Its a strange way to start a topic but I guess I'll start from the day
I bought Leo. I didn't mean to buy another cat considering that my last
one only lived for two years but I just couldn't resist him. He's a
ginger tabby and I've had him since November last year. He's five
months old now. When I first got him he was such a little baby wouldn't
do anything wrong. He had a brother that was totally off his trolley he
was so wild and all over the place and that is exactly the type of
character I dont like in a cat. Leo has turned out to be just like
that. He jumps on the most strange places you could think of and makes
me so mad its unreal. Anyway I've learned to ignore that, sometimes he
doesn't do it so much its only when he wants attention I think. I live
on the first floor and my dining room window opens up to a balcony that
stretches across to a number of flats. He went onto it a few times when
I first moved into the property and dissapeared so far on three
occations. When I say dissapeard I mean vanished. He did not turn up
for a good couple of days and last time I really went out of my mind
with worry because it was almost four days and I thought I really lost
him. I made a load of posters, flyers etc so that someone would come
forward and hand him over. I spent hours looking for him and and
eventually a received a call from a local hotel manageress saying he's
stuck on scaffolding near where I live. How did he get on there in the
first place ??? Big question, when I tried to fetch him from there I
nearly fell myself and if not for my flatmate I dont think I would have
made it. Its not the first time he put me through this. I can promise
you its very stressful looking after this little ginger trouble maker.
He did not receive any vaccinations and has not been microchipped yet
or nutored and that makes the worry even bigger when he runs off. Well
no more mister nice guy he is not going out again.
I received a phonecall from some lady near my home estate telling me
how to look after my own cat so I didn't really pay much attention to
that but she said she will collect Leo and do the microchipping etc for
him for £25.00 and I'll have him back later in the day. It's ok she
said she works for the Royal Vetenary College so I expect she will
prove that when she comes to collect my Leo this tuesday. If this does
turn out to be genuien I will be saving a fair amount of money because
I'm not working at the minute anyway and hopefuly when he recovers from
the little op he wont be to eager to go out.
Candace - 08 May 2005 21:34 GMT
> I received a phonecall from some lady near my home estate telling me
> how to look after my own cat so I didn't really pay much attention to
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> I'm not working at the minute anyway and hopefuly when he recovers from
> the little op he wont be to eager to go out.
Sounds suspicious to me but then I'm in the US so maybe it's normal
over there. Just make absolutely certain she's legit. Over here,
you'd have to worry it was someone who might do the cat harm. Get a
phone number where you can verify who she says she is. Or get her name
and call the Royal Veterinary College. It would be awful to have your
cat come to harm.
As for not going out, yes, that is always the safest bet and if you
don't let him out for awhile, he will adapt, but it might be hard going
for awhile. The neutering alone will not make him magically not want
to go out. For one thing, the testosterone will stay in his system for
a month or so after the surgery. For another, he has a taste for the
outdoors that has nothing to do with hormones. You just have to be
firm or get a harness and walking jacket and teach him to go for walks
that way or make some sort of outdoor enclosure on the balcony for him
so he can be outside sometimes but confined. You have to be firm.
But be wary of this woman.
Candace
bigbadbarry - 09 May 2005 05:20 GMT
> I received a phonecall from some lady near my home estate telling me
> how to look after my own cat so I didn't really pay much attention to
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> I'm not working at the minute anyway and hopefuly when he recovers from
> the little op he wont be to eager to go out.
You're getting yellow flags for a reason.
This does not sound right. I am almost sure you will regret it.
Besides why your worried bout a micro chip, this is not a priority.
You mentioned something bout a yob
Yeah, I wouldn't even waste my time investigatin her, just tell the
lady you already had it done, but thanks for the offer.
Don't let her collect your baby.
Alison - 10 May 2005 01:27 GMT
>>>I received a phonecall from some lady near my home estate telling
me
how to look after my own cat so I didn't really pay much attention to
that but she said she will collect Leo and do the microchipping etc
for
him for £25.00 and I'll have him back later in the day. It's ok she
said she works for the Royal Vetenary College so I expect she will
prove that when she comes to collect my Leo this tuesday. If this does
turn out to be genuien I will be saving a fair amount of money because
I'm not working at the minute anyway and hopefuly when he recovers
from
the little op he wont be to eager to go out.>>>
It sounds like she is very concerned about your cat. You could ring
the RVC and check with them if she is genuine .
If you are unemployed you can get help towards neutering etc from
various welfare societies such as -
BlueCross
http://www.bluecross.org.uk/
Cats Protection
http://www.cats.org.uk/htm/home.htm
Feline Advice Bureau
http://www.fabcats.org/
People's Dispensery for Sick animals
http://www.pdsa.org.uk/pages/index.cfm
RSPCA
http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=RSPCA/News/NewsFeature
If you want to stop him escaping you'll have to block his access to
the outside world. You'll have to fix up some netting or wiring on the
balcony so he can't escape from it .
Your cat is just being a cat . They like they to jump up high and
have crazy times. You will have to compensate for keeping your cat
inside by providing him with a scratching post, high places to climb
and provide toys and play with him . If you read the Feline Advice
bureaus website there is plenty of advice there.
Alison