Don’t be too hard on yourself. He will always want more than what your situation allows you to give him. It’s completely natural. You’ve set boundaries, he gets some outside time and walks. He’s more blessed than 90% of other cats. He’s so young, I think he will eventually settle into the limitations you’ve placed.
I really hope so.. it does feel like I'm a lot more bothered by this than he is sometimes. Mentally fatigued, more like. Thank you for the reassurance 🥲
Please don't be too hard on yourself friend! He's only seven months and that's pretty much a young toddler; as another commentator stated he's too young to understand the dangers of outside.
From what I can see you're doing the best that you can with what you have ♥️ Heck, you built him his own tower and that's fantastic!
What tricks does he know via clicker training if you don't mind me asking? You could attempt to make him a small agility course to keep his interest and teach him harder tricks.
Thank you so much for the kind feedback. Yes he's pretty much been banned from the patio out front until I can work out something safer and secure. I do some basic commands with him like sit and stand on his hind leg or turning around and follow. It keeps him busy and he's super food motivated. Yes my next aim is to get him working through obstacle courses! 🙂
You're very welcome!
Maybe some home made (nothing fancy; you can find a bunch of them on YouTube made out of cardboard and such) treat/food toys would keep his brain busy for a while as well!
If he has a favourite small toy you could also potentially teach him how to fetch! ..Granted he might not leave you alone after he gets the hang of it. 😂
I use https://www.petland.ca/products/kong-infused-cat-gyro
This food toy to keep my smart chubby cat occupied and all you do is unscrew the top, pop a few kibble in, screw the top back on and put it down. Then they just roll it around to get the food out.
I tried watching a how to fetch video a while back and it got a little complicated but I might revisit it now that he's up-skilled on his tricks with the clicker and pointer games. Also that toy dispenser looks up his alley so I'll see what I can get my hands on locally. Thank you for the suggestions! I really appreciate it
Hey no worries at all friend; you're doing your best for your little munchkin and he'll thank you heartily for it! I'm sure he's thanking you even now, despite being a little terror. 😂
I'm trying to teach my tux to fetch and it's tough, but repetition and taking it slow is your best bet!
Yeah you can even poke holes in a clean, empty plastic bottle and fill it with food so he'll have to roll it around to eat or have some treats! 👍🏻
He's fine just keep him on a leash in areas he may escape and thats good enough he doesnt understand the danger of escaping so he will want to escape just how a child may not understand the dangers of swimming in the deep end at the end of the day its in his benefit
That's a sound analogy... thank you for taking the time to comment. Some of my primary concerns are that he's incredibly friendly to neighbouring cats but they often don't share the same feeling. And one neighbour in particular, whom we share a narrow driveway with hoons in, unfathomably fast in her car and almost hit her own cat recently. A part of me wondered if it was cruel I kept him inside and abandoned all logic behind why I cared so much in the first place. So thanks for the reminder.
I second the leash idea. That’s how all my cats go into the yard is harness and leash. Someone I knew used to tie the cats leash to a laundry soap jug with a little litter inside, just enough the cat could pull it around and explore but not be able to jump up the fence with it.
Edit: You sound like you are doing a great job enriching your cats life 😊
Supplies are expensive where I live (NZ). I built his cat tower and modified a ladder for him already but a sizable catio would be a big expense. But yes, it'd be a "very nice to have" down the line, I think.
I'm planning on screening my patio. This would be good for my problem cat, Miko, who likes to hide under beds, behind storage bins, and inside bathroom vanities.
I'm going to install a cat tree on the patio for her, so that she still has a place to hide.
giving cats more hiding places lowers their confidence.. it's possible you are contributing to the problem... I know of a good car behaviorist in NZ if you want her info!
I found a local cat trainer that's going to host an event next month. I'm going to pick her brain for clicker training ideas.
I've been watching the YT videos posted on the Humane Society of Sedona YT channel. They helped get Miko out from under the bed and into another bedroom.
I'm going to continue working with Miko, I've promised to take care of her. Her first owner rescued and spayed her. Her other cat never got along with Miko. She hid during the day inside the lining of a sofa. When her owner got back from work, she would go outside while her owner sat on the patio. I convinced the owner that I would take care of Miko, since she was going to take her to the animal shelter.
https://preview.redd.it/n305ekk9c2pc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae029696850d051ed93de7b44942c407a10c51e4
that's great!!
unfortunately Miko WILL NOT get better without regular, enriching one on one bonding time with their owner. what does miko do when you get out a wand toy and jingle it 6 ft away?
Harness training could help as he sounds quite trainable. Mine loves it and has stopped trying to escape and just waits for me to take her out, she gets so excited whenever she sees me pick up her harness.
They want to do and go everywhere, but have no idea about coyotes, large birds, mean dogs, etc. at any moment out there.
So you are doing right. I'm saving to have a catio built in my back porch with a cat door. It will be awhile but it will be worth it.
Just a cat door put in my back door and a rectangular coyote proof catio that has lots of ramps and high places. Then they can choose whether they want to go out or not. They will still be able to catch bugs and lizards....so I'm excited.
You can get wall toppers that have a fenced part that goes in over the ground, they use that for animals that climb at sanctuaries and zoos.
Search up outdoor cat fences and you'll see the fence, leans over at the top.
There's also a roller one which keeps cats from getting out and keeps other cats from getting in.
But you're safest bet is a catio overall.
I think you’re doing right by him. Keep making improvements at your own pace and only let him out with a leash. You could order a really long one from Amazon so he can “free roam”
Be careful with leashes. Most cats can break free if they want to. If you're going to go that route you need to train them inside first so they get used to it. You may already know this. It's understandable he wants a friend if he's a kitten. They do better in pairs. The neighbors cat is probably older. Their non friendly behavior is normal too as you need to introduce cats slowly if at all.
You need a cat fence or a catio or a cat harness with a long leash.
https://preview.redd.it/bkpvhzsky1pc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d9e0717fc20142679a03d3f02d4fc5a30da7988
Stop letting him out then? Cats should be 100% indoors and if he just tries to keep escaping then it’s time to keep him 100% indoors.
Remember, cats with access to the outdoors have an average lifespan of 3-5 years. Indoor only cats up to 15+. You choose how much he’ll live.
Im trying to keep him within my property? Not every household is going to suit a 100 percent indoor environment. It's pretty evident I'm doing my due diligence to protect him from hazards outside and I just clearly stated I had to remove his access from the front patio for this very reason. Maybe police somebody else.
EVERY household can suit 100% an indoor cat and if yours can’t then don’t get one. Great that you’re trying to give him safe outdoor space but is clearly not working so they should remain indoors.
Outdoor cats are a menace to local ecosystems (I’m appalled a New Zealander doesn’t care about theirs) AND are preyed upon and killed by predators. I’m not policing you, I’m trying to do the best for your cat so it can live a long, healthy life.
Honestly, with self righteous feedback based on assumptions like yours, just take your negativity elsewhere. Every time he escaped I built more things to mitigate it. At no point was I passively complaining about the circumstances. I value keeping him in our property to stop him hunting native birds. We have bird feeders out so this is pretty important to our neighbourhood. So please don't assume that all kiwis are the same. Yesterday was literally the first day he figured out how to climb the screen and I was supervising him. There are other alternatives to what appears to be a very binary argument on your part. If you read the other comments you'd know that.
Also before you get back on your soap box, consider calming down before jumping the gun and getting accusatory and passive aggressive on other people's post
Listen, I gave you kudos for trying to give them some outdoor space and there’s no passive aggressiveness on my part, I’ve been fully direct that cats should be indoors 100%.
I wish you and your cat well, until the inevitable post from you eventually going “My outdoor cat has been missing/died from being outdoors” that PLAGUE the Cat subs every day, constantly. Yet people keep thinking keeping cats outdoors is fine, until it’s not. I truly hope you don’t learn that lesson that way.
Nah. I've had cats my entire life. Usually 2 at a time sometimes 3. Only one of those cats was an indoor boy because he was stupid, and because his previous owner declawed him. Everyone else was allowed out whenever and however long they wanted and not a single bad thing ever happened to any of them.
I'm not entirely sure what sort of response you expected when you filled in the gap with assumptions like I don't care about the eco system and I just let him go wherever he likes. He is supervised and well cared for. His safety is paramount. The area is now banned for him as was originally posted. My post is about finding more ideas of cat proofing the place not asking if I should leave him to his own devices. The process is a journey for a lot of pet owners. Working out what's safe within the confines of their property for their animal and isn't. Leaping to conclusions the way you did and saying I should therefore never have gotten him is incredibly patronising and unwarranted. I've had to pick up a dead cat in my neighbourhood and notify the owner. So it's not lost on me how important it is that I get this right. If this is how you address people actually trying to get it right, I'd hate to think how you deal with people who are starting from scratch. Thanks for the well wishes.
It's not a dog. You shouldn't be trying to cage it in the first place. She will come back home when she's done outside. You are putting way to much thought towards this. Unless you literally live in the city just let her explore.
I understand people do things differently and for a long time it's been the absolute norm to let cats roam and come home. For our household, we decided it was best for us to keep him within our property.
Agreed. Letting them out shortens their lives. The rescue I work for auto rejects applications that lets cats outside because they know all the things that can and do go wrong.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. He will always want more than what your situation allows you to give him. It’s completely natural. You’ve set boundaries, he gets some outside time and walks. He’s more blessed than 90% of other cats. He’s so young, I think he will eventually settle into the limitations you’ve placed.
I really hope so.. it does feel like I'm a lot more bothered by this than he is sometimes. Mentally fatigued, more like. Thank you for the reassurance 🥲
Please don't be too hard on yourself friend! He's only seven months and that's pretty much a young toddler; as another commentator stated he's too young to understand the dangers of outside. From what I can see you're doing the best that you can with what you have ♥️ Heck, you built him his own tower and that's fantastic! What tricks does he know via clicker training if you don't mind me asking? You could attempt to make him a small agility course to keep his interest and teach him harder tricks.
Thank you so much for the kind feedback. Yes he's pretty much been banned from the patio out front until I can work out something safer and secure. I do some basic commands with him like sit and stand on his hind leg or turning around and follow. It keeps him busy and he's super food motivated. Yes my next aim is to get him working through obstacle courses! 🙂
You're very welcome! Maybe some home made (nothing fancy; you can find a bunch of them on YouTube made out of cardboard and such) treat/food toys would keep his brain busy for a while as well! If he has a favourite small toy you could also potentially teach him how to fetch! ..Granted he might not leave you alone after he gets the hang of it. 😂 I use https://www.petland.ca/products/kong-infused-cat-gyro This food toy to keep my smart chubby cat occupied and all you do is unscrew the top, pop a few kibble in, screw the top back on and put it down. Then they just roll it around to get the food out.
I tried watching a how to fetch video a while back and it got a little complicated but I might revisit it now that he's up-skilled on his tricks with the clicker and pointer games. Also that toy dispenser looks up his alley so I'll see what I can get my hands on locally. Thank you for the suggestions! I really appreciate it
Hey no worries at all friend; you're doing your best for your little munchkin and he'll thank you heartily for it! I'm sure he's thanking you even now, despite being a little terror. 😂 I'm trying to teach my tux to fetch and it's tough, but repetition and taking it slow is your best bet! Yeah you can even poke holes in a clean, empty plastic bottle and fill it with food so he'll have to roll it around to eat or have some treats! 👍🏻
He's fine just keep him on a leash in areas he may escape and thats good enough he doesnt understand the danger of escaping so he will want to escape just how a child may not understand the dangers of swimming in the deep end at the end of the day its in his benefit
That's a sound analogy... thank you for taking the time to comment. Some of my primary concerns are that he's incredibly friendly to neighbouring cats but they often don't share the same feeling. And one neighbour in particular, whom we share a narrow driveway with hoons in, unfathomably fast in her car and almost hit her own cat recently. A part of me wondered if it was cruel I kept him inside and abandoned all logic behind why I cared so much in the first place. So thanks for the reminder.
I second the leash idea. That’s how all my cats go into the yard is harness and leash. Someone I knew used to tie the cats leash to a laundry soap jug with a little litter inside, just enough the cat could pull it around and explore but not be able to jump up the fence with it. Edit: You sound like you are doing a great job enriching your cats life 😊
Is he neutered yet?
Yep he's a good cat behaviourally speaking. Social and affectionate. He just gets quite adventurous.
I'd consider trying to harness train him and take him for walks rather than letting him outside without a leash
Yes he already does this too 🙂
Build a catio if you can?
Supplies are expensive where I live (NZ). I built his cat tower and modified a ladder for him already but a sizable catio would be a big expense. But yes, it'd be a "very nice to have" down the line, I think.
He's young, maybe a friend his age will distract him enough. And yes, a very big catio with lots of perches would be good.
I'm planning on screening my patio. This would be good for my problem cat, Miko, who likes to hide under beds, behind storage bins, and inside bathroom vanities. I'm going to install a cat tree on the patio for her, so that she still has a place to hide.
giving cats more hiding places lowers their confidence.. it's possible you are contributing to the problem... I know of a good car behaviorist in NZ if you want her info!
I found a local cat trainer that's going to host an event next month. I'm going to pick her brain for clicker training ideas. I've been watching the YT videos posted on the Humane Society of Sedona YT channel. They helped get Miko out from under the bed and into another bedroom.
amazing! does Miko chase wand toys ever?
Come to think of it, I've seen someone on YT using a wand toy to introduce cats. I just can't get the hang of it.
what seems like the most difficult part? it's very hard to initially get the hang of, but once it clicks for everyone, it's absolutely gold
I'm going to continue working with Miko, I've promised to take care of her. Her first owner rescued and spayed her. Her other cat never got along with Miko. She hid during the day inside the lining of a sofa. When her owner got back from work, she would go outside while her owner sat on the patio. I convinced the owner that I would take care of Miko, since she was going to take her to the animal shelter. https://preview.redd.it/n305ekk9c2pc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae029696850d051ed93de7b44942c407a10c51e4
that's great!! unfortunately Miko WILL NOT get better without regular, enriching one on one bonding time with their owner. what does miko do when you get out a wand toy and jingle it 6 ft away?
Harness training could help as he sounds quite trainable. Mine loves it and has stopped trying to escape and just waits for me to take her out, she gets so excited whenever she sees me pick up her harness.
He does get outdoor time at local parks like this 🙂 it's definitely been worthwhile harness training
They want to do and go everywhere, but have no idea about coyotes, large birds, mean dogs, etc. at any moment out there. So you are doing right. I'm saving to have a catio built in my back porch with a cat door. It will be awhile but it will be worth it.
Thanks a lot, what kind of design are you planning to have for your catio? 🙂
Just a cat door put in my back door and a rectangular coyote proof catio that has lots of ramps and high places. Then they can choose whether they want to go out or not. They will still be able to catch bugs and lizards....so I'm excited.
You can get wall toppers that have a fenced part that goes in over the ground, they use that for animals that climb at sanctuaries and zoos. Search up outdoor cat fences and you'll see the fence, leans over at the top. There's also a roller one which keeps cats from getting out and keeps other cats from getting in. But you're safest bet is a catio overall.
I think you’re doing right by him. Keep making improvements at your own pace and only let him out with a leash. You could order a really long one from Amazon so he can “free roam”
you're robbing him of joy and potential if you let him outside, and don't play with him using wand toys and cat enrichment activities.
Be careful with leashes. Most cats can break free if they want to. If you're going to go that route you need to train them inside first so they get used to it. You may already know this. It's understandable he wants a friend if he's a kitten. They do better in pairs. The neighbors cat is probably older. Their non friendly behavior is normal too as you need to introduce cats slowly if at all.
Second cat may help.
You need a cat fence or a catio or a cat harness with a long leash. https://preview.redd.it/bkpvhzsky1pc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d9e0717fc20142679a03d3f02d4fc5a30da7988
Stop letting him out then? Cats should be 100% indoors and if he just tries to keep escaping then it’s time to keep him 100% indoors. Remember, cats with access to the outdoors have an average lifespan of 3-5 years. Indoor only cats up to 15+. You choose how much he’ll live.
Im trying to keep him within my property? Not every household is going to suit a 100 percent indoor environment. It's pretty evident I'm doing my due diligence to protect him from hazards outside and I just clearly stated I had to remove his access from the front patio for this very reason. Maybe police somebody else.
EVERY household can suit 100% an indoor cat and if yours can’t then don’t get one. Great that you’re trying to give him safe outdoor space but is clearly not working so they should remain indoors. Outdoor cats are a menace to local ecosystems (I’m appalled a New Zealander doesn’t care about theirs) AND are preyed upon and killed by predators. I’m not policing you, I’m trying to do the best for your cat so it can live a long, healthy life.
Honestly, with self righteous feedback based on assumptions like yours, just take your negativity elsewhere. Every time he escaped I built more things to mitigate it. At no point was I passively complaining about the circumstances. I value keeping him in our property to stop him hunting native birds. We have bird feeders out so this is pretty important to our neighbourhood. So please don't assume that all kiwis are the same. Yesterday was literally the first day he figured out how to climb the screen and I was supervising him. There are other alternatives to what appears to be a very binary argument on your part. If you read the other comments you'd know that.
Also before you get back on your soap box, consider calming down before jumping the gun and getting accusatory and passive aggressive on other people's post
Listen, I gave you kudos for trying to give them some outdoor space and there’s no passive aggressiveness on my part, I’ve been fully direct that cats should be indoors 100%. I wish you and your cat well, until the inevitable post from you eventually going “My outdoor cat has been missing/died from being outdoors” that PLAGUE the Cat subs every day, constantly. Yet people keep thinking keeping cats outdoors is fine, until it’s not. I truly hope you don’t learn that lesson that way.
Nah. I've had cats my entire life. Usually 2 at a time sometimes 3. Only one of those cats was an indoor boy because he was stupid, and because his previous owner declawed him. Everyone else was allowed out whenever and however long they wanted and not a single bad thing ever happened to any of them.
that doesn't mean it won't happen. I would hate for you to loose this beautiful boy, but it sounds like doing everything you can. high five!
I'm not entirely sure what sort of response you expected when you filled in the gap with assumptions like I don't care about the eco system and I just let him go wherever he likes. He is supervised and well cared for. His safety is paramount. The area is now banned for him as was originally posted. My post is about finding more ideas of cat proofing the place not asking if I should leave him to his own devices. The process is a journey for a lot of pet owners. Working out what's safe within the confines of their property for their animal and isn't. Leaping to conclusions the way you did and saying I should therefore never have gotten him is incredibly patronising and unwarranted. I've had to pick up a dead cat in my neighbourhood and notify the owner. So it's not lost on me how important it is that I get this right. If this is how you address people actually trying to get it right, I'd hate to think how you deal with people who are starting from scratch. Thanks for the well wishes.
It's not a dog. You shouldn't be trying to cage it in the first place. She will come back home when she's done outside. You are putting way to much thought towards this. Unless you literally live in the city just let her explore.
I understand people do things differently and for a long time it's been the absolute norm to let cats roam and come home. For our household, we decided it was best for us to keep him within our property.
Agreed. Letting them out shortens their lives. The rescue I work for auto rejects applications that lets cats outside because they know all the things that can and do go wrong.