MY GARDEN IS PROTECTED !

[TheHobbyist]

Hi Susie,

It is totally normal for cats to play fight and let out noises. If they really wanted to do one another harm, it would be pretty quickly.

They have a loving home and are just trying to entertain themselves is my guess. Especially when you consider they went from full-time outside to inside, it is a big lifestyle change for them.

Our outdoor now indoor kitty gets bored a lot. We got him a ton of toys, but the thing that makes him happiest is when we give him attention non-stop (haha) or he catches a mouse in our basement.

The big cat is just trying to assert their dominance, but it is very, very common. I wouldn't worry about it unless it is relentless, non-stop badgering.

Happy new year by the way. Cheers my friend.

 

[susieqz]

thanks tons.
it was the cries of rage n perhaps pain that worried me.
i didn't mind silent tussles but i thot vocalization meant it wasn't play.
i can relax if it's normal.
i don't wanna hurt cud.
he loves me n is a purring machine.
drifter never purred in her life, but i like it.

 

[susieqz]

things i know.

cuddles hates being insides at night.
he is nocturnal.

drifter was nocturnal when we met but she changed
because she wanted to be with me.
this was an act of love, so it is possible.

coyotes never come near the house during the day.
going outside in daylight is reasonably safe.

2 summers ago, a coyote came right up on my porch at night.
1 summer ago, a coyote came and ate a snake i killed that was 6' from the house n then deficated within inches of the house, as if marking territory.

drifter has a proven ability to avoid coyotes.
cud's abilities are unknown.
could drifter have taught him about coyotes?

i can make cud miserable but keep him safe, or,
i can make him happy but risk his life.

he is family, so this is very hard.

 

[les.b]

Just me, susie, but I vote to keep him safe. He would get used to the new routine in time, and you would be assured of his and drifters company for many years. We have coyotes here as well, and I would not sleep at night if I were worried about Bella or Lucky being eaten by a coyote. I don't think it would be a very pleasant death. I hear them at night, not every night, but routinely. I think they have a large territory, and a schedule that they follow. I am also fond of my cats sleeping with me, and would worry and miss them if they were outside.

If my cats were eaten by coyotes, I would not blame the coyotes, it is their nature. I would blame myself. I'm hoping that my cats live a long and happy life. That is best assured by being house cats.

Best Regards, Les

 

[susieqz]

i'll probably do that, les.
thing is i hate the idea of messing with their essential nature.
i still feel guilty about neutering them.
i wish i could undo that.
these are not pets.
they are plains animals,
with dignity.

 

[Redbert31]

I feel the way Les does, but then again I never had outside or outside/inside cats. I am a worrier and couldn't sleep if my dogs/cats were outside with coyotes at night. That being said, I respect the fact that you know your cats and know your area. We get bears in the area that rummage in the garbage and enjoy neighborhood bird feeders. When I got my second small dog, who wasn't as trustworthy as his older friend, we put a 6' fence around our backyard so we could let them off the deck during the night if they woke up every time hubby went to the john. They're out for maybe 5 min with spotlights shining, so I don't worry, except when the occasional opossum comes to visit for the night. They bark and make her "play dead" but I'm out in a heartbeat to get them in before she "wakes" up and gets them with those teeth . Bears can climb the fence and get inside but I have a limited area that I shine my light on and look around before letting them out. So I can't protect them from everything, but I do my best to reduce the odds of having them carried off by some varmint. Getting them neutered doubles their life because of no chance of cancer in the organs that are gone. Also females in heat draw males to themselves that may not be healthy or friendly. Intact males tend to roam greater distances and the smell of a female in heat calls them away more strongly than a warm fireplace and a meal. So I think you did well by neutering especially since you didn't want to keep unlimited twice a year broods of offspring. You're doing a great job as kitty Mama, Susie! Keep it up!

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[susieqz]

there is some question as to how safe keeping cud indoors at night is/
after 15 or 20 minutes of constant yowling to get out, at 11pm,
he is in serious danger of heavy objects getting thrown at his head.

 

[Redbert31]

Just throw a rubber ball at him.. It will get the same idea across with no bloodiness involved. [emoji3][emoji250][emoji250]

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[susieqz]

well, i may no longer have to worry about
him begging to go out.
he beats up drifter too much at night.
he is just too big for her to fight.
after all she did for him, i find this unacceptable.
i think drifter would be happier with him out.

 

[Redbert31]

Not if the coyotes get him [emoji43][emoji33]

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[susieqz]

well, i let him out from 11pm to 3am.
i'm wondering if he has a friend out there.
some nights he seems absolutely desperate to get out.
when drifter wants to go out she just sits by the door.
cud acts as if he's gonna die if he doesn't get out.

 

[Redbert31]

Is he waiting at the door at 3am to come in, or do you have to call him to get him in?

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[susieqz]

oh, i couldn't sleep. got up 3am to have a cuppa.
he could tell i was awake, so jumped up on the a/c n yowled at me. so i let him in.
usually, i sleep thru, so he doesn't come in til 7 or 8am.
i'm trying something different tonight.
both kits went out at 6pm.
i won't let them in til 11 for their snack, so they should be calm.

thing is, he doesn't go out much during the day.
so, he;s not doing his job.

staying in at night is fine, but i want him out during the day then.

 

[Redbert31]

Are mice nocturnal when they attack your figs? Maybe there's nothing doing during the day for cud to go after that is active in the winter... When you open the door to offer to let him go out during the day, does he just hide, or what does he do? Does drifter jump up and run to the door? Maybe he just is looking for an extra bit of Susie time? Maybe he had a close call with a coyote and is scared to go out during the time of day when they're out. Even the big kitties can be scared sometimes. I'm no expert, my kitties were all indoor only. Coyotes and bears here in CT. I wish I could be more helpful [emoji175][emoji175][emoji250][emoji250]

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[susieqz]

drifter has no problem finding mice during the day.
she goes in n out all day long.
also, from 6pm to 9pm.
cud often just ignores the door when open.
last night was no fun.
when i didn't call her at 9pm, she wandered off.
when i called at 11, only cud was there.
i had to call every 15 minutes til she showed up at midnight.
i was very worried.
i can't do this.

when i do the curfew call, cud will come in, unless i use force , which i don't wanna do, so i can't get drifter in without cud.

cud was calmer, until drifter attacked him, on my legs.
she may be the instigator, not wanting to share my legs.

cud doesn't fight to go out if i keep him out for 5 hours but
i need drifter in at 9pm.
she always comes in at 9 so is waiting for my call then.

cud will either go out days or i'll let him stay out at night.

hoho. my kits are sleepy now. very odd.
drifter should want to go out.
it turns out the back door was wide open all night.
i didn't close it securely.
these guys were in n out all night. their idea of heaven.

 

[Redbert31]

Would a kitty door work? Which you could lock or latch after 9 pm when you want drifter in anyway? Having the door open last night gpave me that idea... That way they could follow their urges in and out until"curfew" at 9pm...I don't know how hard they are to install but just make sure it's sturdy and no bigger than it has to be so you don't get critters coming in (which your kitties would kill upon arrival (lol) ps they have doors with special collars for the kitties which have devices that open the doors only to them. I'm not sure they'd be safe tho because your cats could accidentally get"hung" if their collar gets caught in a tree or something while they re out side. Just an idea. I wouldn't let cud stay out all night regularly, because the coyotes would know that was his pattern and they're hungry this time of the year. They're the smartest members of the canidae family of animals.

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[les.b]

Thats a great idea.... I just installed a kitty door, and it was pretty inexpensive. It lets you lock the door in both directions, or allow just "out", or just "in", or completely locked. Took about 30 minutes to install. But we put it on an interior door, which is kept shut during the winter for heating purposes. Now the cats can go through it without needing to o[en and close the door. But it is designed for exterior use.

IIRC, it only cost about $20.00.

Cat Mate 4-Way Locking Cat Flap with Door Liner, White - Chewy.com

This is the one that we ordered. Has worked well, but the older cats are having trouble getting used to it.

Best Regards, Les

 

[susieqz]

these guys would love a kitty door.
not sure i could install one tho.

you know, cud often tries to turn the door knob on the garden door.
he knows what it's for.
this time, he must have succeeded.
the kits were exhausted after a night of fun, but i mostly had a kit on my legs thru the night.
they really enjoy going in n out every few minutes.
drifter especially can go in n out every 5 minutes if i'm near the door.

i don't think she sees a difference between inside n out.
inside is her territory.
so is outside.
she does know where the food is, tho.
better, she knows where i am.
when not involved with important cat business,
she prefers to be in my vicinity.
cud, not so much.
i think cud could be happy with an automatic feeder
n warm dry place to sleep.
drifter would not be happy without my company, which is why she's special.

 

[susieqz]

THE MONSTERS WALK
yesterday, i opened he door at 8am for the cats to go out.
both stood on the sill, but would go no further.
even cud likes to get out after being cooped up all night.
the trouble must have been close.
i always watch drifter. she sometimes runs out a few yards, sniffs the wind n gallops back in.
if this was cud, i wouldn't have known if he was just being contrary or if there was a problem.
but i know drifter.
something evil walked.
i saw nothing to shoot n by the time i was ready to hunt, a sandstorm blew up.
in the eve, they go out from 6 to the 9 o'clock curfew.
this time, they did go out, but wanted back in within 5 minutes.

never knew a coyote to be that close to the house in daylight, so the whole thing is weird.

 

[Doug M.]

Maybe something other than a coyote?