Conference misery::feline_v1

         My fiance's cats were indoor/outdoor, while mine was indoor
    only.  When we merged the two households, we decided to try to keep
    them all as indoor only, as it would be easier for us to manage
    (we might let Loki, who has never ever been outdoors except in his
    kennel, out - no telling if he would *ever* come back) and easier
    on our nerves (I would never know what to think if one of them didn't
    come home at night - not knowing if the one had run off, been hurt
    or worse or hitched a ride in a car or house would drive both of
    us crazy).  We were afraid that this wouldn't work out, as both
    Fluffy and Bigfoot loved, nay *demanded*, to be outdoors every night,
    even staying out all night on those warm summer nights.
    
         Well ... guess what?  Bigfoot, the one who was always crying
    to be out, never asks to go out at all; in fact we once had the
    door open to get some stuff in and he looked, but that was it. 
    Fluffy, while he got out once or twice, stopped dead in his tracks
    at the bottom of the steps, then followed us back into the house.
    It's as if he just wants to be with us, inside or out, but doesn't
    want to roam any more.  Their favorite sport now is sitting on the
    bay window and smelling the great outdoors, but out?  No thanks,
    Mom!
    
         It's too bad that Chauncey couldn't learn to stay indoor only,
    but perhaps if you gave him some time?  It took Fluffy four months
    of staying indoors and asking to be let out before he decided he
    didn't want to go anymore; Bigfoot decided in about two days!

    I would let Nikki out.  He knows where he lives, he knows where
    his food comes from, I'm sure he won't run off.
    
    When I first got Hector, I was worried about letting him out with
    the other cats, since we got him through an organisation called
    PetWatch, and he had been a stray.  He was very insecure, and would
    sit quietly in a corner, hoping no one would notice he as there.
    Anyway, I let him out after he'd had a few days to settle down.
    The first couple of times I went with him, and called him back if
    he started to wander off.  But he never showed the slightest intention
    of leaving home - he'd found a place with regular mealtimes, he
    wasn't going to leave it!
    
    Since then, we have moved house with him and the other two cats,
    and they were perfectly all right going outside from the start.
    
    We have a cat flap, and all the cats come and go as they please.
    They enjoy being outside so much, I couldn't deprive them of it.
    
    As far as other creatures coming through the cat flap goes, we do
    get the occasional strange cat, but this does not happen often enough
    to be a problem.  But we do get lots of mice (imported by Hector,
    not coming in of their own accord)!  He's under the impression that
    there's nothing I like better than a half dead mouse.  Anyone heard
    of a cat door that won't let cats in with mice and birds in their
    mouths??
    
    All my cats wear collars with their names and telephone numbers.
    They all spent about half an hour having hysterics when they first
    wore them, and then seemed to forget all about them.  Although Hector
    has to have a metal name tag, because he developed the habit of
    chewing and sucking his plastic one!
    
    

    re: .2
    
    Please: is that "a half dead mouse" or
    		    "half a dead mouse"?
    
    Thanks,
    Gary    8'}

    Either or both.  Peeled or unpeeled.

    We have lived in three different houses in three different cities
    with out cat Punjab.  We have never had a problem with him wandering
    off, in fact we've had the opposite experience: he stays very close
    to the house in unfamilier territory.  
    
    We may be alittle weird on this point too but we always travel with
    our cats. We have families within 2-4 hours drive and we always
    take them with us, uncaged, in the car.  They travel very well.
    They know when the car starts its time for a nap(after 5-10 min.
    of whining).  When at our parents house they stay very close also.
    Sometimes they will not even go outside.  
    
    Very good cats if I do say so my self!
    
    Nelson (Punjab and Bennington)    

Nice quiet neighborhoods still can have large dogs and that means your cats
can be hurt...not to mention what can happen if children who don't like cats
get their hands on them.

    Hi Roberta -
    
    Glad to hear the big move is over. Sounds like you and Dana
    have settle in okay, but the "kids" are having problems.
    Are things any better?  Have been out of the office the last two
    weeks.  Got into the system from home on Sunday, and had 50 "Cat
    notes" to catch up on.
    
    You sound definite on just "two cats"!  That means a Ragdoll could
    someday be a wonderful present for a special occasion in your life.
    (Took pictures of Mocha during my two weeks at home. Will send one
    as soon as they are developed.)
    
    Many years of happiness in your new home.
    
    Barbara