Our cats are not allowed to free range outside for various reasons, but especially because there are far too many creatures around the farm that eat cats, including fishers and coyotes. So the cats get to go out on the screened front porch, and they also have a Cat Den enclosure.
Today it was warm and sunny (miracle!!) and I plonked the three of them in there. Naomi and Julius quite like it, but Alex is less keen and cries like a girl when he's in there. Don't worry, he doesn't get painfully anxious. He'd just rather be running free around the garden.
Occasionally Alex manages a deft escape from inside our house if we don't shut the front door fast enough. He seems to have a third sense for when we are opening a door with our arms full of groceries, all the better to go streaking between our legs to the vast world outside.
This results in us spending quality time chasing Alex in circles around the house, with an occasional foray into a soybean field. That cat can move surprisingly fast for a guy with three legs!
Our feline hooligans!
Ready to be set free in after a couple of hours.
Naomi didn't really want to leave. I had to pry her off the shelf today. She might have been stoned on fresh catnip.
I have a custom-made hammock for the cage, but haven't put it out yet.
The King is Not Amused!
Julius has bagged various chipmunks and squirrels who have been stupid enough to run through the bottom of the cage. Fluffy orange death leaps down from above! But really, the rodents have 86 acres to frolic on here. If they are foolish enough to enter the cage of death, I wash my hands of all responsibility!
See how we torture our animals? It's shocking, shocking I tell you!
Spoiled! Just as much as ours are. They too enjoy a little extraneous protein. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou will show us the hammock, won't you?!
ReplyDeleteMakes me laugh to think about it.
Give them an inch...they want a mile. They are all the same. It is unfortunate that all that lovely land that they would love to explore is too dangerous for them. We do what we can then and that's that. They are very lucky cats.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Deb=^..^=x4
What wonderful cat parents you are! You've thought of everything.
ReplyDeleteIn that first photo of Alex, it looks like he's banging a tin cup on the bars while singing "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen."
Oops, or is that Julius? My bad!
ReplyDeleteThis is what I like about blogging, I learn so much about other countries. It never occurred to me it would be necessary to protect cats from wildlife as we don't have to over here.
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice way to keep kitties safe while giving them an outing!
ReplyDeleteKatnip, we all like a little extraeous protein now and then! Hahahah!
ReplyDeleteMarylee, I must get it out and photograph it.
Deb, I let Naomi and Alex saunter around the garden with supervision sometimes. Julius used to be an outdoor cat but I got tired of worrying about it, especially when he disappeared overnight. I'd like to build them a bigger outdoor enclosure sometime. Maybe they could have a cat coop next to the chicken coop! ;)
TTPT, the orange guy is Julius but your comment is still hilarious. Old Fluffy, spending his days in the federal penitentiary!
ReplyDeleteLBM, plenty of people let their cats out loose, even around here. And of course there are lots of barn cats! I think it's a personal decision, whether or not you let the cats out. Plus I don't want my crew killing songbirds, especially since I have birdfeeders everywhere. Julius used to be an outdoor cat, but I got really tired of worrying about him. Alex is not supposed to go out, since he lost his leg in a leghold trap before we adopted him (yet another risk around here!)
ReplyDeleteSometimes I let Naomi and Alex out in the garden when I'm out there, as they don't wander and I can keep an eye on them.
As well, I once found a cat that had just been hit by a car, and I rushed it to a vet only to have it die minutes after I arrived. And I have scraped a frozen cat off the road in front of my house before. Both of those incidents made me not want to have to experience that with one of my kitties! It's hard though, because like Deb said, the kitties really love being outside and would love to explore. For me, it's not worth the risk but again, it's a personal decision. :)
I love the idea of a cat coop! I have never thought of it before. I also love the cage you guys have. Or should I say, the Cat Den. Pretty neato! My 2 indoor-only cats would love it!
ReplyDeleteI'm back to the blogging world!! I've been caught up with worldly responsibilities recently and my online presence has disappeared! Poof! But now I'm back! :)
~Lynn
Lynn, don't you hate it when life interferes with blogging? ;)
ReplyDeleteTotally prepared to go and stay with you (or Jams) in my second life as a cat. Nice to know I'll have a Summer hammock. I won't eat living critters. Just get a supply of Arctic char. Plus a drop of French wine (Chateauneuf-Du-Pape) with dinner. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteNaomi looked totally stoned and comfortable. I'm rather jealous of her.
ReplyDeleteThat is AWESOME! My kids would love that.
ReplyDeleteClaude, Arctic Char is my favourite fish!!!! I will lay in a supply for you.
ReplyDeleteCogDis, Naomi is currently curled up on my lap. She has a tough life. Not.
Wandering Cat, the cats do seems to enjoy it!