Update on my visitor...

A few months ago I wrote about a cat that visits me and I feed her
regulary. As winter approached l worried about how to let her in
without making her wait outside. I had decided to install a cat door.

However, a family emergency forced us to travel overseas for a few
months, and the cat door got postponed. We did find a student to
apartment-sit, so the cat at least had a regular supply of food.

Some changes were inevitable. While I used to feed her canned food
inside the apartment, the student's schedule forced her to leave food
outside much of the time, so it had to be dry.

Now the cat's habits have been affected. I am happy she not only
survived but looks well and still visits me regularly, but she prefers
to stay outside, has forgotten how she used to like watching TV, :-)
and is less enthusiastic about her old canned favorites.

It is also possible that she has found other sources of food and has
already eaten something before visiting me. That is certainly fine, but
I wish I had some clue before opening a can which simply wastes the
food.

During the next few weeks, I look forward to trying to understand her
again and coax her back into eating nutritious canned foods I had so
thoroughly researched for her. :-)

It is good to be back, and thanks for listening!

"Ajanta" wrote in message
...
A few months ago I wrote about a cat that visits me and I feed her
regulary. As winter approached l worried about how to let her in
without making her wait outside. I had decided to install a cat door.

However, a family emergency forced us to travel overseas for a few
months, and the cat door got postponed. We did find a student to
apartment-sit, so the cat at least had a regular supply of food.

Some changes were inevitable. While I used to feed her canned food
inside the apartment, the student's schedule forced her to leave food
outside much of the time, so it had to be dry.

Now the cat's habits have been affected. I am happy she not only
survived but looks well and still visits me regularly, but she prefers
to stay outside, has forgotten how she used to like watching TV, :-)
and is less enthusiastic about her old canned favorites.

It is also possible that she has found other sources of food and has
already eaten something before visiting me. That is certainly fine, but
I wish I had some clue before opening a can which simply wastes the
food.

During the next few weeks, I look forward to trying to understand her
again and coax her back into eating nutritious canned foods I had so
thoroughly researched for her. :-)

It is good to be back, and thanks for listening!


Would it be possible for you to invite her into your home as a permanent
family member?

Joan

Joan in GB-W wrote:

: Would it be possible for you to invite her into your home as a
: permanent family member?

At present no. Some family members are deadset against the idea of
litterbox in our small apartment. However, I keep bringing up some
variation or other repeatedly.

Whether she would want to stay herself is also uncertain. I mean, we
never throw her out, it is she who always wanted to leave after 1-2
hours.

I had to play many tricks (food, tv, practically locking her in) to
keep her indoors for 6-7 hours last Halloween night because I was
worried about her safety outside. That experience is archived in the
thread: http://tinyurl.com/q4u75

You can put a shelter in the back yard for her, too. It would be her
special safety zone from the weather.

Don't use electric blankets or heating pads, though. Heat it with a
light bulb or low-level heat lamp from above to avoid the claws opening
up the electric cords and connections. A good bet is simply to
insulate it, as her body will warm the interior. Soft stuff inside is
good, too.

During the summer, it will be welcomed shade, and if there is a vent,
it won't get too warm.

Morgen