Indoor Cat - Will It Change & Venture Outdoors?

[Leanne]

  Moongirl

I have predominately indoor cats, our boys only go out in the garden supervised. Jess came to us as indoor only and over time with a harness we've built his confidence up and his happy being in the garden but only when we're close by. Milo was a stray who had led an out door life. We kept him in for 5 months before slowly taking him out on the harness. Considering Jess is the nervous cat you wouldn't think when they are outside, Milo gets very scared about noises and what is going on around him and will always run in.

[Yvonne]

Hello Moongirl and     to Purrs

I think your puss cat will love being in the garden with you

Some picies would be nice as well because we love seeing pics of furry friends   

[Rosella moggy]

I'd think far more "usual" for a cat to want to go out rather than stay in esp if only 1 year old.  We have 2 kittens atm who have never been out and will not be going out until they've had their ops about 6 months of age.  I have no doubt they will want to go out (like their mum) as soon as they are allowed.  I wouldn't worry although I'm assuming no other indoor pressures exist like some form of trauma when outside in the past.

[Dawn F]

I think getting an indoor cat to go outdoors is easier than the other way around, just see what happens I'm sure once the sun is out and the butterflies need chasing it will love outside!

[moongirl]

Thx for all your replies. We are hoping to rehome a youngish cat and sometimes they have never been outdoors. We have a reasonable size south facing garden (90ft x 30ft) adjoining other gardens and it would be nice if the cat could enjoy the garden and all the nooks and crannies etc. We have no intention of forcing the cat to be outside, rather, it would just be nice if the cat enjoyed a bit of sunshine with us when we were gardening or outdoors.

Thx

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Some cats just dont like going out and when Misa and Sasa aged 4 and 6 came to me they were kept in and when I opened a door for them eventually, they ran to the other end of the house in fear, although they spent weeeks sitting on the window sill looking into the garden.

Sasa had been living in a cage at a rescue for over a year and Misa had been saved by a vet from being PTS but had been locked in a shed. Sasa however lived with ferals before she was caught by the rescue and is still semi feral and is now scared of being shut in anywhere!!!!!

My two birmans have access to outside but dont use it very often and apparently were used to going out before I had them, mind you they are older cats.

I would never force a cat to go out and if they didnt want to I would let them stay in.

[fluffybunny]

My cats were 8 when we adopted them, they had lived as housecats in a high rise flat before.  We kept them in for about 10 weeks before starting to let them out; Milly loves the great outdoors and regularly goes adventuring.  She is a very 'good' hunter so the instinct is obviously still there even if they've never done it before.  Geoffrey is much more homely and doesn't really ever go anywhere, he just wanders around the garden for 5 mins or so then comes back in.  So I don't think you can tell one way or the other, it will very much depend on the individual. 

[Christine (Blip)]

  to Purrs, Moongirl.  Glad you found us and decided to join 

What's your reason for asking your question?  I'm sure we can give good advice on how to manage your circumstances 

Blip came to us at 18 months old, from a rescue, and had never been outside but quickly became a happy and healthy indoor / outdoor cat.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

I would imagine a one year old would go outside readily if access is provided, unless something scary has happened previously to make him nervous about being outside.

[MrsR]

It will wander outside if has access to outside, so if the cat is moved to a new home it needs to be kept indoors for quite a few weeks before being let outside.

[moongirl]

Hi,

If a cat has been an indoor cat and is approximately one year old will it change habits and venture outdoors if it is rehomed to a new home with a garden or will its one year full time indoors be a permanent feature of its behaviour?

I realise that they are all individuals and there is just no predicting this but what would a generalisation be?

Thx & Rgds