Outdoor Cat coming Inside

[dklass]

I am bringing my outdoor cat Jodie inside. He was 1 of 4. Two of them disappeared after a year and a half and I brought my little girl cat Mac in in November. I also have Joe who was my mother's cat until she passed away. Jodie has always come in at night and stay in out heated garage and he loves it there. My other two stay in the house all the time. Jodie loves to come in and out all thru the day, but then he's ready to go back outside. I've had him in for over a week now because something happened to his eye and I had to take him to the Vet. She said that another cat may have swatted at him and hurt it and he needed to stay in until it was better. I felt that since he has been in for awile he might as well stay in. It's safer for him and I don't want anything to happen to him. He still cries and looks out the window and then goes from one door to the other to get out. My husband went out one night and Jodie was out of the door so fast and he couldm't get him back in. When I came home Jodie was waiting at the door and was ready to come in for the night. I've tried to get him to stay in the house instead of the garage during the day, but he only wants to be in for a little while. He gets along just fine with his sister Mac and also with Joe, but I feel so bad when he walks around crying. The first cold night of the year I put him in the sunroom and the next morning I found that he had destroyed it. He ate the blinds, clawed up the carpet by the door and a few other things. Am I being cruel by forcing him to stay in? Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do? PLEASE HELP!!!

[Traci]

Is he neutered?

[dklass]

My cat is neutered.

[CatNap]

I don't think its cruel to keep them indoors by any means! You are doing the best for them by keeping them safely indoors. We have several neighborhood cats that look like they have really hard lives. One cat's eye is missing, its very sad. I have 5 cats and they have never seen the outside world since I have had them. I think after a while they just get used to being inside, although it might take a while. Good luck to you and remember, you are doing whats best for them!

[Bluburd]

I went thru' the same thing with a few of my cats, too. After about a week, the two females stopped their hissy fits, but it took Fred, the only male, a bit longer. Actually, he still looks yearningly out the window, but when he goes to the door and the hot air hits him, it's back to the cool in the bedroom!



(all are spayed/neutered, too)