Transforming an Outdoor cat into an Indoor cat
By Katherine A. Houpt, DVM,DACVB

Q: one of my clients has a cat that lives indoors and outdoors. He'd like to begin keeping the cat indoors only. Any suggestions

A: The change in lifestyle when going from an indoor and outdoor to a completely indoor existence can be stressful for cats. Some changes include space restriction, reduced hunting and exercise opportunities, a loss of favorite elimination areas and reduced scratching surfaces.
Any of these variation can result in a behavior problem. The most common problem is vocalization at the door. Cats, especially those that formerly used a meow as a signal to be let outdoors, may meow loudly and frequently. Meowing doesn't take much energy, so cats will rarely tire. The worst thing for the owner to do is relent, because the cat will learn that enough meowing will lead to its release.

It's best for the owner to confine the cat to a small room (preferably out of ear shot) for a week or two along with litter boxes to help the cat adjust to eliminating inside. The owner can then allow it access to the whole house. The contrast between the entire house and the one room may be enough to please the cat. Because it won't be exercising as much, the cat should be encouraged to play with fishing poles or feather toys to simulate hunting activity as well as burn off calories. And videotapes or a perch near a window can enrich the indoor environment.

The owner should provide two litter boxes per cat and should clean them daily to compensate for when the cat could eliminate in several spots outdoors. If the cat isn't used to cat litter and won't eliminate in the litter box, the owner can add soil on top to mimic the outside elimination area, tapering the amount as the cat adapts to the litter. Also have the owner note which tree the cat prefers to scratch on outdoors so a log of the same kind may be placed in the cats favorite indoor scratching area which is usually a protruding furniture edge. Otherwise, the owner should provide a sisal scratching post, which cats prefer to carpet posts. Or,if the cat prefers, the owner can use a horizontal scratching surface, usually made of catnip-impregnated cardboard.

As the cat adjusts to its new confined surroundings, make sure the owner gives the cat extra time to play and exercise. If meowing continues to be a problem, psychoactive medicine may be useful.

Katherine A. Houpt, DVM,DACVB
Dept of Medical science, College of Veterinary Medicine
Cornell Univ. Ithaca, NY,14853