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#1
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Cat Escape, advice sought
My cat escaped (indoors only, I live in a big city filled with strays).
Now gone three days. I'm hoping she's nearby. The last time she escaped (a year ago) she was gone for 3 days, then i found her in a tree in our small backyard. After that last incident, i rang a bell every time i gave her tuna or something else she really liked. Always came running in the house when she heard the bell. Now, is walking the neighborhood ringing the bell going to help, or just make me look foolish? Have done so a few times already, with no luck. Best Dan |
#2
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Cat Escape, advice sought
Well -- less than 15 minutes after i posted this, cat showed up on the
back stairs (i live in a third floor apartment, with concrete outdoor stairs out the kitchen door -- proper stairs, not a fire escape). She'd escaped out the front door and down the main stairs initially, i guess found her way into the yard and back up when she got hungry. This cat started as a feral kitten (at least 4 months when i took her) and is very affectionate, but also bolshy. She jumps in my lap when I'm sitting, and comes up to be petted, but doesn't abide being picked up (squirming escalates to clawing in about 10 seconds). Was very spooky when i came outside just now, showed no sign of recognizing me, and fled to the roof and stared (I had tuna). I went and got the bell -- she heard that, and it put her at ease, and she came down, and ate a little bit. Then i moved the dish to the kitchen, rang the bell, and she came right in. This is a cat that very much wants to be outside however. I know statistically she won't live as long if this is allowed, but what are people's thoughts on caving in and letting the cat have some of what it wants? It seems as if those early months outdoors hardwired a desire for some of that. Best Dan |
#3
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Cat Escape, advice sought
wrote in message oups.com... My cat escaped (indoors only, I live in a big city filled with strays). Now gone three days. I'm hoping she's nearby. The last time she escaped (a year ago) she was gone for 3 days, then i found her in a tree in our small backyard. After that last incident, i rang a bell every time i gave her tuna or something else she really liked. Always came running in the house when she heard the bell. Now, is walking the neighborhood ringing the bell going to help, or just make me look foolish? Have done so a few times already, with no luck. I think it is a good idea. I'm so sorry your girl got out. I know you are sick with worry. Hope you find her soon. |
#4
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Cat Escape, advice sought
Thanks for the kind thoughts. They must have worked (see above).
Best Dan |
#5
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Cat Escape, advice sought
wrote in message oups.com... Well -- less than 15 minutes after i posted this, cat showed up on the back stairs (i live in a third floor apartment, with concrete outdoor stairs out the kitchen door -- proper stairs, not a fire escape). She'd escaped out the front door and down the main stairs initially, i guess found her way into the yard and back up when she got hungry. Dan, that is great news! I had a pit in my stomach just thinking about an indoor cat out in a big city full of strays and cars etc. This cat started as a feral kitten (at least 4 months when i took her) and is very affectionate, but also bolshy. She jumps in my lap when I'm sitting, and comes up to be petted, but doesn't abide being picked up (squirming escalates to clawing in about 10 seconds). Was very spooky when i came outside just now, showed no sign of recognizing me, and fled to the roof and stared (I had tuna). G The secret weapon! I got my kitty out from under the house with a can of tuna once. (She had actually wiggled out through a jerry-rigged cardboard-and-tape covering over the hole in the utility room wall where the washer hose goes out. She was happy as she could be down there on the packed dirt floor chasing bugs!) I went and got the bell -- she heard that, and it put her at ease, and she came down, and ate a little bit. Then i moved the dish to the kitchen, rang the bell, and she came right in. Your instincts are great! You've got Pavlov's cat there! The bell is really a great idea--behavioral training by paired stimuli, the one being all cats' favorite--FOOD. This is a cat that very much wants to be outside however. I know statistically she won't live as long if this is allowed, but what are people's thoughts on caving in and letting the cat have some of what it wants? It seems as if those early months outdoors hardwired a desire for some of that. Dan, you will lose her early if you let her roam in those conditions. We have had lots of discussion about things like building outdoor enclosures and even walking the cats on a harness. You don't want to find this girl with her belly ripped out by a stray pit bull, or dead in the street, hit by a car. We had indoor/outdoor cats in a big city when I was growing up--lots of them--because we did not have them very long. I found several dying, hit by cars or killed by other animals. Or they just disappear. People rightfully think, when they find an animal roaming under these conditions, that whoever has her must not care too much about her, and they just take her. Then there are the sickos that hurt cats. Translation: I really don't think it is a good idea to let her out. My little girls were both found feral, and keeping them in a while resulted in them not even wanting to get out over time. Best of luck and I hope you don't lose her again!! |
#6
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Cat Escape, advice sought
wrote:
After that last incident, i rang a bell every time i gave her tuna or something else she really liked. Always came running in the house when she heard the bell. Now, is walking the neighborhood ringing the bell going to help, or just make me look foolish? Have done so a few times already, with no luck. I'm glad she found her way back. The big city is no place for a little kitty cat. If it ever happens again, try the bell ringing, but only in a manner that, if she follows the sound, will lead her back home. If she's following the sound cues, don't lead her in a circle around the block, instead, start away from the house and walk back towards the house while ringing. |
#7
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Cat Escape, advice sought
Good idea. Thanks to you both for your thoughts.
Dan Cairo |
#8
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Cat Escape, advice sought
Every time I feed my cats, I ring a "dinner" bell. I figure that if one
of them should get out, the bell will bring him/her back. ---MIKE--- In the White Mountains of New Hampshire (44° 15' N - Elevation 1580') |
#9
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Cat Escape, advice sought
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#10
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Cat Escape, advice sought
I know the feeling!! My ex-feral Jasmine constantly bugs me to go outdoors,
and I have to keep a spray bottle next to the door, as the minute I open it she wants out. Now she knows, and I may a 'csh sch' spray bottle sound at her and she turns tail, but as she is used to the outdoors we have reached a compromise. every evening, when i know there's no cars around, we have supervised playtime on the front lawn where she can sniff the grass, scratch trees and just unwind a bit. This does her good, as she has her outdoors time so she doesn't try to bolt as much, and is happier to stay indoors. -- There are many intelligent species in the Universe. They are all owned by cats. Anonymous One cat just leads to another. -Ernest Hemingway wrote in message oups.com... Well -- less than 15 minutes after i posted this, cat showed up on the back stairs (i live in a third floor apartment, with concrete outdoor stairs out the kitchen door -- proper stairs, not a fire escape). She'd escaped out the front door and down the main stairs initially, i guess found her way into the yard and back up when she got hungry. This cat started as a feral kitten (at least 4 months when i took her) and is very affectionate, but also bolshy. She jumps in my lap when I'm sitting, and comes up to be petted, but doesn't abide being picked up (squirming escalates to clawing in about 10 seconds). Was very spooky when i came outside just now, showed no sign of recognizing me, and fled to the roof and stared (I had tuna). I went and got the bell -- she heard that, and it put her at ease, and she came down, and ate a little bit. Then i moved the dish to the kitchen, rang the bell, and she came right in. This is a cat that very much wants to be outside however. I know statistically she won't live as long if this is allowed, but what are people's thoughts on caving in and letting the cat have some of what it wants? It seems as if those early months outdoors hardwired a desire for some of that. Best Dan |
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