Expert: Ali - 9/25/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hello! :) I have a cat (named Payton) who is probably about 5 years old now. Since i have had him, i have always had my own place (apartment or home) and he has had plenty of room to play. He also used to escape the house on a regular basis but would always return (happier than ever to be outside). I just moved into a new house with some people. I actually live in a room that is seperate from the house. My roomates are allergic to cats so i have been forced to keep Payton in my room..which is 11'x17'..so its a decent size. I hate it for him..he seems ok but it has only been a few days. What are your thoughts on this? I hate to have him in that one area..because im sure he would prefer to have more room...and a cat living in that one room all the time can get..well..stinky. My only options are to either find him another home (which i would hate to do..i love that little guy) or begin allowing him outside like and outdoor/indoor cat. The only problem with that is he would have no way of coming in and out on his own...and im afraid he would bring flea's and stuff in..not to mention dangers of outdoors Any advice?? Do you think he will be fine in that one area (based on size of room..again 11ft X 17ft. Im kinda stuck...thanks!!!

ANSWER: Murphy,

It's fairly obvious to me that you love Payton very much and want to do the best thing for him. I too have lived in roommate situations where my roommates didn't want to allow my cats free run of the household for one reason or another. In fact I have lived in a somewhat smaller room than your 11x17 foot room with 3 cats. To be completely honest I think that so long as you provide opportunities for Payton to get adequate stimulation and exercise all should be well with him. If Payton seems bored you could try picking up videos from a DVD series called Cat Sitter DVDs, these videos are great, they provide the cats with appealing images of prey animals and some even have scenes that the production company calls "digital catnip" which is essentially computer animated bugs that flit across various backgrounds. To my knowledge there are only 3 videos in the series and my cats have really enjoyed all of them. Things like kitty teases, various styles of catnip filled toys and tiny mice will provide an outlet for the natural hunting, stalking and prey related instincts. So long as Payton gets the proper exercise and stimulation through interactive and independant play I think that things should be okay for quite awhile. Be sure to keep an eye on Payton's behavior and demeanor as this will give you the best possible indicator of how he's doing - after all you have the best insight into his personality and what's normal for him behavior wise.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much! That is great advice. I had been thinking about getting him some fun little toys to play with. What do you think about the idea of letting him outside when i go to work (around 8am) and letting him back in when i get home (6pm)?? I know he would enjoy going out. And maybe if i left water outside..but food inside, he would be more inclined to come home (him returning has never been an issue) I would of course get the appropriate shots and flea meds. I live in a nice neighborhood and my neighbors have an outside cat. If so..how long should i keep him in my new place before letting him explore outside (if of course you think it is an ok idea)

Answer
Murphy,

It's important to know that letting a cat outdoors for extended periods of time without anyone to let them in case the weather is inclement or provide immediate care in the event that they are hit by a car is risky. Indoor cats have far longer life spans as well as a reduced risk of becoming the victim of animal cruelty or even being accidentally or purposely poisoned with substances ranging from rodenticide to antifreeze. If you think that Payton would enjoy being allowed to go outdoors you could consider gradually training him to accept a harness and light leash and either have a bonded, insured pet sitter or a friend with some spare time come over and take him outside on nice days to bask in the noon sun on the grass in the yard or you could make a routine of taking him outside yourself after work. My oldest cat loves to go outside on a harness and leash to roll in the grass and watch the birds fly by, but if you do opt to try this with Payton patience is key. If you try to force your cat to accept the harness and lead he may become fearful of them. An important difference between having a leash trained dog and a cat that is comfortable with walking on a leash is that you can easily train dogs to heel on command and it's possible, however this isn't the behavior to expect from most cats. As the old saying goes, dogs have masters, cats have staff, so if you do decide to try leash training Payton he will be the one walking you. There are a few advantages to taking Payton (or any other cat) outside. Firstly you are there to supervise and you know what Payton has done and where he's been so he is less likely to be attacked by another cat, a dog or even wildlife like raccoons and fishers. The second advantage to being with your cat when he is outside is that you can pick up his waste if he decides to defecate in a neighbor's flower bed so your neighbors will likely be okay with his presence, after all some people will poison cats because they believe that's the only way to deter them from using their garden as a litter box. Thirdly your bird loving neighbors will appreciate that Payton is not killing off small song birds. Lastly you will know where Payton is at all times and you will be able to prevent him from fighting with or being beaten up by intact male cats within your neighborhood and this will also provide you with some degree of protection for Payton from serious viral and bacterial infections like FIV, feline leukemia, abscesses resulting from bite wounds, conjunctivitis which is a fancy word for contagious eye infection and various types of upper respiratory infections. These are all things to consider before allowing your much loved Payton to go outside on his own, after all, the world is far from perfect and there are a lot of potential dangers out there for a domestic house cat.