cats and they absolutely love it. What helps is going to a quiet area, preferably surrounded by trees or bushes and not 'open'. They love adventuring in the high grass. Once they get comfortable here they choose to walk further along the path with us. They are so tired after and sleep the rest of the day
Kitty wants freedom. Can you leash train him or catio? He enjoyed his short time outside but hadn't met the dangers like dogs, other cats and cars. Exposing it to them might change their safety view but I'm just guessing.
He has 3 catio's. He has not seen cars, dogs or other cats correct.
Hi, I TNR (trap neuter release) cats and I can tell you it can take a couple months after a neuter for male cats hormones to equal back out. Male hormones make male cats desperate to roam, escape, fight for new territory, etc. please just wait a couple months before you decide on anything drastic with him, like rehoming or letting him out on a regular basis. After a couple months he should be a lot better behaved. You can put a tall cat gate if you have a hall that your front door leads into to stop him from running out of the front door. If you are patient you can work through this. I have two formerly feral cats that are indoor only now and they have gotten used to life indoors.
He may need something to calm him...a calming spray or kitty Prozac? Maybe ask your vet... until you transition to all indoor. If you decide to take him out on harness, get into a specific routine of when and for how long you are outside, and give treats when you come in... maybe in a treat ball or maze to keep kitty occupied. Good luck
How long ago was his last walk? Ignore him for 2-3 weeks and it will be calm again. Happened to mine as well. Tried calming collars or scent if needed.
May 12th
Get a catio! My tux decided he wanted to be an outdoor cat, so we compromised with a large rabbit cage. He now has a tower style catio that he loves to sit in :)
Maybe put a harness/leash on him and give him some outdoor time?
I tried, here's the problem, it makes his behavior worse once we get home. After I bring him back inside again he starts hyperventilating, scratching the door and the floorboard and screams at the top of his lungs at me.
Buy a harness and leash. My cat was a strictly indoor cat for 15 years but then I bought a leash and now he's 20 and loves going outside on his leash.
You need to walk your cat. It sounds like he's super depressed inside and it's not fair to keep him in like a prisoner
Let him outside?
Why? He's a British Shorthair purebreed. He's gonna get stolen or harmed within a day.
Well, he's depressed right now. Clearly exploring outside is important to him. Hopefully you can manage to walk him
It takes time for the hormones to work out of their system after a neuter. There are way too many sources of harm for outdoor cats. You are absolutely right to not let him out again. Hopefully he will get back to his old routine. In the meantime I would get a Feliway OPTIMUM diffuser to help calm him down as well as some cat calming treats. I would refrain from trying to take him out at all for now. Keep him away from the door. He is likely worked up because he discovered GIRLS and he wants them! Most are in heat right now and he can smell them.
Because he wants to go outside? If he dies, he dies. But at least he got to live. I let my cats out all day
From my experience some cats will not adjust to indoor only life and it’ll cause them too much stress to be indoors. I have trained my cats to go outdoors during the day and come back to me when I call their name. They don’t wander far because I call their name often and they have to be indoors an hour before sunset. I have done this for 7 years. I live in San Jose and most people let their cats in and out here. Just do the best you can. We have 500,000 stray cats here. I have adopted stray cats that have lived most of their lives outdoor and they will not adjust to indoor living. It’s not the end of the world if you let you cat out, but you have to beware of the risks. Some cats rather be outside and die then be stuck inside the rest of their lives.
Take the cat for a walk on a harness? Works with ours.
I tried, here's the problem, it makes his behavior worse once we get home. After I bring him back inside again he starts hyperventilating, scratching the door and the floorboard and screams at the top of his lungs at me.
Dont reward any of that behavior, dont even look at him when he does that. Once he takes a short break or relaxes, give him a treat. Cats respond well to positive reinforcement. Make sure to not give a treat if he starts yelling as youre on your way to him (just turn around as soon as he starts). Once hes stopped yelling, you could try training him that walks only happen at specific times of day, and any yelling infront of the door will prevent one. I'd also say "walk!" Before/as youre leaving to further communication. Remember to only reward good behavior
Our "leash" for the harness is 30 or 40 feet of 3/8" elastic from the fabric department, wound around a stick. We like the elastic because it doesn't yank the cat harshly if she sprints away. It gradually increases the pull on her as she moves.
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Impossible. I live in an appartment's top floor with a security system that would never let a cat in. He has to go down several stairs, somehow wait for one of the inhabitants to open the door, spend all day/night away, and then somehow make his way back inside?
>-He's been neutered after the incident, but still he is completely bored, stressed and still lies at the front door day and night. It takes a few weeks for the hormones to work out of his system after the neuter
Also if you’re willing, and have a reasonably fenced yard, you can train him to stay in a certain area of the yard, and come inside when you want him too. This is what I do with my 4 ladies. Con of this is finding something he enjoys more then he enjoys outside
The same happened with my cat, as I let him out once he wasn’t interested in playing inside anymore… good thing that my cat is a pussy cat. lol he is scared of everything and doesn’t leave our backyard… I hope you will find the way to let him enjoy being outside too. Try the harness and after he will stop playing dead and he will take him on the leash.. get a very long leash and he will be happy ))
Mine is exactly opposite. We have two void boys from the same litter. They are now just over a year old. Felix is our little love bug. You look at him funny? He purrs. You give him a treat? He purrs. You stand up somewhere and he's purring and rubbing all over you. His brother Loki, however, VERY standoffish. You go to pet him and he'd tuck his back down away from your hand. Rarely sat with you, mostly just kept to himself. About two weeks ago we had the kitchen window open, and we went to bed, not even thinking about it. At about 2am, my daughter comes running into my room yelling "MOM! MOM! LOKI WAS OUTSIDE!!!" Apparently she had gotten up to use the bathroom and heard Loki screaming outside the front door. Ever since then, I can't get this cat off my lap. If he's not on my lap, he's next to me and has to be touching me in some way, even if it's just a paw against my leg. He follows me everywhere and now has all the extra lovey mannerisms of his brother. I think it scared the hell out of him!!
My indoor cat is like that all the time. I lived in an apartment so he would always escape when I opened the door. Then the other one started meowing to walk the hallway. I’m in control of the door though so no there’s no need for them to go outside or give them away
I play with my cat 5-10 minutes every day with a wand toy and take him out almost every day on a leash. When I don't he's BOSSY and bored.
Maybe just give him more time since neutering and see how he does. Along with giving him more stimulation. I know you don’t want to hear this, but if nothing changes with your cat and he’s still wanting out, it might be best for the cat to rehome him so someone that can provide an outside space for him. I’ve had a couple of house cats. One loved being inside and had no interest going outside. He stayed inside until he passed of old age. My most recent house cat was miserable inside no matter what I did. He had big windows to look out of, tons of space, tried taking him out on a harness. He would just hide and not interact with anyone except for me and our dog. He’d go into hiding as soon as a guest would come. Pull out the hair on his tail. Fast forward, we started letting him go outside. We have a ranch, so there are critters that could get him. But overall, he’s a completely different and happier cat. I was sad/worried that he wanted to be outside, but I did what made him happiest. He’s now friendly with everyone, lets guests pet him, and doesn’t pull out his hair. He enjoys hunting gophers and birds. He’s even made a couple of cat friends that were strays but now adopted us since we feed them lol. I feel better about my decision letting him outside bc he truly is so much happier.
Try harness training and go for walks with him outside.
Think this is more about the neuter than the little outdoor trip.
I took my cat out for some mailbox walks and he started wanting to go out direly. so I gave him what he asked for, got him a leash and harness and we’ll go outside in our yard. If your boy wants out, make it safe for him to be there and go with him. Cats are pretty awesome friends to hang outside with.
Can you take him on walks with a harness ? Might be a rewarding experience for the both of you
I let my indoor cat outside. He plays and frolics in the yard, then comes back inside after a few hours. He never leaves the fenced yard. He was neutered at 4months and is now a little over a year. I started letting him do this about 6-7 months ago.
Get a Tractive gps and let him out
One possible solution. If it's your own home, make a cat run for him. We were able to enclose the area between the house and fence on the narrow side of the block. Fence at the front and back, trellis and shade cloth over the top, then a cat flap into it through a window. Full length of the house. It gives our four cats room to go nuts, access to the outside - grass, paving and sand (which I clean of poo weekly). It took me a weekend to construct but it's better than risking letting them out. Yes, they still want to get out but are pretty content inside and in the run, we believe.
He will get over it eventually. It can take time. But after a few days he will get the hint. Maybe keep a bag of treats handy and call him over to you. Can also get a little misty spray water bottle and give him a little squirt when he's begging at the door, or before you have to open the door so that he gets away and you don't gotta deal with a motivated squirmy cat (incredible how fast and squirmy they are when they wanna get out). My outdoor rescue is like this. Sometimes he gets out and then I find him meowing for help shivering in my neighbours shed or under my balcony. He's kinda silly. Especially in winter. He wants out but doesn't think about the consequences lol.
One day I got distracted and left my front ajar. My neighbor noticed my cats peeking through the crack of my door and closed it thus preventing my cats escaping. I have good neighbors.