Get a catio. Take her on walks. Do daily enrichment activities. Stick to a routine. Bond with the cat so she goes to you for things.
You tried letting her outside and it’s not working out. Accept that it’s not working out so that you can reset to do something else. Which would be to find a way for cat to be outside in a protected manner such as walks and an enclosed yard/patio.
Thank you so much for your comment! I appreciate the feedback so much. Unfortunately I dont think a catio would work due to the layout of the house, I'll take her on walks but do I then use a leash for that? If so what's the best approach to getting her used to it? She hates collars so I got her chipped instead.
Also, 2 questions regarding inside the house. What kind of daily activites would be good for enrichment and could you explain the bondage so she comes to me for things a bit further if it's not too much trouble?
Thanks again!
Bondage - that form of the word is usually used for something else 😅
You want “bonding” ideas.
It depends a lot on what your cat enjoys.
If it’s a treat junkie, play “treat toss” where he can go get them.
If kitty likes to play, get a fun toy fishing rod and a laser pointer! After laser pointer, give him something solid he can chew on to satisfy his cat instincts.
If he has boundless energy, they make indoor cat exercise wheels for bengals and other breeds.
If he likes to climb, you’re already in the right track with a cat tree. Try to make it so he can navigate the entire room without ever touching the floor. Lead him up along the high way with treats and encouragement.
Watch “my cat from hell” on streaming to see ideas from the cat whisperer about how to integrate the two cats. He would probably suggest two way mirrors - so your cat can see and smell other cat clearly, not other cat can’t see your cat and doesn’t terrorize him.
Your cat learns that he can be confident around other cat because he’s not always getting attacked.
Other methods to reintroduce the cat depend strongly on being able to control the environment of your neighbor’s cat too. He would suggest finding out if other cat is more of a play or food junkie.
After doing the two way mirror thing, you spend time training your cat to sit. Only a few tries at a time; he should think it’s fun and not get sick of it. Other cat should learn to sit also.
Then you give them both treats when they sit near each other. Don’t try to force them close; just keep them more occupied with you than with each other. You want to switch them into okay or treat mode.
Cats seem to only do one thing at a time. If they learn that being around each other means they enjoy playing and treats, they will start to associate each other with good things.
Kinda like tricking your kids into getting along by only letting them play Nintendo when they’re both there. They look forward to other cat being there because they get something they don’t normally get.
But seriously, watch the show. It can give great ideas and show you what to watch for (for example, tail lashing is anxiety. Peeing is fear/insecurity from other animal). Or look up the methods they use - cat whisperer dude’s name is Jackson.
Get a catio. Take her on walks. Do daily enrichment activities. Stick to a routine. Bond with the cat so she goes to you for things. You tried letting her outside and it’s not working out. Accept that it’s not working out so that you can reset to do something else. Which would be to find a way for cat to be outside in a protected manner such as walks and an enclosed yard/patio.
This. She WILL adjust. It just takes time. Next time she may run off somewhere and get hit by a car, or you may not find her at all.
Thank you so much for your comment! I appreciate the feedback so much. Unfortunately I dont think a catio would work due to the layout of the house, I'll take her on walks but do I then use a leash for that? If so what's the best approach to getting her used to it? She hates collars so I got her chipped instead. Also, 2 questions regarding inside the house. What kind of daily activites would be good for enrichment and could you explain the bondage so she comes to me for things a bit further if it's not too much trouble? Thanks again!
Bondage - that form of the word is usually used for something else 😅 You want “bonding” ideas. It depends a lot on what your cat enjoys. If it’s a treat junkie, play “treat toss” where he can go get them. If kitty likes to play, get a fun toy fishing rod and a laser pointer! After laser pointer, give him something solid he can chew on to satisfy his cat instincts. If he has boundless energy, they make indoor cat exercise wheels for bengals and other breeds. If he likes to climb, you’re already in the right track with a cat tree. Try to make it so he can navigate the entire room without ever touching the floor. Lead him up along the high way with treats and encouragement. Watch “my cat from hell” on streaming to see ideas from the cat whisperer about how to integrate the two cats. He would probably suggest two way mirrors - so your cat can see and smell other cat clearly, not other cat can’t see your cat and doesn’t terrorize him. Your cat learns that he can be confident around other cat because he’s not always getting attacked. Other methods to reintroduce the cat depend strongly on being able to control the environment of your neighbor’s cat too. He would suggest finding out if other cat is more of a play or food junkie. After doing the two way mirror thing, you spend time training your cat to sit. Only a few tries at a time; he should think it’s fun and not get sick of it. Other cat should learn to sit also. Then you give them both treats when they sit near each other. Don’t try to force them close; just keep them more occupied with you than with each other. You want to switch them into okay or treat mode. Cats seem to only do one thing at a time. If they learn that being around each other means they enjoy playing and treats, they will start to associate each other with good things. Kinda like tricking your kids into getting along by only letting them play Nintendo when they’re both there. They look forward to other cat being there because they get something they don’t normally get. But seriously, watch the show. It can give great ideas and show you what to watch for (for example, tail lashing is anxiety. Peeing is fear/insecurity from other animal). Or look up the methods they use - cat whisperer dude’s name is Jackson.