# timid cat going outside



## loumoo (Apr 13, 2010)

Hi there
Well i moved into a house on the 25th march and kept cats in etc, gradually let the two out. one older and another outgoing. 

They both seem fine and even if the previous outgoing indoor one goes exploring, she comes back.

My timid cat, the sister of the outgoing indoor one has now taken a shine to the garden. Yesterday she went walking on the neighbours fence and then i was calling her. She made her way back, i grabbed her down. As it was a bit tricky for her.

She has rarely gone out and only a bit at a time, then darts back when the older one chases her or someone startles her.

I am worried about letting her out in the day while i am here or out, then getting her back.

All the cats seem happier now they can go out in the day, no cat flap and they are indoors at night.

All have their own spots, though my older one finds the outgoing one in my room . They can even share a space for a while, other times gets hissed at.


So anyone else with timid cats and letting them out, will they find their way back. All have collars on.

I need to get boosters done this month or next etc. Apart from that no problems since we moved..


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## Emma-Jayne (Apr 23, 2011)

My timid cat goes outside and it made him more confident as he made friends with some of the local cats. He comes back every so often to check I am still here  He doesn't stay out for long either but has been doing as he is a sunbather.


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## loumoo (Apr 13, 2010)

Yeah she likes going out a few times, sometimes snowy chases her back in and others she makes it over the fence.

Now i am thinking of making my older cat live perm outside, she sprayed my new sofa once. I have some stuff from pets at home. So i hope that works with the smell..

Not happy, i need more feliway...its run out!


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## mrswoodwoose (Jan 23, 2011)

Maybe you could get a catflap, one of those 4 way locking ones, so you can for eg opt to only let them in if they are out. 

Cats soon get to know their territory and their way home. I feed little and often to encourage "homecoming" ! :biggrin5: and still give the odd treat when my boy comes back from outside. 

Playing with the cats in the garden also helps them stay inside your space. Since I play with my boy every day he hangs around the garden much more rather than just shooting off.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

loumoo said:


> Yeah she likes going out a few times, sometimes snowy chases her back in and others she makes it over the fence.
> 
> Now i am thinking of making my older cat live perm outside, she sprayed my new sofa once. I have some stuff from pets at home. So i hope that works with the smell..




Sorry I dont understand this ,Why would you make a cat live outside.If,out of character ,she has sprayed then there is a reason for it,stress/illness.


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## mrswoodwoose (Jan 23, 2011)

buffie said:


> Sorry I dont understand this ,Why would you make a cat live outside.If,out of character ,she has sprayed then there is a reason for it,stress/illness.


There has never been any mention of making a cat live outside; this thread is about a cat who has been a housecat for 5 years and expresses a wish to go outside and his owners, having now moved to a quieter location, are considering this option.I do believe we are talking about letting the cat go outside some of the time. A totally different story.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

loumoo said:


> *Now i am thinking of making my older cat live perm outside, she sprayed my new sofa once. I have some stuff from pets at home. So i hope that works with the smell..
> *






mrswoodwoose said:


> There has never been any mention of making a cat live outside; this thread is about a cat who has been a housecat for 5 years and expresses a wish to go outside and his owners, having now moved to a quieter location, are considering this option.I do believe we are talking about letting the cat go outside some of the time. A totally different story.


Sorry ,Am I reading something which is not printed


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## gskinner123 (Mar 10, 2010)

loumoo said:


> Now i am thinking of making my older cat live perm outside


Sorry, Buffy...

Mrs W, there was, read above.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

gskinner123 said:


> Sorry, Buffy...
> 
> Mrs W, there was, read above.


Thanks,I thought I was going mad


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## gskinner123 (Mar 10, 2010)

buffie said:


> Thanks,I thought I was going mad


BuffIE, even


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

gskinner123 said:


> BuffIE, even


:lol::lol:


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## mrswoodwoose (Jan 23, 2011)

Sorry sorry guys, in my silly rush this morning I thought I was replying to another post 

No, I would NOT condone anyone "making" their cat live outside permanently, evidently there was a house move recently and the cat has sprayed a sofa, which is not an unrealistic thing for a cat to do in such circumstances and I think the OP needs to understand this behaviour as I feel it will stop as soon as the cat feels settled.

Once again, apologies, it also comes form logging onto my email and replying to a thread via email and not going back to read from the top down, Suitably chastened!!


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## loumoo (Apr 13, 2010)

Oh hey all,

i was kidding about making my cat live outside all the time. I had hoped the sarcastic remark would of been standing out there..hehe

Anyway all cats go out, my timid one goes out to the same place. over the fence and climbs the tree.I worry about her, as due to her timidness she may get chased off and get lost. Being to timid to come out again. Though she has gone out for maybe an hour or more, come back. 

Sometimes i grab her by her scruff and bring her over..gently  I worry to much due to other cats in the past

I dont want to her impede her happiness, but  i want her to be safe.



Any tips?


Plus my older cat sprayed the other sofa. It was due to the sisters coming in, she was fine with my now passed ginger tom. Seems to be a female thing and hierarchy whatnots. I have simple solution which seems to work to get rid of the smell and i cover my sofa when not using it with the covering it came in or under.


Feliway does not seem to be working with the spraying now ..ah well


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## koekemakranka (Aug 2, 2010)

I find the timider (is there such a word?) tend to be more housebound than braver kitties and stay closer to the house.


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## loumoo (Apr 13, 2010)

She loves any chance to get out, is timid with doing so.. checking where snowy is. I worry she might not get back, as when i noticed her by the corner fence. She climbs the tree and gets back to the fence..then seems to find her footing uneasy.

So i get her scruff gently, but i am sure she can get over.. One day when it was raining but warm, i had a window open ( which she must of escaped) and came darting in when i opened the door..

i worry lots...


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## Celador (May 12, 2011)

We are currently in a similar situation and are just doing it slowly step by step.

We started out by just playing with her in the garden for a bit, with the front door open. She would regularly go back inside when startled.
Then we moved on to just sitting outside reading a book while she wanders off on her own. She goes a bit further now, but still comes back regularly to 'check'.
Now we are occasionally letting her out and closing the door for short periods before letting her back in.

We're going to carry on doing this until we're comfortable that she knows home.

What I hope is a good move is that we *never *do this when she's just been fed. We always do it close to her feeding time / the time when I will be coming home from work. The idea is to get her used to coming back at a regular time each day to be let in and fed.

It seems to be working for us, the combination of going slowly and making sure she's got a reason to come back (food) means that she's never gone too far and always comes back.

If she has gone far, all we have to do is shake the dry food container and she's back like a rocket


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## loumoo (Apr 13, 2010)

Fry can be stubborn, but they all ADORE processed ham. So if the treat bag does not work, i usually wave some ham. She came down once and the times it was raining, she was meowing like she was stuck. So i did the scruff thing gently.

She always seems to navigate to the same spot, sits there and i am hoping if i can leave her for an hour without checking or getting worried she will return.

We have been here since the end of March and she was the last one to venture out. She does love going out, but is scared of snowy chasing her in. So she sits on the step, then bolts outside.

I want her to be safe, but i want her to feel happy . so she can play with her sister too or just get some sun.


I am so paranoid about my cats going missing or dead, as it has happened 3 times in my life. At first i always used to call Leela in, after a bit. I think it helps train them to only go out for bits at a time and i keep them all in at night.

Snowy goes out sometimes at night, she stays in the garden though. Plus i can see her being white and spotty. The other two are black or black/white.


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## ebonymagic (Jun 18, 2010)

My Greebo is a nervous cat, he goes outside. I have a walled back garden and he can usually be found parked somewhere on the patio or on the trampoline, I have even found him sat under my car on the other side of the fence. He never goes out of the garden though.

The best way I have found to get my cats in is to rattle a packet of cheese flavoured dreamies, all four of my cats like those.

Magic is the only one that is a nightmare to get in, but I have my ways


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

loumoo said:


> Yeah she likes going out a few times, sometimes snowy chases her back in and others she makes it over the fence.
> 
> Now i am thinking of making my older cat live perm outside, she sprayed my new sofa once. I have some stuff from pets at home. So i hope that works with the smell..
> 
> Not happy, i need more feliway...its run out!


just read this & your other post, Is she neutered? if she is highly stressed, then seperating from the others will help, as they do need their own space



loumoo said:


> Fry can be stubborn, but they all ADORE processed ham. .


I wouldnt feed this its full of salt, and just plain plop lol


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