Conference misery::feline_v1

    He has you well trained....  See if you can tough it out for a few
    mornings by not getting up until a more reasonable hour.  I would
    retry making him an indoor cat also, it took my first cat two or
    three weeks to adjust to being indoors.  It sounds like this in
    and out business is making you a wreck.
    

    Here's an extra thought.  Does he like catnip?  Perhaps you can
    distract him with some the next time he wants to go outdoors, and
    playing a game with him then might also work, both as a distraction
    and to tucker him out.
    

    I tried the catnip trick - he played for awhile then got bored and
    went right back to the door.  I don't mind letting him be an outdoor
    cat - I just want to convince myself that he will be okay and that
    I can go on with my life as usual.  For instance, last Saturday
    I did some errands - took about 1 1/2 hours.  Chauncey (kitty's
    new name) was outside while I was gone.  When I got back to the
    apartment and went upstairs, guess who was sleeping on the landing?
    He got himself back into the building while I was worrying myself
    to death wondering if he was okay.
    
    I am so scared that someone will hurt him while he is hanging around
    inside the building.  My fiance thinks I am crazy and is really
    beginning to resent the time I spend with this cat.  Most of the
    people who live in my building know Chauncey belongs to me and are
    very nice to him.  But who knows what types of people visit the
    people who live there.
    
    Sorry to ramble on.  Perhaps I should ignore his cries to go out
    (although they are quite LOUD - he even tries to reach the doorknob
    with his paws, especially when he gets home from a visit with the
    vet)!  All I know is, I am very tired at the end of the day!
    
    Roberta
    

    First of all, what an outstanding name for a cat....
    
    Have you thought of getting Chauncey a little brother???  It worked
    pretty good for my oldest.  The other thing I did that worked (oh,
    OK, it worked for a few days), was doing my mad voice when Honey
    woke me up.  I'd sort of growl-screech my general dismay, and would
    run for the hills.  I used to call 4:30-5:30 Happy Hour for Honey.
    Drove me nuts....
    
    Good luck!
    Mary

    I thought the name Chauncey was pretty original myself, although
    my Fiance HATES it!
    
    Speaking of Chauncey, he must have known I was writing this note
    about him yesterday, because when I got home from work last nite,
    he immediately wanted to go outside.  This is very unusual for him
    as he usually wants to eat first, then go out.  So I brought him
    downstairs and let him out, did some errands, and when I returned,
    no kitty.  I kept checking the door on and off, went outside a few
    times, etc., but still, no Chauncey.  Before going to bed I checked
    again but he was still nowhere to be found.  Now mom is frantic
    and driving her fiance crazy all the while.  This morning when I
    got up (oh, what a peaceful nights sleep!) I checked the door three
    times in between showering, blowdrying my hair, etc.  No kitty.
    Then, as I was on my way out the door to go to work, guess who was
    waiting on the stairs?  That's right - there was Chauncey making
    it known loud and clear that I could not leave until he was fed.
    So I brought him back inside, opened up a can of food and he chowed
    down appreciatively.
    
    Incidentally, when I reached down to pet him, his fur was very warm.
    He couldn't have been on the stairs for more than 15 minutes to
    a 1/2 hour as I must have checked about 4 times before I finally
    left for work.
    
    Hmm...wonder what he was doing last night...
    
    That's a kitty for you!
    
    
    /Roberta
    

    Hmmmmm...warm fur?  Did he have lipstick smeared on his fur, the
    smell of another woman on his person????  TWO-TIMER!!  If he was
    that warm, perhaps some neighbor had him in for the night and let
    him out in the morning.  It was awfully cold last night; I don't
    think he would have volunteered to be out on his own.  Men.....
    
    Tell your fiance' it would have been worse....you could have called
    him Honey!!
    
    Mary (and Honey and Chauncey)

    Re: spending the night....
    
    Does Chaunc have an id tag on?  Perhaps the neighbor thinks he's
    a stray.
    

    After speaking with some of the people in my building, Chauncey
    has many homes - before I claimed him as my own, a lot of the neighbors
    and people in my building were taking him inside and feeding him.
     He is not happpy unless he can go out to do his own thing.  He
    woke me up again at 3:30 this morning and I let him out and propped
    open the main door so he could go back inside because it was so
    cold.  He was still out when I left for work and I couldn't find
    him to bring hinm back inside.
    
    I KNOW he will be back home tonite to eat.
    
    Perhaps an I.D. tag is a good idea.
    
    BTW, is it true that cats are resourceful in extreme weather
    conditions?  I worry about him outside in the snow and cold.
    
    /Roberta
    

    Hi--
    
    Even an experienced outdoor cat would have trouble in the kind of
    bitter weather we've been having.  If I were you, I'd keep him inside
    on these nights whether he likes it or not.  That way you KNOW he's
    safe and warm.  If he doesn't have an ID, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
    get him one!!!  It won't take him long to become used to a collar,
    and you can have a nice tag made up cheaply at your vet's with his
    name, your name, address, and phone #.  It's well worth it--most
    people think an untagged pet is a stray and act accordingly.  It
    will give you a lot of peace of mind.
    
    Good luck,
    
    Jane

Chauncey stayed in last night - didn't even go NEAR the door due to
    the freezing temperatures.  This morning I went outside with him
    and he did his thing and ran back in.  He was safe in the apartment
    when I left for work.
    
    Regarding the collar and I.D. tags - when my mom put a collar on
    one of her outdoor cats, he kept getting his paw stuck in it trying
    to get it off (she made sure it was the "two fingers under the collar"
    rule of thumb).  He would come home hopping on three legs.  I am
    afraid the same thing is going to happen to Chauncey.
    
    I am currently looking for a new place to live - something along
    the lines of a two family house or townhouse (preferably with a
    garage) on the first floor so Chauncey can go in and out as he pleases.
    I also want to catch the black kitty and bring him along with me
    so they can be together again.
    
    I know this is a different subject altogether but if any of you feline
    lovers out there know of or have a place to rent near the Framingham/
    Marlboro area, please let me know.  These kitties need a real home
    that will allow pets.
    
    Thanks,
    Roberta
    

    
    Have you considered getting another cat?  I know in an apartment
    that may be difficult, but it has definitely helped my situation.
    
    Sebastion seems to crave the outdoors much more than Claude.  I ignored
    his cries during the fall and early winter as the weather got cold and
    too miserable (in my opinion) for him to go out - at least I didn't
    want him to go out.  He would get restless and I'd play with him for
    awhile, and then Claude would take over and start chasing him around
    the house.  It's a riot.  She seems to know instinctively now when he
    gets restless (he makes a particular little "prrt" noise) and she comes
    running from wherever she is and challenges him to a duel.  They run up
    and down the hall, over the beds, up and down the stairs and after
    awhile tire out.  Now, at this time of year, Sebastion has finally
    resigned himself to staying in and doesn't bug me anymore.  But,
    if you get tired of keeping Chauncey occupied, maybe he might like
    a playmate.  (Playmates are great fun outside, too)
    
    Just a thought!
    
    Amy. 
        

    I've had my two cats for 11 years.  They have gone from being indoor
    cats for two years, to being outdoor during the day (or whenever
    they wanted) and indoor at night for about 6 years, and for the last
    3 years or so they have been totally indoor cats.  They have no
    desire to go outside now.  I guess my point is that you can change
    an outdoor cat to an indoor cat.  
    
    A side benefit of having an indoor vs. outdoor cat is that they
    hardly ever need to go to the vet when they are indoor.  When my
    cats played outside I was forever taking one or the other the the
    vet.
    
    Ginny
    
    -but, my cats still rule my life in other ways...