Cat Lovers Thread

[Kooshdakhaa]

I actually cat-proofed my yard, meaning the cats cannot get out. Therefore, they are allowed out into the big back yard to play and sunbathe without fear of them getting out and something bad happening to them.

I had fenced the yard with six foot fence for the dobermans, anyway. I had the fencing company put barb arms facing inward at a 45 degree angle. Barb arms are the things, usually sticking outward, that barbed wire is strung on. Then I got this plastic netting and secured it over the top of the barb arms and secured the bottom of the netting to the fence. The netting hangs down over the end of the barb arms a foot or two. The cats will not climb upside down on that floppy netting, which is what they would have to do to get out. They don't even try. They'll run part way up the chain link fence,look at that netting and jump back down. I've used this system for many years and they've never gotten out.

I didn't come up with this method myself, it's something I read about while doing a lot of research about making your yard secure so your cats can't get out. You have to have a fence to begin with, but whether chain link or wooden this method will work. On the wooden section of our fence my husband put wooden sticks (2" x 2") facing inward to hang the netting on. It's the netting that stops them. Didn't cost that much for the barb arms and netting, but took a couple days work to get it all rigged up. It's lasted for years.

I'll try to get a picture so you can see what I'm talking about. If I can get my lazy self going...it's cold outside!

 

[Mertex]

Nice poem. I act as a caretaker for homeless cats in my apartment complex (along with a few other people who do that same). I started a cat rescue group, and now have 7 people in it. Each of us has an area that has its own group of homeless cats there. They are all at dumpsters, which the cats used to go to for food before we started feeding them every night.

Some of the cats are fully feral. Others are castaways that people callously put out and abandoned. The castaways are friendly and let you pet them, and sometimes follow you home, after being fed. I'd like to take some of them in, but I only have a small apartment, and I already have 2 inside cats.

We have also brought some cats (10) to the Humane Society, and had them fixed. Now we have 10 cats running around with the tipped ear of fixed cats.

What I've been doing lately is creating shelter boxes for the cats to give then a place to cuddle up in, and get out of the cold. They're just cardboard boxes with a small, square entry hole in one side, and a soft cloth on the bottom. To look at them you might think they wouldn't be so warm. They are though. The cat's warm body heat warms them up. Same as the little pup tents I slept in, when I was in the Army.
I'm in Tampa, Florida, so only rarely does the temperature sink down to the 30s (VERY rarely to the 20s), but the cats use the boxes when the temperature goes to the 40s. Rain is a problem, but we have a relatively dry winter here, so I only occasionally go out and cover the boxes in plastic bags, before the rain,as I did tonight.
In colder climates up north, cats really NEED these cold shelter boxes, and I would encourage people to make them and set them outside where cats hang around. Instead of using cardboard, I'd recommend using a PLASTIC storage tub, turned upside down, with the top clicked on, but on the bottom, making it the floor of the box. The cut a square hole on one side, towards the now top, and put something soft inside for the cats to sit on (towels, old sweater, pet bed, etc). These are superior to the cardboard, because they are water repellent, and don't get soaked. I have one made like this here, and plan to replace the cardboard ones with plastic tubs.

PS - when feeding the cats, put the food (dry) on plastic plates or bowls to keeps the ants off them. Also, put out water with the dry food. Cats don't have water faucets.

All of this is some work, but it's also fun and rewarding. I like to walk a few steps away from the feeding spot, then stop, turn around and look at 6 or 7 cats feeding their little faces.

That is some good work that you do. The advice you have given is great for people that live in areas where feral or abandoned cats my hang out. We don't have any stray cats in our area....once in a while you see a cat walking down the street or out in back in the wooded area, but they belong to someone and are just out for a stroll. We put our outdoor cats up for the night because we have raccoons, armadillos, opossums, skunks, and even foxes, out here. Some neighbors claim they've even spotted a bob cat........

So, thank you from all the cats......

 

[Mertex]

Pinky (orange tabby) and his true love (Zoe). Both strays I took in.

They are so cute.....thanks for sharing. That yellow tabby, Pinky, looks very protective of Zoe.....

 

[Mertex]

I actually cat-proofed my yard, meaning the cats cannot get out. Therefore, they are allowed out into the big back yard to play and sunbathe without fear of them getting out and something bad happening to them.

I had fenced the yard with six foot fence for the dobermans, anyway. I had the fencing company put barb arms facing inward at a 45 degree angle. Barb arms are the things, usually sticking outward, that barbed wire is strung on. Then I got this plastic netting and secured it over the top of the barb arms and secured the bottom of the netting to the fence. The netting hangs down over the end of the barb arms a foot or two. The cats will not climb upside down on that floppy netting, which is what they would have to do to get out. They don't even try. They'll run part way up the chain link fence,look at that netting and jump back down. I've used this system for many years and they've never gotten out.

I didn't come up with this method myself, it's something I read about while doing a lot of research about making your yard secure so your cats can't get out. You have to have a fence to begin with, but whether chain link or wooden this method will work. On the wooden section of our fence my husband put wooden sticks (2" x 2") facing inward to hang the netting on. It's the netting that stops them. Didn't cost that much for the barb arms and netting, but took a couple days work to get it all rigged up. It's lasted for years.

I'll try to get a picture so you can see what I'm talking about. If I can get my lazy self going...it's cold outside!

That sounds like a great idea, and I would love to see a picture of it, because I know what I'm picturing in my mind must not be right.....

We have 4 indoor cats, and only one is allowed out. She will only stay outside for a short while, then stands by the door to be let back in.

The two outdoor cats roam our whole fenced area.....and one of them likes to go next door (where they originally lived until the family left and abandoned them)....the new family has a dog, so Smoky won't go in their fenced yard.

 

[Mertex]

Dedicated to our Main coon cat, Oso.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

Okay, here are some pictures of the "cat containment system."

This is how it is on the wooden fence. Not quite as nifty as on the chain link:



Now here are a couple photos of what it looks like on the black chain link fence:



They just cannot navigate around that netting. I've had seven different cats, including tough toms I rescued off the streets and none of them has gotten over this. They don't even really try. You can see the wire that runs between the barb arms. That provides a support for the netting. The netting is secured to the wire and to the fence with twist ties.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

Regarding the cat containment, you also have to make sure all gaps where gates are and any gap at the bottom of the fence is accounted for. I have rocks piled all along the bottom of my fence. So many people say to me, oh, my cat would be over that in no time. But like I said, I've had seven cats including tough old street-wise tomcats, and none of them has breached this fence.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

This picture shows how we dealt with the wooden gate. See the cross bar at the top...this allows us to put the netting across the top of the gate, but you can still open the gate to go in and out.

One other thing I'll mention. I wrapped copper flashing around the trunks of my trees at about 5-6 ' up so they couldn't climb the trees and also couldn't climb up in a tree and try to jump over the fence. You can just use aluminum foil, also, they won't climb past it. You have to look at your yard with a cat's eyes and try to anticipate everything they'll try to do to get out or get in trouble. I'll shut up now.

 

[Gracie]

I don't own a cat. When she first appeared, she was just a kitten. She jumped out of the bushes and clamped on to Charlie's leg as I was walking him. He just shook her off, lol. She would come around now and then just to jump on him. He was not amused. He missed his own cat, Fatty, who passed prior to him. Then I started getting phone calls from tenants complaining about a kitten who hissed and bit people but wanted to spend the night with their dogs. I knew who it was immediately. I finally tracked down which tenant she belonged to and said she needed to control her cat. Like. Right. Controlling a cat. Um hm. She said Angel was not a people person and thought she was a dog. Angel. That was her name. Talk about an oxymoron. So..after a few more visits to my house and her sleeping with charlie who finally accepted that he couldn't get rid of her....and a few more complaints from other tenants of the kitten sneaking in their slider door and finding her curled up with their dogs....I told the owner of Angel that either she locks her up, or give her to me cuz the cat wanted to be with a dog and she didn't own one. I did. She would leave the other tenants alone if she had charlie full time. She agreed, and gave her to me. But I never really owned her. I feed her. Make sure she is healthy, but she belonged to Charlie. Then Charlie died and I got moki. They got along fine but she didn't want a dog the same size as her. She wanted a BIG dog. Then came Gracie. Ah. Mama. Angel became Pretties, and gave herself to Gracie. And I am now taking care of Pretties for gracie.

This is a pic of their nightly routine. Gracie grooming Pretties, Pretties giving Gracie a face bath.

Now that Gracie is gone, this is Pretties temporary doggie friend but not her mama. Pretties belongs to nobody now..and it is her choice.

 

[Mertex]

Okay, here are some pictures of the "cat containment system."

This is how it is on the wooden fence. Not quite as nifty as on the chain link:



Now here are a couple photos of what it looks like on the black chain link fence:



They just cannot navigate around that netting. I've had seven different cats, including tough toms I rescued off the streets and none of them has gotten over this. They don't even really try. You can see the wire that runs between the barb arms. That provides a support for the netting. The netting is secured to the wire and to the fence with twist ties.

That is a nifty idea. We have wrought iron in front, so of course, that wouldn't work for us, but I'm sure others with chain link fences can benefit from your idea. Thanks

 

[Mertex]

I don't own a cat. When she first appeared, she was just a kitten. She jumped out of the bushes and clamped on to Charlie's leg as I was walking him. He just shook her off, lol. She would come around now and then just to jump on him. He was not amused. He missed his own cat, Fatty, who passed prior to him. Then I started getting phone calls from tenants complaining about a kitten who hissed and bit people but wanted to spend the night with their dogs. I knew who it was immediately. I finally tracked down which tenant she belonged to and said she needed to control her cat. Like. Right. Controlling a cat. Um hm. She said Angel was not a people person and thought she was a dog. Angel. That was her name. Talk about an oxymoron. So..after a few more visits to my house and her sleeping with charlie who finally accepted that he couldn't get rid of her....and a few more complaints from other tenants of the kitten sneaking in their slider door and finding her curled up with their dogs....I told the owner of Angel that either she locks her up, or give her to me cuz the cat wanted to be with a dog and she didn't own one. I did. She would leave the other tenants alone if she had charlie full time. She agreed, and gave her to me. But I never really owned her. I feed her. Make sure she is healthy, but she belonged to Charlie. Then Charlie died and I got moki. They got along fine but she didn't want a dog the same size as her. She wanted a BIG dog. Then came Gracie. Ah. Mama. Angel became Pretties, and gave herself to Gracie. And I am now taking care of Pretties for gracie.

This is a pic of their nightly routine. Gracie grooming Pretties, Pretties giving Gracie a face bath.

Now that Gracie is gone, this is Pretties temporary doggie friend but not her mama. Pretties belongs to nobody now..and it is her choice.

Awww...that picture is adorable. She probably thinks she is a dog, as most cats don't even get along with dogs. She is pretty, so the name fits her perfect.

 

[Mertex]

 

[jon_berzerk]

whats up with all that cat fencing

--LOL

 

[Gracie]

Pretties laughs at the dogs when I give them baths. So..when she sits on the side of the tub grinning at them, I gently nudge her in and plop. She just walks around with her tail floating behind her while moki is shivering in fear. Moki HATES baths. But Karma? She is a lab. LOVES water. Gracie hated it. Now when Karma gets a bath, I just take her outside and hand her the hose. She chases Pretties with it. Both get sopping wet. And I don't get a backache.

 

[Gracie]

whats up with all that cat fencing

--LOL

So they don't get out and get smacked by a car or eaten by a dog.

 

[jon_berzerk]

whats up with all that cat fencing

--LOL

So they don't get out and get smacked by a car or eaten by a dog.

cats are much wiser then dogs

i would be careful stringing things up on a fence

i would be afraid of one getting hung on that stuff

we cant get baby to even think of going outside

and as for Gary he goes for walks with us

or he stays inside

 

[Gracie]

Pretties prowls the yard but does not leave unless I am taking karma for a walk to next door's field. And she sticks REAL close to karma and moki. Walks between them.
When we leave and she sits there, all I say is "strange doggie get you! DOGGIE GET YOU!" and she comes running. No need for fencing with her. No other cats come in the yard. Neither do other dogs. She would chew them up.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

whats up with all that cat fencing

--LOL

So they don't get out and get smacked by a car or eaten by a dog.

cats are much wiser then dogs

i would be careful stringing things up on a fence

i would be afraid of one getting hung on that stuff

we cant get baby to even think of going outside

and as for Gary he goes for walks with us

or he stays inside

Well, I believe that cats should be able to walk outside on Mother Earth. Prowl in the tall grass and sneak around in the bushes. And chase bugs and sunbathe outdoors in the summer. But I also believe they should be safe. So I gave my cats the best of both worlds...they get to go outside and prowl around like cats are meant to...but they're safe.

Lets see, with seven cats and I've had the containment system 10 years...but didn't always have seven cats so let's just average it out to 4 cats times 10 years. That's 40 cat years and no cats have gotten hung up on "that stuff." They won't go near it...I've watched them. They used to climb part way up the fence, take a gander at that netting and jump back down. Now they don't even bother.

Especially since several of my cats were strays on the streets...they're used to being able to go outdoors. I couldn't imagine rescuing them and then keeping them prisoner indoors. Wouldn't be much of a rescue.

It took a lot of research and a lot of effort, but it works and it's worth it. I feel like I'm giving my cats the best possible life I can. In the summer, when I'm home, I just leave the sliding door to the back yard open all the time and the dogs and cats go in and out as they please. It's glorious!

 

[Gracie]

If I had a lot of cats, I would do what you did, Koosh. But..I am not really a cat person. They find ME. And it is always one. Just one.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

By the way, I've seen a stray cat disemboweled by a dog. Horrific site to see.

Also, a couple of the strays I took in had infected wounds on them...from other cats. Running loose outside shortens their lives considerably.