Is it possible to turn an outdoor cat into an indoor cat?
My grandmother's cat was an indoor/outdoor cat when she lived in Caldwell. When she moved to Toms River he became an indoor cat, he was about 15 at that time. He was miserable at first, but eventually adjusted, I think it took a year or so for him to get used to it. He lived to 21. Expect some escape attempts while kitty is adapting to the indoor life.
very difficult to make it indoor only..I have a similar issue, my cat was abandoned in my neighborhood...i started by giving him treats/food outside, eventually propped the door open and put the food inside and stayed outside, at one point he just walked in and made himself at home..he gets very forlorn and just sleeps when he doesn't get out for part of the day. I actually go out with him and he usually stays with me....when he wonders he is usually back within 15 minutes.....except now there are baby birds in my front yard...and he is terrified of the parents....i let him out ahead of me while I put my jacket on and one of the parent birds chased him back in the house! I've had him for 5 years, could never get him to accept staying indoors all the time, even when he didn't go out at all for lengthy periods in the winter.
I've got to say that my experience has shown me that any cat can be turned into an indoor-only cat. I once lived in JC & rescued kitties weekly, fixed them & found them homes. ALL came from off the rough streets & were various ages from kittens to almost elderly. Some took longer to adjust but ALL became contented indoor kitties. Of course, JC is a LOT different than leafy Maplewood but since moving here (98), I have taken in (or placed) many cats right off the street with no complaints (from either the kitties OR their "people.") 
My cat was an outdoor cat and is now lives indoors. I inherited her after her outdoor days. She's fine, although she still tries to get out sometimes. I don't think she would go far if she did get out. I just takes some time. She looks out the window and watches "Kitty TV."
I would suggest getting some extra toys or a cat house or stuff to make it a bit more interesting.
speaking of kittens... how old do they need to be before they can have run of the house thru the night? we just introduced ours to life outside the "starter room" but not sure he is ready to sleep on his own (we slept with him in there). Our bedrooms are upstairs and his room is down. He is 11 weeks.
@ Daytime, I think 11 weeks is a little too young, He might be too little to safely negotiate the stairs. My new kitten is a year and we have given him the run of the house since we got him in November, but he is pretty big.
All of the cats that my rescue adopts out, started out as outdoor cats or kittens. I'm currently caring for a senior from Dr. Stack's who was found wondering around a bit lost. She did look at the various doors in the house as if to discover where the exit might be, but she decided as did Dorothy, "There's no place like home!"
I believe any cat can go from indoor/outdoor to indoor-only. I have four that started life as outdoor cats but are very happy as indoor cats now. Some are more difficult to convert than others, and some become escape artists. But with time, care and patience, it can be done. Cats are smart. They know which side the kibble is buttered on.
If you are thinking of bringing her in, see if you can get her into a carrier and to the vet for shots and a thorough check-up asap, especially if you have other pets in the house.
PeggyC said:
I believe any cat can go from indoor/outdoor to indoor-only. I have four that started life as outdoor cats but are very happy as indoor cats now. Some are more difficult to convert than others, and some become escape artists. But with time, care and patience, it can be done. Cats are smart. They know which side the kibble is buttered on.
If you are thinking of bringing her in, see if you can get her into a carrier and to the vet for shots and a thorough check-up asap, especially if you have other pets in the house.
Agree ! I have a cat that started life outdoors. She was born outside and I captured her when she was 1 year old, got her spayed and she has been living inside, with no desire to go back outside for 12 years now. You can always try it and see if she likes it.
Tempe was an outdoor cat for a year. I "fostered" her and she's been an indoor only kitty for six or seven years. No desire to go out, but she does love an open (screened) window when it's warm.
I had an indoor/outdoor, she absolutely loved being outside, then one day due to a sad sight we decided she would stay inside, she didnt like it at first of course, kept putting her paw on the doorknob like she could magically open it, but she adjusted pretty easily. Just takes a little time lots of toys and towers to keep her busy and she was fine.
Come to think of it, indoor distraction might be very useful in converting her, whether it is toys or another cat to get to know and maybe play with. I think boredom might contribute a lot to many cats' desire to go outside.
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Some background -over a year ago we started taking car of two abandoned cats. Their owner died and the cats eluded capture. We are fairly certain that the cats used to be indoor/outdoor cats and were litter-box trained. However, they have lived completely outdoors for the past 18 months.
Now one of the pair is missing (presumed dead) and the remaining cat has become a permanent fixture on our back deck, staring in the window and demanding attention whenever we go outside. She is affectionate, loves to be petted, and purrs when we hold her. However, she can also become very skittish.
It seems like she wants feels unsafe outside and wants to come inside. I've done some reading online, but wondered if any of MOL's cat gurus had experience and/or advice.