Post-escape indoor cat guidance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our sweet indoor cat ran out a few days ago and we know he is close by (see him on front door cam).

I expect he is having a blast outside and want to prevent a future escape.
He was a rescue off the streets and does have outdoor experience (meaning, I would think he knows how to find food).
The adoption agency was insistent we keep him indoor (not sure why).
We have put water and food outside, along with his bed and other things he likes and have his hair on them.
But so far, he doesn’t come around when we call him or jingle his food bowl / treat bag. I go around at all different times: dawn, dusk, nighttime, etc. He’s on the front door cam shortly I go back inside.

Assuming we get him back inside, what is the best way to handle his return? I worry about ticks, worms, etc. A vet visit seems reasonable, don’t you think?
(That was lots of questions. Thank you for any ideas!)

Maybe because the life of an outdoor cat is generally 10% of the life of an indoor cat? Maybe because they are destructive to your neighbours and the local environment?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My indoor-raised cat got out one day and after that we had to let her out because she knew to dash between our legs when the door was opened. She started hunting but not eating her kill.

She did get fleas once. We had to bathe her in flea shampoo. She had all shots a cat could get at that tine.

Other than that we had no issue. She definitely wanted her wet catfood.

When the weather is bad call her in. Perhaps microchip her if you haven't already. Then if she wanders, you will hear about it and she won't end up lost in a shelter.

I expect she will return in bad weather. It's okay to have an indoor/outdoor cat. The agency just didn't want her having babies, going feral, or getting lost.

Actually cats are exposed to many hazards and diseases outside, as well as parasites. Indoor cats live 3-5 TIMES longer than outdoor cats, on average. Also, cat predation is the leading cause of death for birds, which are declining.

She will require stool analysis once she is returned.

Good luck to you.

[Anonymous]

My cat seems petrified outdoors.
Always trying to hide under a bush for protection. She resists going outdoors.

But I know this is lucky. My prior cat would run out, once without me even realizing he had escaped!

[Anonymous]

Unless you want to install a double entry with a walk-through vinyl strip curtain, like they do in zoos to prevent birds from getting out, you can't stop a cat from escaping your home if they really want to.

They will kill vulnerable birds, which is a problem. They might get into fights or get run over.

So you do your best. Don't feed your cat outdoors. If mosquitoes aren't too bad where you are, I agree you need to stay outside for a really long time, with their favorite treats, and call your cat. Feed, pet, croon, bathe cat in flea shampoo.

[Anonymous]

You can place a motion activated can of air spray by the front door so the cat hopefully learns to avoid the front door area. I'd place 2 or 3 cans.

Search Amazon for:
cat spray deterrent motion activated

When you come home, grab the spray water bottle that you keep outside and barely open the door. If you see the cat, spray the water. It only took my cat a week or two to stand way back when I was coming home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We adopted a cat or, rather, a cat adopted us, who had been living on the streets. We have given up on making him stay indoors. He goes to the door when he wants to be let out and knows our Ring doorbell will alert us when he wants to come in. If the weather is nice, he’ll stay out all day. If it’s cold or rainy, he wants to stay indoors.

It seems once they’ve had a taste of outdoor life, they have a hard time being indoor only and continue to do everything they can to dart out. If this means our cat has a shorter lifespan, so be it. I figure he’s fed, neutered, has shelter when he wants it and gets vet care so he’s better off than he was before we took him in.

Cats kill native bird populations, who are not wired to protect themselves against non-native predators. It's one thing to opt for a shorter lifespan for your pet, and it's quite another for you to be OK with your pet's destruction of bird populations.

I think that cats are about as “native” as a species can get around here. The birds they catch are slow, sick or weak.

[Anonymous]

I’ve read putting their litter out works better then food.