Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/housecat training

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 10/2/2008


Question
I picked up a stray kitten (6 wks old)- have taken him to the vet - has been neutered at 6 mos.  He is very loving; loves to be with us.  We have an older female (15 years old) who will not play with him; he is now about a year and 3 or 4 months old.  We have always had both cats outside in our back yard which is walled in (AZ) so they have not wandered away.  The young cat, Winston, has discovered he can jump over the walls.  We have been able to catch him and bring him back but this is becoming a problem and, therefore, we are reluctant to let him outside.

Is there any way to train a cat to stay in his/her own yard?  We tell him "no, bad" each time but he hasn't learned.

Answer
Judy,

Once a cat has discovered there is more to explore it is hard to keep him home until he is satisfied. You can put a collar (a breakaway type) with your phone number and address on it and hope he just explores a little bit and comes back, which most likely he will.

Sometimes the reason they like to get out is to find companionship. You may want to think about getting your cat a kitty friend about his same age to play kitty games with, and for company and comfort when he is alone.

If you want to contain him in the yard, I am including a couple of  good links for ideas on how to cat-proof your walls:
(copy and paste, or type, the whole links into your address bar)

http://www.lisaviolet.com/cathouse/backyard.html

http://www.feralcat.com/fence.html

I hope this helps.

Tabbi

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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