Increasingly, these days, domestic cats are being kept indoors and not allowed to roam freely outdoors, as they may have done in the past.
Outdoor cats are used to the freedom and adventures of being outdoors, but there are numerous factors that make it safer for outdoor cats to actually live indoors.
How can we persuade an outdoor cat to live indoors, when they have been used to trotting outside whenever they feel the desire?
Transitioning an outdoor cat to become an indoor cat, requires a gradual approach that integrates both the cat’s old habits and the new environment.
Some cats may have been wholly outdoor cats and others may have had the freedom to go from indoors to outdoors.
This article is about transitioning a wholly outdoor cat to be an indoor cat
, however there is much in this article that can be applied to closing the door finally, for your indoor/outdoor cat to be totally indoors.
Table Of Contents
The Transitioning Process from Outdoor cat to indoor cat
The Transition Period – General Information
During the first phase of transitioning an outdoor cat to an indoor cat, it is crucial to establish a transition period.
The transition period should be gradual, allowing the cat time to adapt to their indoor only surroundings and learn the rules as an indoor cat.
During this time, we should closely monitor the cats behavior and be patient as the cat adjusts.
1. Small Room As A Transition
Introducing an outdoor cat to a small, comfortable room can be an effective way to initiate their transition to indoor life.
This room should be equipped with the basics such as food, water, a litter box, and cozy bedding. Include some toys, even an empty cardboard box.
A scratching post is also desirable, as cats need to engage in scratching behavior. As the cat will be indoors your aim will be have the cat cat scratching on a scratching post or cardboard scratcher rather than your furniture.
Gradually, increase the time that the cat spends inside, allowing them to explore and become accustomed to the indoor environment.
2. Open Cat Door To Closed Cat Door
As the outdoor cat starts to become familiar with their indoor surroundings, it’s essential to encourage them to stay inside.
One strategy is to gradually reduce the time that the outdoor door or cat door is open.
Maintaining a routine can help the cat feel secure in their transition, ensuring they receive consistent mealtimes, playtimes, and attention.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n3. Feeding The Cat Indoors
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nBegin feeding indoors to create positive associations with being inside.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nInstead of letting your cat back outside immediately after eating, keep them inside for progressively longer periods.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n4. Create a schedule for the cat door
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nStart by closing the cat door at night only.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nGradually reduce daytime access by closing the cat door for a few hours in the morning or after mealtimes. It may be easier for you to remember to close the cat door at a specific time, such as after mealtimes, rather than a haphazard routine of having the cat door open and closed.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nExtend indoor time by a few hours each week.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nEventually, only open the door during specific supervised periods.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nCreating a Comfortable Indoor Environment
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nKeep your newly indoor cat happy with an indoor sanctuary where they will be happy to stay.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nIn this section, we will discuss the importance of incorporating vertical space, yes really, and window perches, and selecting appropriate cat furniture
.
1.Incorporating Vertical Space
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nCats naturally love climbing and exploring high places, so providing vertical space is essential for creating a comfortable indoor environment.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nCat trees and cat shelves are popular options that allow your cat to satisfy their climbing instincts.
If you can, arrange the cat trees or shelves in a way that encourages movement and exploration, such as creating a \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\u0022staircase\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\u0022 for them to climb.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nIf you are short on space, utilizing any vertical space in your home makes perfect sense. The same applies to cat window perches.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nCats adore sitting up high and having a good look around.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nRemember to consider the stability of the structures but particularly large cat trees, as your cat will be jumping and playing on them.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nSome of the larger cat trees have an anchor that is attached to the wall to ensure stability. Consider using an anchor for everyone’s safety.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nWe did this with a bookcase in a bedroom that was just asking to be climbed but I worried that an overenthusiastic climber (of the human variety) may make it topple over.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n2. Providing Window Perches
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nGiving your cat access to a sunny window can help them feel more engaged with their surroundings because they can see what is going on.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nWe all know that cats are the biggest sticky beaks and love observing without being observed themselves if at all possible.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nA cat window perch offers a comfortable place for your cat to bask in the sun and get the goss. Note: Make sure the window doesn’t get too hot for a basking place.
Installing window perches in different rooms of your home can provide your cat with several vantage points.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nWe made a cat window perch in our home that also included a ramp for the kitty to stroll up before settling down into his perch. There are so many wonderful products for this purpose that it really isn’t necessary to build your own.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nThe great thing about a window perch or a wall shelf for the cat is that they take up no floor space so if space is limited at your place, this is a great option.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nCats enjoy watching birds, squirrels, and other wildlife outside.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n3. Selecting Appropriate Cat Furniture
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nChoosing the right cat furniture can dramatically impact your cat’s comfort and happiness indoors.
As well as cat trees and window perches, consider providing scratching posts or pads for your cat to maintain their claws and mark their territory.
Grow some cat grass, cats love it and it’s easy to grow.
Investigate their preferences, as some cats may prefer horizontal scratchers while others lean towards vertical ones.
Another furniture option which I think is particularly useful is a step of steps.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nYour cat won’t need them if he is younger but they are invaluable for older kitties.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nA lightweight set of steps can be moved around easily. Make like easier for your older indoor kitty.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nPlease ignore the doggy in the image, (cute as he is) and imagine your cat using the stairs. The car example is more relevant for a dog but all of the other examples are perfect for cats.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nMental Stimulation Ideas For An Outdoor cat to Be An Indoor Cat
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nHave a variety of toys for your cat.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nWe recommend rotating toys regularly to maintain their novelty.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nIt doesn’t have to be a complex operation, just swap a few toys in and out of your cat’s play area every week or so.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n1. Interactive Play
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nWe can engage our cats in interactive play by using toys that simulate hunting behaviors.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nThis could include wand toys with feathers or even using simple household items like paper bags and aluminum foil.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n2. Wand Toys
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nFeather teasers, fluttering insects, or furry mice
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n \\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\nView on Amazon \\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n3 Chasing Toys
\\n\\n\\n\\nSmall balls, toy mice, or crinkly foil balls
\\n\\n\\n\\n4. Independent Play
\\n\\n\\n\\nCatnip filled toys, jingle balls, or soft plushies
\\n\\n\\n\\n5.Puzzle Feeders
\\n\\n\\n\\nIntroducing a puzzle cat feeder is another way to stimulate an indoor cat’s mental health.
\\n\\n\\n\\nPuzzle feeders provide an element of problem solving and often require cats to use their paws, nose, or mouth to access their food or treats.
This activity not only keeps them entertained but also helps to slow down their eating, which can be beneficial for weight management. Puzzle feeders are great if you are away at work all day.
Here are some puzzle feeder ideas:
\\n\\n\\n\\nCommercial Feeders
\\n\\n\\n\\nLook for feeders that cater to your cat’s individual preferences, such as ball or maze-type designs
\\n\\n\\n\\n \n\n\n\n\n\nView on Amazon \n\n\n\n\n\n\nDIY options For Cat Puzzle Feeders
\n\n\n\nUse cardboard boxes, paper bags, or old plastic containers to make your own puzzle feeder
\n\n\n\nTransform household items like egg cartons, muffin trays, or water bottles into creative feeders
\n\n\n\nRemember, the goal is to provide our indoor kitties with opportunities to express their natural behaviors and prevent boredom.
\n\n\n\nThe Benefits of Indoor Life For Cats
\n\n\n\nOne major environmental advantage of keeping cats indoors is the protection of local wildlife populations.
\n\n\n\nCats are natural predators, and when they roam outdoors, they may hunt and kill birds, rodents, and other small creatures.
\n\n\n\nWe had a semi indoor outdoor cat and he did certainly catch rats. He was a bit like the Pied piper of the neighbourhood.
\n\n\n\nHe had also been trained to walk amongst the magpies as they were fed by my other half. I am not saying that he wouldn’t have attacked other birds but he and the magpies tolerated each other even walking almost side by side.
\n\n\n\nFood was involved for the magpies and the cat – a motivating factor for sure.
\n\n\n\nOverall though, I would now recommend indoors only.
\n\n\n\nFinally, while some may argue that outdoor life provides more stimulation for cats, we can replicate these experiences within the safe confines of our homes.
\n\n\n\nWith plenty of toys, climbing equipment, and creative playtime, cats can enjoy the great indoors just as much as their outdoor counterparts.
\n\n\n\nOutdoor Time Alternatives For Cats
\n\n\n\nAs cat owners, we want to provide our feline friends with opportunities to enjoy the outdoors safely.
\n\n\n\nIn this section, we will discuss two popular methods for allowing your indoor cat to experience nature while minimizing risks to their health and the surrounding wildlife – outdoor enclosures and leash training.
\n\n\n\nThere are tons of catio ideas in this article.
\n\n\n\nOutdoor Enclosures
\n\n\n\nOutdoor enclosures, also known as \u0022catios,\u0022 are an excellent way for your indoor cat to bask in the sun and observe wildlife without the risks associated with being outside. These enclosures can be purchased or built to suit your feline friend’s needs, from small window perches to large, free-standing secure structures.
\n\n\n\nInstall special cat fencing or mesh around your safe, enclosed yard, allowing your cat to explore without the risk of escaping or encountering predators.
\n\n\n\nAdd features to the catio or outdoor cat enclosure like:
\n\n\n\n- \n
- Shade Ensure your cat has a comfortable place to retreat from the sun. \n\n\n\n
- Perches Install platforms and perches at various heights for your cat to climb and lounge. \n\n\n\n
- Toys \n
Leash Training – Take Your Cat For A walk
Leash training is another great way to safely provide time outdoors f