In or Out??

[SageCat]

I'd appreciate some advice about YumYum please.

She's a 15 month old Oriental who was kept by a breeder as a possible breeding queen. She was obviously never let out to wander at will and was sometimes kept outside in a spacious pen or would roam about indoors. I've only had her for almost 2 weeks now and she's not really shown much inclination to want to go out. Is it OK to keep cats as house cats? I can see the sense in not letting her out for several reasons ~ she probably won't have any road sense whatsoever, and even though I live in a quiet village with a quiet road at the front, there are still cars that use it; she won't get into fights with other cats; I won't have the heartache if she went missing, and I won't get stressed calling her in if she's out when I want to go out.

I bought her a harness today thinking that I might compromise by taking her for supervised walks, but now I worry that that might just make her want to go out all the more once she gets a taste for the outdoors. I'm saving trying to figure out how to actually put the harness on for tomorrow! :lol:

Any thoughts or suggestions would be most welcome.

[angieh]

There are several members here who have indoors only cats, so I'll let them answer as Kizzy is a come and go as she pleases girl.

[dandysmom]

I'd appreciate some advice about YumYum please.

She's a 15 month old Oriental who was kept by a breeder as a possible breeding queen. She was obviously never let out to wander at will and was sometimes kept outside in a spacious pen or would roam about indoors. I've only had her for almost 2 weeks now and she's not really shown much inclination to want to go out. Is it OK to keep cats as house cats? I can see the sense in not letting her out for several reasons ~ she probably won't have any road sense whatsoever, and even though I live in a quiet village with a quiet road at the front, there are still cars that use it; she won't get into fights with other cats; I won't have the heartache if she went missing, and I won't get stressed calling her in if she's out when I want to go out.

I bought her a harness today thinking that I might compromise by taking her for supervised walks, but now I worry that that might just make her want to go out all the more once she gets a taste for the outdoors. I'm saving trying to figure out how to actually put the harness on for tomorrow! :lol:

Any thoughts or suggestions would be most welcome.

All mine have been indoors only with walks on a harness. I live in the City on a busy heavily trafficed street and a short distance from woods where there are foxes, raccoons and opossums, so free-roaming has always been a no-no. Cats like routine. I found that they looked forward to their daily walks at the same time every day and didn't show any desire to try to escape. I always found the walk a bonding experience as it was fun for both of us. Although you can get some funny looks from people who see you walking down the street with s cat on a harness!! :-D

[Moli]

Mine are half and half, they only get out when I am home and can leave the door or window open for them, if I am out they are in....Never ever allowed out during the night...

[SageCat]

Thanks Moli. That's exactly what I did with Rupert and Sophi, my other cats, but I'm worried about YumYum wandering and getting into trouble or being 'cat-knapped'. 'Tis a dilemma! :roll:

[SageCat]

Thanks Dandysmom. I'm going to try her on the harness later today as I think I've figured out how it goes on!

As for getting strange looks from people ................. well it will just confirm that I really have lost the plot!! http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m214/SageCat/EMOHAbFun019HL.gif

[yola]

I have 3 persians who are to all intents and purposes indoor cats - I do let them out but they lounge around in our small garden mainly. Occaisionally they will try to make a bid for freedom but as they never go out without being watched I quickly round them up.

My 3 aren't the sharpest tools in the box and have zero road sense - they're also very 'nickable' and living in a bit of an urban area I'm very mindful of that.

If YumYum is happy to remain an indoor cat then that will ease a lot of your worries so I wouldn't push it for her to go outside.

[Moli]

Thanks Moli. That's exactly what I did with Rupert and Sophi, my other cats, but I'm worried about YumYum wandering and getting into trouble or being 'cat-knapped'. 'Tis a dilemma! :roll:
I have an oriential and a Siamese and must admit, I do worry about them being catnapped....Luckily we live on the outskirts of a village and do not get many people passing...

[dandysmom]

My current cat, Leia, is indoors by choice. She's 10, and has always seemed scared of the outdoors since she was a kitten, so unlike the others hasn't been harness trained. She did get out once: pushed the porch door open (she's a big, strong 14 pound cat) in pursuit of a sweet little stray I'd been taking care of; when she realized she was outdoors she panicked and fled under the porch and would not come out; I had to crawl under on my hands and knees and drag her out, growling, kicking and spitting! Got kicked hard and had a lovely big bruise to show for it.

[pcspik]

Both of my cats (and the one I had before) have been indoors only, but that is due to them being FIV positive. They have been previously outside, and are mostly happy to stay indoors all the time (one you have to watch with windows).

I think you have the best solution right now: supervised walks with a harness. However I would make sure she is comfortable with it indoors and walks around your house before attempting to take her outside. Start slowly and then work your way up.

[laragreg]

I have a ragdoll she's indoor only

I also had a bengal that was very wild she was an indoor cat but she escaped and I could never get her to stay in after she got a taste of the outdoors, she has now been missing since the 20th dec 08:cry: I just hope that someone finds her and checks for a microchip and return her to me one day.

[SageCat]

So sorry to hear about your Ragdoll (((((Hugs))))))

Much to my utter surprise YumYum let me put the harness on her wriggle-free and without one meooooow of protest! :shock: We took a slow walk up the garden without any problems at all. In the afternoon I put in on her again but this time she just stood at the open door and showed no inclination to want to go out for a walk, so I didn't push it. But a good start! :D

[angieh]

I think that sounds promising SageCat - and fun too. I got as far as getting the halter on Kizzy (while she was still not allowed out), never got as far as the lead! She just flopped and wouldn't get up again until I'd taken it off.

[SageCat]

:lol: Lovely mental image of Kizzy just flopping Angieh! They can be such drama queens! :roll:

[dandysmom]

Lol, Kizzy's not the only cat I've heard of who reacted that way ...complete flop! Mine reacted differently: the boy cats wanted to get out and explore right now! As did Patches who'd been an outdoor cat. The other girl kind of thought about it for a bit and then went out slowly sniffing things and looking around, then just sat down and watched what was happening. Misty was never much of a walker. I'm glad to hear YumYum's accepted the harness! Pics, maybe??

[laragreg]

[QUOTE=SageCat;570117][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Tahoma"]So sorry to hear about your Ragdoll (((((Hugs))))))

:lol: .....Bengal you mean....I would be devastated if the my ragdoll went awol.

[yola]

LOL! Yes all mine have carried out a sitdown protest upon being harnessed - or they have twisted in the harness to the point of almost hanging themselves on the lead.

Suffice to say I don't bother with the lead/harness any longer . . . YumYum must be a very mellow cat!

[SageCat]

Doh!! http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m214/SageCat/mad0218.gif So sorry I misread that! I'm doped up to the eyeballs at the moment for a back problem, so I blame it on them! :oops:

[angieh]

:lol: Lovely mental image of Kizzy just flopping Angieh! They can be such drama queens! :roll:

I wish I could get her flopping routine on video so as to do a slo-mo and see how she does it! It seems that she just picks all four paws off the ground at once and flops on her side. She does this often, mainly when she wants her tummy tickled!