Instructions
Introduce the outdoors in. Open some windows with screens for a few weeks and give cats a perch nearby so they can take in the scents and sounds of the outdoors.
Buy a cat collar. This is recommended whether your cat will be solely indoors or not. Make sure the ID tag contains a phone number and physical address.
Buy a cat leash. Get them used to it by keeping it on for short periods. Then take your cat outside and follow them around (don't try to take them on a walk like you would a dog).
Provide your cat a house of its own. There are companies who make cat houses to protect cats from the weather. Even outdoor cats love a small, confined space to retreat to.
Build a "cat run," a fenced-in area that will allow your cat to be outdoors, but safe from some of the dangers if it happens to roam too far--like traffic or run-ins with neighborhood cats. You can make these out of plywood and mesh or purchase do-it-yourself kits from pet supply stores.
Visit your vetinarian to get updated on all vacines and shots that an outdoor cat will need. Heartworm prevention is an example of a medication not needed for indoor cats, but necessary for those staying outside.
How to Train Indoor Cats to Live Outside
When a cat has lived inside for most of its life, it may be hard to train it to live in the Great Outdoors. But sometimes life circumstances--a new baby or a new home, for example--make people change their minds about where their cat should stay. Here are some ways to introduce your indoor cat to the land of the free.