Switching cats from indoor to outdoor

[HarperRose]

I'm not looking to debate, my mind is not necessarily made up, I am only investigating this as an option. I am aware of the dangers of having outside pets.

We'll be living in the country on 5 acres (hopefully, if this goes through) w/ several smaller outbuildings as well as a mudroom on the house. There are definitely shelters available for the cats.

My question is, does anyone have any experience with transitioning 2 cats from being mostly indoor (very occasional outdoor ventures and usually just to sit on the front porch and lounge) to being mostly outdoor? What can I expect? How should I go about it?

[nd_deadhead]

If your cats are happy being domestic, indoor cats, why do you want to put them outside?

The dangers of outside life are just as great in the country as in town, if not more so.

[Denvergirlie]

Originally Posted by HarperRose

My question is, does anyone have any experience with transitioning 2 cats from being mostly indoor (very occasional outdoor ventures and usually just to sit on the front porch and lounge) to being mostly outdoor? What can I expect? How should I go about it?

Go slow, leave the door proped open for a while so the cats can come and go as they please. And/ or install a cat/ dog door. My cats have access to the outside, but the back door is always propped open during the day. They really don't have anything that would attack them here in the city, but I still like to know that they can always run into the house should they get spooked or whatever. I do lock them in the house at night.

[Alyantavid]

Ours go in and out as they please (or as someone will open the door for them). Most nights they spend inside, eat inside and have a litter box.

[SevenVeils]

Originally Posted by nd_deadhead

If your cats are happy being domestic, indoor cats, why do you want to put them outside?

The dangers of outside life are just as great in the country as in town, if not more so.

:

5 acres is not nearly enough that your cats will not leave your property. Having lived on 5 acres with cats, I can guarantee this.

And, again, what is the point?

Also, something to consider is that after your cats eat the resident birds and lizards and shrews, you will have many more insects and mice to contend with. And no pretty bird songs in the morning.

[Nicole915]

Of course, having your cats indoors will be safest, but since your question isn't about that, here are some situations to expect, based on the assumption that your cats are neutered/spayed and have in tact claws:

Elimination issues - Sometimes cats will become litter box averse when they have access to going to the bathroom outdoors. This means that if you move back into a home where they must be indoors, you may have issues with inappropriate elimination.

Cat Fights - Cats can be rather territorial, and there are probably cats in the area who think that 5 acres belong to them. Cat fights can be nasty, ending in abscesses and expensive trips to the vet.

Consuming undesired items - One of the reasons that the average lifespan of an outdoor cat is 4-5 years, is that they can eat whatever they find. Many farmers poison rodents, and when these rodents are impaired, they make easy prey for cats. If the mouse eats decon, and the cat eats the mouse... the cat will get very ill. Sadly most don't make it, but sometimes you'll end up with just an expensive stay in the hospital.

Grooming - Cats are generally fastidious, but you may find that they bring in dirt and burrs in their fur.

Food/Water access - The cats will require both indoor and outdoor access to fresh food and water. This means you may end up feeding the local mouse, raccoon, etc. populations. If you live somewhere the weather goes below freezing, you will have to invest in either a heated water bowl or be willing to change the water as often as every 2-3 hours.

Flea /Parasite protection - Outdoor cats are more likely to be a disease vector, so you will need to have them checked for parasites much more often than an indoor cat. Every 3 months, your vet will check their fecal matter for worms, their ears for mites, their skin for grubs and fleas. You will continue to use the once monthly flea prevention, so that they don't bring fleas into your home, but you may need to start it a little sooner in the spring if you're not on a year round program.

Bleh, more to write, but have to get back to work.

[HarperRose]

Originally Posted by Denvergirlie

Go slow, leave the door proped open for a while so the cats can come and go as they please. And/ or install a cat/ dog door. My cats have access to the outside, but the back door is always propped open during the day. They really don't have anything that would attack them here in the city, but I still like to know that they can always run into the house should they get spooked or whatever. I do lock them in the house at night.

I can't leave our apt door propped or the baby would escape and run right to the parking lot. But in the country that would definitely be an option because the property we're looking at is fenced close to the house AND it's not hellaciously hot like it is here so the kids & I can be outside much more!

I'd be able to leave the mudroom door open all day long for the cats and then at night shut them in.

Originally Posted by Alyantavid

Ours go in and out as they please (or as someone will open the door for them). Most nights they spend inside, eat inside and have a litter box.

This is what I would do for ours. Outside a lot, but put them in at night.

Originally Posted by Nicole915

Of course, having your cats indoors will be safest, but since your question isn't about that, here are some situations to expect, based on the assumption that your cats are neutered/spayed and have in tact claws:

Elimination issues - Sometimes cats will become litter box averse when they have access to going to the bathroom outdoors. This means that if you move back into a home where they must be indoors, you may have issues with inappropriate elimination.

Definitely neutered and definitely intact claws!

I WANT them to go outside. That's a big reason why I'm even contemplating this. They pee everywhere inside and I just can not make it stop! They've always had an issue w/ peeing in the laundry instead of their litter boxes. :

Cat Fights - ...
Consuming undesired items ...

Ah, yes.... I'm reminded of when my first cat was solely outdoor. She ate a poisoned mouse.

Food/Water access

I hadn't thought of this, but that's a good point. I intended to leave the mudroom open for them to come and go as they please. At night they would come in. Their food/water would be in the mudroom.

Flea /Parasite protection

Good to know. Thank you!

Bleh, more to write, but have to get back to work.

Much appreciated!

[mommariffic]

We moved from an urban area [New York] to New Jersey on 30 acres and all our cats are inside/out. I've never had a problem with any of them wandering away, in fact they have their little areas which are near the pond and in the back. ALL my cats will not go close to the road, and prefer to just climb trees and catch mice outside.

They come in to nap, play, snuggle, eat, etc. They are not allowed out at night, and they are always so close to home I can walk outside, call them, and they come back.

I had no problems letting them out when we moved, and I am glad I did because they love being outdoors. We have a family that lives in a cabin in the back and their cats have befriended my cats so they play - I'm sure this wouldn't be the case with everyone, but I don't regret it!

[SammysMama]

Food/Water access - The cats will require both indoor and outdoor access to fresh food and water. This means you may end up feeding the local mouse, raccoon, etc. populations. If you live somewhere the weather goes below freezing, you will have to invest in either a heated water bowl or be willing to change the water as often as every 2-3 hours.

Originally Posted by HarperRose

I hadn't thought of this, but that's a good point. I intended to leave the mudroom open for them to come and go as they please. At night they would come in. Their food/water would be in the mudroom.

I don't recommend leaving cat food out or allowing free access to food near your house. No one wants a skunk, possum or feral cat in their mudroom.

Instead, I highly recommend feeding in a closed indoor space, a set amount and on a schedule. This is what I use for my cat and I never have an issue calling her in at night, I just call her for dinner and she comes running - she LOVES her food.

Good luck, sounds like you have a wonderful adventure to look forward to.

[angie7]

Originally Posted by SammysMama

I don't recommend leaving cat food out or allowing free access to food near your house. No one wants a skunk, possum or feral cat in their mudroom.

Instead, I highly recommend feeding in a closed indoor space, a set amount and on a schedule. This is what I use for my cat and I never have an issue calling her in at night, I just call her for dinner and she comes running - she LOVES her food.

I completely agree. We currently live in the city now but are moving in the next month or so to our newly renovated house on 9 acres. We have 2 cats, one is inside, the other outside. The inside cat is a 12 week old kitten we got for our twins and the outside kitty wandered up to out house about 3 years ago and isn't exactly the most kid friendly cat and she isn't crazy about dogs either so she stays in our basement during the week and we let her out on the weekends (traffic is not as bad then)

She has never wandered off and pretty much stays around our house. When we move, we plan to keep her in the garage. The garage door has a small kitty door so she can come and go as she pleases but we will probably block it at nite to keep racoons and things from getting in and her getting out and getting herself killed. I don't think we will let our kitten go outside at all and will keep him as an inside kitty but we will see.

Your cats may adapt to it fairly quickly. Also if you are scared of them getting killed or wandering off, you could build a cat porch and keep them enclosed but still enjoy the outside air. I'm thinking of doing this with our indoor kitty.

[HarperRose]

Originally Posted by angie7

Also if you are scared of them getting killed or wandering off, you could build a cat porch and keep them enclosed but still enjoy the outside air. I'm thinking of doing this with our indoor kitty.

I like this idea a A LOT.

We found a property we like even better, too. 24 acres w/ a barn and chicken coop. Not that they'll stay around there, but who knows...

As it is now, they don't wander off. I could make the chicken coop into a cat coop!

And I think the idea of a specific schedule for feeding would be brilliant.

[Nicole915]

Before deciding to only feed indoors, you will want to check your local animal protection ordinances. Many require that an animal have access to fresh food and water, the absence of them qualifies as abuse here where I live.

[earthmama369]

After we moved to the suburbs (residential cul-de-sac versus our former 2nd floor apartment on a busy road), we transitioned our cats to being mostly outdoor cats. Two of them had been outdoor cats before, one hadn't. We started slow, by letting them out when they asked and hanging out with them in the yard until they wanted to come in again. They had been begging to go out for a long time, so it didn't take long until they were confident in being outside by themselves for the better part of the day. I made sure one of us was around for the first month they were outside to keep an eye on things. We keep food and water available on the back door step all the time and put out a can of squishy food once a day. I aim for the same time every day so I get a guaranteed "check in."

We only have one cat now, but two of our rescue cats lived to be 12 and the other is almost 14 and still incredibly healthy and active. He really thrives on being an indoor/outdoor cat. He was always the most territorial cat of the three, very much an alpha male, but that hasn't been a problem here. He established our yard as his with one of the neighbor cats in a hissing match, which we broke up, and that's been it. We make sure he stays up on his shots and try to bring him inside at night, though he does have a shelter outside as well.

We live in an area where there haven't been any signs of predators for some years, and that really makes a difference. We have raccoons and possums, who share the cat food when they find it (along with one feisty bluejay), but they stay away from the cat and we don't mind sharing a little food once in a while. My parents have coyotes on their land and any small pet that spends time outside is at risk. It's a good idea to get to know your land and the surrounding area with an eye toward your pet's safety and well being before deciding to transition them to outdoor life.

[HarperRose]

Originally Posted by earthmama369

It's a good idea to get to know your land and the surrounding area with an eye toward your pet's safety and well being before deciding to transition them to outdoor life.

Your whole post was quite helpful, but especially this part. Thank you!

As it stands right now: We'll be on my parents property which is adjacent to about 30+ acres of mountainside belonging to the neighbors on either side. (We've had a lot of hiccups in this moving venture.)

I'm unsure of the wildlife in the area, but I know that big cats and possibly bears are a danger.

I think things will be easier if the place we live in is bigger (it's 5 ppl and 2 cats in a small 2 br apt!) and if they get used to country living slowly. I definitely want to bring them inside at night. I just would like it if they felt comfortable hanging around outside for the majority of the day.

I'm just sick of them peeing in the laundry. It's really aggravating.

Maybe w/ bigger space and freedom outside they'll quit peeing on the clothes. :

[Purple*Lotus]

Originally Posted by HarperRose

Maybe w/ bigger space and freedom outside they'll quit peeing on the clothes. :

Do you leave clean laundry out? My cats will pee in the basket of freshly folded clothes too, so I put them away ASAP afterwards and they haven't peed on anything else. Maybe it is a clean clothes thing.

[HarperRose]

Originally Posted by Bunnyflakes

Do you leave clean laundry out? My cats will pee in the basket of freshly folded clothes too, so I put them away ASAP afterwards and they haven't peed on anything else. Maybe it is a clean clothes thing.

Clean or dirty, they don't discriminate.

They also pee on the bathmat if left out after the kids shower, or the towels if the kids leave them on the floor too long. Or our gym bags. Empty gym bags, I might add. A backpack that has held school books. My daughter's pillows and blankets. Her clothes.

[kittywitty]

What about fencing an area off with cat fencing? That way they can go outside without as much risk? Having lived in the country with cats I will say that indoor cats don't transition well (I've had over 50 cats in my life, so this is from experience) to outdoors and do NOT live as long or happily outside. Maybe some do that were outdoor cats to start, but none of mine ever have.

[Sailor]

Most indoor cats, as the pp said, don't transition well. In all likelihood, they'll get killed by something. It's different with cats when they're outdoor from the beginning or if they're indoor/outdoor from the beginning.

But, a cat that was raised, from birth, to be an indoor cat ... the transition is likely to result in death. Either by wild animal or other accident. It's like a zoo animal that you put into the wild and expect them to fend for themselves - except for night time. They're not going to last long. It's the same with indoor cats - they're totally unused to the outside environment.

I also know this from experience, unfortunately.

[HarperRose]

Well, one of these guys was a feral cat and he definitely has a desire to go outside and stay out for longer than his buddy. In fact, he has hunted and tried to bring his kill in the house. (Getting a dove and a sparrow out of my house was not what I would call a pleasant experience!) He would definitely enjoy it, but I think would also have a fine time coming inside.

The other cat was indoor/outdoor from birth but has shown a preference for indoor. The most outdoor he does is sit on the porch.

Would I be able to keep them indoor/outdoor with them going to the bathroom outside most of the time?

[kittywitty]

Cats don't train like dogs do. They will use the bathroom where they want to. You can try and get them to go outside, but if they are used to litter boxes, good luck. Ours always came inside to do their business.