Entertaining a cat in a catproofed garden

[swampmaxmum]

We had ladders and poles with trellises on them as platforms, placed at decent jumping distances in our cat run for a much younger and active Swampy (burmese so a hooligan in his yoof). I don't know if your cat run has a roof or not though as that may invite aerial escape if not?!

I had a tunneller rabbit once. We had to dig up the ground area of the rabbit run (about 20m2) and lay seriously thick galvanised wire underneath and replace the earth. He would dig but would come up against the barrier. It didn't improve his mood but he stopped escaping.

A fencer once told me they'd built long tunnels out of wire for a hyper-active cat-run cat to charge through - tunnels about a foot or so high, winding around a garden. You have to have 'gates' in them sometimes though or the cat can learn that you can't reach him in there. Quite expensive too.   sounds like you need another cat just as active as Flynn and they can wear each other out!

[Liz]

We have rope to climb attached to things and pingpong balls on string - they blow in the wind - we use the ones they kill or the ones we tread on or the ones Sunny has crunched!

We also have a Ba da beam - from the purrs auction which we switch on and leave - does use a lot of batteries but they will chase the red dot till we switch it off - note it is used under cover in a dry area

What about feathers on string that will move in the wind - I know a lot of feather will be killed but will keep him busy

[moiramassey]

Just to clarify, Flynn is one of the two kittens - he has never been been allowed to roam.

I don't think he wants to get out, I think he wants to get at the birds that are above the netting and beyond the fence.

On the other hand, he is still just short of two years old, he may settle into quiet domesticity in time.

Butterflies and dragonflies were a great hit in the summer, but they are gone now.

Love blackcat's suggestions. The pergola is already half-converted to a climbing frame. I will get out there and work on it. Also, he does love water, I have a paddling pool I put out when it is hot. I will see what he thinks of running water using the hose.

[blackcat]

How about a few computer CDs dangling in the breeze to catch the light and throw lights onto surfaces for him to chase. Smidgen can be got back inside the caravan if he runs out at night just by making him chase the beam of the torch (now i have a decent torch). Also balls, lots of different sizes and textures. And a climbing frame not too close to the fence. Running water appeals to some cats so if you can set up a a recirculating stream that might be a possibility (first check the appeal factor before investing though).

[Kay and Penny]

I have paving stones on both sides of my fence, so digging has never been an option for Trigger and Tiffany

but in 6 years they have never attempted to get out, and even now, when they can see Tosker climbing out and jumping in, and being let in and out by me through the gate, they make no attempt to copy him - the only entertainment they seem to require is the sun

I think he will accept his confinement given a bit more time - having spent most of his time trying to get out, he has not really begun the period of adjustment yet

the other option might be to train him to a harness, so you can take him for walks outside - with the catproofed garden to practice in it might be worth trying

[Dawn F]

mine spend hours chasing insects and things, my bengal loves sitting in the apple tree as well to give passing birds a fright, fortunately none of mine have ever tried tunnelling out

[moiramassey]

Securacat catproofed my garden in June 2008. My two youngest cats were 6 months old at the time and had been kept in the house. My cats are allowed into the garden 24/7.

Three of my cats, all female, are completely happy with the house and the garden. This includes my two older cats, who previously roamed.

Then there is Flynn.

Flynn is a neutered male Egyptian Mau. For those of you who do not know, Egyptian Maus are incredibly athletic and, if allowed out, are super-effective hunters. Needless to say, very few birds now come into the garden. If Flynn is out there, any bird that comes into the garden is toast. Flynn spends a great deal of time watching the birds in the neighbouring garden.

Over the last year, Flynn and I have had a battle of wills about him digging under the fence. He has dug in increasingly well-camouflaged places and I have filled in and blocked the holes. Two weeks ago he made it - a hole behind a very thick bush well away from the others. He was retrieved from next door's garden after a few hours. I have now laid wooden railway sleepers around the base of the fence. There are 12 inches wide, so probably beyond Flynn's tunnelling skills.

He is now a little sulky and bored, because digging holes has probably been his main source of entertainment for the last 9 months. I am worried that he will use his ingenuity and cunning to find new ways out of the garden unless I find a way of distracting him.

Has anyone any ideas about toys that may keep him amused in the garden when we are not at home to play with him? He has a pergola with planks going up and down and a platform on top. He has Mitzi (my Bengal/Siamese cross) to play with, but she does not like the cold so the problem is likely to be worse during the winter. Flynn is fine with the cold and the rain - he loves playing in the snow.

We have a Da Bird, but that requires a human on the other end of it!