Possessiveness on the Rise

Hello Greyce, Although things have improved dramatically since we first contacted you (about Molly and me - See Molly's Adventure 5/6/10), we still have a long way to go. I accepted my new companion from the get-go while she has been taking her time. Still, she is getting bolder with each passing week.

Having Molly on the premises 24/7 has also brought out the Tigger in me. Just like my hero (from Winnie the Pooh) I like to sneak up and pounce on her. Truth be told, I really don't like to share Herself with Molly, even if She gives me a truckload of Filou-only snuggles. And while I understand Molly can't just stay in the corner all the time, it really is bugging me.

Can you help me get over my petty possessiveness? Filou

Poop in the Flower Beds

Dear Greyce, We are distressed by the actions of a neighbour’s cat who uses our garden for a toilet. As a cat, surely you must know what should be done to discourage such action. We have tried sprinkling cayenne on the ‘gifts’ and have scattered moth balls around, all to no avail. We weighted down plastic netting over a previously gifted area and that seemed to work but we cannot cover the whole garden with netting. And so we’re baffled and could use some cat intuition. Your fans.

Why Do I Have to Socialize?

Dear Greyce, As you can see from my photo, I am a Bulgarian beauty and I am in search both of a name by which humans can address me and a permanent residence. About a month ago, I was humanely trapped and spayed and then went to live with my rescuer. Unfortunately the large dog who lives with her gave me a hard time. I solved the problem by staying in the basement and roaming the yard. You can imagine what my life had been like on the streets, for I never went outside that yard.

I am not a social cat. I prefurr to stay by myself. However this did not meet with her approval. “How will you ever get adopted if you continue to behave that way?” she would say to me. Frankly I didn’t care. Life was fine as it was.

In the hopes of preparing me for adoption, she placed me for fostering in an apartment with a young couple. I’ve been here about three weeks and I have it just the way I like it.

I live in the bedroom. When they return in the evening, I hide. Then at night when they are asleep, I start to play.

I’m fed wet and dry food and have come to enjoy both. Sometimes when Herself serves my dinner, I let her touch me on the head. And sometimes I will watch Themselves lie on the bed or sleep, until one of them moves – when I leave immediately.

I am not aggressive but I fear noise and movement that is unexpected (or loud), and I do NOT like to be touched. I have a litter box which I use faithfully.

In other words, I am not much trouble at all. So why do I have to become more able to interact with human beings? I like things as they are. Nameless Beauty

This Yard IS Mine! (Indoors or Out Series 8)

Finally I get to tell you all about my cat fence. I bet you can't even see the cat fence in this picture but I assure you it IS there!

It all started because I was a stray - on my own for about a month when Herself found me sitting on the ice in an early December. I had been an indoor-only cat but I owhad a taste of the outdoors. Don't get me wrong. I love central heating and secure shelter. But it wanted to go outside, too!

As winter turned to spring and I became increasingly interested in the outdoors, my friend, Nuit, offered the loan of her Figure 8 harness and lead so I could try it. I wanted to go outside so badly that I adapted to it like a duck to water. The folks were so delighted that they indulged my needs with a minimum of twice-daily walks around the premises. I walk like a curious catwhich means I wander, sit and watch, sit on the fence and watch, ponder, go down the back lane to check on the sassy tortie a few doors down, and go back to my driveway and eat grass, and maybe return to the front yard and sit on the steps. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes at a time -- when 'they' are in a hurry. Most times, I'm released into the backyard (where my cat fence is) and then I'm one my own, once my leash and harness are removed.

As the hours of daylight increased, I wanted to go outside more often. To make things easier, Herself tried tethering me. As I mentioned before, first I escaped from the harness itself and had a lovely wander around the yard; the next time, I pulled up the stake to which my lead was tethered and just dragged it with me.

It was time for Themselves to take action. They debated. Herself was for an enclosure off the deck. But Himself, my true love, insisted that I be free to help him with the vegetable garden. They fenced in all parts of the yard and then proceeded to install a cat fence. The kind they got does not let me get out and does not let other cats in. That's it on the right in all its glory.

Of course, the same need for variety and change applies to using the backyard as to using an enclosure. A yard without plantings or wildlife or action is boring.

Once we got the wrinkles ironed out of it, it worked like a charm. The first wrinkle was that they hadn't completely secured the space between the regular fence and the ground. So with a bit of searching on my part, I found ways to get underneath and out into the back lane. The installation of river rock (the kind of rock used for garden rockeries) along the border put a stop to that.

The next wrinkle occurred later when a rather persistent cat insisted on getting up on our gate and trying to insert himself through a narrow opening between the gate and the garage wall. (I was convinced he was attracted by my good looks; but Herself says it was the large catmint bush that 'called' to him.) That problem was remedied with the insertion of a small bit of additional net.

And since then, the only mishap we've had was at 3:00 a.m. when a cat, new to the neighbourhood, hopped the neighbour's fence. He didn't see the cat fence and so he tumbled into it and it deposited him squarely into our garden. All went well until I ventured forth around 6:00 a.m. and started to wail. I was ushered back inside and the gate was left opened. He raced for it! And he has never returned.

So all in all my folks are pleased with their efforts. Even though it was made in Texas, my fence survives Edmonton winters very well. They check from time to time so make sure the supports haven't loosened but other than the occasional adjustment, all is well. It gives them peace of mind that I am safe. Thank goodness for that, because that means I get the entire backyard for my purrsonal use most times I want it.

In the good weather (and after the vole and bird breeding season), they are pretty good about leaving the cat door open for me whenever they are home and awake. But during those seasons, they resent being disturbed by the sight of me bringing home lunch so the cat door is closed and they provide door service. (I'm a good catcher but never manage the killing bite; so with their help, most of my food cache is able to be released.)

Am I happy? That depends.

I'm pleased to have outdoor access and generous access at that. Coupled with several leash walks a day (at least two), my needs are reasonably satisfied.

But still, I really wish they'd buy the 12 surrounding properties and evict all the pets and kids who live in them, so I could have the place all to my self. I can't imagine why they don't consider it.

If you are interested in cat fences, check the resources below for ones made with net and ones made with PVC pipe. Also check out  as well as the ones listed in the blog entry from this series on cat enclosures (#7) because many of the enclosure sites include various kinds of cat fences, too. And there is LOTS to choose from!

Resources 

Net Systems
http://www.catfencein.com/
http://www.purrfectfence.co.uk/

PVC Tube Systems

http://www.katzecure.com/

Pet Doors (Indoors or Out Series 7)

As promised, I wanted to provide some information about pet doors for those of you thinking about enclosures. A pet door is an ideal way of getting from your home to your enclosure without requiring door service from a human. If your enclosure abuts your home, then the door is the means of direct access. If it is a distance from your home, you may still want to use a pet door that connects to a netted or cat tunnel leading to the enclosure itself. (One website for net tunnels is http://www.kittywalk.com/ and I'd encourage you to also consider wire ones, shown in some of the enclosure resources I listed in #6 of this series.) It's all a matter of prefurrence.

You can probably get a pet door at your local pet supply store. But before you do, I encourage you to look at some websites and acquaint yourself with the various options.
Some work with regular doors.
Some work with windows.
Some work with sash windows.
Some work with sliding glass or patio doors.
Some work with screens.
And if you want to get fancy, there are motorized, electronic, infrared and magnetized ones.
If you are Rubenesque, you might want to check the sizing recommendations and stick to doors made for larger cats.