I feel like a horrible cat owner =(?
Friday, March 5th, 2010 at
8:48 am
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Filed under: Cat Tunnel
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They will get over it. They had a taste of freedom and now they want more.The same thing happened with my two cats.It took a while before they got over the fact they were not going out. Give lots of affection and toys and watch out when you open the door because they will probably always try to bolt out. Good luck been there done that.
I also live in a studio and have two cats. They keep each other happy and don’t seem to mind it. You could try those videos of birds to play while you’re at work. I have a friend whose cat loves watching the tv and batting at the birds.
Don’t feel horrible! They may not be able to go outside like they want, but you know that you’re keeping them away from dangers.
Cat tv–meaning a secure cage with a hamster or gerbil in it for their entertainment. They can’t get the rodent, the rodent provides mental stimulation.
once they taste the outdoors, they will always want more.
you could try a pen or cage. bring them outside when you are out.
other then boxes and paper bags, it sounds like you have enough for them to do.
i have always let my cats out, but the neighborhood is changing. my two 15 year olds would never stay in now, but i think my next cat will only be allowed out in a pen.
Do you ever actually PLAY with them or do you just expect them to entertain themselves with the toys? Get feather/tinsel wand toys… Da Bird… The Cat Catcher – there’s lots of interactive toys you can get that you wave and the cats chase. Hang some birdfeeders on trees/fences/house eaves by windows so your cats can "hunt" from inside. To make sure he doesn’t dash out when you open the door get a baby gate that you can step over but will block any sneak attempts outside. Another thing you can do is put an empty soda can with a few cans in it on both sides of the door. When you’re about to open the door pick the can up and if the cat approaches shake it to scare him off.
Don’t feel bad about not letting them out. They would quickly become a meal for a coyote. Just do what you can to make their indoor life as interesting as possible. And good for you for being intelligent enough to realize that letting a cat free roam is not a good idea. Recently I met someone at an adoption event with the shelter I volunteer with that asked me if we had any black cats because "lighter coloured cats get caught too easy by the coyotes" – he STILL insisted cats "belong" outdoors despite his last SIX cats being killed by them – most found dismembered in his front yard or nothing left but their heads!!!!!
Horrible pet owner? You’re someone I’d adopt out to in a heartbeat. This other man? I had him fill out an application just so I could get his name to put him on our "DO NOT ADOPT" list and NEVER give him any of our cats.
aww that happened to me.. my cat got out… and yes he has been pawing at the door…. and oh be so careful they will do whatever to get out… but they will get over it… yes keeping the window open seems to help.. what helps the most for our cat is having a bird feeder with the black sunflower seeds in it… hanging right outside the window.. he will sit at the window for hours.. watching them birds.. or hide and lunge at the window trying to get those birds.. it is pretty funny… he loves it!!
They will get over it… after a while they got a taste of freedom lol
I would let Ace out. I would pray for his safety and then let him out. If I could I would try to get him back in after about an hour. Try to get him used to going out for short periods. But the way I figure it, his happiness should come first, not my feeling of security. If you pray for his safety, really believing at the same time that he will be protected, I think he will be.
thats no reason to feel bad. your helping them from out there, they could get killed. you could hide food all over the apartment, since in the wild they would spend most of their day hunting
I know =( ……it breaks my heart when my cats seem unhappy. My Gracie was a stray, and she woke me up every day to go outside. I let her go in and out for about 2 weeks…but as the days passed, I started to worry more and more about her being outside. But, I felt torn because I knew how much she liked going out. I finally decided that I loved her too much to take the chance of letting her back outside and just had to watch her go to the door for a while and meow
I felt like a horrible cat owner. I sat down and thought about it, and realized that of course she wanted to be outside…they love prowling and hunting and all that stuff…but I, as a GOOD pet owner, knew what was best for her, and loved her enough to keep her inside. It didn’t take long before she stopped going to the door. One day, about a month after I stopped letting her out, I was cleaning my house and opened the front door and stepped onto my porch…she came to the door, poked her head out about 2 inches and walked right back into the house. I knew at that moment that I had done the right thing and that she was happier in the house.
I spoil my Gracie rotten also. She has plenty of toys and places to hide, closets to investigate, cat house, scratching post, etc..just like your cats do. Know that you are doing the right thing regardless of the size of your home. They are much better off inside with you than ouside with the feral cats/dogs/coyotes and fleas/ticks/worms/FIVetc.. Trust yourself, and your ability to provide a loving environment for your cats. They both sound VERY loved..and well cared for.
They will get over their little adventure soon, and forget all about the outside. When you find your cat in front of the door trying to get you to let him/them out, don’t give in…this too shall pass. Best wishes..just another cat lover.
if the cat doesnt mind leashes then put a leash on him for a walk and walk him a few times a day or carry him around outside
I let my kitty out once, it was on a leash though, and she wanted "out" for a few days. Just ignore him when he meows and just try to give him more attention, and introduce them to some new toys! I feel kind of guilty, but Walmart has these 3 dollar cat toy value packs- they hold a humongous amount of toys in them- and my cats just love them! I foster cats and I am always losing all of the toys. Ace will get over it, he just had a good time (most likely) and wants to be out there. You could also, open up a window and let him sit in it if it’s not that cold where you are right now.
Good luck!!!