[GWM]

Hubert is a neutered male, 7 months old. He is very affectionate, and loves to play with his people, and our other cat, Zoe, a 1 year old female with Cerebellar Hypoplasia.

When it comes to bad behavior, Hubert is a "Hard Case". We can't keep him off the counters, and worse, he keeps sneaking outside. We want to keep both of our cats exclusively indoors. We live on a busy street.

We have tried water pistols and harsh language with Hubert, to little effect.

How do we keep him indoors? We have been thinking about a shock collar, but we would really rather try anything short of that.

Any ideas on how to keep him inside?

[Advert]

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[Mist]

The only thing I can suggest is never leaving any doors or windows open! It's a matter of being vigilant.

As for the benches, just wipe them before use 'cause cats will never not jump on them

[CatsRU]

Can you get an enclosure for Hubert (love the name) so that he can have some time outside whilst still being enclosed. We have two inside only cats and it is not hard to keep them in - just be careful when you open doors and windows.

[Niccles]

As for the benches, just wipe them before use 'cause cats will never not jump on them

Oh! I didn't think of that! We are having issues with Henry jumping up on the benches. But we are unsure if we really care? At least we know what to do when the OH decides what he wants to do! Ha.


If he is getting outside often, then really, you need to pay more attention. Close doors, and windows that he could escape from.

[CoralD]

If he is getting outside often, then really, you need to pay more attention. Close doors, and windows that he could escape from.

It's not always that easy. Our cats will go on the deck for half an hour then come back in....always under our watchful eyes.

But we had another gorgeous Burmilla called Oliver whom we should have called Houdini...only 14 months old and ALWAYS an indoor cat, he drove us crazy, eeven squeezing down the hole under the sink cut for the sink drainpipe. One day Tony opened the door for a parcel delivery and whoooosh...Oliver was out between his legs. WE tried to catch him but he was off across the road. The lady who hit him with her car was in shock...and so were we. Gentle, loving, full of personality....but when it came to getting out he was almost feral.

The cat enclosure sounds the way to go.

[Trifon]

Cats who don't ever get allowed outside are quite content to stay inside. Only one of mine has ever been allowed outside, and that was because my son was being babysit whilst I was taking to the emergency department and because the cat was sitting by the backdoor he let him out. Lucky I saw him outside when I got home but for months he used to try and get out (luckily wouldn't go further than rolling near the backdoor). Because I refused to ever let him out, he soon got used to his life indoors.

Even "supervised" outdoor time leads them to want to be out, as does walking them on a harness.

I would also suggest an outside enclosure if he is now that desperate to get outside. You can pick up a second hand aviary for about $100 that would suffice. Make sure you put some slabs or concrete down so that he can't dig his way out or dig wire into the ground a fair way.

In terms of the bench, all cats jump on the bench, it is a part of cat ownership. Just wipe the bench down before each use. Easy fixed.

[monty_dweezil]

Poor Hubert. He keeps sneaking outside? But how does he get outside? Our 2 cats are strictly indoor cats and have never set paw outside (except when in their carriers going to and from the vet or the cattery). We never have the balcony doors open (just the main glass doors, not the security doors. They’re always closed and locked securely). If we did, they’d be out there, for sure. They’re normal inquisitive cats, after all. Whenever we do need to go out there to water plants or whatever, we put the boys in the bedroom and close the door while we do it, and they’re only let out again once the security door is closed.

We’re lucky. Whenever we come and go from our apartment through the front door, they generally don’t run to try and get out with us. When we come home, they tend to be lounging around nearby to greet us, as they’ve heard us coming, but they don’t make a break for it. They’re also good when we leave the house, only occasionally loitering by the front door. When they were younger we used to make a point of feeding them their biscuits just before we left, so they’d be distracted and busy eating, and by the time they finished, we’d gone. (sounds sort of sad, but at least it seems to have taken the emphasis off the front door as being any real noticeable place of interest)

We’d LOVE to let our cats on our large patio balcony, but as it’s not (YET!) screened in, we just can’t. I know they’d love it there, but it’s not safe. If you’re seriously wanting to stop Hubert from escaping, you just can’t let him out at all I’m afraid. If your other cats are reliable enough to stay on the deck and not go any further away, but Hubert’s not, then you just have to let them out but not him. Whenever the others go in and out, he’ll have to be contained, either by being held firmly or by being kept in a room momentarily. Otherwise, none of the cats can go out. It’s not worth the risk, I think.

Also in my opinion, cats (especially young ones like Hubert. He’s even younger than my boys, who just turned 1) are SO quick. I would never trust my “watchful eyes” if our boys went on the patio. They could dart out and jump over the rail in a fraction of a second and I’d have no hope of getting to them in time. Again, it’s just not worth the risk to their safety.

We wanted to walk our boys on harnesses but haven’t really done that…and I’m not sure we will. I think it’s better to get an enclosure of some sort. Cause yes, if they’re never allowed outside, they generally don’t miss it or have any problems not going out. Once they’re outside at ALL, they’ll of course want to go out again, and will bug you about it. lol. So when our cats are ever allowed out, when we get their enclosure, then we’d want it so they could go out there on a regular basis. It’d be a good balance, you know, of outside and inside time.

I would NEVER use a shock collar ever. I’d rather never go outside ever again myself if it meant that if I did, my cats had to be given shocks.

Our boys get on the kitchen counters too sometimes. We always spray them whenever we notice they’re up there and say things like “NO!” or “BAD BABIES!” lol. In loud and low voices. We find they’re usually pretty good. They’ll still get up there (Dweezil more than Monty. He’s very curious about the kitchen sink plug hole. Lol), but usually all we have to do is grab the water bottle and say whatever we say, and they jump down right away, without having to even spray it (which is nice, cause we don’t like spraying our boys) Sometimes though, they’re insistent and their fur will be so wet while we keep spraying and they take no notice! Then we have to physically remove them. lol. I personally don’t mind if they get on the benches TOO much, BUT Dweezil lately has been lying on the stove. STOVE!! Very bad. If it was on and he jumped up there, he’d be hurt, which would be horrible. So that’s the only thing we really want him to get out of the habit of doing. We’re also aware he’ll most likely still do it at night when we’re not there, but if we can try and make it so he does it as little as possible when we’re actually UP (when the stove will potentially be on), then that’s not so bad. Also, at least our stove controls are really hard to turn, so it’s not like he could turn it on himself even if he tried.

[Niccles]

It's not always that easy. Our cats will go on the deck for half an hour then come back in....always under our watchful eyes.

But we had another gorgeous Burmilla called Oliver whom we should have called Houdini...only 14 months old and ALWAYS an indoor cat, he drove us crazy, eeven squeezing down the hole under the sink cut for the sink drainpipe. One day Tony opened the door for a parcel delivery and whoooosh...Oliver was out between his legs. WE tried to catch him but he was off across the road. The lady who hit him with her car was in shock...and so were we. Gentle, loving, full of personality....but when it came to getting out he was almost feral.

The cat enclosure sounds the way to go.

Oh oops, I didn't even think of that! When either myself of Chris has opened the door with Henry looking, he just looks. I tend to forget out quickly cats that want to get outside can run! It's been a while since I've had an outside cat. Oliver sounds like a nut case! Poor thing getting hit by a car :<

I would love to get an enclosure made. I was just telling Chris, when we finally own a house I'd like to build one. And when I mean I would like to, I mean pay my folks to help while I make lunch. Ha.

[monty_dweezil]

You get used to having absolutely NO doors or opening windows open when you’ve got strictly indoor cats. It’s a natural reaction unless they’re sleepy or really distracted that the second there’s an open door, they’ll be at it. lol

[Doreen]

As far as kitchen counters are concerned, some cats just don't believe there is anything such as off limits, so just give them a wipe over as suggested. And I also agree that an enclosure is the way to go, so your Hubert can get a good sniff of fresh air and watch what is going on outside, but will be safe from danger. Good luck, and let us know how you are going with him, he sounds like a very typical cat with wanderlust.

[Peekablue]

I'm always wary about opening doors when George is around. I tell him 'wait' when I'm about to open the door and he won't follow me out. When I want to come back in, I open the door a crack (not enough for him to get out) and tell him 'wait', then quickly get in and shut the door behind me. If he makes even the slightest move towards me during those times I give him a firm 'No', and if he stays put I tell him he's a good boy.

He's only ever once walked out the door, but I caught him on the first step out. It turned out it was because he'd seen the family cat in the garden.

[Peekablue]

I'm always wary about opening doors when George is around. I tell him 'wait' when I'm about to open the door and he won't follow me out. When I want to come back in, I open the door a crack (not enough for him to get out) and tell him 'wait', then quickly get in and shut the door behind me. If he makes even the slightest move towards me during those times I give him a firm 'No', and if he stays put I tell him he's a good boy.

He's only ever once walked out the door, but I caught him on the first step out. It turned out it was because he'd seen the family cat in the garden.

[arkady_jo]

Bella is 6 months old, strictly indoors. Except for the once or twice she has darted out the back door when I am bringing the washing in (it's hard to carry a full laundry basket and catch a determined kitty at the same time!). Since the weather has been warming up, I have been leaving the glass sliding door open, so she can sit at the back door and feel the breeze and fresh air through the security screen - the sun also shines on that area in the mornings. She will occasionally meow at the birds who sit on the fence, but that's it.

I am hoping to get an enclosure of some sort for her, so she can at least go outside for a bit. I rent, though - so a permanent cat run is not an option. There is also no shade out there, so I couldn't leave her in there during the hottest part of the day, or all day while I am at work.

As for the kitchen benches - Bella is still too little to jump up on them (or she hasn't figured out that she can jump that high!), so I can't help there. I am hoping she never gets the inclination to - but not holding my breath.

[Avalon]

We have designed for us the perfect perspex door screens that attached to the wrought Iron front door so they can sit and look out and also get the breeze with the strategically place holes. We are at the moment designing ones for our windows that will attached with a hinge system. The perspex is clear and with the holes they get enough air, the main thing is not to hve curtains hanging as they can climb and get ove the top as we dont make them the full window length. As with our place we do not have curtains I hate them LOL dust collectors blinds are better. Just an idea
Cherie