Conference misery::feline_v1

    Uh-oh - the hottest topic in the conference rears its head again!
    
    You might find some helpful hints in notes 8, 225, or 257, which
    discuss (!) indoor vs. outdoor; or perhaps in 366 (cat doors). For
    the specific problem of the Escape Artist, I don't know that there
    are any 100% solutions, but some people have posted highly entertaining
    descriptions of the fancy footwork required to keep the cats from
    making a break for the door. (Mine are pretty good - if I stamp
    and holler "NO!" they turn away as if they didn't want to go out
    anyway.)

    -b

    The best solution that I can offer only works if you don't want
    her to go out at all (as in ever again).
    
    I don't know that there is a solution for having her in sometimes
    and out sometimes.  She will be the one who wants to dictate which
    side of the door she is on.  And it is true that once she finds
    new things to do outside, she will be less dependent on you for
    entertainment and such.
    
    Anyway... this method has cured even a determined Birman in heat
    from trying to make it out the front door.
    
    Tools needed - a garden hose hooked up with the water running.
                 - you
                 - the cat
    
    scenario... you stand outside the front door with the hose running
    and when the cat comes towards the foor, you spray them with the
    hose and say "NO!".  _Most_ cats will then retreat into the house
    to try to build up there courage for another escape attempt.  You
    can use this time to water your lawn, or shrubbery that is near
    the front door.  Don't wander too far since you have to be there
    and ready when the next attempt occurs.
    
    My cats require an annual "booster shot" in order to keep them 
    protected against the urge to shoot out the door.  I just go through
    the same procedure again.
    
    Good luck to you, I hope the two of you reach a happy medium.
    
    Jo Ann
    
    PS - it is my feeling that after a while of exploring the great
    outdoors she will probably get used to her surroundings and it won't
    be so important to be outside all the time.  She will once again
    become her loving, affectionate self again.  Just to make this clear,
    I don't want to get into a debate about whether or not cats should
    be allowed to go outside.  We all do what we have to do when it
    comes to our babies. 8^)
    
    
    

    Actually, the garden hose is a bit of overkill. What you might
    try that is almost as effective is a spray bottle. Keep it near
    the door, so that when Fudge is wanting to go out, have yourself
    a giggle by zapping her with a shot from the bottle.
    
    If you find that this isn't a good enough deterrent, put a teaspoon or
    two of ammonia in the bottle when you fill it. A cup of vinegar will
    also do the trick. You could also try what works for my girls. Use a
    leash until the cat realizes you think you're the boss. After Fudge
    is leash trained, you can try voice training her, the first command
    to learn being GET IN THE HOUSE.
    
    If you are sometimes going to let the cat run, and not other times, the
    kitty will get a complex. I'm for keeping cats indoors, though, and
    can't really consider what it would be like to let my cats run free
    without supervision. That is something you'll have to try on for
    yourself. 
    
    Good luck.
    
    Jack

      Oh, i certainly wouldn't use ammonia! Wouldn't that blind them?!
    Or make cleaning their fur a real problem?
      When I moved from the "city", to a house in the country, my tabby
    absolutley had to go out. He has been the most incredibly well-
    behaved cat. He catches mice, moles, chases dogs and kids, goes
    on "hikes" with me, and never goes near the road or strangers. He
    is so much happier now, it's amazing. 
      Give it a try, you may find a more peaceful cat.
    
                                         Denise
    

    .re 'going outside'
    My two kitties don't exactly go outside.  I have a screened in porch
    between my house and garage (porch has 4 doors... one to the house,
    one to the garage, and one to the front yard, and one to the back
    yard...)
    The cats love to sit out there so long as it isn't to cold.  They
    are afraid to sleep out there, or go thru any of the doors except
    the one to the house... so far so good.
    We got tired of opening the house door for them to go in and out.
    The like to go in and out and in and out and in and out...
    So we put a magnetic cat door in the screen in the window that goes
    from the kitchen to the porch.  After a day or so they got the hang
    of it.  A few bumped heads have occured due to closing the window
    now they check to make sure it is really the screen by pushing with
    their paws.  Fun to watch.
    
    Anyway back to the point of putting this here!  I did notice that
    they seemed to prefer going out on the porch to giving me hugs and
    kisses and I was jealous too!  
    So I compromised, they get to play on the porch for a couple of
    hours each evening - then I shut the window.  They seem to understand.
    
    Sally

    My 3 and 1/2 year-old must be half stray and half alley cat.  He
    LOVES to be outside.  To the point where if it's pouring rain outside
    one door, he just tries another door.  Desperate.  I only let him
    out when I'm home and during the day.  If he decides he wants to
    be out when I don't want him to be I just firmly yell NO! every
    time he opens his mouth to cry and he gets sick of listening to
    me as much as I get sick of him, and he gives up.  
    
    The great thing about him is that he ALWAYS comes running when I call
    him. Great ears.  I don't really know how I trained him to do so, but
    before I got married it was just me and him in an apartment (where he
    stayed inside), and to play with him I used to play hide and seek,
    using kitty treats.  (call him once, and hide, and when he found me,
    give him a treat).  Now he ALWAYS comes.  I do always praise him and
    pet him until he purrs when he comes to my call, and sometimes I give
    him food.  He wakes us to go out at 5:00 in the morning, We go back to
    sleep, an when I leave for work he comes in for breakfast. He seems
    satisfied with that.  When we get home, he goes out until dark,
    again coming in to be fed.  
    
    I would suggest, if you want her to be able to go outside when YOU
    want, to see if you can train her to come when you call inside, If
    she's already good at that, see if you can get it to work outside.
    Always praise her and make her feel wonderful for being so good. The
    first few times she comes to you outside, don't take her in. Maybe you
    could make it a game or something at first, and then when you do get
    her in, make it worthwhile to come inside.  
    
    I haven't quite succeeded in training my other cat who is younger, to
    come when I call.  She loves to be chased.  She's not the problem
    though because she only wants to be out when someone is there to keep
    her company. 
    
    The point is, though to avoid chasing her. It's better to give her a
    reason to want to want to come to you.
    
    I can relate to being a bit jealous that Sebastion likes it outside so
    much, but once the noveltly of the "great outdoors" wore off he's a much
    happier and contented kitty-kat than if he had to stay indoors- I even
    attribute it to having made him MORE affectionate with me whether we're
    inside or outside.  I love having them outside with me because I spend
    a lot of time working (and playing) in my yard.                
    
    

	Why don't you lot trust your cats more ??

	The cat as a breed is really rather a sensible animal, it may
	get into scrapes, but it will never make the same mistake twice !
	(unless of course it finds the end result amusing - like getting 
	"stuck" up a tree or on the roof and being rescued - cats usually
	work this out for themselves when it is time for food !)

	The compromise I have come to with all my cats between indoors and
	outdoors is that they are free to come and go in the day and shut
	in at night.  I have a locking cat door fitted in the door.  The
	best time to shut the cat in for the night is while he is having
	his/her evening meal (I feed my cat his main meal at night).

	You will find that even though a cat might prefer to stay outside
	most of the time - food is something that will always bring them
	back.  If the cat is reluctant to come when you call, try hitting
	a cat food tin with a knife, calling it by name at the same time,
	eventually you will not need the tin.  Always reward the cat when
	it comes (no matter how long it takes) either with a tit-bit or
	it's meal.   You will eventually have a well trained cat.

	My cat, Teelif was an adult when I got him, it took two weeks for
	him to learn and LIKE this routine, he now comes (like a bullet) 
	when I call him.

	As an aside - the reason why I keep cats in at night is that the
	vet bills ar cheaper !!  Cats are by nature nocturnal and most
	cat fights happen at night, so fewer bites and absesses to get
	treated.  Another excellent reason for fitting a cat door is 
	that it gives the cat an escape route if it is attacked, either
	by cat or dog, it doesn't have to wait for you to open the door !!

	I do realise that many of you out there might have different 
	ideas to me, but my feelings on the matter are that a well trained
	animal is a happy animal, an animal easy to live with and a pleasure
	to have around.  The cat should fit to itself to your ways not you 
	to it.         Who is pays the bills and who is boss anyway ??!! 

	CJA

    Unfortunately, my cats have always been the "boss"!!!
    
    
    :-)
    cin