We’ve recently moved to where it freezes a lot so my family finally is keeping our cat inside full time but she’s lived outside and inside for her whole 6 years of life and is having a hard time transitioning. Would it help her to harness train her and take her outside? I’m worried it will make her want to get out even more. She darts out any opportunity. Thank you!
Possibly? I’ve had mixed results- Dave is more likely to bolt now that he’s harness trained, but Kepler is less likely.
I think it might be safest to let her make the full transition indoors and ensure she’s less likely to bolt before trying the harness training. When you do train her, make a big show of getting out the harness and putting it on and carrying her over the threshold so she doesn’t associate regular opening of the door to her own outside time.
All cats are individuals and I’m afraid I can’t predict whether it will help her or make the bolting more likely. Use your best judgement, and if you think it’s making things worse then avoid harness training for the time being.
Is a catio or other sort of outdoor enclosure something you could put together? Then she won’t be associating the door with going outside but a secure cat flap or window.

















