Precerpt from Raising Happy Cat Families (Norwood): Coming in from the Cold
Precerpt (excerpt from prepublication book) from Raising Happy Cat Families by Luna Norwood --
Coming in from the Cold
And then there is the situation where a feral cat literally comes in from the cold (often not by request). One moment, they’re out there, surviving in the chaos of open space, and the next—they’re dropped into a world bounded by walls, filled with strange smells, expectations, and no visible escape routes.
For a feral cat, this abrupt shift in territory can be deeply shocking. Outdoors, territory is fluid and layered: open air, moving sunlight, shifting alliances, and the constant demands of self-defense. Indoors, by contrast, is static and enclosed. It smells of humans and other cats. Boundaries are suddenly vertical—cat trees, shelves, window sills—not horizontal. Social rules are tighter, proximity is unavoidable, and the absence of hiding places can feel like exposure rather than comfort.
Some cats take this change in stride. Many do not.
While some cats thrive as indoor/outdoor companions, moving freely between the two worlds, our cats cannot. According to our local veterinarians, nearly 95% of the feral population in this area tests positive for FIV. That reality made our decision for us: our cats live indoors. But we’ve worked hard to ensure that “indoors” doesn’t mean “confinement.”
We built them a 108-square-foot catio—an enclosed, full-height outdoor room, screened from floor to ceiling and connected to the house by a sliding glass door we usually keep open. Out there, they have access to all the things that help cats feel they still own the sky: climbing trees of varying heights, hammocks to nap in, toys for mental stimulation, fresh water, food, and even their own private litter area, thoughtfully sectioned off with room dividers and lined with cat grass.
This is their “outside.” It’s safe, expansive, and full of sensory access to the natural world. Birds call from nearby trees, insects buzz, breezes move the air—and yet they remain protected from both predators and viruses.
Not all of our cats are equally satisfied by this arrangement. Some, like Murjan, made it clear that outdoor freedom was more than enrichment—it was part of his identity. Murjan was a master escape artist. When we lived in Jordan, he would streak down three flights of stairs to roll gleefully in the basement dirt. I would haul a soot-covered dustball back upstairs. Eventually, we reached a peace agreement. He learned to ask for outdoor walks with a distinctive “mwout” vocalization, and I learned to leash him up and give him the daily ritual he craved.
Bear shares that same wildhearted streak. Like Murjan, he lives for the chance to bolt. When the door cracks open, he explodes through it and tears across the yard like a flash of fur and muscle. And then, of course, I take off after him. The chase is good for both of us—he gets his moment of primal freedom, and I get a cardio workout worthy of a much younger version of myself.
Two other cats were just the opposite. I rescued Snyezhka from a fight with two tomcats—wanting to mate with her, I assumed. She was valiantly fighting them off and crying; I grabbed her so quickly they didn’t realize for a moment that she was gone. Then she stood at the window and taunted them. She never, ever asked to go out again.
Happy Cat, too, had no desire to go out. I could leave him beside a wide-open door, and he wouldn’t budge. He was nearly four when he found his way into our house—very sick, sprawled on the front step, barely breathing. The vet said he had severe lung disease and should never be allowed outside again. We hadn’t planned on adopting another cat, but what were we to do?
Happy Cat became a beloved member of our family and eventually played a key role in integrating many future siblings. But when it came to the outside world, he wanted nothing to do with it. He wouldn’t allow a leash near him and showed no interest in windows or open doors. He was completely, contentedly, happily indoors.
Cats, like people, differ in their relationship to the world outside. Some are sun-chasers. Others are breeze-sitters. A few are content to nap in front of a screen door and simply watch the wind blow. And still others come in from the cold and, with time and patience, find new forms of comfort in the warmth of a protected home.
But for those making that sudden transition—from the chaos of the street to the complex quiet of a house—the concept of territory must be redefined. And it's our job to help them do just that, gently and wisely.
Learn more about cats. See our many Caturday posts.
Be entertained. See all our posts about cats.
Be inspired. See posts by and about Sula, parish cat, and her books.
Have a chuckle. Read posts by and about Jeremy Feig's award-winning book (book of the year finalist, Kops-Fetherling Lagacy Award for Humor), How My Cat Made Me a Better Man.
Watch for Luna Norwood's forthcoming book, Raising Happy Cat Families.
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