Agrophobic Cat

[Fantasia]

Hi everybody.

I rescued a cat off the side of the road about 6 weeks ago. As far as I can tell the poor baby was dumped. She was living under a hedge on a back country road. I picked her up, covered with fleas and as skinny as a rake and bought her home (via the vet for a checkup, deflea and worm!)

She has not once tried to run away and I'm pleased to say doing very well having put on weight and is just a smoochy cuddly thing. How anybody gave her up I will never know.

However, she doesn't seem to want to go outside at all. I can understand she is somewhat reluctant given her forced episode of survial. If you take her put, sometimes she will go exploring and seems to quite enjoy herself. But will not take the first steps to get out there herself. I've got her on a couple of Bach rememdies to assist and they seemed to help. But I still have to carry her out the door to make her go outside.

Does anyone have any other ideas????? She's accepted the dog, hisses at my (very) large tabby boy but other than that is affectionate, eating well and doing fantastic.

 

[Miniv]

Something tells me she was a 100% Indoor Kitty until she was dumped.

Since she trusts YOU, she's willing to check things out WITH you.

 

[mininik]

Why does she HAVE to go out? Given what she's been through, her obvious desire to stay indoors, and the safety of being an exclusively indoor cat, why is it so important she go outside at all?

 

[Fantasia]

Why does she HAVE to go out? Given what she's been through, her obvious desire to stay indoors, and the safety of being an exclusively indoor cat, why is it so important she go outside at all?

I suppose some of my own prejudice comes into it - I have always thought the absolute captivity of domestic cats as cruel. They are "supposed" to be outside sleeping in the sun, chasing insects, climbing trees etc etc.

Never really thought of anyone in NZ, particulary where I found her, as keeping a cat inside solely.

We have about 100 acres at the back door - it's all I can do to get tabby boy inside some nights!

Maybe I just need to give her more time.

 

[Minimor]

when kitty so obviously wants to stay inside, I wouldn't worry about making her go outside. You're not keeping her inside--she is choosing to stay inside--so I would say that it's more cruel to force her to go out than it is to let her stay in!

 

[Bunnylady]

I suppose some of my own prejudice comes into it - I have always thought the absolute captivity of domestic cats as cruel. They are "supposed" to be outside sleeping in the sun, chasing insects, climbing trees etc etc.

I suppose this is an example of cruelty being in the eye of the beholder.

I don't suppose you have wild canines in NZ, other than maybe feral dogs, do you? In many parts of the US, any cat that is out of doors has to stay hyper-alert, or it will become coyote food in short order. Outdoor cats are exposed to many more hazards, from parasites and diseases to cars. At our previous home, our next-door neighbor's daughter had outdoor cats. I can't even remember how many she went through during the years we lived there, but most of them died on the road in front of our houses - and this in a residential neighborhood!

A cat is a predator, but a small one, and it is vulnerable to many things, including tougher specimens of its own kind. A cat instinctively knows this. Every indoor/outdoor cat that I have ever owned has been a very different animal when out of doors. I have even had a couple that were unapproachable outside. They were lap cats when indoors, but I guess I was just too big and scary when they were in thier "in the Wild" mode.

If you really have so much space, and it is as safe as you think it is, I can understand why you'd see it as one huge kitty playground. But if this girl was an indoor cat (you know, she may have come from a long ways away from where you found her!) I can understand why she would be afraid. Her nerves are screaming at her about all the beastly beasties that could be out there, and she just can't handle it! She obviously prefers safety to adventure - I say, unless it majorly inconviences you, let her do what makes her most comfortable. 6 weeks isn't a long time, she may change her mind with time.

Not that it has anything to do with this cat, but you do realize that domestic cats are a significant predator of native songbirds and other wildlife? There are some species that are now extinct because of cats that were introduced into ecosystems that didn't have a native predator like that. Is that perhaps a form of indirect cruelty?

 

[Mominis]

My cat doesn't go outside on his own either. He is a hot house flower. Now, he will go out and enjoy himself if he is taken out and supervised, but he certainly has no desire to do it on his own. When he is done with his outdoor adventures (usually less than 10 minutes), he comes to whoever is stnding out there with him and meows. He just isn't into the whole rugged outdoor cat thing.

 

[disneyhorse]

We live in an apartment, a small one-bedroom.

We have two cats that seem perfectly happy here. They do get to galloping around sometimes, but they are safe and clean. Nothing like a clean, shiny indoor cat.

I had always had indoor-outdoor cats and have decided that indoor-only cats are the way to go. Less parasites, dirt, cars, predators...

Andrea

 

[Miniv]

Why does she HAVE to go out? Given what she's been through, her obvious desire to stay indoors, and the safety of being an exclusively indoor cat, why is it so important she go outside at all?

I suppose some of my own prejudice comes into it - I have always thought the absolute captivity of domestic cats as cruel. They are "supposed" to be outside sleeping in the sun, chasing insects, climbing trees etc etc.

Never really thought of anyone in NZ, particulary where I found her, as keeping a cat inside solely.

We have about 100 acres at the back door - it's all I can do to get tabby boy inside some nights!

Maybe I just need to give her more time.

No judgment call here. People with pets in a city environment view things differently. Plus even in a semi-rural community, people are cautious with their kitties because of coyotes....

We have three cats who are indoor/outdoor but because we live with coyotes and great horned owls I make a nightly habit of making sure they are inside. We've tried to have "barn cats", but they always end up in the house at night! LOL!

 

[mininik]

I've lived in the city, on the outskirts of cities, and way out in the country miles from a big city. I've been around indoor cats, cats who prefered to spend some time outdoors and cats who stayed outdoors exclusively. I'm not making a judgement call, although I do believe it is safer for cats and wildlife for cats to be indoors only. I was only asking here why it's so important for THIS cat to be indoor/outdoor when it's obvious she has a preference to stay indoors due to her history.

 

[HGFarm]

Whether previously indoor or outdoor, I think your poor little rescue was so traumatized by life in general, that she does not care to repeat it again. She feels safe with you and in the house in a controlled environment for now. She sounds pretty young and I would give her some time, but she may never want to be outside much.

Give her time to grow up and get some of her confidence back- and THANK YOU for taking her in and taking care of her. Poor thing would not have lasted long out there.

We have coyotes, owls, hawks, etc... here too and I have some indoor kitties. They are quite happy and yes, do race through the house from time to time... they have a big cat condo and toys. They dont seem to care about going out at all and are quite spoiled!

 

[Fantasia]

She made a liar out of me last night - not only did she come outside by herself (while I'm trying to call tabby boy IN) but stayed outside for quite a while. I was worried as it was dark and I HATE the cats outside at night! Bless the biscuit bin rattle powers

Hasn't shown any inclination to go out again today so far.

Thank you all for your advise. I think I will just keep going as we are and if she wants to try the big outside again she will in time.

She's put weight on, plays with her ping pong ball and is always ready for a cuddle. She definately deserves a place in the this house. Despite the bully boy tabby she has to put up with!

 

[MinisOutWest]

I have 10 cats now/ all indoor at night and some outdoor during daylight, some want to go out and others we toss out and before we can shut the doors, they run back in. Do what your kitty wants. They know best and they will love you for it! Good Luck !

 

[Fantasia]

She decided to come out with me last night just on dusk - and promptly disappeared into the bushes and went on safari!!!! Popped out a few times to see where she was :

Deep in the undergrowth of the blackberries

Then up a tree which she was playing games with me, one minute coming down, then tearing back up!

And then she just disappeared!

Left her to it as she obviously wasn't in any mind to come inside. She can get into the house and the spare room and sure enough she was waiting this morning for her breakfast!

So maybe we are more of an outside at night kitty!!!! She seemed to be enjoying herself at any rate