Cat Lovers I Need Your Advice...Please

[wake up eager]

Great news my cat Felix was found Friday night after 8 weeks!! Yea!! I posted flyers everywhere and at every vet @ me, plus he had a microchip. The flyer, the chip and a really nice person who was feeding him and noticed a cat fight bite - took him to the vet.

I am so happy. Felix was a stray who showed up at our house @ 3 years ago. My husband is a little allergic and not too keen @ having a cat. So Felix mostly stayed out - I had a heated house for him and brought him in on cold nights. My husband gre attached to him over time...

This summer we did major renovations to our back area - Felix's area. He of course did not like all the workers - left during the day and eventually got lost. (He was 2 miles away, when found.)

Here's my question (finally, right? ): How do I get comfortable letting him out again? Or do I?

He has claws, he's big and strong and loves to be outside. He's fixed, but he's a tom cat - loves to climb trees and kill things as presents.

I dreamed last night that I was chasing mean things away from him - so I know I'm not ready to let him out yet.

Will he be miserable inside?
Will he be disoriented outside now, since the entire yard and deck area are different from before?
What would you do?

This may sound silly - but I don't want to force any one (even animals) to be something they are not. I always felt like he was happiest outside and that a good, happy life is better than a boring, low energy life - no matter how long. But THAT was before he went missing for 8 weeks!

Did I mention I don't have kids (probably obvious, huh?) and I work from a home office- so I am home a lot and so, my pets are a big part of my life.
I've attached a picture of our miracle kitty!

Well, thanks for 'listening' I appreciate any thoughts or advice you might have.

 

[JanetP1507]

Wow, it's so great that you found him after 8 weeks!!

I always kept my cat inside (but that was in an apartment, not a house) and he always seemed happy and content, and I slept better knowing he was SAFE.

That said, I do understand how you feel about forcing him to stay indoors, especially since he's used to being outside. The truth is, if you're going to let him out you just have to be prepared for the worst and hope for the best. I guess whether or not to let him out again is something you need to think about. Maybe since you're afraid he'll be disoriented in his new backyard, take him out and walk around the yard with him for a few days, maybe even hold him while you walk around and let him get used to his new surroundings while still feeling safe in Mom's arms. Try playing with him out there too, so he'll start to feel comfy there....and catnip is always good! Now that the work in the backyard is done, do you think it's likely he'll take off again? I think if you try to keep him inside at this point, you'll just have to put up with crazy hissy fits while you're trying to work.....but you can try it and see what happens.

Good luck!

 

[kathryn]

Is there any way you can build a screened-in enclosure for him?

I've always had indoor cats only. Even Tina, a cat I'd adopted who was an outdoor cat previously, became an indoor cat.

She'd been living in the neighborhood where I was renting for close to a year as a stray. She was extremely street smart and good with traffic, as she slept under the house of my neighbor across the street, and when she'd hear my car coming, she'd run to the edge of the street, look for traffic, then cross over to my house if it was all clear. I couldn't take her in at the time, but I had her fixed (she was pregnant!), had her shots, and fed her. One cold spell in winter, I felt sorry for her so I brought her in my back room, but she actually was probably warmer underneath the house, where she started to hang out.

When I moved, I took her with me.

I did let her out (after a 2-3 week adjustment period) several times because she was so good at being out, and she seemed to want to go out, but suddenly, one day she put her head outside, smelled leaves burning, and decided she didn't want to go out any more!

I always make sure my cats have a window or two to look out of (open with a screen in warm weather, closed but with a cat perch near so they can look out in cold weather). I once was visiting some people who had a huge picture window in their kitchen that they covered with some kind of film that made it possible to look out but not in. They put several bird feeders near the window (maybe even a microphone? or maybe I saw that elsewhere) and the cats (they had something like 8 or more) could watch the birdies all day.

Just be sure to try to provide as many 'outdoor' activities as you can inside: something to climb on (a cat tree), stuff to scratch, 'prey' (as in catnip mice...though sometimes cats who are used to the outside don't get into the fake stuff. Tina didn't at first, but then I got her to play with some 'fishing pole' toys), some cat grass to chew on occasionally.

Though he may complain at first and give you a hard time (Bobsie always tries to get out of the house when I open the door), most cats adapt quite well to being indoors. And if you have an enclosed backyard, perhaps he can go out "under supervision" (which is what some of my cats used to do).

 

[janiejoey]

We made an enclosure for our animals, even overhead. One small dog and 2 cats. It has lots of room for them to roam around in, and there are posts and perches that they climb to get to. There are many little critters that wonder in the enclosure and our cats enjoy bringing them in the house (by way of a doggy door) for presents. We have kill free traps in the house, just in case one or two critters survives them. Sometimes they do.LOL

This way they are protected from predators (we live in the woods), neighbors dogs, preying birds, form other cats, and people.

They love it! We have (square looking) wire all around and on top of the enclosure. It wasn't very expensive to make and it frees our minds to do other things than worry about our animals.

Janie

 

[wake up eager]

thank you!!

Ya'll are the best! Thanks for taking time to share your thoughts, support and experiences. It means alot to me.

You won't believe what happened today - my husband's slightly allergic and I was feeling bad that he was sniffling due to Felix -though he had not said a thing...

So I put a harness opn Felix, attached a tether - I got it at the pet store and tried to let him on the deck to 'jsut get comfortable' (for the both of us. The tether got caught on a chair and he started to freak out, fighting and just crazy, as tho' he was trapped.

I undid the tether from the chair -I could not get close to him. He ran off! Down the back yard, with long tether behind him. OMG!!! Now I'd sent him into the woods where he could get caught and hurt - with a tether!!!! I looked and looked. No Felix.

Well, after a few hours I went back out with my dog (who Felix loves) and a bag of cat food to rattle and out of the bushes, 2 yards over,deep in the woods out he comes. No collar, no harness, no tether... eating food out my hand and following me home!!!

OMG. He's home, again. Sitting by my chair.
What would I do if I were a real kid mom???

ANy way - thanks again for listening, for caring enough to share your thoughts and for not thinking I'm too goofy for caring so much about my animals.

Many blessings... I'm going to go pet Felix now.

 

[JanetP1507]

Ya'll are the best! Thanks for taking time to share your thoughts, support and experiences. It means alot to me.

You won't believe what happened today - my husband's slightly allergic and I was feeling bad that he was sniffling due to Felix -though he had not said a thing...

So I put a harness opn Felix, attached a tether - I got it at the pet store and tried to let him on the deck to 'jsut get comfortable' (for the both of us. The tether got caught on a chair and he started to freak out, fighting and just crazy, as tho' he was trapped.

I undid the tether from the chair -I could not get close to him. He ran off! Down the back yard, with long tether behind him. OMG!!! Now I'd sent him into the woods where he could get caught and hurt - with a tether!!!! I looked and looked. No Felix.

Well, after a few hours I went back out with my dog (who Felix loves) and a bag of cat food to rattle and out of the bushes, 2 yards over,deep in the woods out he comes. No collar, no harness, no tether... eating food out my hand and following me home!!!

OMG. He's home, again. Sitting by my chair.
What would I do if I were a real kid mom???

ANy way - thanks again for listening, for caring enough to share your thoughts and for not thinking I'm too goofy for caring so much about my animals.

Many blessings... I'm going to go pet Felix now.

Geez....maybe you should just build an enclosure for him outside. Losing him again would have made me a nervous wreck!!! I'm glad he came home...he's a sneaky one isn't he, getting out of his collar, harness and tether!!

 

[Govtgirl]

I'm so glad Felix is back home safe and sound! And I think an enclosure is an awesome idea! We are lucky, we have a screened in back porch, and my kitties Ace and Murphy just looooooove sitting out there watching the birds and squirrels, even when it's freezing cold out.

Boy, if we built them and enclosure so they could play and run in the grass, OMG they'd lose their little kitty minds!

 

[carres1973]

I don't have much to add to what the ladies above have already said. Just wanted to say Feliz is such a gorgeous kitty!

Carrie

 

[SirenSongWoman]

I am so happy for you. The last of my Kitchen Cats, Casper, who was integrated into the family during the past 4 months, disappeared last week and hasn't been seen or heard from since. This gives me hope.

How strange that I shot this photo the day before he disappeared.

 

[wake up eager]

Don't Give Up...

Some things that helped get Felix back where my fliers. I put them on every stop sign in my neighborhood and in mailboxes. But the best thing was giving the fliers to all local area vets - THAT's who called me this past Friday.

An employee there recognized Felix's picture in their book.

Also, I visited Animal Control and sent/took fliers to all the humane organizations. If you go to Animal Control go every few days and ask to have them check the back areas for the unruly and sick cats.

Also, I just read somewhere to keep dry food and fresh water out where you last saw your kitty.

One other thing is I talked to this Pet Detective - hew does this profile etc.
Sounds crazy - but he's a very nice and sincere man who knows animals and their tendencies. He talked to me for no money (I did send him a donation afterwards) offering suggestions and a compassionate ear.
I know it sounds weird but here's his web site:
http://www.carlwashington-petdetective.com/

Keep us posted on your kitty.