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They sell outdoor cat tents - they aren't terribly large, but my cat really enjoys hanging outside in it for about an hour every day in the morning. It keeps them safe (in my area, there are large birds of prey). It pops open and folds down pretty easy and is make of a sturdy, soft mesh. I got mine off of Amazon while it was on sale (search "cat tent" - mine is one of the large, squared dome ones). It's just something else to consider.
That is such a stupid, stupid, stupid comment. (Note that I am not calling the POSTER stupid -- just his comment.)
Kitties can be very happy and healthy and SAFE as indoor kitties FOR LIFE. And strays who are adopted who USED to be outdoor kitties (often because they were ABANDONED) can become indoor kitties too, with a little bit of effort. One of the cats I adopted as an adult kitty, Quinn, clearly used to be an outdoor cat, but that is not an option in our house, and he is perfectly content to be inside, where he gets lots of food and water and hugs and cuddle time with his siblings.
I would think the god-awful photo of the "vet" with a bow through a neighbor's kitty's HEAD would be enough to make anyone think twice about saying how "cruel" it is to keep their kitty SAFE inside. That photo made me ill. On top of all the other dangers cats have to face outside, they ALSO have to face sociopaths who think it's perfectly fine to kill cats.
Agree, cats who go outside have much much shorter lives.
They sell outdoor cat tents - they aren't terribly large, but my cat really enjoys hanging outside in it for about an hour every day in the morning. It keeps them safe (in my area, there are large birds of prey). It pops open and folds down pretty easy and is make of a sturdy, soft mesh. I got mine off of Amazon while it was on sale (search "cat tent" - mine is one of the large, squared dome ones). It's just something else to consider.
I have always had a 'question' or concern about those type of tents ... since you have actual experience with them, may I ask you ... ?
Would they hold up to a larger animal, like a dog, jumping on top of them, or biting at the mesh?
IMHO That Catwalk system seems ridiculously expensive.
Tiger, 9 lbs, has demolished every type of [cheap] pop up kennel I've used.
Last edited by leanansidhex; 05-01-2015 at 04:35 PM..
Reason: add
I have always had a 'question' or concern about those type of tents ... since you have actual experience with them, may I ask you ... ?
Would they hold up to a larger animal, like a dog, jumping on top of them, or biting at the mesh?
IMHO That Catwalk system seems ridiculously expensive.
Tiger, 9 lbs, has demolished every type of [cheap] pop up kennel I've used.
They definitely wouldn't hold up. I looked into a lot of options for JJ, and that was one we considered but our backyard doesn't have a fence and that was my fear...if an animal wanted to get through that mesh to get to your cat, they'd have very little issue.
No, the one that I have would not work for a dog - I would even hesitate for a small dog, unless it was very well-behaved and did not "scratch" or bite at the mesh. And I do not have the extra "tube" attachments for my tent. I just use the tent itself and it works great for my cat! (both my cats when my Ash was still alive).
I have adopted 2 cats who were strays and neither kept it up more than 4 or 5 days. Of course, both wer "door watchers" always looking to get out - I had to be careful about coming in/going out for years.
I realize outdoor life is hazardous for cats, but I did see one episode of Jackson Galaxy's show where a Bengal kitty was trained to walk on a leash. Aren't supervised visits outside okay? I would think it a bit cruel to deny a cat freedom entirely.
Have you considered training her to walk on a leash? I know most people don't think that's an option, but most cats can in fact come to enjoy it very quickly...especially when they're kittens! Sometimes it's easier to train 'only when' instead of just 'no.' If she knows she will get a chance to go outside on a semi-regular basis, and she knows it ONLY happens when certain cues happen (like putting her harness on), she'll accept it more easily. That's what worked for my boy. He'll still cry on occasion if he hears people going in and out, but nothing like he used to. You can also consider a cat-safe enclosure to put out in the yard (basically, a big kennel- look up cat enclosures.) Then they can go out together and you'll know she's safe.
Otherwise, as others have said, distract her when she starts up the crying. Better yet, distract her BEFORE the crying starts so you aren't accidentally rewarding her for it. If you know she cries every time her buddy goes out, then have someone inside ready with treats or a toy. You can even teach her simple tricks like 'sit' so that she's concentrating on you instead of the dog.
I will say be careful that this doesn't progress to door dashing. Door dashing is the only thing I'd ever use 'punishment' for, simply because it can sooo dangerous for the cat. Neither of my current cats are door dashers, but I had one in the past. Combine door dashing with a mother with dementia, and it's a recipe for disaster. Now is a great time to teach her not to go near the door when you know you'll be going in and out...set up a zone around the door that you don't want her to cross. You can mark it with a piece of masking tape, and the goal is to train her not to go past that line. Teach her 'sit' (this is very easy...cats can learn tricks just like dogs!) Then, have her sit on or before that line. Anytime you see her over that line, even if you haven't told her to sit, calmly say 'no', pick her up, and move her. If you see her near the line but not crossing it, praise her and give her a treat. Clicker training will make this progress much faster. You can also put something in front of the door that isn't comfortable to walk on, like double sided tape or tinfoil. With established door dashers, it's the one case where I'll suggest a water pistol and some purposeful training sessions about why we never approach doors, but as she's young and doesn't have the habit yet it's not necessary.
Now, that makes sense to me. I don't mind litter boxes, but I thought it would be neat to ditch it and teach the cat to use the outside, so that's what I did. The cat loved it and even scratched on the door when it wanted out. Some breeds of cat, maybe it's the Bengal or the Savannah, don't take to litter boxes as well as other cats anyway, so it's probably easier to train them to go outside as kittens.
When I got my tiny rescue kitten (she was all of 6 weeks old) I knew I had a decision to make. I decided right then & there she would be an indoor-only cat. She doesn't know any different. She's 5.5 yrs old now, spoiled of course, and has the run of the house. I knew if she got a taste of being outside she would demand to go outside and I didn't want to start down that path
One benefit to her being an indoor-only cat (and the only pet) is that she doesn't get vaccinations. After all her kitten shots and then 1 yr boosters, I stopped having her vaccinated since she doesn't go out, is not around any other animal, and there's no need to continue putting those vaccines in her body. I feel it's much healthier for her that way. The only vaccine she gets is her rabies shot and only because it's the law and a vet requires it in order to treat her, in case she should bite one of them.
Our cats were always allowed out. Can't yours go out?
And, yes, we were in a busy city.
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Now, that makes sense to me. I don't mind litter boxes, but I thought it would be neat to ditch it and teach the cat to use the outside, so that's what I did. The cat loved it and even scratched on the door when it wanted out. Some breeds of cat, maybe it's the Bengal or the Savannah, don't take to litter boxes as well as other cats anyway, so it's probably easier to train them to go outside as kittens.
