I just cant get him to go out the house. We moved in this house about 15 weeks ago.

For the first 2 weeks I kept him inside as I was told to by a vet. He was scared by his new surroundings in the house and he hid alot of the time.

We bought him one of those harness thingy's and the retractable lead, we take him to the top of the garden but as soon as we put him down it's like flying a flaming kite! He shoots up in the air like a feral cat and bolts in the house:loopy:

I just dont get it, in the house he meows to bloody go out:huh:

Anyone got any ideas pleease:)

I assume that you are using a litter tray inside?

Move the litter tray just outside the door.

You should be able to gradually move it further away.

Are sure that is not the 'harnes/lead' that is freaking him out?

Have you used the lead before - Do you think its the lead and harness he is scared off.

We used to leave the back door open (i know its cold this time of year) and he would go out on his own and then come back in and back out like a yo-yo but I think it was his way of making sure he could still get in if needed.

Now he is older now and has a cat flap and comes and goes as he pleases.

Amanda

It sounds like he's been made very insecure by the house-move, and is probably worried that if he goes any distance from the house, you maybe won't be there when he gets back.

Cats are total creatures of habit, and his cosy daily routine has been turned upside-down. He probably just needs a bit of time to adapt and to realise that this new place is now his home, and that you're staying put.

In the meantime, give him lots of cuddles and reassurance.

Good luck,

StarSparkle

Yes he uses a litter tray inside:)

He wears his harness in the house so really he's used to that.

Have put all my woolies on before and left the door open, he just doesnt go near it.

In the old house he was never in even when it was raining.

Just put him out, close the door and leave him

voila - one cat outside

Ah bless! Sorry but I did laugh at the picture I had in my head of him freaking out when you put him down:D . Does he go out if you do without the harness on? I would just bear with him wanting to stay inside if not and hopefully when the weather changes and you can leave the door open for longer her might venture out. He's not daft though is he? It's flippin freezin out there - maybe he's decided he doesn't like the cold.

Just put him out, close the door and leave him

voila - one cat outside
My cats probably traumatised enough by the move, so I wont be trying that:loopy:

Ah bless! Sorry but I did laugh at the picture I had in my head of him freaking out when you put him down:D . Does he go out if you do without the harness on? I would just bear with him wanting to stay inside if not and hopefully when the weather changes and you can leave the door open for longer her might venture out. He's not daft though is he? It's flippin freezin out there - maybe he's decided he doesn't like the cold.
Hi, no he wont go out what-so-ever, he's in love with our dog but he wont go out even with him:)

If think your right, after 15 weeks of a nice warm house he just doesnt want to freeze his tail off:hihi:

Roll on summer:thumbsup:

Why would he want to go out if you live on Mars? Can't imagine there is much to do and bearing in mind there is no grass there won't be a next door neighbours lawn for him to crap on.

You probably have a really dominant resident tom in your new area- and if he's marked round your house it's not really a great surprise if he doesn't want to go out and meet this big scary territory owner.

Did the previous house residents have a cat BTW? He could also believe that the territory belongs to cats that moved out recently.

One possible thing that could help him is to take his dirty cat litter outdoors and sprinkle it round the garden- scent mark his new patch for him. You could also take a cloth and rub it all over him to get his scent on it and use that to rub against upright surfaces in the garden- fence posts, tree trunks, that sort of thing.

If the garden starts to smell like his territory hopefully he'll feel more confident about going out there- but if your garden is already in the territory of a dominant entire tom there isn't that much that you can do.

Thanks Medusa, thinking about it, I have seen loads of cats in our garden.

Will try the dirty litter thing, just hope no-one see's me, they'll think I'm a right loppy cow:hihi:

Dont think the old lady before me had a cat though.

Thanks for ya help:thumbsup: will let ya know if it works.

Hi

Just be patient. Our cat was the same when we first moved. But 6 months later, we couldn't get him in cos he was having so much fun outside.

Don't forget cats are creatuers of habit. You've completely up-rooted him and now he just needs to re-establish his territory.This awful weather won't help ,uch either. I bet you that by Summer he'll be outside as happy as can be.

What your cat needs is some friendly purrrrsuasion.
Do you have lots of trees in your garden? Hes probably afraid of the bark

Where did you move from? was it a flat? my m8t had a cat and she lived in a high rise flat herding's at the top one day she took the cat down on a sunny day as soon as she put the cat down it shot up the first tree and would'nt come down after about an hour we managed to prize the cat off the tree and took it up to it's flat where it sat happily, we came to the conclusion that the cat had gotten used to liveing in the flat and through fear or agrophobia was'nt going outside.
right that's my drivel over with

Glynn

Hi Glynn, no, we went from house to house, only thing different is the area.

Hope he bucks his ideas up soon, I hate litter trays, think they're so unhygenic:gag:

Its costing me a fortune in litter because I change it everyday, makes me paranoid(germs).

He might change his mind when the weather is warmer and he sees you going in and out the garden a lot more. Give him time.

One of our cats did this after one particular house move - he didnt like it there for some reason! He had been used to going out at our previous home, and when I moved into a ground for flat for a few months he insisted on coming and going through the window. Then we moved to a bungalow for a few months before finding a permanent home. After this particular move he wouldnt go out. His brother did, but he didnt. If we shoved him out, he dashed straight back in or would miaow piteiously at the door. The old lady next door hated cats and we wonder if at some point she had scared him off or if she had one of those sonic deterrents, or perhaps had put something down.

He goes out OK in our present home, but doesnt stay out as long as he used to in the winter.

Try leaving the litter in and just scooping the poo and very wet bits out. This way your cat will feel more settled inthe house. By changing the litter all the time you may be unsettling him (expecially if its a scented one). Have you tried staying in the garden with himand just give him time to explore in his own time.