General Chat

ZZzz Betty had a 'moment' 2 years or so ago.
She was obviously getting stressed - she started pulling out her fur.
Then things got worse.
I can only assume she got attacked - next doors (un-neutered Tom) cat regularly came into my garden and, as well as fighting with George, pood ON the grass (a sign of aggression), also,next door had concreted/decked over their garden, so there was nowhere for him to do his business.

Well, I came home from work one day to find Betty on my bed - she never goes on my bed - under it, in times of stress (fireworks etc), but never sleeps on it - her choice.
She wouldn't move, and I wasn't going to force her off, I knew something was wrong. I checked her over - no obvious injuries.
When I got into bed, I also realised she had peed on it - more than once :-(
I left her to it, and slept in the other bedroom.

I decided, quite quickly, to dig out the litter tray. Fortunately, after 12 years, she still remembered what it was for.
I threw out my duvet - fortunately I had a waterproof cover on the mattress. This was accidently bought, I thought it was a terry one, didn't realise it had a rubber backing, but it saved my mattress!
Over time, she gradually, built up the courage to go out - as far as the back doorstep, but would always come in to do her 'business'. She was still pulling her fur out.
Lucky for me, George just ignored the litter tray.

In February of this year, I noticed she was using the litter tray less, and venturing further out into the garden. She was also less determined about pulling her fur out.
Then lockdown came.
I decided to put the litter tray outside the back door during the daytime, as I was around in case next door's cat appeared - I put layers of newspaper where it had been before - in case Betty didn't have the courage to go outside - she never used the paper.
Well, after a couple of weeks, I totally removed the tray in the day, just putting it down at night. She stopped using it at night.
Since March, Betty hasn't had a tray to use, her fur has grown back, and she happily sits in the back garden! :-D :-D
Some days (particularly hot ones) I hardly see her. She and George are happily esconced in (separate) 'nests' they've made in overgrown parts of the garden.
When I call them in to check on them, both are really cool - even on the hottest days.

I haven't seen next doors cat since November/December 2019.It's probably gone the way of most un-neutered Toms - to an early grave.
I know of 2 cats that have been killed by Badgers (the cats approach the badgers) around here - both were un-neutered Toms.

My sisters cats used a litter tray and weren’t allowed out till they were adult and chipped, my sister then had a cat flap fitted BUT they would come back in use the tray then go back out.

Poor George lol

Lizx

:-D :-D :-D

Just so I wouldn't have to open the window ;-)

He's only called George, so he can ignore me when I say "George, don't do that" :-D

My daughter gave them their original names - George was Gi-Gi , Betty was Jelly-Bean (she has a pink nose). As soon as my daughter moved out, (when they were 4 months old) I renamed them :-D :-D :-D
The third (now deceased) one was always called Mister. I tried renaming him Claude (he had non-retractable claws), but he refused to respond to it :-(

What did you make it rain for anyway?

It certainly was, Ann,
I'm still not sure who 'won'. :-S

That was a battle of wills!!! :-D

That made me smile, how cute George is.

:-)

During the hot weather, once the sun had moved from the front to the back of the house, I'd pull one of the blinds (I have 2, because the window is wide) on the window up a little and open the window.
This was a 'sign' for the cats, who would then go and sit outside on the window sill.
There is a wide pyracantha hedge under this window- very prickly - but the cats can jump onto the fence at the side and into the garden

Well, yesterday, George couldn't understand why the window wasn't open in the afternoon as usual - despite the rain lashing on the window..
He went over to the window, looked at me and howled.
'No' I said.
He then started clawing at the blind 'Stop it', I said. He howled at me.
'No' I repeated. He went behind the blind, and attacked it from the other side, howling and muttering.
Well, this went on for a while. Fortunately the blinds are wooden, and, to me, claw marks etc, just add 'character' to them - which is fortunate for George :-\

Then he obviously had an idea! He asked to be let out the front door, which I did.

Then he appeared - on the windowsill he'd been desperate to get to from inside!
Well, he pranced along it, peering in at me, looking very cocky - and getting wetter by the second.

Not long after his 'victory', I heard the cat flap go.
He crept in, sidled along the sofa, and shot upstairs - yes he was very soggy.
I ignored him, I think his pride had taken enough of a battering :-D :-D