Vegas is an inside/outside cat. I’d say he spent an hour or two outside everyday. But after getting into a bad cat fight recently I need to keep him inside all the time now. It sucks because he doesn’t understand why he is being forced to stay inside.
It also sucks because he thinks I’m a tonta and just forgot how to let him out so he tries to remind me over and over and over and over in the morning and at night (his usual go outside times)… He meows at me > then at the door > then back at me > trying to get me to follow him to the door because I obviously didn’t understand…
A few people left me Instagram messages suggesting I get him a cat condo or different cat toys. And someone mentioned a cat game where they have to do something to get their food. Basically I need to entertain him and stimulate his lil cat brain.
Fantastic.
So the first thing I thought to do was… give him away.
Kidding!
I’m looking into all the suggestions on how to transition a cat that was used to going outdoors to being inside all the time. I found a few different things I’m going to try and I wanted to share a few of the suggestions too. I’ll let you know how it goes…
Gifts for Cats that are Retiring to Inside Living
1. Cat condo or Cat Tree
There are so many options for cat condos or cat playhouses! Some are super high end and expensive and others are small boxes for them to play and hide.
Initial thoughts: Given that Vegas did spend most of his day inside and just went outside to go to the bathroom and sit on the fence to watch people walk by with judge-y eyes… I don’t think he’d use it to climb/play. I might consider a lil cube box for cats though.
2. Cat grass
Is this some slang term for drugs I’m not familiar with?
Ha! Okay – I think this one is a good idea.
Initial thoughts – I think he’ll dig it.
Get it?
Scratch boards often come with cat nip too! He already has one of these and uses it.
Initial thoughts – Yes, have one and will keep buying them. (You have to get a new one when the part where they scratch is worn down.)
4. Cat games
Is this like reindeer games? Monopoly for cats?? Twister?
This is an Activity Center for Cats … yep. My first reaction is to think that’s a little unnecessary but he hasn’t been playing with the ipad I got him so maybe he wants something a little less techie?
Other cat toys I’m considering:
Cheese Chase – Round tube where a cat can ‘chase’ a lil mouse that moves around.
Laser pointer – Laser light he can chase when I play with him. We’ve had one before and he’ll play for a little while.
Treat puzzle – Small puzzle cats have to figure out to get treats out.
Initial thoughts: I like these but I’m not sure which one to get him…
You can check out all the Cat Games and Toys list here. Let me know if you and your pets use any of these and if you have ideas that work well.
My cat, Elgin, and his “sister” have been indoor outdoor cats since I’ve had them. Unlike Vegas, the doors open when I’m home and they can go in and out. If I’m leaving to run an errand… And sometimes if I’m gonna be gone all day… I would let them stay outside and they would be waiting by the door when I got home.
Elgin got sick about two months ago. He was down really sick for a week with a “fever of unknown origin” including two days in the hospital. He was recovering for a week. And now he’s back on his feet… But he’s much less interested in staying outside. He’ll go out and go potty, but he doesn’t much stay out and he certainly comes when I call. He seems skittish.
All to say that’s if you let Vegas out only while you’re there, maybe he’d stick closer
My cats get supervised yard time in the summer. In the winter they really enjoy these:
https://www.ebay.com/p/Kamp-H-Manufacturing-EZ-Mount-Window-Bed-Kitty-Sill-Green-27quot-X-11quot/25011368004
I was skeptical at first but I’ve had 2 for over a year now and they’ve stayed suctioned to the window! Gives them their own space to hang out and nap and depending on when you put them they have a view of what’s going on outside.
Good luck! Even in the winter my cats cry at the door.
My cat had something bad happen to him outside (either a bad scare or he ate something bad) and he was sick for a week then recovering for a week…and now he’s tentative about going outside. He used to go out and spend all day outside. Now he goes out (probably poops) and then comes back. It’s odd, he’s sorta transitioning himself.
What the hell was outside!?? And can I get whatever it was to come over here so Vegas doesn’t want to go outside?
I can’t believe I’m this far behind on reading my blogs! Anyhow, we just bought the Trixie Poker Box for our two cats and it is AMAZING! Not only is it great for the kitties, it is highly entertaining for us to watch them try and figure it out! I would definitely recommend the Trixie games. I’m seriously considering getting another!
As previous comments suggest, a window perch may be a good idea.
Do you have any way of fencing your backyard/balcony so he can be “outside” but not leave? I transitioned my cats from outdoor cats to indoor cats when they were 7, because I had to move to a different city and into an appartment on the 10th floor…
I made the balcony cat-safe by using a balcony cat-net (no idea what the official name is) and they were pretty happy with having the option to at least go out and get fresh air…
He can get out of the patio – but I’m going to look into ways I could lock him in. Thank you!
I don’t really have any advice but I rescued my kitty so she lived completely outside the first year of her life. I tried to make her completely just an inside cat and she was miserable. So, thankfully we now live in a house that has 6 foot cinder block walls so she uses a kitty door that only allows her out to our back yard and she doesn’t jump the fences. I hope Vegas chills out for you!
I saved my cat off Craigslist where a concerned citizen posted him after he roamed her neighborhood for weeks with no apparent owner. He’s declawed so he really shouldn’t be outside, and when I got him, it was a MISERABLE adjustment keeping him inside after he’d been able to roam outside for God knows how long. The good news? He eventually adjusted (after many sleepless nights for both of us). I’ve had him 3 years and he still looks outside all the time (I keep a chair by the window). It does make me a little sad, but it’s better than him being dead so there you go.
A window perch is a great suggestion, but you might want to also find a way to allow him to get even higher up. Cats like to survey things from above, which is why he probably likes hanging out on top of your fence. Yes, they make cat condos, but you can also buy (or DIY) shelves that allow them to move from perch to perch until they get to the highest point. Google “cat climbing shelves.”
When I had cats that were indoor/outdoor, even after they had gotten into fights pretty bad, since they weren’t afraid to venture back out – I let them out. I can understand wanting to keep him safe, though.
(Really enjoyed reading a blog-y blog again)
Take him out on a leash. My cats were indoor/outdoor and when we moved they became strictly indoor! I will let them out for about 5 to 10 minutes, but they come right back in after that.
How about a window seat so he can see outside and watch birds and such. Plus if it’s nice out you can open the window (with a screen of course). Even better if you can hang a bird feeder he will love that!
Some people I know swear by the Ripple Rug (google it). Plus tissue paper and just boxes and balls of tin foil to toss. The fishing rod things with feathers are fun too.
Cat nip and Feliway might help.
I just bought a ripple rug based on your comment. It’s a crazy price, but my cats are definitely going to love that thing! If only it was cute to look at. Thanks for adding it to the comments. I hope Vegas gets one too!
Doing the same thing with mine after 2 fights. The crying at the door kills me!
Alfred (my ninja cat) likes a good place to sit and look out the window. It’s kitty tv! He gets really excited when there’s birds out there.
My indoor cat loves her window perch – as someone else suggested, we have a bird feeder right near the window she sits in, and she loves watching the birds come and go. She also loves to bat around those little catnip mice toys, and my girls can usually get her play with her wand toy. Finally, maybe give the harness thing a try and see if he tolerates it – it took our cat a while, but my daughters have finally gotten her to the point where she will go out and chew the grass for a while on her harness (she is 12 and we didn’t introduce it until this summer, so you really can teach and old cat new tricks!). Good luck with the transition!
Vegas is so cute! One thing I would suggest is some perch to be able to look outside? I have mutiple areas set up for our tough little Southie cat to look outside, one overlooks the bird feeder, one gets great afternoon sun, etc. She even baits the squirrels who will occasionally jump up on the screen to taunt her!
Is it possible to take him outside on a leash or do you need to go cold turkey? I had a friend that had 3 Russian Blues and she walked them all of the time. Maybe walking outside will get his fix on without putting him in danger of getting attacked.
I believe “cat grass” is actually wheat grass…our cats enjoy it and they have always been inside cats. One thing you might look into if you have small window ledges is a window seat or pillow. It can be a small contraption that you put on the window ledge that extends so your cat can sit in the window 🙂 Or maybe just a small table…
I’m more of a dog person, but the photos in this post make me want a cat, haha. Vegas is cute. 🙂
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For someone who knows nothing about cats (*raises hand*), I thought this was an interesting post. His eyes in the first pictures are adorable!! I’ve never seen a cat smile in real life haha.
Some toys my cat has no interest in…like the one you put a treat in and they have to get it out. She just looks at it and then me, multiple times. She knows I’ll cave and get it out for her…
She does like the laser. She will chase that little light for a very long time. I can get her spinning in circles so fast and am amazed that she doesn’t fall over dizzy!
If possible, hang a bird feeder outside a window and put a perch inside for him to sit on.
Good luck!