Conference misery::feline

    I have a few thoughts about this:
    
    Your cats will be reacting to the changes in your life for awhile.  They
    will need extra love and might have transitory behavior problems and need
    your understanding.
    
    I've converted several outdoor cats to full-time indoor cats;  they usually
    adjust after about two weeks.  As long as yours have each other for company
    I think they'll be fine indoors once they adjust to the changes in their
    lives.  You can help by supplying toys, interesting places to sit, etc.
    I am guessing  that this would also apply to cats who are kept indoors
    more often than before, as opposed to fulltime indoors.
    
    Be sure to keep them indoors for two weeks after you move, or they may
    get lost when they first go outside.
    
    Good luck in this difficult transition for all of you.  
    
    

    Karen is right, the cats will probably be very distressed at first
    (like yourself) and will need the extra attention!  I would definately
    NOT let them out under any circumstances.  They could become lost or
    even run away from fear and stress.  Give them time and you will all be
    fine!  You may find that it will be better for such an "old man" to
    start staying in nowadays anyway for his health.
    Karen F.

    You might find that the reason one cat doesn't use the litter box
    indoors is because he doesn't like the litter, or its in a busy
    location.  Most cats prefer the unscented cheap litter to the
    perfumed or alfalfa types.
    

    I do believe your cats will adapt....I took in a semi-feral (Van Gogh)
    that lived outside for years and he has adapted to indoor life real
    well.  Of course..he is so spoiled I can't even picture why he would
    even want to attempt to go back to outdoor life!!  He is about 12...
    (we think) and he is very content sitting in an open window.
    
    When VG first came in to our cellar...he would not use the litterbox.
    A noter in this file suggested I add a little "dirt" to the kitty
    litter until he got use to going in the box.  Well this worked
    great....and now we no longer have to add the dirt.
    
    I believe for the first two weeks of your move...your cats will be
    very busy "scouting" out their new indoor territory so they probably 
    won't cry to hard to go out.  I'm sure during this time you will all 
    want special love and attention..and what a great way to start your 
    new lives together.
    
    Let us know how it goes...
    
    Sandy  
    
    

         When my then-fiance moved into my house, his two cats were indoor/
    outdoor and my one cat was indoor-only.  I was so afraid that in
    letting his cats outside, mine might get out.  So we decided to try the
    indoor-only routine and see how it worked.
    
         Amazingly, after their moved, neither cat wanted to go out. 
    Fluffy was about 5 or 6 at the time, Bigfoot about 9 or 10.  These were
    cats that used to cry, scream, scratch, etc. to get out no matter what
    the cost.
    
         I think the move adjusted their attitudes ;^) ; even now if I
    leave the door open to bring things into the house, Bigfoot just sits
    and looks, doesn't even *try* to go out.  He got out onto the deck
    once and just sat there, as if to say "is this all I'm missing?
    big deal!".
    
    					- Andrea

    I am going through a similar situation with my cat, Kelsey.  Kelsey was
    never an indoor/outdoor cat, but he did have access to the outdoors in
    the nice weather.... tied out on a huge run where he could enjoy the
    fresh air and sunshine.  Then my husband and I separated, and I moved
    out of the house into a third floor apartment in a large complex... in
    mid-summer no less!  Kelsey took it very hard.  He hates being confined
    to a smaller area and sometimes goes to the door and just meows his
    head off.  I have tried taking him outside on a leash but the new
    surroundings frighten him as well as the three flights of stairs we
    have to climb to reach ground level.  Afraid I might lose him with the
    leash method, I decided to just make him an indoor only cat from now
    on.
    
    He is slowly getting used to this new way of living, and is beginning
    to adapt quite nicely.  He occasionally still cries at the door and
    looks forlornly out the windows.  The thing is, *I* feel more terrible
    than he does.  I hated taking away his outdoor privileges, even if they
    were not on a regular basis.
    
    I am sure your cat will get used to being kept inside, but it is going
    to take some time and patience on your behalf.  Good luck, and keep us
    posted!
    
    -Roberta
      

    
    
      I too, have brought an outdoor cat indoors..My little one used to go
    out quite often on her own, she LOVED to go down in the back woods to
    hunt....Well, one day coming home from work, I see this little black
    cat sitting along side a busy road, two roads over from where I live
    and sure enough it was my little cat...Well, that ended her play time
    outdoors cause it was obvious that the back woods weren't enough for
    her and I didn't want to pass her dead on the road one morning, so she
    became an indoor cat after being outdoors for about 6years and indoors
    now for 4yrs..She will still at any chance try to go outdoors, but she
    has also adjusted to being strickly indoors.
    Sometimes when she slips by into the cellar (dirt floors) she feels
    like the old days....
    
    Good luck
    Diana

    Thank you all so much for your most reassuring and helpful replies.
    I can't express enough how much they have helped me on this
    emotional issue.  I was so concerned that the stress of the move
    plus the confinement would make one or both of them sick, or that
    the stress and change would be too much on the older one.  I will
    expect distress from them and will be patient and give them extra
    love as you suggested.  Thank you for sharing your success stories
    with this shared experience, and also tips.  I will let you know
    how it goes.  Any more input in the meantime would be great.
    
    Thanks again.