If your cat is used to leading a double life indoors and outdoors, it may take some adjusting before it’s happy with its new indoor lifestyle. That can be even truer for feral cats in a new home. Because of that, owners need useful tips they can rely on when changing their cats’ routines.
The same general tips apply, whether you want to make an outdoor or feral cat into an indoor cat. For example, feed it inside and make your home a more engaging space for your feline friend. While that might seem simple enough, a feral cat may require a bit more attention and patience than an already domesticated feline. Regardless, take things slow and know that achieving your goal of making your cat into an indoor one is possible.
Critter Sitters is dedicated to helping your cat adjust to its new lifestyle. While you’re away, our pet sitters for indoor cats can easily keep up with your feline’s new routine. For more information about the caring Atlanta pet sitters for indoor cats at Critter Sitters, call us today at (404) 793-6178.
How Can You Make Your Outdoor Cat into an Indoor Cat?
There are many reasons why might want to make your feline friend an indoors-only cat. Maybe your neighborhood is teeming with predators like foxes or hawks. Perhaps your cat keeps catching ticks no matter what you do. Or maybe your kitten is getting lost too frequently. If you have an outdoor cat and want to keep it indoors from now on, don’t fear. The process isn’t as hard as it may seem.
Feed Your Pet Inside
If your cat is always outside, you might have a history of putting its food and water outdoors as well. The problem is, that makes your feline think it doesn’t have to go inside for sustenance. When you’re trying to make your cat love the indoors, move its food there along with it. Cats, more so than kittens, tend to graze, which can make this more difficult if you have a mature cat. However, try to make mealtime a more regimented routine, so they learn to be inside at certain times of the day. This can help with the transition process substantially.
Introduce Engaging Toys
Lots of cats love being outdoors because it’s so exciting. They can scratch at trees, chase mice, and roam about. To simulate this in your home, try introducing engaging toys. Add scratching posts and fun activities that stimulate your cat’s creativity. Indoor cats tend to be less active than outdoor cats, which can upset your feline that’s spent so much time outside. So, engage in intentional play with your cat to make them see how much fun being inside can be.
When cats are first inside for good, they can get antsy. That may mean you have a few more scratches on your couch than you’d like. Although you can monitor that behavior when you’re home, it’s not so easy when you’re out of town. When that time comes, a dedicated pet sitter for indoor cats from Critter Sitters can watch over your ferocious feline and redirect any of that anxious behavior.
Take It Slow
Although you may want to make your outdoor cat into an indoor one, your cat may be less pleased by the idea. So, for the sake of your feline friend, take things slow. The pet sitters for indoor cats at Critter Sitters recommend shortening your kitten’s playtime outside slowly but surely each day. Soon, your cat will be enjoying the indoors before it knows it. Remember, your cat has a routine and habits that it depends on. Uprooting its routine can upset your feline, so take things slow and stay confident.
Tips on Making a Feral Cat into an Indoor Cat
Outdoor cats and feral cats are entirely different beings. While the former is a domesticated animal that enjoys the outdoors, the latter may be an undomesticated stray. Because of that, training a feral cat to be happy as an indoor cat can be a challenge. However, it’s more than possible with the right attitude and tactics.
At first, a feral cat may have a hard time believing it’s in a loving home. After spending so much of its life outside, it may not be used to a warm bed and reliable food source. Because of that, it’s your responsibility as an owner to build trust with a feral cat that you’ve brought home. This can take time and require constant effort on an owner’s behalf. When you’re in the process of building trust with a feral cat and life or business takes you elsewhere, it can feel abandoned. That’s why it’s a good idea to enlist help from a caring pet sitter so that your newly indoor feral cat feels safe even when you’re gone.
Before feral cats become domesticated indoor cats, they cannot be trusted near open doors. As soon as you open your front door, your feline friend may bolt out of it. It’s your cat’s natural instinct since it’s so used to being outside. Because of this, it’s important to be careful when opening doors. When you start training your feral cat to remain indoors, it can be smart to use gates near entryways. Although you can still get inside your house, it will be harder for your kitty to get outside.
Apart from these specific tips, pet owners can apply similar tactics for making domesticated outdoor cats into indoor pets to their feral cats. At the end of the day, providing your cat with a bed, love, and food is the foundation to creating a happy life for your cat, totally indoors.
Our Pet Sitters Can Help Make an Outdoor or Feral Cat Comfortable Indoors
Our team of dedicated pet sitters can continue all the work you’ve done to make your outdoor or feral cat comfortable indoors while you’re away. For more information about the caring Sandy Springs cat sitters for indoor cats at Critter Sitters, call us today at (404) 793-6178.
