i've been taking of an outdoor cat for almost 2 years now. she's been spayed, but not vaccinated yet. here's my dilema. i've been trying for the longest time to have her (looka) stay inside my home permanently, but she don't want to. she comes in everyday, eats, and sleeps for 5-6 hours, but after she wakes up, she wants to go outside. so i just let her out and she doesn't come back until next day. i've just been following this routine regularly until about 7-8 months ago, when i noticed after i come home from work she would be waiting for me to let her in. so now i let her in the morning around 7-8am, let her out when she wants to go usually 3pm, let her in after i get home from work which is around 11pm and let her out once again around 2-3am because she just doesn't want to stay in.
for the past few days now, i noticed she hasn't been eating as much, and has been sleeping way more than usual. last night she kept meowing like she was in pain. she slept for a long time, but eventually woke up and wanted to go out as usual, in spite of the very cold weather. so i let her out around 4am. i woke up 7am as i always do to let her in and first thing i noticed was that she jumped onto the sofa and kept licking around her tail. she didn't want to eat. i went to see what was wrong with her and sure enough she was hurting. there was a bald spot by her tail and upon closer inspection, there was a bloody bruise around 1 inch in diameter. i took looka to the vet. when the doctor took a look at the bruised and squeezed it, lots of pus spewed out. she told me it was abscess from a fight with another cat. surgery was $564.
i want to have looka stay in permanently now. i can't afford to have this happen again. i can't put up a fence right now, it's just way too expensive. so what should i do? do i lock her in a room? what about the nonstop meowing if i dont let her out, should i just ignore it? oh, she is not litter trained. any advice would be greatly appreciated.
thanks
for the past few days now, i noticed she hasn't been eating as much, and has been sleeping way more than usual. last night she kept meowing like she was in pain. she slept for a long time, but eventually woke up and wanted to go out as usual, in spite of the very cold weather. so i let her out around 4am. i woke up 7am as i always do to let her in and first thing i noticed was that she jumped onto the sofa and kept licking around her tail. she didn't want to eat. i went to see what was wrong with her and sure enough she was hurting. there was a bald spot by her tail and upon closer inspection, there was a bloody bruise around 1 inch in diameter. i took looka to the vet. when the doctor took a look at the bruised and squeezed it, lots of pus spewed out. she told me it was abscess from a fight with another cat. surgery was $564.
i want to have looka stay in permanently now. i can't afford to have this happen again. i can't put up a fence right now, it's just way too expensive. so what should i do? do i lock her in a room? what about the nonstop meowing if i dont let her out, should i just ignore it? oh, she is not litter trained. any advice would be greatly appreciated.
thanks