Hi, I hope someone can help with some advice! We have two bengal boys who are three and a half years old. They have always been 'indoor' cats but we built them an outdoor pen with branches and shelves where they can play, get some fresh air and sunbathe.

Their pen is at the front of the house, but whenever we go out in the back to hang out the washing, one of them always yells to come out with us. The other week my husband brought him out just for a few minutes, to satisfy his curiosity, and since then he has howled pretty much non-stop, making the most awful noise all day and all night, wanting to go outside at the back.

We feel really bad because he's getting stressed, but it's not secure to let him out at the back. Does anyone have any suggestions? Should we just give in and let him be an outdoor cat if that's what he wants? I'm just so scared of something happening to him. Is there a way we can 'un-train' him from wanting to go out the back? He is howling all the time and keeping us awake at night so it's getting pretty stressful.

Thank you!

Hi Booshy, I had a very similar experience with my Bengal girl. I thought that taking her outside on a leash occasionally would be a good way to take her outside safely and would tire her out. Unfortunately it seemed to give her more energy and made her desperate to get out at all times - she was howling and pawing at the backdoor constantly and trying to escape whenever she could. At first I thought I was going to have to give in and let her have more of a free reign wondering in to the back garden, but I really didn't want to do that as we just can't ensure the garden is 100% escape proof.
Eventually she seemed to calm down and 'forget' about the outside world. It's a really hard decision as she obviously enjoys being outside, but I don't want to tease her by taking her out sometimes and not letting her out when I can't supervise her.
At the end of the day she has a lot of space to run around inside and plenty of toys plus we play with her a lot. So if she continues to have forgotten about going outside then I don't think i'll be reminding her anytime soon!

I guess I would say just hope that your Bengal forgets about it too. Maybe when he starts howling you need to try and distract him, or when you go outside and then come back in reward him and show him that play time happens inside?

I hope he calms down for you soon!

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@elsa_bengal Instagram

Cat fencing could be an answer to your problems? Kitty out but safe!

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

Yeah... we created a monster. Allowing the cat to cross the threshold adds the space to their territory. When I had a large balcony at my last apartment for a year, Faust wanted to go out so much that he would body slam the door multiple times a day, at all hours. Regardless of any storms, below freezing temperatures, or winds. Maxwell likes to go out our front door to roll around on the concrete. good luck getting the mail, while blocking the cat with a foot.
If you let them out, just be prepared for more longing and crying. In my experience, anyway.

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Most kitty cats want a taste of the outdoor world! Everything is out there at their feet! Yowling is just what bengals do. Yours have a wonderful enclosure which should be enough for them. I thought that as well with my bengal, however, he still gets walked twice a day -- and that's still not enough. He roamed free the first six years of his life and got beat up many times by other cats in the neighborhood. When I took him, I decided to control his environment and save whatever lives of his 9 he had remaining.

You might want to think about a small enclosure near the area you hang your clothes. That way they can be outside with you, but safe. The key is safety! Too many perils out there for kitties who are allowed to roam free. The b/w cat I've been feeding since June has vanished! This is the fourth time -- usually he's shut in a garage somewhere. I've been out hunting for him and will go again around dark. it's not like him to not be here for breakfast at least -- and, he could have hopped a ride in a pickup truck yesterday. If your cats are in a controlled environment, you do not have to worry about things like that. Tabitha (Clare) can back that up.

My advice is to not let your kitties roam around your yard unsupervised.

Personally I would not let them outside on their own, there are too many dangers.

I have never let my 2 outside so they don't miss what they have never had.

I used to take my previous bengal out on a lead but I made a rod for my own back, as he would cry at the door non stop to go out, it was worse than having a dog.

This time round I chose not to start it and I'm glad I didn't.

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Clare
Magic (brown spotted boy born 31 March 2012)
Pearl (seal Lynx Point girl born 1 October 2015)
Bristol, UK

Hi all

Thanks so much for your advice and suggestions. I think it will just be a case of waiting it out and keeping him distracted as I really don't want to let him out by himself. Our back garden has a right of way across it for next door, so we can't fence it in unfortunately. That would definitely be the best solution.

Last night Coolio did at least sleep all night which was a bonus, so hopefully things will improve!

Thanks again and any further ideas much appreciated :)