She's a pretty girl, and I share your fear of the harm that could come to her if she gets out. What if you curtailed going out for all of your cats? Could Raven exist just as happily indoors as out? It may take time, but perhaps so, and then all would be safer.

She needs something to entertain herself (or with your help) inside. DGD1 recently adopted two Siamese kittens. They went crazy when I took them some cat toy springs. All cats love the ribbon wands. What about a cat nip mouse, or one without caat nip? A moving mouse/cat toy or an interactive toy?

How does she react to Raven when Raven comes back in?

Beautiul kitty. Tortie? I have no cats now, but stopped letting them go outsidee. They adjusted and were safer. No chipmunk wounds, fleas, ticks, worms.

Do you think pepper is feeling okay?

If the reason you don't let her out is you are afraid she'll get scared and hide and not come back, maybe take her out on a leash. If she gets more familiar with the area and you can take her to safe places in the yard, she'll get more accustomed to it and change her behavior. Moreover, I think it's important that cats know where they live just because they can accidentally get out and you don't want them to get lost.

Both of my girls go out but only while we're home and during certain hours when the weather is nice. There's a ritual to going out as well as they both need to have their break-away collars on before they can go out. One is a "pipe" kitty and often hides up the pipe that runs under the lawn but she's happy there in the cool darkness and does come when she's called. (Rattling food dishes is an extra incentive!) Both of them stay very close to home. It's rare to see them off the property. They are now 8 yrs old.

Also, one of the first things I taught my girls is "Scram!"...when I say it, they take off whether I'm opening a door or going into the guest room which is a cat-free zone or when one of them is rubbing up against the leg of a guest...how do they always know that guest is allergic to cats! Perhaps teaching her that might help keep her from getting out.

I used to clap and say 'no' loudly to condition my kitty to not go out the door. It took some time, but she eventually preferred inside to outside and the few times she accidentally did get out, she'd jump up on a windowsill and meow to come back in.

I think the thing that really clinched it, tho, was a delivery guy stomping his shoes to clean them on the doormat just as she was approaching the front door. She took off like a shot and hid under the bed 😄

When I go the door and the mistress of the household also wants to go out, I block the door, turn around stare her down and say ”No”. she knows what ”No” means -lol

I used to watch a cat whisperer on TLC (I think), and I remember being astounded at how he was able to change a cat's problematic behavior by identifying the cause, which was sometimes outside the house. There was one episode for example, where he helped the cat's owners recognize that a wandering neighborhood cat, who seemed to just sit in a friendly, nonthreatening way in their yard occasionally, was actually posing a constant, serious threat to their cat in the cat's mind. Once they addressed that and made the cat feel safe, the problem went away. So the meowing etc. that you are dealing with seems clearly related to the bunnies,.I don't know whether Pepper feels threatened or all her hunting instincts are firing on red alert, and I don't have a solution, but I thought I'd link you to this cat whisperer and see if you might learn something you could apply. At the least, you'll spend some enjoyable time in the rabbit hole of cat behavior! Cat Whisperer

Annie, our cats have always been able to slither out of collars and harnesses. They are regular Houdinis.

We take one of our cats out on a leash and it works fine. We tried our other cat Gracie on a leash but it created more problems than it was worth because she cried constantly at the door after that. We do take her out in our arms on the rare occasion she lets us pick her up. Really, her #1 motivation is to eat grass and we don't let them do that anyway so I don't feel she's too deprived.

You need to buy a harness that fits like a vest so they can't escape. They can pull out of strap harnesses and collars.

Ida, Raven is the only one who's allowed outside in the daytime and if she doesn't get her way I have seen her try to climb walls. Only on good weather days she does that.

Yesterday Raven gifted me on my newish outdoor rug a beheaded baby rabbit. I can trust Raven. She's more like a male cat if that makes sense.

Blf, Pepper doesn't get along with the other three cats. Because I spoiled her she thinks she's top dog around the other cats, but they tolerate each other. EXCEPT with Raven. Inside is Pepper's territory and I was able to stop her from going after Raven who could eat her alive if she wanted. Outside is Raven's territory and she'll hide and run after Pepper.

The four cats are all females and they behave like the catty itches they are with each other. No fights but the looks they give each other is hilarious.

Petal, Pepper sure is a Torti! Beautiful different shades of brown. She's feeling great. Finally took a long nap and settled down and of course is sitting in the window next to me. :)

Forgot, we do have a yellow tom cat living in our detached garage. Been here for a few years and runs when he sees any of us. Raven and he get along pretty good. I give him dry cat food a few times a week and he can catch mice the rest of the time.

Annie, this is the first time I've had more than two cats. Living in the country letting two cats outside then inside then outside, then home for the night was easy.

I followed a rule I read years ago that when you get a new cat keep them indoors for several weeks and only then let them outside so they'll know their territory. Works every time. However, there is no way I can do that with four. DH lets Raven out but never checks to see if she wants inside.

Carol, how funny because when UPS made a delivery here one day when I was on the porch, out jumped baby Raven, a Tuxedo which are my favorites. And on Valentines Day! Now I have to tell everyone who comes here to fix something to please check their trucks before they leave. lol

Gargamel, all my cats know what "No!" means, but I'm talking about when we can't even see her by the door to begin with and once it's open she flies out. Hence the flyswatter I start waving before I even open the door. Cats hate fly swatters.

Best, it's her hunting instincts. Being in the country with fields everywhere we tend to get a mouse every now and then. I'll get up during the night and Pepper is staring at the bottom of the stove. I've found one or two that were obviously caught by her. Can't wait to read that website, thanks!

Someone should do a topic about the funny/weird quirks of our pets.

My solution is to use an exit door from a room you can exclude them from before you open the outside door. for me it was my utility/ laundry room. close the interior door so they cannot get into the room, then open the ouside door. A scat mat near the doors they escape from might help, too. Put one down with foil over it. Once they learn to not step on it, you can use just foil where you don’t want them to go.

We have Great Horned owls nesting in our trees. Bobcat, Mountain Lion, Eagles, Hawks and Bear. NO CATS can go outdoors and survive in our yards. Our cat Aspen, like yours Oakley, tries to run out the door any time it's open. Then stops abruptly, if on the front porch. If on the back deck, he goes through the deck railing, downstairs to the lower deck and waits for an escort. Today for fun, DH let Aspen out, because there's a bank of snow blocking the upper deck railing. He was so upset his escape route was blocked....and came back indoors. 🐈

Aspen walks on a leash. A halter. Has never slipped out of it....he's just happy to feel the wind in his fur, Chase grasshoppers, butterflies....and roll in the dirt. Ivan, our other cat, does NOT want to go out. Without a leash, Aspen walks next to me...heels like a dog....but....I think the leash could save his life. I scared a guy one day...he thought I had a black squirrel on a leash. 😂

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Aspen is a feminine boy. We call them he & she when talking in general terms. When the clothes dryer plays the little tune when the clothes are dry, Aspen thinks it's the doorbell and runs to see who it is....pawing at the dryer door....for them to come out.

We don't have an exit room close to either door. If we did it's too much of a hassle because Pepper can hide out of site until the door is open. She's been good today, just meowing a bit. Raven's in for the day because of cold weather and rain.

Nicole, the story about Aspen made my day. Thanks for the story!

We have the same animals but the Bears are down south. The creek is a 1/4 mile from here with lots of trees so that's where the wild ones live. About ten years ago I thought I had a new stray cat sitting in the Orchard, and when I went to go see it, it stood up. I ran. lol

There's a lot of hawks and vultures and they/ve never bothered our cats before.

However, one of the sweetest little cats that came here was afraid of everything, especially dogs. But she did good and when she was ready to go out and play in the daytime, she didn't come back. DH saw her laying in the far back of the acre and he said it looked like a Coyote bit her spine in two. That was a first for us.

You say it's too much trouble, but if you want to keep her from escaping, try using an outside door in a room that you can close off from her. If there is such a room, just get in the habit of always keeping the interior door closed so she can't go in there and hide. Seems to me the peace of mind that she cannot escape would be worth a little effort.

For my escape artist I use a gate. I let the dogs in the room and shut the gate. I had to attach something to the top of the gate because she could fly over it easily. I think it's worth it as around here cats do not survive if they're outdoors. Several cats have gone missing and I don't want that to happen to mine. Pretty sure it is well established coyote pack that we've seen around..

Oly, after having many many cats my whole adult life, they learn that I'm the boss and they eventually do as I say so I won't have to walk all around the house looking for a cat so she can't sneak outside. Just like dogs, they need to know who's top dog and that's us.

This began a couple of weeks ago when DH would get back from grocery shopping, his new hobby thank goodness. He buys a lot of groceries so we don't have to go as often, and during the process of bringing them inside is when she got the bright idea to escape. She's done it about 4 times now. Not much, but too much for me.

But she knows I'm onto her now because of the fly swatter & the seriousness in my face. Yesterday she didn't even try to escape because I had the fly swatter in my hand.

Today was absolutely purrrfic! It's been storming non stop all day, Raven's been hanging out, Pepper doing the same, and neither wanted to go out.

One day at a time. We're not on a road (dirt road, hardly any houses) with a lot of traffic, so the worry is less but still real.

Yeo, we have coyotes too but they only come out at night. Every now and then I'll see one out in the field, and if Raven's outside I bring her in. I used to let our late cats go out at night until the one cat died. In the summer Coyotes don't travel in packs, I think they only do that in the winter. Need to check on it.

Allison, I'm so sorry, I just now saw that you posted. That's a good idea, and I've had several of the toys over the years. Pepper LOVES catnip! I had to keep the toys in the bedroom because of the dogs.

I'm going to Amazon right now to find some to keep in the LR that dogs won't like.

Below is a picture of Pepper's Place. I bought it for all 4 but she saw it first which means It's hers and she will not share. She's a real trip. Spoiled as can be and it's all my fault.

It's hard to get a good picture of P's face which has many sweet expressions. In pictures she just looks mean. :)

If someone's around please help me find cat toys the dogs won't chew or choke on.

Look at this funny video, the cat's face is like Pepper's, very expressive.

That was fun! I can't wait to see the cats get in their new colorful tube.

Ordered two GoCat da fur thing, rabbit fur with feathers on top stuffed with catnip. That is especially for Pep. The other GoCat da bird thing.

120 pack Cat Springs.

These will be fun!

Well, good! Sounds like you solved your own problem and didn't need help at all!

Glad I could help! The toys will give them all something to "hunt" inside.

Then I am coming in too late with the Bow Wow Barrier:

Bow Wow Barrier

Feathers, why are you asking this question on two of my topics...so far?

Gray, the barrier is making me laugh because a cat will jump over it, and my two dogs can knock it off with a push from one of their paws.

I've got it under control by having the flyswatters sitting next to the doors. I just wish this obsession to go outside would end. Not one meow from her this morning because it's raining and Raven is still sleeping. :)

Oakley there are signs all over our area that the coyotes have broken their own self-imposed curfew and come out in the day all the time now. Apparently they are not naturally nocturnal and only did that for survival. When they are raising their young and the young adult coyotes are setting out is the most common time for them to roam in the daytime as well.

I'm glad that your mileage may be varying.

Yeo, I've lived here for 40 years and if there was an influx of coyotes no cat would go outside. Me neither. I'm scared to death of them. I've seen one coyote here in the daytime.

This is a rural farming community and there are farms on each side of me with cattle and wheat. We'd know if coyotes were attacking cattle.

I never hear coyotes howl except in winter when they form their packs.

My indoor cat ran out the door when guests were leaving after a dinner get-together. As guests were leaving, I was saying goodbye at the door, my nephew started chatting while the front door was open. Kitty shot through the door. We ran out immediately trying to find him but it was dark.

I ran back inside to grab a flashlight as my nephew started his car to pull out and the cat ran out from under his car. He shot across the street into the dark. I ran but never found him.

Its 6 yrs and I still look for him. He was neutered and chipped. I put his pictures all over the neighborhood, but never found him. I was told he was probably caught by a coyote or something else. He was an orange, long hair and I even went door to door in the daylight looking to see if I could see fur. Knocked on doors, etc.

Still wonder what happened to him.

Jane

Oh Jane, I'm so sorry. We once found a cat hanging out at my parents', in a kind of protected courtyard area. She was clearly a loved family cat, sweet and fun and healthy, and we tried so hard for months to find her owner, had several false leads. We never did find her family. So she became part of ours for years. I hope that your sweet orange kitty, if she couldn't find her way home, was found.

Oakley, my friend has similar spring toys but they aren't a spring, just a flexible plastic rod with toy, suction cupped to the glass door. The cats love it! Gives them something to do when birds are at the feeders outside.

Yes it is too bad when they go missing.

So sorry that you lost your Kitty, Jane. I lost my Chilli named for the Chilliwack River 4 years ago. I still am looking whenever I am in the area that we moved out of. I will keep looking forever.