You may remember Dorothy, also known as the Rooftop Kitty, a stray who was trapped on a neighbor's roof for three or four days about a month ago. The fire department came out to get her down that time, and she started living under my car. Last week, I befriended her, discovered that she is front-declawed
, and invited her to live in our back yard until there's room for her at the no-kill shelter.
Well, she's a sweetheart in every way, and she seemed to love the place we had made for her back there -- as long as the gate stayed open. If we closed the gate, she panicked and climbed a tree to get over the fence... and then couldn't get back in. So I blocked the gate slightly ajar for her, and all has been well since.
But while I was out today, a storm hit and blew the gate shut. I only discovered this when I got home and went out to feed her... and she was gone. I went out front and called for her, and sure enough, I heard her meowing back at me -- but I couldn't see her anywhere.
Finally, I looked up... and there she was on our roof this time. I figure she went out over the fence, couldn't get back in, and climbed one of the crepe myrtles in the front to get up on the roof, thinking she could jump down into the back yard from there -- but that's quite a jump! So there she was, stuck again.
All we had was a stepstool, so I climbed up on that with my mom holding onto my waist to steady me, and Dorothy came right to the edge of the roof to rub my hands.
When she was close enough, I gathered her over to me, then handed her down to my mom, and we carried her through the house to the back yard... where the gate is now propped open again. Such a good girl -- she didn't protest at all!
Crisis averted! But the storm had blown apart some of the tarps and things we had arranged to help her keep dry during the amazing rains we've had these past couple of weeks. So my mom and I ransacked the garage and found a huge sheet of translucent plastic to make a better shelter with.
And here it is! Notice the carpeted Great Room with double-height ceiling. Off to the left is a dining terrace with a hidden side door; upstairs is a sheltered balcony ideal for growing catnip.
Downstairs on the right is a well-protected storm shelter whose metal ceiling will stop even softball-sized hail. Above that, you can see the lovely white fleece blanket on the double-wide bunk bed.
Note also the innovative roofing material, which allows the entire roof to function as a skylight. And as you can see, the landscaper has started a rock garden near the front door.
Well, she's a sweetheart in every way, and she seemed to love the place we had made for her back there -- as long as the gate stayed open. If we closed the gate, she panicked and climbed a tree to get over the fence... and then couldn't get back in. So I blocked the gate slightly ajar for her, and all has been well since.
But while I was out today, a storm hit and blew the gate shut. I only discovered this when I got home and went out to feed her... and she was gone. I went out front and called for her, and sure enough, I heard her meowing back at me -- but I couldn't see her anywhere.
Finally, I looked up... and there she was on our roof this time. I figure she went out over the fence, couldn't get back in, and climbed one of the crepe myrtles in the front to get up on the roof, thinking she could jump down into the back yard from there -- but that's quite a jump! So there she was, stuck again.
All we had was a stepstool, so I climbed up on that with my mom holding onto my waist to steady me, and Dorothy came right to the edge of the roof to rub my hands.
Crisis averted! But the storm had blown apart some of the tarps and things we had arranged to help her keep dry during the amazing rains we've had these past couple of weeks. So my mom and I ransacked the garage and found a huge sheet of translucent plastic to make a better shelter with.
And here it is! Notice the carpeted Great Room with double-height ceiling. Off to the left is a dining terrace with a hidden side door; upstairs is a sheltered balcony ideal for growing catnip.
Downstairs on the right is a well-protected storm shelter whose metal ceiling will stop even softball-sized hail. Above that, you can see the lovely white fleece blanket on the double-wide bunk bed.
Note also the innovative roofing material, which allows the entire roof to function as a skylight. And as you can see, the landscaper has started a rock garden near the front door.
