Is it possible to transition an outdoor cat to indoor only?

[stirling]

In your opinion...
She's two, a persian chinchilla. Tried to keep her indoors for the first year. She escaped out of windows and cried relentlessly.

Eventually paid a fortune to have cat proofing fencing in the garden but she's bypassed that too and ending up stuck in other people's gardens and cries like a baby waiting to be rescued.

I'm at my wits end, my mother is dying, got hell going on with my neighbours and can't cope with her escaping and screaming all the time.

Any suggestions?
Thank you

Sorry to hear about your mom.

I think it's going to be difficult to keep her in because she's that taste of outside now.
I know my boy would go absolutely mental if he couldn't go out anymore...

Does she have to stay in ?

My cats (Siamese) were rescues as indoor only. Drives me up the wall. I tried to get the older one out - but he is not bright enough, yet wants to be out. The younger is bright enough but has never been out. I dont think it works for cats to be indoors but I am stuck with mine - both age 4+. They are bored inside, despite all toys.

Sorry to hear about your mum.

I had a cat a few years ago that started as an outdoor cat but became an indoor cat after a house move (moved from a house with a garden to a flat). My cat was fine with the change, but he never ventured very far when he used to go out anyway (usually sat in the hedge outside the back door & ambushed passing cats).

it sounds like you have a lot on your plate at the moment, and I think it’s fine to try keeping your cat indoors if that takes a bit of the pressure off.

Thank you everyone. I'm trying it for a bit. I love her so much but i hate to see her miserable indoors. She's the happiest thing outside, tail flapping, bouncing up the path.....

Could you maybe just keep her in some days. We do that if we know we will be out for a long time, especially in the winter. Might mean you have some days when you don't need to worry about her.

Sorry about your Mum. It's very hard to keep a cat indoors once they have known the freedom of being outdoors. My 2 cats have a cat flap and go in and out as they please but in the winter they don't go out too much but in the summer they lie in the sun in my back garden. The male does wander off up the road sometimes but if I call him he comes back quite quickly. I know an old lady that lives up the road sometimes gives him Dreamies because she told me he reminds her of her cat who died. I think he might look similar. She buys them now just for my cat, Magic. He's never gone long though. She comes down to the front of my house and if he's there she gives him a few Dreamies. Could you sit in your garden and have your cat out there with you? I sometimes sit in the garden when it's not raining and drink my coffee and watch the cats and look at the plants.

I’m so sorry you’re having such a difficult time. You’ve got a lot on your plate.
I’m about to do the same thing with my cat - at the moment she only goes out for a lap of the garden (we have no cat flap) and we’re about to move to a flat next week.
Shes 12, from Battersea who said she was used to indoors with manual access and she sleeps about 22 hours a day so hoping with enough stimulation and play she will be ok.
Doesnt help the guilt though!

Thank you for the very kind words everyone. Yes, trying to keep her in for now...