Got the enclosure done...but...

Charlie is really stressed. Ive taken him out there twice today, hes weed, scratched, eaten grass, paced up and down his new territory, weve already had the neighbours (friendly not nasty) kitty have a sniff around but while we werent in there. For ages hes been licking bit of fur off, and getting little patches. He already been to the vet last year for it, we think it's stress related. He got a new one this morning on his tail, and i put the red stuff on there, it has no taste its just to keep the area clean, he licks it off. If i see him licking i try to stop him, hes got a few patches now, but they all seem to be on the hind legs, lower back (base of tail) etc. Hes got a new flea collar, we gave him the treatment on the back of the neck. I brush him, comb him, give him love. Hes been very different since Jazzy passed and i didnt even think it would affect him that much because they didnt exactly have a loving relationship.

I dont know what to do. When i sat with him both inside and outside the enclosure, he did his thing, but after about 15 mins wanted out. Its really windy today and he doesnt like the noises. Once hes inside he meows to go out. I know he wants to run around the neighbourhood, and its hard to keep him in but i know its for the best. I let him sit in the enclosure by himself while i sat out to give him space, and also went in with him to reassure him.

Could it be Jazzys death? It will be three weeks tomorrow. Im doing everything i can, he sleeping in my room at night again like he was just before he got injured. Apart from the patches and meowing, he is perfectly healthy, hes eating properly as he doesnt have a second bowl of food to sneak into. I give him lots of cuddles and love. Atm he is on the blanket content and grooming.

I'm so confused.

Charlie's such a beautiful kitty! And it sounds like you're doing wonderful things for him -- the enclosure is a great idea. Any pictures?

Have you ever tried Feliway diffusers to try to settle Charlie's nerves? Or any of the flower essences, like Rescue Remedy?

I'm sure he does miss Jazzy, because she was a familiar part of his routine, whether they seemed to be great friends or not. And I imagine he's also sensing your own feelings of loss and mourning. That may just take a little more time, y'know?

And at some point, maybe it will feel right to bring a new kitty into the family.

Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

Charlie's such a beautiful kitty! And it sounds like you're doing wonderful things for him -- the enclosure is a wonderful idea. Any pictures?

Have you ever tried Feliway diffusers to try to settle Charlie's nerves? Or any of the flower essences, like Rescue Remedy?

I'm sure he does miss Jazzy, because she was a familiar part of his routine, whether they seemed to be great friends or not. And I imagine he's also sensing your own feelings of loss and mourning. That may just take a little more time, y'know?

And at some point, maybe it will feel right to bring a new kitty into the family.

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Mum says there won't be any more cats because of Charlie adapting to being indoors.

I have rescue remedy (the drops) how would i use this on Charlie, or is there an animal version that is weaker?

Well, I'm not an expert, but I've always put Rescue Remedy into the water dish -- five drops per cup of water seems about right. You can also massage it gently into the inner surfaces of Charlie's eartips, if he doesn't mind.

I'll bet if you do a search, you can find more information from people who have more experience with Rescue Remedy. And I know the loving care you're giving Charlie will help, too.

As you know, cat's always hate change, no matter if it is a good change or not. Just any change. Also, it took my cat, Lady a full year to get over mourning her sister, and they also were not the best of buddies. I say a year to get over, I mean to start to get used to, don't know still if she is over it or not, but after a year, we got two new boy kittens and she also has stopped licking her fur off. Can't say they are the best of friends, but she is very interested in them, didn't even know there were any other cats in the world until then, as she has always been an indoor kitty.

Hang in there, get him lots of time and attention, each cat is different.

Helene, meowy to Lady, Douglas and Deacon

I still have the ad a box or tree which ill buy next week so Chuckie has somewhere to hide and climb. The run should be done in a few months i hope, so he has a tunnel to run in and out of the enclosure to give him more room.

Front door (notice little welcome sign, my grandma said i should paint a number on there and make it his granny flat lol) this is split so that i can pop Chuckie in through the top, or open both so that i can get in or put something big in there. I can also leave the bottom one closed and sit there and reassure chuckie without actually sitting in his space)

Seating area for me or Charlie (yes i fit there) and little platform where the dry food is safe

Scratching logs/jungle, hes already sharpened his claws and perched on there to aim his butt into the grass as a toilet lol

Side view, nothing can get in or out anywhere other than the front door. Ive completely stitched all along the top of the wire where it meets the shade cloths, it looks a bit messy but its secure. Tension wire is holding the bottom of the cloth down as well. All the stakes and pickets are stapled and stitched to the walls. Tent pegs are in the ground to stop any digging underneath the wire. Theres also a cross of tension wire in the roof so that the cloth doesnt sag so much in the middle. It looks better in person than in pics.

It may be the flea collar that is bothering him too.They have been known to cause irritation, and that may be SOME of the problem.
I LOVE the enclosure that you've made him.

The enclosure is AWESOME!!!

Fleas collars freak me out. I wouldn't use one at all. The fur licking sounds to me like it's all stress related. I would just call the vet to ask...."Charlie is licking off patches of fur & I think it's stress related. Do you have any suggestions?" to see what they say.

LOVE the enclosure! You did an awesome job of it Someday I want to make something like that for my two. I am sure your guy will come to love it. Sounds like he needs time to accept it.

Can I ask why he has a flea collar and the treatment on the back of his neck? If you use the drops does he still need the collar?

Originally Posted by Bonnie1965

LOVE the enclosure! You did an awesome job of it

Someday I want to make something like that for my two. I am sure your guy will come to love it. Sounds like he needs time to accept it.

Can I ask why he has a flea collar and the treatment on the back of his neck? If you use the drops does he still need the collar?

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He had his collar off for a week to let the treatment work. We dont know if it even worked or not, apparently it kills the eggs but not the fleas. Our kitties have always had collars because they would come in contact with other cats who had fleas. Im annoyed because my combing and brushing wont get the fleas, only the eggs. They burrow when they see me coming! And i try to pick them out with my nails but that only works 2/10 times

Absolutely beautiful job on the enclosure! You're a wonderful kittymom to make this special place where he can be safe from harm. Good work!

Emma, I would seriously consider not using a flea collar. The flea chemicals are all focused in one spot on the neck & can have serious health effects. There was a thread or two about this....it can cause death or paralysis.... And, IMO, they don't do a good job of killing fleas at all!

Your baby is so lucky to have you for a furMom!!! All other cats should be as lucky as he is to have a safe area to play in.
GREAT job on the enclosure!!!
as for the fleas, when it's safe to bath him,try some Dawn dish soap.It kills fleas and is safe for cats.

Ive just been emailing mum backwards and forwards. I took Chuckies collar off, and tomorrow ill buy a fabric collar. Apparently i can use one or two drops of rosemary or rose geranium oil on it. And i know not to use any citrus, pennyroyal and garlic.

I feel like i'm actually doing something really good. Even though i've been blind to chemicals and companies doing vivisection and all that stuff for 23 years *sighs*


Thank you so much for your replies.

Wow your grass is green, ours is really brown/yellow from lack of water

Your enclosure is wonderful too.

Originally Posted by missymotus

Wow your grass is green, ours is really brown/yellow from lack of water

Your enclosure is wonderful too.

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Where abouts are you? I'm in Melb and we've had the best rain the last week or so. And it just started raining a couple of hours ago.

I'm in Adelaide, it rained for all of 5 minutes today. I think it depends on the type of lawn too, walking around some people has lovely grass while others are like ours.

Originally Posted by missymotus

I'm in Adelaide, it rained for all of 5 minutes today. I think it depends on the type of lawn too, walking around some people has lovely grass while others are like ours.

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We haven't mowed in ages either as we don't have a big area of grass. It may be nice and green but it's cooch all the way through! Bast*rd of a grass to rip up (there's a tiled area under the clothes line to keep your feet dry, weve already ripped up the grass in one big piece like a carpet and its grown back.

Nice enclosure- a couple of suggestions?

Give Charley a hidey hole in there. He feels so exposed being out in the open. Some ideas are hollow logs, small culverts (you can sometimes find manufacturers who will give them to you free (farmers return damaged ones) that's how I got the two I use for the cats to access the enclosure from the house.

Take one corner and make a partition. Take two sheets of plywood, cut to fit and place them inside the enclosure at the corner- like a triangle without a base. Secure the boards so they don't topple over. Then have a series of shelves built two or three levels, like an open ended bookcase. Make sure that the boards are facing away from wind if there is a storm. This will help Charley feel secure and give him things to climb on.

Provide him a ramp that he can climb and get high, but be sure the tarp isn't hanging down, but that the roof tarp is pulled tight. My cats were really scared when we had the tarp over the enclosure, before we built the roof. The noise of the tarp and the smell of the tarp was upsetting to them.

Cats feel secure when they can get off the ground. He will adjust to the area, but right now it is so exposed, he doesn't think he is safe. He is getting bombarded by all sorts of smells and sounds he isn't used to.

Here is an early photo of our enclosure. You can see ramps, posts, and hidey holes