Conference misery::feline_v1

    Hi--
    
    If I were you, I'd keep them ALL inside.  Don't take chances;  and
    it's not going to hurt them to stay inside for a while.  You'll
    have to put up with their yowling and pouting for a week or so,
    but you and they will get over it.  Life outside is dangerous 
    enough without a KNOWN risk.
    
    Best of luck to you, and let us know how you do.
    
    Jane

    
    I would highly recommend that you NOT let your cats out if you bring
    them to your parents house.  It might be easier to bring your parents
    cat to your place but since you didn't suggest this there must be
    some problem with that.
    
    I would be afraid that your neighbor might be tempted to do other
    than sue you for catnapping.  He might just injure your cats (or
    worse) just to hurt you for taking his cats.  He sounds like the
    spiteful type and your cats may be in danger from him.
    
    As you know, Cinamon, my parents cat, stays with me for 6 months
    of the year, and with them for 6 months of the year.  He adjusts
    very well and all the cats get along fine.  Your cats will adjust
    immediately since they will have each other and you there.  And
    perhaps your parents cat might get used to having these other cats
    around a some sort of truce might occur.
    
    Good luck and keep us posted!
    
    Karen

Over and above the threat from your neighbor, the cats might well get
confused and try to return to their "real" home.....keep them in and
you won't lose them.  They will caterwaul about it, but it won't
kill them to be inside for 8 weeks -- and you would really be heartbroken
if you lost them.  Sometimes we, just like any parents, must do
what is best for the cat, NOT what the cat wants.

Re:  cat box issues

bring your own cats' boxes with them and keep them separated from
the resident cat (and his box) for at least a week until everyone
knows where he/she is supposed to do business...then separate them
again for at least a day after each litter change -- enough time to
allow everyone to "claim" his/her box.  This will minimize the dominance
issue around the cat boxes.

    I agree with everyone, don't let those cats out.  With a nut like
    that for a neighbor who knows what he'll do.  Better to be safe
    than sorry.
    
    Have fun sitting.

    He can't really sue you for taking the cat.  First of all, he probably
    can't prove ownership.  If the cats aren't registered purebreds
    (registered in his name) and since you have had them since they
    were 5-6 months old, he probably doesn't have any way to prove that
    they ever lived with him.  Plus, you have the vet bills to prove
    that he was not caring for them properly.
    
    Aside from that, I still say keep them inside.  They might be tempted
    to return to your house, get lost in the unfamiliar turf.  If you
    keep BeeBee in one part of the house and your cats in the other,
    there shouldn't be a litter box problem.  If you allow them to mingle,
    take the previous noter's advice, sounds like good advice to me.
    
    Jo

    Re Karen
    
    Bringing BeBee to my house isn't feasible - I have a 3 room apartment.
     Only 1 room can be closed off, and that's where the birds stay.
    
    Besides, when you have the choice between staying in your own 3
    room apartment where you have to pay the utilities, buy the food,
    etc, or staying at Mom and Dad's 10 room house with built-in Sauna,
    screened in porches, decks, cable tv, vcr, big color tv, garage
    to park my car in, wood stoves for fun, where mom and dad pay the 
    utilities and have enough food to survive a nuclear holocaust. .
    Where would you stay?  I still think of the place as home
    
    I'm hoping that BeBee will get used to other cats so that I can
    get my parents a kitten before they get back.

    Wow, Nancy!  With all that room and fun places to explore, your
    kitties might not even care about going outside!  Sometimes they
    forget about the outdoors in unfamiliar territories (of course my
    Chauncey couldn't wait to get outside when we moved so it does depend
    on the cat).
    
    Don't take any chances with the looney neighbor... he sounds downright
    dangerous!
    
    Good luck.
    

    I used to take Nippa to my parents summer home  (2-3 months) and
    she adjusted quite well.  I made sure the first few times she went
    out, that I was there to chaperone, however she made it purr-fectly
    clear she did not need one, and took off on her own.  She might
    have stayed out all night, once...to protect her property.  She
    loses a lot of weight, whether its due to the eheat or the move,
    I can't really say.
    
    I think your kids wil do fine.  I would be cautious about letting
    them out.  Maybe you could leave them in the screened in porch,
    almost as good as going out.  Or let them out, supervised, when
    you know the man won't be around.
    
    M & N
    

       I always take my cats with me when I go to my parents' house
    for the holidays and they do just fine even though we only stay
    for a few days.  However, they don't get let outside because they're
    indoor-only kitties. 
       I also have a cat, Tara, who lives with my parents.  Tara can't
    stand other cats and she REALLY hated it when my other cats used
    HER litter box.  So I have to bring separate everything to keep
    everyone happy.
                                      - Christine

    Well, today is the big day.  My parents left for Florida.  However,
    I'm going to wait until tomorrow to move the cats over.  That way
    I can be with them the whole weekend to make sure there isn't any
    problems between them and Mom's cat.  I'm bringing there regular
    food dishes and litter box.  The litter box will be an odd situation
    - Portia and Oscar prefer to due their duties outside and let me
    know of their disatisfaction of having to  use a litter box by trying
    to spread litter from her to China.  
    
    I'm going into this situation with a positive attitude.  If worse
    comes to worse, my cats will have to go back home, and I'll get
    to take a 30 mile detour on my way home from work each night!
    
    	-Nancy