Help.. stubborn siamese (and other cats)

[Adollop]

I recently moved house. Once we'd settled I let the cats go into the back garden through the bedroom window .. big mistake! Now my siamese in particular won't settle at night when we go to bed, but is on and off the window sill, wanting to go out - despite the pouring rain outside. My other two are no better, but at a push I could shut them out of the bedroom at night, however, the siamese howls and scratches up the carpet if shut out of any room. As I'm in rented property this just isn't possible.

I'm now on the sofa for the third night, as the only way he'll tolerate a closed door is if I'm with him, and even that has been a struggle tonight, we've had stern words and eventually a shoe was thrown (not at the cat, I hasten to add, but close enough to stop him in his tracks).

If I let him out of the window so he can see it's raining he'll just want to come back in, but can't jump back in through the window (don't ask me why he can jump up into the windowsill inside but not outside ), so I'll then have to trail around outside into the garden to fetch him in, where he'll be wailing about how badly he's treated, being shut out in the rain...

I'm laid on the sofa, wondering exactly why I have cats. I don't sleep well at the best of times, so for the past few nights I've only got a couple of hours (not helped by one of the other cats puking - see my other thread) and am feeling rough as hell.

Any suggestions?

I've tried mats in front of the door to stop. him scratching the carpet, but he just moved them to one side.

At my wits end ....

You could try a thin rubber mat (maybe the clear 'carpet protector' type) slid under the door so that it can't be removed as easily (maybe even weigh it down on one side if your door opening allows!).

Could you install a cat flap? When we rented, our landlords were agreeable so long as we installed a new panel in the door upon leaving (we had uPVC doors, which allow you to pop out and replace individual panels).

Is there another window in another room that you could leave open? I'm guessing not?!

Would distraction work? Food/treats wrapped/scrunched up in newspaper and hidden? Toys?

Ear plugs for the wailing and a water pistol to deter him from your room and stop petulant stomping?

Thanks Poppins. There is another window, but he can't jump back in, so will stand outside wailing to be helped in

I've tried scattering food treats in the living room, but it just puts off the inevitable.

I haven't asked about a cat flap, but can't afford to install one anyway at the moment.

I'll look for a thin rubber mat, that might work. A water pistol is very tempting ....

I feel your pain. One of my cats is very outdoorsy and wails if he's kept in against his will. It was unbearable when we lived in a flat but we're able to shut him downstairs now!

I don't know what you'd consider affordable so this might not help, but we installed our cat flap ourselves, so we just had to shell out for the flap (about £15 for a standard flap). It's pretty easy to do and you can YouTube how to do it!

Thanks. Sadly my diy skills are non existent and I've no tools, same goes for my partner, so the thought of cutting a hole in a pvc door is daunting, even if the landlord would allow it .. and then there's the expense of replacing the panel when I possibly move out again one day.

I've had about 2 hours sleep tonight, due to one or the other scratching the carpet near the door. Add to that the stinkiest litter tray ever due to other cat with dodgy tum .... I've now opened the back door and let them out.