Not many owners would
prefer to have their cats lurking outdoors where felines are more likely to
face dangers such as road accidents, predatory animals, poisoning, and
diseases. If you visit forums discussing
the topic, cat owners would vehemently insist that domestic cats are better off
indoors, where they can live longer and peaceful lives.
But we also know that cats
have varying personalities, interests, and temperaments. If your pet is
showing strong inclinations to outdoor cat behavior, or if you just adopted a stray who’s more used to the life of an adventurer, the most important thing
you can do is to make sure he’s trained for it.
An outdoor cat can benefit from exercise and increased social activity. There are no limits to the heights it can climb or the ground it can explore. The outdoors panders to its baser instinct to prey and hunt. Cats are also free to exhibit instinctive behavior that may not be that well-received indoors, such as scratching. As a responsible cat owner, you have to carefully assess if your surroundings are a safe enough place to minimize risk, and of course, it’s important you know how to take care of an outdoor cat.
Taking Care of an Outdoor Cat
1. Consider An Outdoor Enclosure.
You may be fearful about
letting your cat go out on its own, and those fears wouldn’t entirely be
unfounded. Indoor cats live far longer than outdoor cats after all. You can
find some sort of middle ground by providing an enclosed outdoor space right
where you can keep an eye out for your pet.
You can try building a DIY
cat enclosure, or what is popularly known to cat lovers, these days as “catios.”
It’s a safe way to keep your outdoor-loving cat happy, minus the risk. These
cat enclosures can be built in the garden where the cat can enjoy the sunshine
and other outdoor sights and sounds within a safe space. YouTube cat
celebrities Cole and Marmalade shared this video where
their owners introduced them to a new catio for the first time.
Now if you don’t exactly
have a big yard or have yet to find the materials or the time to build a catio,
the garage can be a good place for your outdoor cat. Find a box or any
container that can serve as a shelter. Cut holes through them and put in some
nice blankets to keep your cat comfortable. Keep the door to the garage open so
your cat can return safely when it ventures out from time to time. Just make
sure to pound on the hood of your car before you go out in case your cat
decides to cozy up in the engine compartment.
2. Make Food And Water Available.
If you’re training an
outdoor cat, it’s still essential that you ensure that its basic needs are
provided for the times it returns home. Regularly replenish his food and water
supply, which you can stock up in automatic feeders and water dishes.
3. Visit The Vet.
Outdoor cats have higher exposure
to parasites, injuries, and other disease-causing bacteria. Regular visits to
the vet to keep his vaccines up to date would go a long way to keeping your cat
healthy.
You might also want to get
your cat microchipped in one of those visits for identification purposes, in
case your cat gets lost. Another important reminder: Never declaw an
outdoor cat. Without claws, he won’t be able to defend himself outside and
would find it difficult to climb walls or trees when he needs to escape or
avoid danger.
4. Keep Spending Quality Time.
Outdoor cats may be more
independent, but they would still appreciate the occasional quality time
with you. Every time he comes back, spend time playing or just sitting down
with your cat. Most owners of outdoor cats prefer to have their cats indoors by
night time. Try luring him back inside with treats before it’s dark, for his
own safety.
Training an Outdoor Cat
You might be interested in
training a new kitten to be a “mouser,” meaning it can hunt rodents and other
prey. If you think your cat has what it takes to become an effective mouser,
follow these steps on how to make a kitten an outdoor cat:
1. Start With A Cage Or Crate Training.
Within the first week of
introducing a kitten to your home, keep it inside a crate or a cage as it
starts to familiarize itself with its surroundings. The enclosure must be
spacious and comfortable enough. Feed him inside the crate and give
him toys to play with.
2. Allow Limited Outdoor Time.
It would take at least a
week for the kitten to be completely comfortable. When you feel that it’s
ready, you can allow it to go out of its cage to explore. You might want to
leash train your cat so you can take strolls together at first. Leash training
would also effectively teach your cat the benefits of exploring outdoors and at
the same time, train him to return home at the end of each day. PawMaw also offers some helpful tips on cat leash training.
3. Watch Your Cat Hunt.
If you have brought home a kitten that has the inclination to hunt, it will hunt on its own without any need for training. Don’t be surprised if a dead bird or rodent shows up on your doorstep on some days. To these hunting creatures, it’s a sort of “gift” to their human owners.
4. Get Your Cat Spayed or Neutered.
Cats that aren’t neutered,
have greater chances of roaming away from home, according to Pennsylvania
vet Ariel
Mosenco, DVM. When your mouser is about five months old, this
would be a good time to take it to the vet for the procedure.
Whether you want to train
an outdoor cat to stay indoors or are interested in raising a hunter that
would keep rodents and pets away, always put your cat’s health and safety
first. If you and your family know how to take care of
an outdoor cat, your cat will know well enough always to
return home no matter how exciting and stimulating the outside world can be.
December 22, 2019 at 08:37
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