Melinda, I feel your pain, I have in and out cats (live in a complex in the city away from any possible cat-predators and in a house recessed from the street, small patio but with a grassy green area in front of my unit) as my place is rather small and I have several cats. 2 are indoors only (or just the patio) as they have a hard time with the 5+ foot wooden fence, they only go out if I'm outside and when I got back in I call them and they come right in. One can get out easily but prefers staying in with mommy (his actual mommy) and me. 2 of them if I keep them in they will meow as if I was skinning them alive... well one meows the other constantly runs around looking for a way out, and one is half feral and feuding with my other females so is almost always out, but she's adopted the patios of several neighbours so I always know where to find her.
When it's bad weather and if I go on a trip (and have a catsitter) I close them in and suffer the consequences, ripped up stuff, peeing around etc... Then I took in a little stray that turned out to be FeLV+. His room is the garage but when I'm home I let him in the house and supervise him. Call him at intervals, check where he is. He's gotten used to being checked up on and I noticed that I could do this with letting him outside too. Mostly because he's so quick and sneaky he managed to get out once when I was closing the door. Had to stop of I would have closed it on him (little daredevil) but I followed him out and not alarmed at all called him back and petted him a while prior to taking him back in. The result is I can take him out now for actual "walks" like a dog without a leash. He follows me if I change direction from where he's going and if I call him back. There is another feral cat outside that I feed and my little Felv+ Angel (who is really happy to have a home and doesn't want to leave... just visit the outdoors every now and then) probably was in feuds with him before so once he took off and chased him. I had to run after them like a crazy lady and then took him and uncerimoniously put him in the garage. No fuss. But somehow he got it and that was the last time he chased him. They're pretty smart and when they want to please you they figure out what you want from them if you can give them clear messages, and no cat wants to please you like a stray you took in, I'm sorry to say. It's so sweet, but it's so sad that they would be made to feel that way. Paola ________________________________ From: Melinda Kerr <msk...@me.com> To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Fri, September 17, 2010 9:04:23 PM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Fw: New to Feline Leukemia I forgot to add that on our very small base there are no wild animals, most strays are caught almost immediately ( Fuji is collared and chipped) and the likelihood of Fuji coming across and getting into a confrontation with another cat are very slim. Most people who have cats brought them from the states and have already had them vaccinated. Again, very few are actually let out. The speed limit on most of the base is less than 40 kilometers per hour (about 25 mph.) I know there are a lot of things she can come across if she goes outside. I'll probably keep trying to sit out with her as I have done since she got sick. However, if she occasionally manages to escape my clutches, I won't worry too much! She stays pretty close and always comes home in a couple of hours. I really am trying to do my best to keep her healthy and happy. Thanks again for your input and concern. Melinda and Fuji On Sep 18, 2010, at 6:49 AM, Cougar Clan wrote: _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
