How do I introduce a cranky indoor cat to the outdoors?

I have 2 cats, one is 2 years the other 6 months. My older cat has always been kept indoors because I previously lived in an apartment (now have a house). A friend found the other cat 2 months ago living in the forest and she was malnourished and very wild (she has made amazing progress) and loves going outside. I have been trying to introduce the older cat to the outdoors so I could eliminate the need for a litter box since the other cat goes outdoors but every attempt I have made has ended in failure. When I try to bring her outside she fights me tooth and nail (usually a mellow cat). I have been keeping her on a leash until she is familiar with the outside but she does nothing but try and attack it and hisses when anyone comes near her. I have tried allowing her outside w/o the leash but she ran away and we couldn't find her for 3 days (I don't have a fenced yard). Should I keep trying her on the leash or give up? I have tried at least once a day for a month now and would love help

How do I introduce a cranky indoor cat to the outdoors?
A boot should work nicely. :)
Reply:if you walk out with some treats she likes might follow you outside then sit out there for a while feeding
Reply:put on steel toed boots open door pick cat up by back insert foot shut door
Reply:I think you have have to go with the old adage..





A cat always lands on its feet.


A peice of bread with butter always falls face down.





So strap 3 peices of buttered bread to the kitty, butter face up on the back. Throw it out a second story window. Butter wins it stays inside. Cat wins its definately an outside cat. If it comes back.
Reply:If the cat doesn't want to go outdoors, I wouldn't make it. And if this cat is this adamant about not going outdoors, I seriously doubt she will ever want to do her business outside.





I've had indoor/outdoor cats with either preference, one would only use the catbox, would wait to come IN to use it. Now I've got one that HATES the catbox, and will 'hold it' for 12 or more hours til I get home and let him out. He still has an 'emergency catbox' and knows where it is, but hasn't used it since he recovered from an injury a few months ago. Frankly, I'd rather he used the catbox than my flower beds...
Reply:Outdoor cats become feral, run away, %26amp; get killed... simple as that.





You absolutely cannot "train" your cat to be an outside cat if it's lived its life as an indoor cat.





Is cleaning a litter box really that big of a hassle that you would risk its life?





Please rethink this for your cats sake.
Reply:You might be very surprised what wild critters are outside that house of yours! Isolated meaning rural? You can bet there are wild critters.


Anyhoo since you have no neighbors for your cat to use there garden/flower beds for cat boxes just start putting her food out there with the door wide open.


If it is freezing and snowing like it is here do you blame the cat for not wanting to go outside?


Build on a porch, or even a inside porch or sun room with a cat door?


Though remember letting a cat like this outside might mean you are going to loose that cat. He/she might just find that neighbor you do not know about who will let your cat inside.
Reply:Oh, poor old thing, she doesn't want to!! Don't make her - is a litter box that bad? I have one in my house.


One solution I suppose would be to have a cat enclosure built on your house with catflap access to allow the indoor cat to go out but still feel protected, and still be able to go back inside when she wants. I have one of those too.
Reply:Try putting her on a leash inside the house, then put her inside of a cat carrier and bring her outside each day for 10-15 minutes. Don't let her out of the carrier immediatly, but allow her to calm down a little. Give her some cat treats inside the crate prior to opening the crate door...make sure to grab her leash and allow her to come out of the crate while you sit down. Get her used to being outside with you daily, you can also start putting her litterbox outside so she has something familiar to associate with home when she's outside. Eventually there's only one way to find out if she will return home to you off the leash....get her microchipped and if she were to get lost, hopefully they can recover her without any injury.





Good luck. I don't own cats, but my mother does. I'm a dog person....currently owned by 4 Siberian Huskies, cats would be snacks in my house.
Reply:The outdoors is an unknown territory for your cat and they resist that. It's probably terrifying for her to go outside. I'd just let her stay indoors if she prefers that. She feels safe and comfortable there.
Reply:Try playing some bird sounds outside, but next to where you want her to exit. I know cats like to watch and chase birds so maybe the sounds will stimulate her.
Reply:give up your just making her scared she obviously feels happy and secure indoors why make her go out? is cleaning out a litter box really that bad? plus out door cats get sick more often then indoor cats, theres a higher risk of a dog or wild animal getting ahold oh her, and next time she goes out she might not come back.
Reply:Sounds like you need the "Cat Whisperer".
Reply:Don't make her/him do it. Actually, I am a great believer in keeping cats inside -- they live longer, healthier lives and their health is at way less risk. Is a litter box that big a deal? I have four inside cats and five littler boxes that I clean daily. It's part of the deal if you want cats!





Also, I really think if you could train your older baby to go outside, it wouldn't be a full time thing anyway -- do you plan on leaving them outside at night? Sounds dangerous --- but if they have to go potty at three a.m. they won't hold it until you wake up -- you will need an inside box (or two) regardless.
Reply:You should give up. You shouldn't force her to go outside into a strange environment when she has NEVER been outside before. She wouldn't know how to defend herself if she came in contact with another animal and she could possibly get lost. Domesticated cats should be kept indoors!
Reply:This is not really an answer to your question. It's some facts about outdoor cats, fed periodically from nearby houses. There are some woods in the Bronx NY. Where a clutch of cats (about 12 at one time, now down to 5-6) live all the time.


The crowd has been there at least ten yrs, maybe twice that time. The "head" of the crowd is a house-grown cat (who loves to be petted, cant get enough) who took over when she had a lot of offspring, and ousted the previous queen. Another cat was born there 3 yrs ago with 2 twins. I think its male, its very vigorous and independent. It became assistant to the departing queen, and moved across the road with her. He remembers me from the day of birth (approx.) when he ventured off from his twins and "circled" me. And then they used to rush me when I started serving milk. So when he became a recluse across the road (after the queen completely disappeared, but didn't want him with her anymore) I brought him back to share the meals. But he never fits in anymore. They are all (haha) scared of him. Often when he just walks in, suddenly they start running away, and he just "looks around," as if he's puzzled. But he does give the house-grown cat a hard time. But not viciously I don't think. Anyway, that's a little narration here, that might be interesting. It is to me anyway. Ta
Reply:DONT!! Kepp the bloody thing INDOORS!!
Reply:http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?ac...
Reply:If your cat does not want to go outside...why force it. Cats live longer healtier lives as indoor pets. If you are forcing your cat to be unhappy, and unsafe outdoors just so you don't have to clean a litter box, maybe you should re-think even owning cats in the first place.