Transitioning your cat indoors

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How To Transition Your Cat Indoors

With proper care and attention, cats can thrive when they are safe at home and you can be proud that you are also playing an important role in protecting wildlife. With 46% of Australia’s threatened species found in cities, keeping your cat safely contained is a great way to keep our native animals safe as well.

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Introduce your cat to the indoors gradually. Bring your cat indoors for short periods initially and gradually extend the time they spend at home until they are comfortable. While some cats may relish the opportunity to move indoors, others may take longer to adjust. There are some simple ways you can help make a smooth transition:

• Start by feeding your cat inside to create a positive association with being in the home.
• Provide a warm and cosy bed indoors for your cat to curl up in.
• Make sure their indoor environment is enriched, with plenty to do to keep them stimulated.

Cat Hacks

Let the sunshine in: Cats enjoy basking in the sun and watching the great outdoors, so ensure there is a window for your cat to catch the winter sun. Open the curtains during the day and shuffle furniture if necessary to provide a suitable perch for your cat to watch the world go by. Placing a bird bath near the window can provide visual entertainment for your cat while also encouraging wildlife into your backyard.

A cat-friendly environment: As your cat settles into life at home, you can make some simple adjustments to provide a cat-friendly environment. Cats will naturally want to scratch, climb and hide so it’s important to cater to their natural behaviours indoors. Scratching posts allow cats to climb, stretch and claw without wrecking your favourite couch and an old cardboard box can allow somewhere to hide or play.

Health check: If you are considering transitioning your cat indoors, this can be a good opportunity for a health check-up with your Vet. For cats that have only ever lived outside, it is important to make sure they aren’t also moving parasites such as fleas and worms indoors with them. Winter can also present more pain for arthritic cats, so talk to your Vet about ways to keep your cat warm at home to help relieve joint issues.

Source: http://www.safecat.org.au/blog.html?slug=winter-to-transition-your-cat-indoors

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