Honestly from your description it sounds like she might very well WANT to be an indoor cat already
A couple things that can help keep them initially-happier about the transition and therefore less apt to dash out the door: provide as many accessible high-up places as possible, even if it means rearranging a bit of furniture or strategically placing a *tall* climbing post. If your kitchen cabinets are securely attached to the wall and have space over top of them you might consider whether you can give the cat access there (not everyone wants cats climbing around the food prep area, but if you're like me and don't mind, it's *great* habitat for the cats).
When building scratching/climbing posts, think TALL (floor to ceiling is good
), making sure the cat has an alternate route down from the top because most cats don't climb *downwards* very well if at all.
And, if she seems like she really wants to spend some time outdoors, you could think about whether you could make her any sort of outdoor 'run', ranging from just a screened platform outside a window to something more elaborate (here is a link to a thread on the Easy Garden site with pics of part of what I built for my cats when I acquired a formerly-stray cat who REALLY wanted to be Out: http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=27031&p=1 Since those pics were taken last year, I've put clear plastic over the part in front of the window and on the 'bridge' so it is all-weather, and I added a 3x3x15' long section under the base of the cedars to the right of the pic. And will probably add on more next year, as it's just *fun* and the cats love it)
Good luck, have fun,
Pat
A couple things that can help keep them initially-happier about the transition and therefore less apt to dash out the door: provide as many accessible high-up places as possible, even if it means rearranging a bit of furniture or strategically placing a *tall* climbing post. If your kitchen cabinets are securely attached to the wall and have space over top of them you might consider whether you can give the cat access there (not everyone wants cats climbing around the food prep area, but if you're like me and don't mind, it's *great* habitat for the cats).
When building scratching/climbing posts, think TALL (floor to ceiling is good
And, if she seems like she really wants to spend some time outdoors, you could think about whether you could make her any sort of outdoor 'run', ranging from just a screened platform outside a window to something more elaborate (here is a link to a thread on the Easy Garden site with pics of part of what I built for my cats when I acquired a formerly-stray cat who REALLY wanted to be Out: http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=27031&p=1 Since those pics were taken last year, I've put clear plastic over the part in front of the window and on the 'bridge' so it is all-weather, and I added a 3x3x15' long section under the base of the cedars to the right of the pic. And will probably add on more next year, as it's just *fun* and the cats love it)
Good luck, have fun,
Pat
