# Recsued an indoor cat, want to train her to be outdoor cat



## lucyloves (Sep 26, 2009)

Hi, 

My OH was offered a 3 year old cat from someone at his work. It was her friend so we dont know the previous owners. 

She is super friendly and loves nothing more than a fuss. We've had her since Wednesday. 

As she was an indoor cat she hasn't been neutered, vaccinated or chipped. We plan to do all of this in the next 2 - 4weeks. 

My husband had cats growing up and they were all outdoor cats so he would like Tinks to be an outdoor cat. Whats the process with this in terms of litter tray removal and stuff....


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## Lulu's owner (May 1, 2009)

lucyloves said:


> Hi,
> 
> My OH was offered a 3 year old cat from someone at his work. It was her friend so we dont know the previous owners.
> 
> ...


I would keep her in for about three weeks before thinking about starting to let her outside so that she settles in to her new home properly, and I would of course make sure she's chipped and wearing a collar with a tag. Then when you let her out for the first time make sure it's daytime, she's hungry and preferably the weather's not too nice. Watch her closely and bring her back in quite soon, then gradually leave her out for longer but keeping an eye on her for the first few times.

Then I'd move the tray towards the back door and then outside, maybe put some garden soil in it to give her the idea of pooing in your garden, if that's what you want her to do.

I would let her go out in her own good time rather than rushing things as she's not used to going outdoors.


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## ibbica (Aug 9, 2010)

lucyloves said:


> My husband had cats growing up and they were all outdoor cats so he would like Tinks to be an outdoor cat.


Haha, my husband was like this, until I explained to him the many reasons why I'd prefer our cats be kept indoors. Turns out he just hadn't thought about it much - his parents' cats were always outside, so that's just "what you did". But if your cat is happy indoors, I can think of no really compelling reason to force her out, and plenty of reasons to keep her inside. Could be your husband just hasn't actively gone through the pros & cons of keeping a cat inside vs. letting it outside, and a gentle nudge may change his mind 

Otherwise... what Lulu's Owner said. Make sure she's inside for at least 3 weeks, so she knows where "home" is, and that you take things very slow.


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

3years a a indoor cat, that is a long time, you Still need litter trays in the house she has used them for 3 years so i very much doubt she will start going outside. id keep her in for at least 4 weeks after spaying, mini trips outside supervised then build up, she may not want to go outside it may scare her!

i opened the door the other day to let my girl had a trot round the garden while i sorted out the cat house, i let the other 2 out aswell (enclosed garden) a bit of wind blew and scared the life out of them and they havent been interested since!


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## Nicky10 (Jan 11, 2010)

Cats don't need to go outside and if she's been an indoor cat for such a long time there's no point to forcing her outside now. If she's happy point out to him the risks of having outdoor cats. Could he handle it if his cat got ran over/attacked by a dog or a person or got seriously injured and it was his fault because he let her outside? If you have a garden you could get it enclosed or build a pen


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## britishblueshorthair (Feb 11, 2010)

I would just suggest letting the cat decided if it would like to go out.

A good way of introducing the cat out side is to buy a harness for about £5 and silly as it sounds take your cat for a walk around the back garden. 

The cat will start to build up courage and will eventually want to venture beyond the garden
:thumbup:


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Obviously this has to be your decision but I urge you to look at all the negative points of being outdoors.Traffic,yobs with air rifles,poison,bullying by other cats ,there are IMO, and it is only my opinion,far to many dangers out there for cats to be safe.If she has been indoors for 3years I would let her stay an indoor cat.


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

Sigh...the first rule of cat ownership is that *they* train *us*, not vice versa!


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## Tje (Jan 16, 2010)

britishblueshorthair said:


> I would just suggest letting the cat decided if it would like to go out.


couldn't agree more.

Many indoor cats will not like the outdoors at all. When my cats are in their enclosed garden run they will actually run inside if I leave the garden gate open for more than 5 seconds. I am _allowed_ to use the garden gate without them running inside... but not allowed to leave it open.

I rehomed a shelter cat this summer with an elderly lady. This cat was found on the streets and by the looks of her (and how she acted), was used to life on the streets. She was with me for a month or so... and has been with the old lady since July-ish and point blank refuses to move further than the doormat on the outside of the back door. The lady spent the whole summer pottering around in her garden and the cat didn't move further than 50cm from the back door. IMO it would be very cruel to force the issue with a cat like this.


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## louiserp1 (Jul 14, 2010)

Indoors with a garden run, is our choice.
Particularly in view of the change of weather and firework noises to come very soon.


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## 1971 (Aug 16, 2008)

britishblueshorthair said:


> A good way of introducing the cat out side is to buy a harness for about £5 and silly as it sounds take your cat for a walk around the back garden.


I would say this also.
We took Zac out on his harness around the garden for about 5 weeks before we let him go alone...


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## lucyloves (Sep 26, 2009)

Tinks has been with us almost two weeks now, and she was quite a shy cat at first. She's still quite timid. However, what a character! she loves fusses, she squeaks when i come home after being at work all morning, and she runs around upstairs making a complete racket! she's brilliant. 

I dont know if she'll like the outside at all. too many scary things for her. She doesnt like the hoover or a drill - she hid behind the office desk drawers while we finished off the skirting board in the other room. I dont know how she'll get on outside.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

lucyloves said:


> Tinks has been with us almost two weeks now, and she was quite a shy cat at first. She's still quite timid. However, what a character! she loves fusses, she squeaks when i come home after being at work all morning, and she runs around upstairs making a complete racket! she's brilliant.
> 
> I dont know if she'll like the outside at all. too many scary things for her. She doesnt like the hoover or a drill - she hid behind the office desk drawers while we finished off the skirting board in the other room. I dont know how she'll get on outside.


If she is so scared by noises then imagine how she will feel with cars ,loud noises of all sorts in a totally unknown outside situation.She doesnt sound like a cat designed for the rigours of the outdoors.It would worry me that she took fright and ran into the path of a car or some other danger.


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## MissMel (Jan 8, 2010)

We followed all the advice Lulu's owner gave and it was fine.

Annie now goes outside, but she's not really a proper outdoor cat. She doesn't understand the whole pooping in the garden not in the tray (garden soil in the tray - interesting idea!). She doesn't venture out of the back garden which is good because she'd be useless with cars. She likes to chew a lot of grass and chase leaves and our other cat. It's like an exciting play area for them, and Annie was getting so bored inside 24/7. When the door is open both of them are usually outside.

Suppose you need to be wary of the possibility of having dead "presents" brought to you though!


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