we are having a tough time with stubby this week

Since the weather got nice she has been asking to go out, we have allowed her to go out for a hour in the morning and usually a hour at night. Every morning though she bugs us to let her from 5AM until we get up at 6:45 to let her out because I don't want to keep her outside for more then a hour. I mean she HARASSES us screaming, pouncing on us, etc.

I keep saying to DH she was a stray living outdoors for two years she doesn't like to be stuck inside all the time. I think we have to commit to indoor cat or something where she can go in and out and she pleases. We thought about putting a cat door and enclosure but DH said he thinks it might be silly to have a caged cat (even though I would make it a decent size) and it would be a compromise for both of us and the cat.

I dunno what to do - we can't keep having her annoy us every morning to go out, are we mean keeping her indoors all the time and have to deal with her freaking out on us for maybe a week until she realizes she is not allowed outside?

What would you do??? HELP!!!

Re: we are having a tough time with stubby this week

if you are okay with the cat door, why not get an automatic cat door? we have one for our dog & i know they make them small enough for cats

basically, the cat wears a collar & when he/she gets within a certain range of the door, it opens up & shuts right behind him/her... there are controls for everything -- so you can control the range & turn it on or off

its the best thing we ever bought for hershey!

Re: we are having a tough time with stubby this week

i also wanted to add that i dont think its mean to make her an indoor cat... i think you are going to have one hell of a time dealing with her until she realizes shes not allowed outside anymore lol but it can be done!!

Re: we are having a tough time with stubby this week

I wish i had a true fence all around the yard because i would get this then:

cat fence

Message edited 3/11/2010 2:41:31 PM.

Re: we are having a tough time with stubby this week

I would definitely get a cat door, no enclosure.

Re: we are having a tough time with stubby this week

what's an enclosure? i mean, how do you prevent the cat from climbing the fence?

have you talked to your vet about it? or even a cat specialist at the ASPCA or Humane Society. maybe they can give you some advice

Re: we are having a tough time with stubby this week

some cats are just meant to be outdoors for most of their day....

Re: we are having a tough time with stubby this week

we let her out today, she screamed and ran inside LoL

Re: we are having a tough time with stubby this week

Pokey does that...usually b/c he finished his food and wants more (he likes the bowl to be full...even if he isn't hungry)

I started closing the bedroom door...he learned

Re: we are having a tough time with stubby this week

My outdoor cat became an indoor cat when I moved into my co-op. He was feral, but adopted me when he was 6 weeks old.
I had a hard time training him to stay inside, but just stuck to my guns and didn't let him out.
Once I moved, he had no desire to go outside, was content to look out he window. Maybe because I moved to the second floor from the first ?

Just decide what you want to do, and stick with it. Honestly, I felt better keeping the cat inside - didn't have to worry about rabies shots and whoever and whatever could hurt him. (my cat had his pelvis fractured at age 3 by someone who kicked him, and was bitten in the face by another cat during a fight when he was 8). I also didn't have to deal with the 'gifts' he would bring me - field mice, birds, garter snakes.