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ingrid.seim@gmail.com - 18 Jul 2005 17:17 GMT

Hi. I've been reading this forum for about six months, but i hardly
ever post.

One of my 3 cats is what i can only describe as a "tabby point
siamese." His name is Tucker. He's almost a year old. He was neutered
when he was 5 months, but he's got that energetic siamese nature. My
adorable kitty is a spazz!

Now I never let my cats outside but, with the weather warm and all the
tiny furry/feathery critters out and about, Tucker is going NUTS to be
among them! He learned he can get out by pushing hard enough on one of
the window screens to pop itout of its frame. I have that window barred
so it can only be opened a few inches but when i just came back from
taking out the trash i saw him trying to do it again to a different
window! Keeping the windows closed is not an option for me. I have to
open them wide at night and in the morning to cool my apartment.

Do any of you have any ideas about what I could do to keep Tucker safe?
I'm about at my wit's end, here.

Oh, and please remind me why it's dangerous for cats to be outside. I
keep mine in because of the large number of people where i live and the
busy traffic, but please tell me about all the horrible diseases in
cats that vets can't prevent or cure so the part of me that feels like
Tucker's jailor will sit down and be quiet.

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Mary - 18 Jul 2005 17:37 GMT

> Hi. I've been reading this forum for about six months, but i hardly
> ever post.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> when he was 5 months, but he's got that energetic siamese nature. My
> adorable kitty is a spazz!

He sounds wonderful!

> Now I never let my cats outside but, with the weather warm and all the
> tiny furry/feathery critters out and about, Tucker is going NUTS to be
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> window! Keeping the windows closed is not an option for me. I have to
> open them wide at night and in the morning to cool my apartment.

> Do any of you have any ideas about what I could do to keep Tucker safe?
> I'm about at my wit's end, here.

You can secure the screens by driving small nails on either side of the
screen at intervals (inside and outside) so that they cannot be pushed
out. I recommend enticing a male slave to do this--(I avoid manual
labor of this kind, you may not). Also, you can drive a single nail
at the bottom of the window frame (the horizontal surface that
is exposed only when the window is open) make a small hole
in the bottom of the screen, and pass a wire through and wrap
it around the nail, securing the screen. Do this with the top too,
and kitty cannot get out.

> Oh, and please remind me why it's dangerous for cats to be outside. I
> keep mine in because of the large number of people where i live and the
> busy traffic, but please tell me about all the horrible diseases in
> cats that vets can't prevent or cure so the part of me that feels like
> Tucker's jailor will sit down and be quiet.

One car is all it takes to take him away from you forever. Or one
dog fast enough to catch him. You are doing the right thing. Now
enlist the aid of a male slave (some call them Good Husbands) and
work on those screens! You can also get a walking jacket for
Tucker and take him out supervised. Keep us posted.

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ingrid.seim@gmail.com - 18 Jul 2005 18:27 GMT

> > My adorable kitty is a spazz!
>
> He sounds wonderful!

I don't mean to brag, but he is wonderful. One of my cats came to me
traumatized by other animals and Tucker's lack of fear and affectionate
nature healed her to the point that she grooms and plays and cuddles
with Tucker and my other cat now, whereas she used to hiss and hide
from them for months after i first got her from the SPCA.

> > Do any of you have any ideas about what I could do to keep Tucker safe?
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> it around the nail, securing the screen. Do this with the top too,
> and kitty cannot get out.

I checked my windows closely, and their frames look like aluminum. I
don't know if nails can be driven through them, but please don't think
i'm being negative. I'm going to ponder variations of the nail idea,
and please continue to post any other suggestions you feel like. Even
if i can't use them, some other reader may be able to.

> You can also get a walking jacket for Tucker and take him out supervised. > Keep us posted.

Oooo....walkies for cats. I've never heard of walking jackets before.
What a great idea! I'll have to wait on that one until i know the
windows are secure, though. Once I take Tucker out, he's going to like
being indoors even less than he does now. Poor guy.

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Mary - 18 Jul 2005 18:35 GMT

> > > My adorable kitty is a spazz!
> >
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> and please continue to post any other suggestions you feel like. Even
> if i can't use them, some other reader may be able to.

No matter what, your screens can be secured. They can be and
they should be--for reasons other than Tucker, even! Keep us posted.

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Spot - 18 Jul 2005 23:42 GMT

Go to your nearest Walmart or Ace Hardware and purchase those old style
sliding screens that fit into the window sash. We just replaced windows and
the screens that come with them aren't that tight pop out way to easily for
my liking. Since my one cat is 17lbs and loves to sleep on the sill I had
to do this with the windows I was afraid he'll pop the screens out and fall
out the window. Also to keep my dog from falling out to. I caught her
squished up into the one window sill sitting watching the rabbits in the
neighbors yard.

Celeste

> Hi. I've been reading this forum for about six months, but i hardly
> ever post.
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> cats that vets can't prevent or cure so the part of me that feels like
> Tucker's jailor will sit down and be quiet.

Reply to this Message

Rhonda - 19 Jul 2005 01:48 GMT

Hello Ingrid, we also have a lynx-point siamese, Dude. I've always loved
them, but never thought I'd have one since we also take rescues. Then
one was born in our house, and he was mine, all mine!

What we did for our cats to compromise with the inside-outside issue, is
to make a cat balcony out one window. The floor is plywood, and the
sides and top are hardware cloth. We stapled the sides onto the side of
the house, and the whole thing rests on metal L-shaped supports against
the house. I got the idea from the book "The Cat Who Came for
Christmas," and how he made a balcony for his NYC cat.

Our cats LOVE it, and get to feel the breeze through their hair.

Some people have also made safe outdoor enclosures. We've thought about
enclosing our outdoor patio with hardware-cloth, but haven't gotten to
that yet.

Good luck,

Rhonda

> Do any of you have any ideas about what I could do to keep Tucker safe?
> I'm about at my wit's end, here.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> cats that vets can't prevent or cure so the part of me that feels like
> Tucker's jailor will sit down and be quiet.

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