Need advice on what to do about my outdoor cats. Would like to move into an apartment.?

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Lovedbyhim

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Basically, I have two cats, both are outside cats. When we got the female she was an outside cat. I tried everything, looking for much help online trying to get her to be an indoors cat. I tried many different liters. She never would adjust and would frequently use the bathroom on the carpet, or furnature. I've had cats in the past and was able to potty train them with ease, but not her. We pet sitted my cousins cat for a few months and some of her behavioir improved, we ended up getting another cat for her to have company. HE was always really good with the litter box.

Disaster stuck, hubby lost his job and we moved in with my mom. Since she had a cat, these two were forced to be locked in my room. They drove me crazy and I started letting them go outside. Now, fast forward many months later. Hubby is working. We are doing pretty decent and want to move back out into an apartment, however, I have no idea what to do about my cats. I can't find many apartments that will allow outdoor cats and I am just unsure on what to do at this point. My hubby suggests leaving them at my mom's and having my brother take care of them for us, but the male cat is very, very lovable and needs a lot of attention. He's frequently in bed with me when I wake up in the morning. I would only be about a 10 to 15 min drive (hopefully) from my mom's house, but I wasn't really considering that.

Any advice?
The female never liked using a liter box, the male didn't mind it.
 
I think the best thing for you to do is to find the male cat a home with someone who is always there to love on him, and find the female cat a home on lots of land so she has room to run and play outside. If you really don't think that could be an option (I know you love your cats), then sneak him into an apartment as long as he will ALWAYS use the litter box and not tear things up. He couldn't go outside or the apartment manager might catch him. If you prefer the more honest approach, maybe you could talk to the apartment manager and work out a deal with a deposit or something (not likely though, if they don't allow pets).If the female wont use a litter box,lock her in the bathroom w/box.If she doesn't use it tell her she's bad and make her watch you clean it up while showing your frustration.Cats DO pick up on our feelings. When she does use it, let her out and love on her.Tell her she's good and clean the litter box while smiling and praising her. Cats are a lot like children. You just have to let them know whats right and wrong and they'll usually do their best to please you. Make sure to always reward good behavior and punish bad (no hitting though). If you hit your cat that will only make them less trusting and more difficult to train. Good luck! I hope this works out for you! P.S. - maybe you could just find a temporary home for them until you get a place that will accomodate their needs? That way you can focus on moving, your cats will have a non-stressful environment that suits them, and they can come back home to you as soon as you are ready!?! Just an afterthought.
 
I think you will be heart sick if you leave your cats behind. Can you find a rental that is the ground floor of a two family house or a ground floor apartment? That way you can let the cats out a little bit and keep them in most of the time. I adopted a stray cat that always wanted to be out- it took two years of keeping him in more and more to adjust him to being a mostly indoor cat. He still prefers the outside to the litter box, but as he gets older he loves the comforts of the indoors. Make sure the litter boxes(one per cat!) are cleaned daily and that they are in a sort of private and quiet area. Good Luck!
 
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