Plenty of stray cats have been adopted and turned into happy indoor kitties who don’t want to go out. The trick is to make the great indoors as fun and intriguing as the outdoors.
Adopting a Stray Cat
Generally speaking, stray cats who have received some basic human socialization can readily adjust to life at home and develop relationships with people.
In contrast to feral cats, strays are frequently spayed or had minor medical attention. So, you usually don’t have to pay for significant medical costs from scratch. That does not negate the need to take your new companion to the veterinarian. Whenever you bring a new pet in for a checkup, always take them to the vet for any necessary vaccinations or health concerns.
Even after their veterinarian visit, cats should be kept apart from other animals in the home, advises Dr. Truitt. They will be able to adjust to the sights, sounds, and smells of their new surroundings as a result. The sound of the doorbell or dishwasher may not seem familiar to you or the people in your house, but new pets don’t
You might wish for your new cat and your existing cat or other pet to become best friends. That can happen if you slowly introduce them. Uncles advises you to limit the duration of your initial meetings to a few minutes. Let the pets see each other for extended periods of time every day, and let them gradually get to know you.
Starting with brief encounters, like through glass doors, is another method to start introducing cats. However, given the history of the stray cat, she might not adjust as well as you would like, according to Uncles
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How do I tell the difference when the cats are outdoors?
Because it can be challenging to assess each cat’s level of socialization during a stressful event like trapping, it’s a good idea to use the following guidelines to observe cats outdoors on their own.
NOTE: The Socialization Continuum exhibits significant variation. It is possible for cats to fall outside of the socialized-stray or unsocialized-feral classifications. Learn more variations possible using our Socialization Continuum guide.
Stray: May approach people, houses, porches, or cars
Feral: Will not come near people and will probably hide in places to avoid them.
FAQ
Can stray cats be house cats?
Can an outdoor cat become an indoor cat?