Advice needed please.

[Elizabeth77]

Hi I am new here and would welcome some help with the following situation.
I was so fortunate recently, about a month ago, to home a lovely Tortie Main Coon who is called Maisie. You will gather she is a girl, no,a lady indeed a Diva.!
Though having done the rounds of Cat shows or maybe because of it she hates cats which is why the previous owner, a breeder, needed to have her rehomed.
I got an enclosure built for her outside which measures around 15x 15 feet and is connected to a roofed enclosure 20 x 8 ft. Maisie spends most of the day inside with me but I feel cats need to experience the great outdoors and fresh air for some hours during the day.
Anyway the enclosure is not attached to the house so yesterday I took her down to the new surroundings. There was much mewing and chirping. I sat in the outside area and out she came for a look around. She seemed nervy of sounds even the birds! I live in the country but tractors and other farm machinery do go up and down the road outside and she was very aware of that noise.
When I left the enclosure the mewing re-started , sort of 'rescue me'.
today was better and she had a good walk around, again with me as company. I did leave her alone for a while .
So my query, eventually , is do you think I am approaching the matter of getting her used to outdoors in the correct manner. Should I perhaps stay with her all the time when outside
for some weeks? The enclosure is extremely well built and family have said it would prevent a lion from escaping! I have started planting cat friendly plants in it, and she has toys to play with. I want to make sure she is as happy as possible. Thank you.

[WoodsideMaineCoons]

Welcome to the forum.

It sounds to me like she is uncertain in her new surroundings and probably seeking reassurance from you. I would just put her out there for short periods of time and stay with her until she is happy to wander off on her own away from you.

Good luck - sounds like she has a fab home with you

Louise

[jckkerrison]

I agree with Woodside,our first cat was a retired breeding queen & to begin with no way was she going to stay out in that lovely pen that had been built especially for her,I think the whole estate heard her yowling her protests so I used to put her in with her brekkie & then potter around in the garden & talk to her for a while then go off & leave her,it only took about a week before she would run to the pen door herself & was absolutely fine & I am sure Maisie the "Diva" will be the same,she is just having to get used to her new surroundings & new mum who is obviously going to give her a spoilt life,lucky her & lucky you,some pictures when she has settled would be nice.....

[Elizabeth77]

You have no idea how reassuring your comments are!! Thanks a lot from Maisie and Me

[Louie-Louie]

Awwwwwwwwwwww bless her, Im sure she will love it when she's used to it & you as others have said they do like company

[Antonia]

Is there a place within the enclosure where she can hide in or under? If not, you could put a box in there, or a shrub (lavender and bamboo are cat-friendly and offer good hiding places). I think it would make her feel more secure if she has a place to hide.

[Elizabeth77]

Hi Antonia thanks for the suggestion. Yes she can get plenty of hidey holes in the covered part of the enclosure. I have started to plant in her outdoor area, grasses, astilbe and I will put thornless rambling roses and honeysuckle up the wire. The enclosure is made from scaffold poles so not the prettiest of structures!! Also intend having Rosemary and Lavender and some other plants to make a sort of jungle environment.

[H&SWells]

sounds like she has found herself a very loving home ...lucky lady