That's definitely a better option than her going somewhere in a little pen thing. Thank you for your tips, they're really much appreciated!!
She's very much an outdoors cat but I think that's partly circumstances. My husband and I work all day so she goes out, but spends some of that time with the old lady next door. My nephew came to stay at Easter (and has done in the past) and despite her not actually meeting him, so he didn't scare her or anything) she's pretty much moved out and won't come in the house until late at night. I'm due to have a baby in 10wks and I don't believe there's normally a problem with cats and babies, but I think she will HATE it, but to the point of being scared and not coming in the house rather than sitting on the baby or anything silly like that. I just don't feel that's a very nice life for her!!
There is also another issue that the old lady next door refuses to stop feeding the foxes and yesterday I saw Harriet at her back door with the fox standing side by side with her both being fed. Unfortunately Harriet's coat is quite long and therefore fleas love it. In a normal situation its fine and normal frontline or stronghold does the trick, but since we've had this fox issue I just can't get on top of it. I've treated her with program and stronghold or frontline together, fumigated the house......AND the car and it still just doesn't work. The fact that she's now not coming in at night means that I can't get hold of her to even treat her for the fleas at the moment, but because she's still in the house when where asleep the fleas are still being brought in.
I feel so guilty as it should in theory be an easy thing to sort and I know that's what I would thing if someone else said the same to me, but it really isn't that straight forward. The old lady next door want the cats and fox to live happily ever after and just won't listen to my pleads (this is the third year of problems) and I really just can't have a baby covered in flea bite, that's just sooo wrong, nor can I really be spraying the house constantly with flea products
Because of Harriet's nervous nature though, I'm so worried that if I end up taking her to a shelter then she'll end up being there for ages because she won't 'sell' herself. Also, her nervous nature might not make her ideal for fostering.
Probably saying that her coat is magnetic to fleas won't do her any favours BUT it really is due to the unnatural close proximity of the foxes, without them she's just like any other cat. I just don't want anyone to think its because she's a bad cat, she's so not and is very sweet when she knows you and if she were happier in a quieter house then I'm sure she'd spend more time in having cuddles.
As for picture, I'll try to do this at the weekend!!!
Thanks for your help and to anyone that's taken the time to read this and might be able to offer her a new loving home!!!!