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Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/how to keep my cat to stay indoor

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 11/26/2008


Question
dear tabbies,..i have 6 cats in a family..a male and female with 4 kittens..the male cat didn't want to stayed indoors..but when i let him outdoor,..he will try to go to the house next door and don't know how to get home...can U tell me what to do..thank you

Answer
Nor,

The first thing to do is get him neutered if he is not already. That will help. Also a cat is an independant creature and will go where he wants to be. Is there a female cat next door? Does he have a cat friend over there that he plays with? Are there birds to try to catch? He has a reason for going over there. You can't keep him home if he doesn't want to be there short of locking him inside or fencing him in your yard.

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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