The Sane Cattery: Because normal is overrated

[avant-garde]

@Patches59 my cat avoids the outdoors anyway

[MJG017]

@Patches59 

We have a small backyard area that is a strip between the side of the house and the fence and runs down to the granny flat, which is quite close to the back of the house.  We enclosed it in so that the cats are free to go out there when they want.  It just allows them the freedom to roam about a lot more.

[Jynx]

Yeah my setup is similar to yours @MJG017 - a little garden and a very tall fence means my kitties tend to stay close. They're also incredibly skittish, which I actually find reassuring cos I know they're very unlikely to go running out onto the road. 

@Patches59 I would be wary about letting an older indoor cat suddenly go roaming outside - without experience of the dangers of the world they're far more likely to go wandering off and potentially getting hurt. If it's a younger cat or a cat used to outdoors it should be okay! 

My kitties have collars with their names and my phone number on em,  and a little bell so they can't sneak up on wildlife. As well as microchips too! 

[Patches59]

@Jynx @MJG017 @avant-garde @Bow 

My 2 are almost 5yo and enjoy sitting at screen door when I have the glass sliding door open, their noses twitching as they take in all the smells.  It’s only general fly wire on the door so hesitant to open glass door a long way or to leave them unattended.

I have a small tiled outdoor area which I’m still intending to sit out there on mild weather days.  Would love to have the cats outside with or near me.  Anything I do in the backyard I have to request approval to do which can be a pain.  I have couple of things in my mind which will be long term projects and will be expensive.  

I have seen outdoor playpen style which have tunnels to join different playpens together.  Thinking of maybe buying one at some stage.  

[avant-garde]

My best friend sent me this one today @Patches59 @MJG017 @Jynx 

[Jynx]

@Patches59 oooh I've looked at those outdoor catruns, they look so cool!

[Jynx]

@avant-garde eeeeee VOID CAT VOID CAT

[avant-garde]

@Jynx void cat?

[Jynx]

@avant-garde haha it's an internet meme. Pure black cats are referred to as void cats cos they blend in with black surfaces... so sometimes it looks like the void has eyes!

[MJG017]

@Jynx 

Our outdoor area is pretty much enclosed.  We have a wooden lattice along that bit of the back fence to the granny flat with polycarbonate roofing sheets.  And then a 1.5m gap between the two buildings.  So I had a small wall with the screen door that was on the laundry door put into that gap and put a little cat door in the laundry door.  I little extra lattice work to fully enclose it and the cats are free to come and go.  With the locked screen door now in that gap and locked we can keep the granny flat door open so the cats can chill in there as well, or follow us down if they feel like it.  The PCs are in there and it is the Lego building area.  The Lego does not usually go well with Luna though.  Those tiny plastic pieces are just far too tempting.

The positive side of the polycarbonate roofing is that it is very translucent and birds like to walk around on top of it, pecking away.  the cats love watching the birds and can even get up on special shelves for them to be a foot or so away from the birds.  So close but so far!

@Patches59 

Our cats you to climb that screen meshing.  We have the cheaper stuff on some of the windows which they climbed as well, but sometimes ripped away from the frame.  Luckily the glass frame s were still closed, so i'd definitely be wary of just having the mesh only keeping them in.  They don't really climb it any more so we do leave the door open and look at and twitch their noses like yours do.  We do leave the main door open for them to look now that they never seem to climb the screen door anymore but the mesh is the thicker metal one and I don't think they would be able to rip it out of the frame, but they're cats so i do keep an eye on the door to see if there's any signs the mesh may be about to have a gap open up.  Still looks very secure though.

Ive seen those big cat playpens you can put outside in front of a window.  So you can open the window and the cats can go through into the playpen.  I always thought they were a good idea, but very pricey.  We have tried to get the cats into a harness so they could sit outside with us but not go very far on a lead.  But they will have none of it, and i dont want to keep trying it as it does seem to freak them out if i even try.

@avant-garde 

That photo reminds me of Luna.  Very similar eyes and will sit there staring at me just like that!