<snip>

The indoor/outdoor question:  My own personal feelings are that cats should
be indoors if the outdoor environment is not safe (predators, traffic,
neighbors who don't like cats in their yard, etc).  In much of the US, this
is the case.  The indoor/outdoor debate among cat owners often gets divided
along national lines on here.  You have to assess the situation and
determine if this is a safe environment for the cat.  It is not cruel to
keep a cat indoors.  All of mine have been indoor-only for their whole lives
and don't seem to mind.  They have plenty of toys and spaces to climb
inside.  It might be a little tough to convert a cat who is used to going
outside though, but it can be done.

Scratching the landlord:  There is a product called Soft Paws you could get
(www.softpaws.com) and put on the cat to stop him from scratching.  The only
issue I see in doing this is that since he is indoor/outdoor, it might leave
him with less defenses if he were to get into a fight.  Again, this is
something you need to assess.  Are there other cats he is likely to get into
fights with?  Does he need to ward off predators?  Also, was the landlord
doing anything to provoke his scratching?

HTH.

-Kelly

Do a Google search on

 "cat scratch fever"

and/or

 "cat scratch disease"

(with the quotes)

Maybe you could let him out in "shifts"--during the time the landlady
stays indoors. Or get a catflap that you could lock when she's outside.
Or, it really sounds like he scratched her in play. If she's just more
careful about his "play mode", she could avoid getting scratched.
It does sound like he likes the new arrangement and he's well on his
way to accepting you as his new person.
Sorry I can't offer more. I think it's great you're helping this cat.
Lucky him.

Sherry

Cats scratch for a reason.  Either she was petting the cat and it got
overstimulated and scratched her to tell her to quit petting, or he was
playing and got too rough.  If you trim his nails short and keep them
trimmed, they will do less damage.  If he is an indoor/outdoor cat he
isn't likely to accept SoftPaws, in my experience - he is most likely
to chew them off.

The best thing to do is to keep him indoors while the lady is outside
and let her know when he is out.  She could also carry a squirt bottle
of water with her, and if he approaches, squirt him, although I would
only do this if others are around as it might make him more aggressive,
so you really have to watch it - it will either repel him or make him
more determined.

Since it is a temporary situation you should be able to come up with a
plan that can work for both of you.

Here's a review of SoftPaws which I wrote awhile back.  If you keep
your kitty's  nails trimmed short, SoftPaws may not be necessary...but
here it goes:

(paste)

SoftPaws

Some people were asking about SoftPaws.  I work at a vet, and apply
these things every day, to all kinds of cats.  Here is my take:

Description:  A set of rubber nail covers which are glued to the nail,
after trimming, with a super-glue-like substance.  They are used to
keep the kitty from scratching things that may be damaged by unaltered
nails.

****************

Pros:
They are really, really easy to apply if kitty cooperates, and will
let you trim her nails easily.  They take about 5-8 minutes to apply,
once you get the hang of it.

They are relatively inexpensive (about $10-12/set, if applied at the
vet, and they last 1-3 months.)  They are even less expensive if you
buy your own kit and apply them at home.

They do not interfere with normal claw usage, but protect things you
do not want scratched, fairly effectively.

Some cats do very, very well with them.

****************

Cons:

Some cats *detest* them, and will fight you tooth and nail (excuse the
pun) when you try to apply them.

Some cats pull them off easily.

The glue is very sticky, and will stick to and damage any surface it
encounters (including human skin).

If the glue touches any skin while wet (human or cat), it burns.  It
is fairly
caustic.

Some cats are allergic to the glue.

If the nail is trimmed too short, the glue can damage the nail bed,
which results in a crusty/ill formed nail, when the nail grows out.
They work best of the nail is trimmed fairly short, and if the glue is
applied in the inner 2/3 of the cap, before application.

The caps need to be fitted properly.  Many technicians tend to use
caps that are too large, and then the cat is constantly fighting with
the caps, as they "feel" awkward.  One cat may need more than one size
of caps to accomodate all nails on the foot (e.g. mediums on all nails
except 'pinky", which needs a small).

The caps need to be applied quickly after the glue is applied...the
glue dries very quickly.  This can be tricky for beginners.

****************

Overall impression:  I think trimming nails often (every 1-2 weeks) is
a better, more wholistic solution to scratching problems, than
SoftPaws.  If you are unable to do this, SoftPaws may be a solution
for you.  Overall, it is a good product, but may not be good for every
cat.

(end of paste)

Good luck,
-L.

I wouldn't use SoftPaws or blunt the nails on an outdoors cat.  Cat
flaps are useful... don't know if your local wildlife will take
advantage of it... I've always imagined a cat flap in a window as being
better because 'coons and skunks wouldn't be tempted to climb.

Your landlord can do what people have been doing for millenia, just shoo
the cat with a broom; shouldn't take more than a couple days to catch
the hint.

pat

He looks to have a healthy coat, nice colour.  You must be feeding him
well :)

Wait until she moves house.  It is best not to unsettle the cat if she
is going to be moving in three months.  You ideally need to keep a cat
inside for up to one month when you first move it, otherwise it will
just find its way back to its previous home/territory.  Some people
have found just one week is long enough. I think it is best to be on
the safe side though.

Just let her know you're sorry the cat scratched her (even though it
is not really anyone's fault).  Tell her that it will just be there
for a few more months then it will be going to her daughters.  She
will understand, especially if it is her daughters adopted cat.  Even
better, how is this for an idea.. make a small card for her with a
picture of Barney on the front with a red rose and text "just a note
to say...".  Inside put "Sorry for scratching you love from Barney"
along with a paw print.

Fantastic! If he is bringing you presents he likes you!  I wish our
cat Harvey would bring me more presents like that.  He has only caught
one bird (today) that we know of in the last 6 months since moving
house.

No. He probably accepted you the minute you started feeding him :) If
we could all understand what cats think, I don't believe they would
look on the situation in terms of you being their owner.  Cats will
get along with most people who feed them, play with them and are nice
to them.  They are pretty self-sufficient though. They can look after
themselves to a large extent.

No. I wouldn't recommend that. Let him continue to go outside.  He
will have to stay confined indoors for up to one month anyway when he
is moved back with the landlady's daughter.  He will almost certainly
start crying (meowing a lot) if you lock him indoors, and begging to
get outside. He would become lackluster and depressed.  Don't worry
about him staying out all night once in a while.

That's your call. If you can manage without for another few months it
may not be worth it?  Perhaps you could buy a chain lock cheaply from
a DIY place and fit it to your door? This way the door may be able to
open just enough for your cat to get in, but prevent anyone else from.
You could also get a door stop to prevent it from blowing shut or
anything.  It might be more of a hassle to get a cat flap put in the
door, or to get a new door fitted with one already built in, if you
are just going to have him a short while longer.

I think you're a top bloke by the sounds of it. Of course you are
called John so that explains a few things :)

John

I just wanted to say what a beautiful orange boy he is! And, it
sounds like he has accepted you, so if it doesn't work out with the
daughter, you might have yourself a new owner. :)

I just noticed that you seem to be in the UK. The old lady was lucky, as we
still have Tetanus in the ground. If she hasnt had her vaccinations (which
old people tend to forget), this could have been serious.

I only started to have a garden in the uk a couple of years back, and even
though my Tetanus Vacs are up to date, I got a really nasty infection from
the soil, after I dug something up with a scratch on my hand. Not sure what
it was, but it felt like the flu, and the area around the scratch was red
and swollen. It went away again, but I am not 80 years old. So her infection
was most likely from the soil, maybe indirectly transferred by the cat.

It's nice of you to look after the cat, and you had plenty of tips here,
regarding his care, allthough for an outdoor cat you shouldnt put those nail
tips on. He would only take them of anyway (sharpening his claws on the
nearest tree, until they are off). I am sure your landlady will stay away
from him for a couple of months, and whatever she caught, she is most likely
to be immune against now anyway. My infection never came back, and, having a
cat, gardening with a scratch on my hand, is something which happens often
enough.

Have fun, and I bet you are gonna get yourself a cat, afetr he has left ;-)