So you’ve found a cute stray that you want to adopt and make your new furry housemate. Or maybe your outdoor cat is getting older and you’re ready to transition them to living indoors. How should you proceed so your cat is comfortable and safe in their new environment?
Top Reasons for Moving an Outdoor Cat Inside
There are several reasons to make your pet an indoor cat, and most involve living a longer life. The average age of outdoor cats is between two and five years. Although there are always exceptions to this, it’s safe to say that outdoor cats don’t typically live as long as indoor ones.
Therefore, it makes sense that you would want your feline friend to move indoors with you instead of roaming the streets. Here are the top reasons pet parents decide to bring their cats inside.
- Safety is a priority when it comes to your fur baby. Outside, cats face dangers from traffic, other animals, poison, and strangers.
- Cats can threaten local wildlife.
- Stresses from living outside may lead to behavioral issues in your cat, like scratching and marking things with urine.
10 Tips for Making an Outdoor Cat an Indoor Cat
Every cat is different. Some felines will transition from outside to inside more easily and quickly than others. However, it’s important to approach the process with a plan and do it gradually. Throughout the acclimation period, keep a watchful eye on your feline friend to assess how they’re doing.
Here are 10 ways to help your outdoor cat make the move inside.
1. Let Your Cat Go In and Out at First
Once you decide to transition your outdoor cat into living indoors, let them come and go as they please for a few weeks. Your cat will feel more at ease when they sense they have control over their environment.
If your cat isn’t already vaccinated, make sure they are current on all necessary shots. Outdoor cats often need more frequent or additional vaccinations. Talk to your vet if you’re uncertain about your cat’s protection levels.
2. Gradually Increase Your Cat’s Indoor Time
After a few weeks of letting your cat choose between outside and inside, start to keep them indoors more often. Gradually increase their time inside until they no longer go out of the house on their own. A slow, steady transition gives your cat the time to process the change and get used to their new environment.
3. Start Your Cat Off in a Cozy, Calm Spot
Create a safe zone in your home for your cat if it is their first time staying inside. Make sure it’s a quiet room that serves as their home base for their first few weeks indoors.
Include their food and water, a litter box, and a comfortable place to rest. Also, include a few potential hiding spots for your cat so they can decompress if they get anxious.
4. Consider Making a Catio
There’s a safe way to let your indoor cat explore the outdoors. You can make a catio for them with plenty of opportunities for climbing, jumping, and lounging. The critical quality of a catio is to ensure it’s a confined space that your cat has access to from inside.
5. Provide Your Cat With Fun Distractions and Opportunities
Help keep your cat’s mind off of the potentially scary transition from outdoors to inside with fun distractions. It’s also important to give your fur baby a way to continue getting the activity they’re used to finding outside.
Therefore, include things like scratching posts and climbing trees. Provide toys, and engage in creative exercises for your cat. Also, don’t forget ways to help your cat keep calm, like a licking mat.
6. Follow Your Cat’s Lead
Let your cat set the pace. Throughout the time your cat’s moving indoors, watch them to see how things are going.
If your cat seems stressed, slow down the process. On the flip side, if your cat is doing well, move forward and increase the time they spend inside.
7. Secure Windows and Doors
Roughly one in three pets go missing during their lifetime. Putting precautions in place to protect your cat is critical to their safety. If your cat is used to being outside, they won’t see any reason to stay inside.
Therefore, if a door or window is open, your cat will interpret it as an invitation to explore outdoors. If you prefer keeping windows open, install screens. Update your cat’s ID tags, and microchip your pet if they aren’t already.
8. Train Your Cat to Walk on a Leash
Just because your pet becomes an indoor cat, that doesn’t mean they can’t spend any time outside. If you take the time to leash train your cat, you can spend time together outdoors by taking a leisurely stroll.
Give your cat a chance to get used to the leash before you clip it to their collar. Start off with short periods, walking around the house or the backyard before you start going on longer excursions.
9. Add Options for Vertical Play and Exploration
Look for opportunities to recreate some of your cat’s favorite outdoor pastimes inside your home. For example, mimic climbing trees and jumping from ledges by installing wall-mounted shelves with scratch surfaces.
After all, cats thrive with vertical space, so incorporating more of it into your home is beneficial for their well-being. There are also DIY climbing walls for cats you can try.
10. Visit the Vet
Sometimes, cats aren’t ready to take the leap from outdoors to indoors. It’s best to schedule a visit with your pet’s vet to discuss the transition process with them.
They know your pet and can help you devise more specific steps and solutions to make the change easier. If you ultimately decide to let your pet be an indoor-outdoor cat, discuss the best way to go about it with your vet.
How to Get Your Cat to Come Inside
Deciding to bring your cat indoors isn’t always as easy as it sounds, especially if your cat’s never been inside. Here are a few suggestions to convince your kitty to come into the house.
- Use treats and food to encourage your cat to come inside.
- Schedule meal times for your cat and stick to them so your cat starts to come home at predictable times.
- After meals, spend quality time with your cat. Cuddle and play so your cat starts to associate being inside with positive experiences.
Help Your Cat Feel at Home
Open access to the outdoors poses risks for cats, making it common for pet parents to transition their cats into indoor mates as they get older. Understandably, you want what’s best for your cat, and if that means moving inside, you want to know the best way to do it.
Overall, take the process slowly and let your cat set the tone and the pace for the transition. Provide plenty of opportunities inside for play, mental stimulation, and exercise, and communicate with your vet regarding any questions or concerns.
For more helpful tips on caring for your favorite feline, check out the rest of the Neater Pets blog.