Wandering cats

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I cant work out from the manual whether you can set it to stop the night mode and just have cats with chips coming and going all the time.

Also I dont like the way it operates on  power cos we have so many power cuts. especially in the winter!

Interesting though, very interesting 

[Millys Mum]

I think it would soon earn its price if you have multiple cats who need new magnets regularly

[Catjane]

Whats the difference between the Petporte and a cat flap?

The Petporte is what seems to be a relatively new invention by a vet .. it's an electronic catflap that responds to your cats' microchips (you programme them in), and it has a light sensor that allows you to set it to go to 'in only' when it starts getting dark.  It's quite expensive, at £100, but I think I might try to stretch to it sometime soon.  I found out about it on another thread here:  http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php?topic=7865.0 ... you can get Petportes from http://www.petporte.com/   

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Whats the difference between the Petporte and a cat flap?

[sixfurballs]

I have really mixed feelings on this. My cats love the freedom of outdoors and I have never closed them in - even at night. However, Harry went missing a year ago on a night that turned very stormy - brought small trees down etc - and whilst we have never been able to find any trace of him we suspect he got hit by something. I have had Heidi and Huxley for nearly 3 weeks and they are looking to go outside. They spend all of their time sitting by windows and doors now. I have not let Bronte out since getting them but Dino is reliable and has accepted them easier so he has gone out during the day and then I have kept him in all night. I am very seriously considering buying the Petporte to fit in my back door so that they can all get out during the day but have to stay in at night. I think they are safer in at night and even mine who love to roam seem to be content with this compromise. The CPL whom we got H&H from also asked that they are kept in at night. I think this is a very hard decision to make. You want them to be safe and give yourself peace of mind but you also want them to be happy.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Sabby sounds like Ginger, even to the point of going into other peoples houses during the day!! He got depressed if he had to stay in, and I think with cats like that, it is best to give them their freedom and keep them happy, I wouldnt' want to have them for years longer if they were going to be unhappy

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

 

[Catjane]

Some cats have to have their freedom, despite the risks and sadly Sasa like Sabby falls into this category. Misa may adapt but would be a desparately unhappy cat and its no good having a cat and torturing it for all of its life. Well thats my belief anyway 

You said it better than me!  Yes, I agree with you.  Sabby is just like Misa ... he goes out in the rain, comes in all wet, then goes straight out again!  That's when he's not standing RIGHT in front of my monitor giving me nudges!  Get OFF you little tinker!!    He must have known I was typing about him!! 

[Catjane]

He likes other cats, which means he doesn't get into fights, either

But what about the fighting cats out  there, they don't care if a cat is placid or not.

When we home cats we always ask they people to  keep there cats in once it is dark,  but also during the day when they are out. I can see the advantage of a cat flap during the day but if a cat was hurt,  came in for help  you would not know till you returned. A lady round here came home from work, went round to her back door and caught the cat thieves putting her cat in a bag.

I apppreciate however, that people will do what they want ot do and we all have very different ideas as to what is best for our cats.

I am lucky, Ela.  My next door neighbour loves my cats to bits, and she can see all of my back garden, and she goes out the back several times a day hanging washing up, doing garden things and the like.  Plus my lot frequently go in her house when I'm not at home!  So if something was wrong it would get noticed no less quickly than if I was at home, and I would hear about it straight away, plus she would take my cats to the vets for me if it was urgent.  I hear what you're saying, though.  I've weighed up all the pros and cons, and where Sabby is concerned he would become very depressed if he couldn't go out.  Believe me, I would much rather they stay in for my own peace of mind, but they love the outdoors too much, especially Sabby, for me to do that.

That's dreadful about that lady and her poor cat ...   Luckily, people can't easily get round the back of my house, and even if they did they'd be spotted pretty quickly, and my cats never go round the front.

As far as fighting is concerned ... he seems to have befriended every feline in the neighbourhood!  The most aggressive cat out there is my Shanti, little tike!  But she loves Sabby,  and I've not seen her fighting either, just posturing really, and she mostly hangs around my and my next door neighbour's garden protecting our territory!

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I think that as you have a catflap that is as much as you can do for a wanderer like Sabby. My Sasa is also a stay away if she gets upset and is quite able to feed herself out there.

I dont know how long you have has Sabby but as the nights draw in and get cold I find Misa and Sasa dont stay out so much although at present Misa will sit ouit in the rain, come in to be dried and then go straight out again, he is a hunter and mice have to much facination for him.

I agree who ever siad what they did doesnt not understand cats and I think you will lose him if you try to lock him in.

Sasa ran away when I tried to keeep her in at night and she is terrified of even being trapped in one room.

Some cats have to have their freedom, despite the risks and sadly Sasa like Sabby falls into this category. Misa may adapt but would be a desparately unhappy cat and its no good having a cat and torturing it for all of its life. Well thats my belief anyway 

[Ela]

He likes other cats, which means he doesn't get into fights, either

But what about the fighting cats out  there, they don't care if a cat is placid or not.

When we home cats we always ask they people to  keep there cats in once it is dark,  but also during the day when they are out. I can see the advantage of a cat flap during the day but if a cat was hurt,  came in for help  you would not know till you returned. A lady round here came home from work, went round to her back door and caught the cat thieves putting her cat in a bag.

I apppreciate however, that people will do what they want ot do and we all have very different ideas as to what is best for our cats.

[Catjane]

it does sound that way. I have found that if they are inside before dark/dusk is best. After that the old wild side comes into play and they are less reliable ...

Yup.   I feel that's the case too.  I'm a bit concerned now that the nights are drawing in, as in a few weeks it will be dusk/dark by the time I get home from work.  I was thinking about whether or not I could afford that new Petporte catflap which would give me some peace of mind.  However, I reassure myself with the knowledge that Sabby is strong (he's a little beef-cake!), has very thick fur, is extremely shy of people other than myself, and is also car-shy.  He is also very cautious - jumpy, even - about new sights or sounds, so won't go charging into a potentially dangerous situation.  He likes other cats, which means he doesn't get into fights, either.  So armed with that lot, I suppose I should not worry too much.

[blackcat]

it does sound that way. I have found that if they are inside before dark/dusk is best. After that the old wild side comes into play and they are less reliable ...

[Catjane]

Yeah, I already take their wet food away after 15 minutes in the morning, and just leave a little dry out for them.  But Sabby will be gone for hours even if he's starving when he gets home.  Although I think that he may sometimes catch and eat his own dinner!  Either way, withholding food from him doesn't work   The girls are good as gold and are usually in within 15 minutes of me getting home, so I'm sure I'm not doing anything wrong, and Sabs is just a bit of an adventurer!

[blackcat]

SOunds like your friend has no idea, to be frank. I would be inclined to withhold food during the day so he has an incentive to come home in the evenings.

I have never had any trouble with any of my cats staying out unless they make a break for it after they are locked in the night. They are sitting waiting for me when I get home as they know the first thing I do when I arrive is feed them a little snack before taking the dog for a walk. They get to eat in peace and the dog gets his exercise. When we get back, the dog is fed and the cats get the rest of their dinner. Has worked for me for years with all sorts of cats in all sorts of environments. If they are not home when I get there and have not turned up within half an hour, I know to panic.

[Catjane]

Well, Sabby disappeared again yesterday, and returned early this morning (I keep them in at night, so left the catflap open one-way so he could get back in again).  I barely slept a wink, I was so worried about him.  I realise that I have to accept that he is a bit of a 'wanderer' and not get so stressed out when he doesn't come in at teatime.

However, a friend of mine said two things:  one - that he could 'turn feral' ... I've never heard of this happening to a cat in a happy home?  and two: that keeping him in for the day every so often could help to prevent him wandering.  Is this true?  My friend is no cat expert, but I thought I'd ask the question of some of you who are.

I'm not going to make Sabby an indoor only cat, as he loves the outdoors, even in the rain!  He'd hate to be cooped up every day.  But he's staying in today, mainly so that I can rest easy tonight and get the good night's sleep that I so desperately need!  Mind you, he seems busy 'sleeping it off' today, anyway!!