CAT THING- Outside Question

[rsgymjam]

If you know anything about this question I have please reply! Please no "I'm not sure" unless you also offer a solution!!

The Question:

My cats are indoor only and I just recently got a harness and leash for one of them. I am working on training around the house so he feels comfortable with it on and so far he is doing really good!

My dilemma is that I eventually want to be able to walk him around just in the yard, as I know there are a lot of dogs in the neighborhood and he would be scared if I walked him on the street
However, my mom is concerned about spraying. There are stray cats that we see around every once in a while, and while him spraying outside might be okay, in the house is out of the question. Is there any way around this?

He is a neutered male kitty around 1-2 yrs old and is sweet and docile. He loves watching birds, squirrels, bugs, etc. and would love to be outside for a little while.

Any suggestions? Thanks so much for reading!

-rsgymjam[emoji192]

Here are my two baby boys

 

[YourSoJelly]

My aunts cat has free range outside and inside and they've never had problems with him spraying inside. They feed the stray cats around them but they have a high wooden fence and I don't thin other cats come in their yard. My grandparents has a fully outdoor indoor cat who doesn't mark and there is no fence ad he just wanters the forest and such, coming in periodically throughout the day and about an hour before sunset everyday. He comes home everyday. Buddy (aunts cat) is 15 and my grandparents cat is 6/7. Both are neutered males.

 

[rsgymjam]

We couldn't have a fence, but the kitties you are describing seem to be a bit older. Ours are extremely playful and curious. My question would be, what do I do if they DO decide to spray in the house. Thanks for your answer!

 

[oldnewie]

If your cats spray inside the house, you will have to be quick about removing the smell so they don't go back & spray again. You could wash where they sprayed with some laundry or dishwash detergent then spray over with vinegar (I've used it straight) or diluted vinegar. It's really hard to get rid of that smell unless you can act immediately. You can get repellents, and even something like feliway or rescue remedy to help calm them if they're anxious or insecure.
Spraying inside is usually a territorial thing, & can be caused by stress/anxiety as well as a medical condition. Your Mom is understandably concerned. Um, anything from stray cats or dogs constantly around, especially coming on to the property, sudden changes in routine, even shifting the littertrays around, something else that has upset and/or frightened them can cause spraying. I doubt any yelling at them would help at all; if you see them about to spray, distraction of some sort could help.
I do suggest you look up some cat forums or sites,e.g. the catsite, where you should get expert advice on your specific question. Let's hope the situation never arises, but it's better to be prepared in case.

Um, about taking them outside, if you want them to be familiar with around your house area, it's an interesting idea keeping them on a leash while they explore. The only thing about that is if they get a fright or something, the leash could become a hindrance & make it worse. It's a pity you don't have fencing, which means strays & dogs can freely come on the property & hang around? That is a sure way to cause problems.

Indoor cats are usually happy to be inside & not particularly interested in going outside, except to maybe just sit on the doorstep, or deck if you have one. Window perches, seats etc. where they can watch the outside world through the windows should be provided - most indoor cats are content with that. Give them plenty of playtime, having 2 cats is always best in my opinion, which you have, so they have companionship & can entertain each other when you can't.
I've waffled on enough, I'm sure you'll find the answer you need, but hope this helps, ok?