Feline Behaviorist Pam Johnson-Bennett is the author of a number of award-winning and critically acclaimed books, including Think Like a Cat and Psycho Kitty. The innovative methods described in all her books are based on Pam's unique way of training by actually understanding the way a cat thinks. She makes numerous television appearances including CNN, Fox News Channel, and National Geographic specials, as well as being a popular guest on many nationally syndicated radio programs. She is now considered to be one of the leading experts on feline behavior.

Q: We have adopted our neighbor's cat, who has lived outside most of his life. He is seven years old. We live in a pretty mild climate but want him in for the winter months, especially at night when it's cooler. We hope eventually we can get him to stay inside most of the time. We have two female cats who are inside cats and all three have met and get along nicely. Lately, I have started to bring him in the house at night, if I can catch him. He has cried at the door, but I try to distract him and we can usually get through the night. He seems very comfortable with all of us, he sleeps on the bed and is very affectionate. Every morning he cries at the door and wants out. So far we have been taking this slow, just trying to get him used to being in at night. Do you have any other suggestions on what more we can do to get him used to living inside?

A: Your kitty is being a typical cat and using his smarts to communicate his desires. He knows that crying at the door will bring you running to let him out. The more often you do, even if you try to hold out for longer periods each time, the longer he'll cry the next time.

Since your kitty is already comfortable in the house, you should just go cold turkey in terms of keeping him inside. It will mean enduring a bit of crying for a while, but he'll eventually realize that it's just as much fun indoors as out. One key will be to watch his behavior and try to distract him before he's actually crying at the door. If you can catch the behavior as he's walking toward the door, or if you notice he has that particular "I want to go out" look in his eyes, use a form of positive distraction (such as play or a treat) at that moment. The more often you can catch it before the actual behavior takes place, the better.

To speed up the acceptance process, make your indoor environment more interesting from a cat's point of view. Make sure you have at least one cat tree or a few window perches so your cats can enjoy climbing and sleeping in elevated locations. A good scratching post is also a must! Engage in twice-daily interactive play sessions and leave out some activity toys for your cat to discover during the day.