More to worry about with Charlie

[pappilon]

We live near a busy road but so far Charlie has always gone in the other direction staying right away from the road.  Yesterday one of my neighbour's rang to say she had seen him crossing the road.  It was inevitable I suppose as there is a huge very interesting for cats field over the other side.  Now I am in pieces each time he goes out.  I have even considered whether to re-home him for his own safety.  He is not a cat that would be at all happy at being an indoor cat and I don't think my garden is suitable for cat proofing.  The only thing I can to to help him be safe is ensure he goes out later and stays in late afternoon so he avoids the busiest times. 

Chrissie i know how hard it is to try and keep them safe but from my experiance , i lost three cats in RTA and one happend late evening and the other around 4 to 6 am which is not very bussy in our street! I think people drive faster late evening and early mornings which is not much traffic , its sad  but i agre aith Gill its important what makes Charlie happy . Even though i have lost 3 cats to RTA i still wont keep my cats locked in door even at nights. I do understand how worry you are but sadly rta  can happen in a very quiet road.x

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I think you have to consider what makes Charlie the most happy v the dangers.

Its so hard and I know that I cant lock Sasa in at any time cos she will freak and run away and if I dont lock Sasa in I cant lock Misa in.

None of my cats would like being indoor only, well maybe Ducha would not mind, so for them to be happy they have to be free and I just have to hope and I do so much, that they will stay in the back.

When I saw Sasa across the road that one time and Misa sitting ontop of the wall watching I was so terrified but as far as I know they have not done it since and think that Sasa was scared by another cat and Misa was doing his looking after Sasa bit. He always does this but think he was too scared to follow her.

Cats dont learn though and I have watched them walk out infront of my car, they just put their head down and walk and usually it is walk not run. So pleased its always been when I was travelling slowly and no other traffic around.

[Maddiesmum]

Thanks Jamesons mum.  I do keep Charlie in at night.  He is indoors by 4pm and settles.  I am truly at a loss to know what to do for the best.

[tigerbaby]

Maddiesmum - I know EXACTLY where you're coming from.

We live near a quite busy road, and Jameson was involved in an accident about 18 months ago (before we had him). His previous owner (our neighbour - very complicated) noticed he gone missing for 2 days and went out looking for him, yelling his name, and finally she heard distant meows from the shrublands (behind our gardens - a huge area of shrublands and gardens to hide/play/explore in). He was unwell and injured and she took him to the vets and he had to stay there overnight - he had a broken kneecap. He had to go back and forth to the vets while recovering.

To cut a long story short, since we adopted him I wanted to make sure he would avoid the road. I was told to take him near the road and when a car went past I'd shove him in the direction of our house and make a loud ''shhhhh'' ''psssst'' noise. So he would learn it is wrong to be near the road. We hadn't seen him near the road since, although he would sit at the front of the house, but not actually go near the road.
Until the other morning. I was up at 5am cos he was awake too and had been fighting the blinds for ages - sitting in the window seeming impatient and playful. I opened the flap for him, and let him out. The sensor lights on our side alleyway came on (the alleyway leads to front of house/road). I looked out the window (bedroom overlooking road) and saw him sitting by the road. I woke partner up saying J is sitting by the road. He wouldn't move for ages, and there were no cars. All of a sudden he just crossed and disappeared down the alleyway on the opposite side!! I don't know why he did it, but it seemed like he knew exactly where he was going. Also I have seen the fox (his friend) cross at the exact same spot before and go down the same alley way, so maybe this is something J has done before/does all the time!!

I could not convert him into being an indoor cat - that is just not possible, although I keep him indoors at night (it's actually not that hard).
I do think he is streetwise and very careful before crossing, but he is still a cat. I hope that from us teaching him ''bad road'' and him being involved in an accident at 6 months he should know, but maybe cats dont?

[Maddiesmum]

He could have been going there all the time I suppose though most people have seen him around their gardens/houses when he has been out.  My neighbour said he seemed savvy with the road, stopping and looking to see if it was clear.  I don't know what to do.  I really believe he would be totally miserable if made to stay indoors but my heart is in my mouth now each time he is out until he comes home safely.  My Dragan got hit on that road on his first birthday, luckily it was minor and he fully recovered but he NEVER set foot near the road again. 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Thats a very tough one as many will tell you. I am lucky that the field/bog is at the end of my back garden but Tan can confirm how dangerous this is when its across a road.

In a way the quietest times are the worst cos they think its safe.

I wish I could think of a way to help and I wonder if he has only just discovered it, or only just been seen to use it although been playing there for ages. I must admit I was so scared when I saw Sasa one night in the school opposite but I think she had been scared by another cat and had got there by accident.

Charlie why cant you just behave ..........sigh

[gibraltarcat]

Haven't any advice, but just wanted to say that I feel for you about Charlie and the road situation. 

[Maddiesmum]

We live near a busy road but so far Charlie has always gone in the other direction staying right away from the road.  Yesterday one of my neighbour's rang to say she had seen him crossing the road.  It was inevitable I suppose as there is a huge very interesting for cats field over the other side.  Now I am in pieces each time he goes out.  I have even considered whether to re-home him for his own safety.  He is not a cat that would be at all happy at being an indoor cat and I don't think my garden is suitable for cat proofing.  The only thing I can to to help him be safe is ensure he goes out later and stays in late afternoon so he avoids the busiest times.