blogThere are plenty of great reasons to let your moggy explore the outside world! After all, our cats are some of the most curious critters we will ever hope to meet. However, that means that they are often at the mercy of whatever they might find outdoors. This means that – while curiosity is all well and good – you’re not always going to be around to make sure your pet is happy and healthy while on the move.
There are many reasons, too, to bring a cat indoors after they’ve been outdoors for a while. Letting a cat explore the world around them is all well and good, but circumstances such as health might mean you have to start keeping them indoors for a while. For a moggy that’s so used to being able to go wherever they want, being brought home is going to be a bit of a culture shock to them – and to you, too!
So – how do you safely bring an outdoor cat back indoors? Here are a few tips to help you gently encourage a change of scene for your roving wanderer.
Be Prepared for Noise!
An outdoor cat is likely to find coming indoors really strange – especially if they’ve never been inside before. They’re going to wonder why they can’t get out, and this might lead to all kinds of noise. Be prepared for howling, screeching, and scratching!
This also means that frustrated cats might be aggressive to begin with or may even be destructive. Always discuss your plans to move an outdoor cat indoors with a vet before you go ahead with your plans.
Show Them Indoor Comforts
According to the Humane Society, one of the best things you can do to gently encourage an outdoor cat to stay indoors is to show them how comfy they actually have it! Prepare a nice, soft bed, and make sure to feed them inside, too.
There will be some outdoor cats who find indoor life boring. However, others might actually find it really convenient. There’s no need for them to go hunting for food when it’s right there waiting for them. There’s also no need to look for shelter when it’s raining, either.
Gradually Introduce the Weirdness of Indoor Life
Your outdoor cat will likely find some of the things you expect from an indoor moggy to be a bit strange. Therefore, you should try to introduce some of the odder elements to them slowly. If you regularly welcome your outdoor explorer into the home, then it’s a good idea to show them litter trays and scratching posts, for example, long before you bring them back indoors on a semi-permanent (or maybe even permanent) basis.
Please Be Patient
Re-integrating an outdoor cat back to indoor life is going to be very strange for everyone. It’s going to mean your moggy feels frustrated and scared. They won’t know why they’ve been moved back indoors, and what’s more, they are going to be even more scared if you react negatively to them.
Now is the time to be as patient as possible with your pet! Moving a cat indoors after a long time outdoors is going to be a steady transition. However, it’s going to take a lot of love, and patience, for everyone to readjust.
Do always make sure to ask for advice from your vet before you start moving an outdoor cat inside your home again. It is always a good idea to be prepared, and to know how you can make the transition all the more comfortable for your cat. 
