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Junior Member
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Last Login: 7/29/2008 7:02:28 AM
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My husband and I rescued a Russian Blue-looking kitten in June of 2004. He was only maybe 4-5 months old. He was hovering in the corner of a car wash bay just bawling. My hubby owned a quick lube next to the car wash and fed, who we now call Sammy, hot dogs until I could come and check him out and take him to our home. At that time we had 2 other cats, one older female and a male Maine Coon of about the same age as the new kitty. Sammy and Harley hit it off immediately ... the older female cat, well that's another story, but she's old and likes to keep to herself. We have since added 3 more to our family ... 3 more female rescues. Everyone pretty much gets along except Sammy likes to yell and hit most of the other cats if they get too close or if he's mad ... like throwing a temper. He loves to sit in the windows and cry, very loudly I might add, if I'm outside. I've had him outside many times and he just loves it. I've been amazed that 4 of the 6 that have been outside stay near me and just roll around on the porch and will stay close by. But I've had to resort to the harness and lead for Sammy because every once in a while he'd dart around the house ... never away from us, just scary for me. So this past winter, spring and summer I've been taking him outside about once every 2 weeks in the winter/spring and about once a week in the summer. Here's the problem. He wants to be outside all the time now. He cries at the windows, at the doors, paws at the screen door trying to get out. I'm becoming convinced that he either 1/ wants to be outside full time or 2/ wants to be out of this house full of cats!!! Sammy is neutered and very healthy. I'm upset at his indoor behavior of crying and hitting my other "kids" when I won't let him out. (We only have feline kids, no humans allowed!) We've discussed outdoor fencing/enclosures, but haven't done anything like that yet. I really don't want to let him go or find him a new home with no cats. What insights does anyone have on this? I don't think he's happy inside my house and that tears me apart. Thanks in advance to all you cat lovers, like myself, out there!!!
Loving Momma to Pookie, Harley, Sammy, Trixie, Lady Bug and Mustang Sally
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Senior Member
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Last Login: Today @ 2:20:26 PM
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| Do you have an enclosed porch (or an area you could enclose with screens) to let him "outside"? I do this with my two Bombays who don't want to go completely out because of fear, but like hanging out on the patio.
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Forum Guru
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Supreme Being
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My Pea kitty wants to be outside when it's nice, and the more often she gets outside the more she wants to be outside, so when the weather is icky, whether its rain or snow or a storm I'll let her sniff the air, to see that she really doesn't want outside after all. Reasoning doesn't work with cats, they have to be shown a reason to not go outside.
My cats own my house they just permit me to live there. Only cat lovers know the luxury of fur-coated, musical hot water bottles that never go cold."
- Susanne Millen 
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Senior Member
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Last Login: 8/25/2008 6:55:44 PM
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| IMO cats are a lot safer inside then out. But if you can't keep him inside 100% of the time, then you have 2 choices: 1. Train him to a harness/leash and take him outside and supervise him. 2. Build or buy a cat enclosure where he's protected but can sit outside for awhile. At least either of the above would be supervised and not worrying about where he is or when he will be back.
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Forum Guru
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Senior Member
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I don't think his problem is the other cats. It seems to have a lot to do with boredom and curiosity. Try taking him out every other day. Walk him around the yard and let him play around for a while. Just satisfy if curiosity. He may just want to go outside more often. You could also take him outside every time you go outside. That way he's going out often but with supervision. Honey will cry when she's left inside and I'm outside. On really nice days she cries to go outside too. She also jumps at the door to see out the window! I've considered budging and letting her be an inside/outside cat, but have thought better of it. An outside enclosure would also be ideal for your cat. I've heard from many people that building one is a lot cheaper than buying one. All you need is some 2 by 4s and chicken wire. Make sure it doesn't have a bottom so that your cat can feel the grass. You could also make an area for your cat to go to the bathroom in the enclosure. Use sand or something like that and just scoop it and add sand when needed.
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Senior Member
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Last Login: 8/9/2008 2:25:54 PM
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Keeping him on a harness, leash is the next best thing to letting him run, which we know is really unsafe. Chances of him coming back is probably not good or getting hit. Sounds like what your doing is really all you can do. Or like someone mentioned, an enclosure of some sort outside or closed in porch.
Tiggerwiewel
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