Can a wanderer become an indoor cat?

[rickman]

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I've had two wanderers who became indoor cats.

One took a LOT of work. The other was elderly and I think quite grateful to be indoors.

The one who took a lot of work had to be trained. W/a squirt bottle of plain water. He could go to the door and miaow. Very, very loudly. So I sprayed him. Well he looked at me like I was crazy, licked the water off, and miaowed.

So I added a few drops of white vinegar to the water. THAT got his attention.

He may indeed go for the leather sofa. So it will have to be made unattractive to him. Several ways to do this. One is to bring the outdoors in. LOTS of opportunities to play and exercise. Toys can be dead cheap. Some pebbles in a loo roll sealed w/gaffa tape at either end. A ball of crumpled tin foil. A wool mouse stuffed w/catnip. A stick w/a feather tethered to it.

Litter tray. Hmmm. All the cats I had no problem w/this. They knew what it was. BUT, the one who had been a wanderer had to use clumping litter, which you can now buy here in the UK. It has a sand/dirt-like quality an outdoor cat may be more used to.

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If the cat decides it wants to, otherwise it's a battle of wills and I don't much fancy your chances.

Cats are not an animal you can tame and control, are they?! If they are with you it is because they want to be, if at any time they change their mind, they will be out of there at the first chance, without a backward glance. To imprison them is, imo, cruel (well, cruel isn't exactly the right word, its not like you are kicking them round the kitchen, but it's not nice or right for them at all iyswim) as it goes against everything they are as a species. They are free spirits and you can't change that. Its their nature to totally please themselves in every way, take that control away and you will have a deeply unhappy pussy.

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You can never tell. If he wants to be with you, he'll stay. Otherwise, he'll just bugger off.

I suggest you keep him in for a few days, give him lots of fuss and lots of treats (prawns, tuna etc etc!!), make him really happy. Open windows a bit (not enough that he can get thru, so that he can get a smell of the area, then maybe put him in a cat basket and sit with him outside for a bit - feeding him ham thru the bars!

Basically, suck up to him in a big way and make him really want to live with you! Then you are just going to have to take a chance. You can't lock him up for ever.

It's what I did for both of my moves, and my 2 are still with me! - during my 2nd move of over 100 miles they soiled themselves so bad I had to put their cage in the bath and turn the shower on them. Then let them out, they went tearing round the bathroom giving me all kinds of verbal abuse! I made me peace offerings (Prawns and wafer thin ham) and towelled them down, then let them sniff round the house. Next day, I let them out. No problems.

The secret is to REALLY suck up!!!!!

Well, for starters we live in a flat with no garden on the 2nd floor.

But in the States it is actually illegal to let pets roam about 'at large' in many areas. You can actually get a ticket with a fine if your pet is found 'at large'. Also if your pet is unneutered unless you are a registered breeder.

It's seen as irresponsible to let your animals out of control in many places there.

So I've always had indoor cats.

It prolongs the life of the feline, as they are not targets for violence, getting hit by cars, eating anti-freeze, getting into fights w/other catset, destructive to wild life, etc.

I don't think it's cruel or unnatural at all. Domestic cats are just that - domesticated.

You are the leader, the head lionness/lion, etc.