A cat's first winter bring a lot of anxiety...

"RPSinha" wrote in message
...
I am taking care of a cat, approx 1 yr old, for neighbors who are out
of the country for several months. During warmer days, she spent her
days in the connected yards including perhaps her own, came to us at
sunset, had dinner, went to sleep on our couch, woke up around 5AM,
demanded breakfast, and then went out. Her behavior was perfect if a
bit reserved.

As Midwestern winter has set in, perhaps the first one of her conscious
life, her behavior and personality have changed. That plus our
inexperience is giving rise to some anxiety and *many* questions. All
help on what we should do, or leave alone, would be appreciated.

0. With snow storms and icy rains outside, she is now spending much
more time at our home indoors. This is also driving her stir-crazy and
moody.

1. Sometimes she wants to get out at odd hours. Of course, she's back
soon, or not so soon and we are worried. Then she wants to go out
again. (This is at least partly because she hates using the litter box
and wouldn't unless the weather was truly miserable outside, but also
because she has had outdoors all her life and feels cooped in)

2. She wants to eat something every few hours. I think she is bored,
not hungry. We resist, try to entertain her, but success is limited.
She is always sitting in the kitchen or follows us there and expects at
least a few crumbs of something.

3. She has started a new game indoors which is to hide behind something
and mock-attack our legs as we pass by. It is truly harmless and we
even enjoy it, but she tries the same with visitors and they get
startled. How to discourage that?

5. Tonight she wanted to go out and down. Something about icy stairs
spooked her and she came back and (for the first time) climbed &
started walking on the railing of our 3rd floor porch. The railing is
only 3" wide and was icy in patches. If she had fallen, it would be
onto a wooden deck about 2.5 floors below.

When I saw this my heart almost stopped. She wouldn't listen to my
pleadings to come back and I didn't want to startle her. Fortunately I
was only a few feet away from the dry food bag and the sound of shaking
the bag brought her down and in! (Question: Was I right to worry about
her on a 3" railing, or is that safe enough for cats?)

6. She has been an indoor-outdoor almost all her life here and wants to
go out. If she has been out for long, we may get busy and she may have
to wait 20-30 minutes before someone notices her and lets her in.

Question: Up to what kind of wind-chill can she safely wait 30 minutes
outside? (I have put a heat-reflecting pad on the chair and there is a
doormat.) If she did stay there, she may be exposed to the wind but not
precipitation.

Question: Up to what kind of temperatures can she safely stay outdoor
all day? (I am sure she can find places that are dry--though she could
get rain/snow getting to those--and avoid winds, but not sure if she
has any really warm spots.)

7. Inside our home the night temperatures is set at 60 deg. She is
welcome to sleep anywhere and she has her favorite comforter, cushions,
beds, etc. But we don't have any cat-beds, neither heated ones nor
dome/pyramid types that would trap her body heat. Should we? Are those
things essential or gimmicks?

8. Everyone is spreading rock salt and the more expensive kind. Are
those harmful to her?

Lots of questions, and as I said all help appreciated!

Reminds me of the Robert A. Heinlein story, "The Door into Summer" about the
cat that kept going from door to door, looking for the one that led to
Summertime Weather........

On Dec 12, 8:21 am, "-Lost" wrote:
Response to studio :

You may be able to find a extra small dog house and line the
bottom inside with foam and a piece or two of old blankets...or
buy a specialty
pet bed at Walmart pet section and put it in.
Staple a thick piece of vinyl or felt over the doorway to help
keep the wind out, and allow easy enter and exit.

One idea that I had was to take a large box and staple a small
blanket or a large towel into it on all corners, but allow a little
to drape down in the front.

That would work as a temporary solution, as long as no snow or
rain gets on it.
Also, any tape that holds the box will tend to fail after long
exposure
periods of cold and warm.
The box shouldn't be too large though.

The small wood houses are permanent solutions...plus they're
re-saleable...although don't look for appreciation values.

Another neat thing would be (forgive me, I can only explain it) that
rubbery material that has a slightly furry effect...

...you can staple it to either side of an entryway with a slit down
the middle. It basically seals itself after a cat squeezes through.
Kind of like those old plastic coin purses.

As long as it works to cover the entrance, and keep a bit of heat in.

On Dec 12, 8:05 am, studio wrote:
I think I spent a total of $16. on the one I built.
5. 2- hinges for roof to open and close for cleaning ($4.)

I was actually quite suprised when I went to clean out Mamas
house after years of fairly heavy use...I just opened the roof
and took the bed out and brushed off some excess fur...
it didn't stink inside or anything...
put the bed back in...good as new.

I did replace the bed after a number of years though.
I really was expecting it to stink in there though...but it didn't.

Response to studio :

On Dec 12, 8:05 am, studio wrote:
I think I spent a total of $16. on the one I built.
5. 2- hinges for roof to open and close for cleaning ($4.)

I was actually quite suprised when I went to clean out Mamas
house after years of fairly heavy use...I just opened the roof
and took the bed out and brushed off some excess fur...
it didn't stink inside or anything...
put the bed back in...good as new.

I did replace the bed after a number of years though.
I really was expecting it to stink in there though...but it didn't.

For some reason this doesn't surprise me.

The more I get to know my beloved (evil (just kidding, he's only
bonkers)) Gabby the more I realize that he can crawl through the
dustiest of spots, slide across the most dog fur-ridden linoleum, and
paw at items under the refrigerator or oven, the more I realize that
he is impervious to dirt.

Seriously though, I do not think I've ever seen a "nasty" looking
cat. (Not counting unhealthy ones.)

--
-Lost
Remove the extra words to reply by e-mail. Don't e-mail me. I am
kidding. No I am not.

Response to "CatNipped" :

snip

Then another $40
when, after he was let out of the kennel promptly climbed up the
tall cat tree and fell off so needed another x-ray to make sure he
didn't re-break his leg.

snip

Every time I hear this story I imagine Archer and the rest of the gang
as Keystone Cops bustling about your house.

Then when Archer falls off the tree, Ozzy, Demi, Jessie, and Samazon
look at the screen and gasp with one paw on their cheek and a subtitle
appears, "Oh no! Chief Archer fell!"

--
-Lost
Remove the extra words to reply by e-mail. Don't e-mail me. I am
kidding. No I am not.

Response to honeybunch :

That cat (what is that cat's name anyway?) reminds me of my own
cat who came to me as a stray last year.

"Archer panicked when the garage door started opening and hit his back
leg on the doorsill leading into the house"

--
-Lost
Remove the extra words to reply by e-mail. Don't e-mail me. I am
kidding. No I am not.

Response to "William Graham" :

Reminds me of the Robert A. Heinlein story, "The Door into Summer"
about the cat that kept going from door to door, looking for the
one that led to Summertime Weather........

Hrmm... which one?

http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/bo...59714973&isbn=
0345330129

http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/bo...59714973&isbn=
0345413997

The FIRST one looks right (cat on the cover) yet talks about a guy time
traveling.

Or was the cat not the main character?

--
-Lost
Remove the extra words to reply by e-mail. Don't e-mail me. I am
kidding. No I am not.

"studio" wrote in message
...
On Dec 12, 8:21 am, "-Lost" wrote:
Response to studio :

You may be able to find a extra small dog house and line the
bottom inside with foam and a piece or two of old blankets...or
buy a specialty
pet bed at Walmart pet section and put it in.
Staple a thick piece of vinyl or felt over the doorway to help
keep the wind out, and allow easy enter and exit.

One idea that I had was to take a large box and staple a small
blanket or a large towel into it on all corners, but allow a little
to drape down in the front.

That would work as a temporary solution, as long as no snow or
rain gets on it.
Also, any tape that holds the box will tend to fail after long
exposure
periods of cold and warm.
The box shouldn't be too large though.

The small wood houses are permanent solutions...plus they're
re-saleable...although don't look for appreciation values.

Another neat thing would be (forgive me, I can only explain it) that
rubbery material that has a slightly furry effect...

...you can staple it to either side of an entryway with a slit down
the middle. It basically seals itself after a cat squeezes through.
Kind of like those old plastic coin purses.

As long as it works to cover the entrance, and keep a bit of heat in.

Nothing wrong with boarding up the entrance and installing a standard "cat
door" in it. They have a magnetically closed plastic curtain that is
effective in keeping the cold out.

"-Lost" wrote in message
...
Response to "William Graham" :

Reminds me of the Robert A. Heinlein story, "The Door into Summer"
about the cat that kept going from door to door, looking for the
one that led to Summertime Weather........

Hrmm... which one?

http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/bo...59714973&isbn=
0345330129

http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/bo...59714973&isbn=
0345413997

The FIRST one looks right (cat on the cover) yet talks about a guy time
traveling.

Or was the cat not the main character?
This one:

http://www.amazon.com/Door-into-Summ.../dp/0345330129

On Dec 12, 8:25 pm, "William Graham" wrote:
"-Lost" wrote in message

...

Response to "William Graham" :

Reminds me of the Robert A. Heinlein story, "The Door into Summer"
about the cat that kept going from door to door, looking for the
one that led to Summertime Weather........

Hrmm... which one?

http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/bo...59714973&isbn=
0345330129

http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/bo...59714973&isbn=
0345413997

The FIRST one looks right (cat on the cover) yet talks about a guy time
traveling.

Or was the cat not the main character?

This one:

http://www.amazon.com/Door-into-Summ.../dp/0345330129

"Book Description
Dan Davis was tricked by an unscrupulous business partner and a greedy
fiancee into spending thirty years in suspended animation just when he
was on the verge of a success beyond his wildest dreams. But when he
awoke in the future, he discovered he had the means to travel back in
time -- and get his revenge!" duhhhhh. Mr. Grahamm where is the cat
in this unscrupulous picture?