cant get my rescue cats to go out need help please!!!!!!!!

[laura1959]

Hello ,i have two rescue female cats had them nearly six weeks now ,i was asked by rescue centre to keep them in for the first 3 weeks,then start introducing them to outside again ,they are outdoor cats ,i have tried two weekends running but failed , first i tried passing one of them through window in garden to my boyfriend though that worked cat was freaked and just ran off around the garden the other cat wouldnt go,then we left window open the following weekend l cat went and ran off missing for 8 hours then re appeared but wouldnt jump back in the window so had to fetch her ,again other cat wouldnt go,any ideas what else i can do please???

[meriad]

Very simple - leave them to do this at their own pace. Open a back door and if they choose to go out then great, but if not then surely that's OK to?

Please please - I beg you - don't force them out and don't do what you've done, ie force them out through a window. Cat's rely on their sense of smell to find their way around and their paws are scent glands and they'll pick up on scent left behind. You're lucky that the cat that ran around the garden didn't run off.

Can I ask - why do you so desperately want them to go outside? If they're happy to be inside then can they not stay inside?

[Jacks]

If they don't want to go out don't force them!!! It sounds like your cats are not keen to expand their territory at the moment, so I wouldn't push it, but by all means open the door in the morning, before they have been fed, and let them see whether they feel like exploring. When I got my first three cats they were inside for several months as one was very skittish, and when I started opening the door two of them took several days of me pottering around outside to be bold enough to explore all the new sights and smells. But they made it eventually, in their own time.

If cats are nervous, go outside and do something, talk to them, and see if they will join you. Don't remove their litter trays hoping they will now go outside - again you need to be led by how your cats feel. My three ALWAYS use their home trays as there are a lot of other cats around and I think they feel more secure in a private environmental. My garden is not cat-proofed - other catchat members with cat-proofed gardens find their cats want to use a flower bed straight away as they quickly incorporate the new territory as theirs alone.

The nights will start drawing in now and autumn will be upon us - if they are really unwilling, leave it until the spring to get your girls interested in the sunshine. Make sure they have windows to look out of and toys to play with and they will not be unhappy if they don't want to greet the big outdoors just now. If they've been in rescue they may need a time to build up confidence - and of course the rescue only has the previous owner's word that they are outdoor cats. It's possible they were made to stay out rather than wanting to, in which case your actions in 'putting' them outside will seem frightening and confusing.

[Jacks]

By the way I have an ex-wild boy (cat 4) who had lived his 4-5 years outdoors before I caught him and had him neutered. About 8 months later he was asking to come in, so depending on the other cats he was in and out. I always turned him out for the night, as I thought that would be what he wanted. He hissed and struggled when I turned him out. Then he would be back clawing on the patio doors at midnight... I'd have to close the curtains and leave him, which was hard. Then I suddenly realised he was saying he didn't WANT to be outside. I bought him a dog basket and cushion, let him in one evening and he settled down immediately - and he ALWAYS comes in for the night. Given the choice he'll spend most of the day indoors, playing or sleeping - and likes a little explore in the morning and early evening. His home is now more important to him than the lure of the wild...

The point is, if you want happy cats, be led by what they want to do and enjoy - within reason of course. Their safety is as important as their freedom to do as they please, I think. But listen to them and they will let you know - by their actions and behaviour - what they want and need.

[laura1959]

By the way I have an ex-wild boy (cat 4) who had lived his 4-5 years outdoors before I caught him and had him neutered. About 8 months later he was asking to come in, so depending on the other cats he was in and out. I always turned him out for the night, as I thought that would be what he wanted. He hissed and struggled when I turned him out. Then he would be back clawing on the patio doors at midnight... I'd have to close the curtains and leave him, which was hard. Then I suddenly realised he was saying he didn't WANT to be outside. I bought him a dog basket and cushion, let him in one evening and he settled down immediately - and he ALWAYS comes in for the night. Given the choice he'll spend most of the day indoors, playing or sleeping - and likes a little explore in the morning and early evening. His home is now more important to him than the lure of the wild...

The point is, if you want happy cats, be led by what they want to do and enjoy - within reason of course. Their safety is as important as their freedom to do as they please, I think. But listen to them and they will let you know - by their actions and behaviour - what they want and need.

thanks for all your tips i will take all this on board,this is all new to me ,the problem is Fix wants to go out ,and has gone out ,twice now but jumped out of bedroom window missing for 8 hours ,then went out again missing 1 hour and then a third time missing 9 hours ,but wont jump in the windows ,Ouzo wont go out at all and we think they may be sisters ,they are very close and she was very distressed when the other cat went missing ,i am a bit upset,about this but of course i know its early days. i work full time and my boyfriend is only with me friday saturday and sunday so its very hard to know what to do for the best.

[Jacks]

Ah - I would agree with Meriad to be careful about the jumping out of the window lark... It sounds like it's a bit too stressful for all of you. I would go with the 'morning before food' opportunities with the door open when you're home, at the moment, and hopefully Fix will be back soon enough for food. You don't want to lose her and it sounds like she's a bit of a mischief...

She needs to get into some good habits about going out and returning, not making a break for freedom through the window. That would be my feeling anyway. Once cats get into the routine of coming back for food you can start manipulating this by offering food when they return, shaking treats, etc. You don't want the stress of not knowing whether Fix is lost or just wandering when you're out... I've been there with one of mine. Incidently my wild boy ALWAYS comes when he's called - he's the most faithful of all my cats in that respect!! But then he of all of them knows the value of where his meals come from I guess!

[laura1959]

Ah - I would agree with Meriad to be careful about the jumping out of the window lark... It sounds like it's a bit too stressful for all of you. I would go with the 'morning before food' opportunities with the door open when you're home, at the moment, and hopefully Fix will be back soon enough for food. You don't want to lose her and it sounds like she's a bit of a mischief...

She needs to get into some good habits about going out and returning, not making a break for freedom through the window. That would be my feeling anyway. Once cats get into the routine of coming back for food you can start manipulating this by offering food when they return, shaking treats, etc. You don't want the stress of not knowing whether Fix is lost or just wandering when you're out... I've been there with one of mine. Incidently my wild boy ALWAYS comes when he's called - he's the most faithful of all my cats in that respect!! But then he of all of them knows the value of where his meals come from I guess!

as i said i dont have a back door ,so the bedroom and bathroom window are the only options ,fix doesnt have a problem jumping out the windows its the jumping in,i am lost what to do next,really. i have done the shaking of the dreamies treats, and sat in garden quietly calling occasionally,she comes when called ,though which is a start,

[meriad]

Do you rent or own? Could you put some form of steps outside the bedroom window to give your cat a helping hand up to the window sill?

also, just wondering from a safety (for you) point of view - do you have the window open all the time when Fix is outside or do you have a cat flap in the window? What happens if she's out and hasn't come home and you yourself have to go out?

[laura1959]

Do you rent or own? Could you put some form of steps outside the bedroom window to give your cat a helping hand up to the window sill?

also, just wondering from a safety (for you) point of view - do you have the window open all the time when Fix is outside or do you have a cat flap in the window? What happens if she's out and hasn't come home and you yourself have to go out?

i am shared ownership ,so no cant have steps my bedroom and bathroom back out to the garden ,i will be leaving the bathroom window open all the time eventually so they can come in and out the garden has a 6ft fence round and a wall on one side and the back of the flats the other side so very safe no near the road,a large lawn scrubs/hedges and a big tree.i did check with the lady who did the home visit from the rescue and she said its fine for them to access in and out the windows. and they do jump up on top on wardrobe where they have beds amongst other places in the flat too.plenty of room to run around,.