After having only had dogs for my entire life, it’s so weird having an independent cat. Boots is not so independent. I guess he is in some ways. He loves to sit with me and be petted and brushed . . for a while, but when he’s had enough, he leaves and after a while, he wants me to leave. My friend was taking care of him while we were gone and we texted back and forth. She sent me pictures of him sitting with her and I commented once something like “he loves attention” and she wrote back “til he doesn’t!” He definitely has a time limit and you can just about count on it being about 15 minutes.
Cat, on the other hand, is so unpredictable and so stand offish. When I’ve been gone in the past, Vince would become her favorite and she would give me the cold shoulder for a week or so and then she’d go back to liking me best. I wondered what would happen when we were both gone for Christmas. My friend caught glimpses of her while we were gone but never really got close to her. When we got home on Saturday, I saw her briefly . . it was like she was hiding and watching to see if it was really us and then I didn’t see her at all Sunday or Monday. She likes to lay against the rocks on the house early in the morning when the sun is coming up and warming the rocks. Tuesday morning I saw her against the house and it wasn’t til yesterday, Wednesday, that I was able to pet her.
Cat
You can see the red glow where we rigged up a light to try to keep her warm. It obviously didn’t keep the big water bottle from freezing but there’s a metal bowl on the ground/rocks and the heat kept it from freezing. You can also see the “cat house” on the back of her platform. It’s heated and she will not go in there. We’ve tried putting food in there . . nope, I think it’s too confining for her. Also, I think she’s a little big for the house. Not sure if there’s a bigger size but . . we’re on a budget now so she either has to lose weight to fit in the house or she has to stay out. That’s what Vince keeps telling me . . if your house is too small, you need to get rid of some stuff!
Anyway, Sunday night and Monday night, I have no idea where Cat slept but at daylight, she was not in the cat house nor was she under the light. Tuesday night, at some point, it go down to 7° and she was under the light when I got up Wednesday morning. There’s only so much we can do to keep her warm but I guess with her thick coat, she was ok, wherever she was those first two cold nights.
Cat
I wish I had some good pictures of her from when she first showed up here and she was skinny and her fur wasn’t thick or shiny. She’s turned into a beautiful cat. She’s so healthy looking and she’s shiny and has a good coat. I wish I could pick her up and love on her but I’m not that brave . . yet.
I did get to pet her some yesterday . . no hissing. This is the first time I’ve been gone that she didn’t hiss at me for 3 or 4 days after I got back.
Deborah Stokes says
We also have out door cats and I don’t claim to be an expert but that house looks just right to me. She will stay warm easier if she fills it up – if that makes sense. Ours have crates that size on our covered patio. We are in the DFW area so similar temps. If she is cold she will go in but ours can handle colder temps than I expected. Watching what is going on in the yard takes a high priority.
Rosalie says
We have that same little house and I clipped the plastic flap up until my cat got used to going in and out
vivoaks says
I no longer have kitties in my house…the doctor said I shouldn’t with my allergies. There are several feral cats outside that have been around since spring. We don’t see them often, and if they see us they skeedattle as quickly as possible! It’s supposed to be minus 2 tonight, but I have no idea where these kitties stay at night. I’ve tried putting food out by the back porch, but I’m afraid it was the raccoons that found it first, and if there’s one thing I DON’T want, it’s more raccoons!!! I think about them a good bit, but at this point there’s not much I can do to help them. They stay as far away as they can….
Diane in CA says
I wonder if you had a chicken coop heater mounted on the wall if cat would snuggle up to it.. ?
Heather Watts says
For some reason cats just love cardboard boxes. Most probably not as warm as the lovely house you have for her, but there is just something about boxes. If you gave her one with the front completely open and bedding inside she just might use it. The most important thing I can see is that you have her food and bed off the ground. Have you tried a heated pad? They come with a low voltage converter so not dangerous.
Robin says
You are looking out for her and she can come in if she wants what else can you do? Being a city girl when I hear temps so low you hear of so many frozen starved animals found. Cat looks far from starving and probably not her first freezing winter. I just worry about all domesticated animals that are just left out and don’t know how to fend for themselves. Thanks for Cat’s update.
anniequilts says
I can see that she is a beautiful cat. She’s so lucky to have you folks.
Robin Crittenden says
Judy, we bought one of those houses and the outside cat wouldn’t get in it. We took the roof off and she got in. It’s still heated and low down from wind where they lay. Especially if in covered area.