Glad I didn't let them outside today!

Last week my husband and I made the decision to keep the kittens indoors all the time, unless we leash-train them...long story short, I wanted to be able to let them go out and play/hunt for a couple hours every day since we live in the country. But they had started to refuse to come when I called, and DH got really badly scratched up trying to bring Molly inside one day. I'm not willing to let them be out as often/as long as they want, so they are going to be indoors only from now on. But they are still getting used to that idea and begging to go out about once a day.

Today, DH and I were painting in one of the bedrooms, when he saw a coyote out the front window! We had seen one twice before, but never so close. It was just wandering around in the grass across the road, and it looked like it has mange or something because it is missing alot of fur on its back and hindquarters. I just found it unusual that he was just standing around in broad daylight like that. Finally he wandered into the trees and disappeared. But not an hour later, I was in the kitchen looking into the back yard when another coyote, this time much healthier looking, trotted across our lawn! This one headed around the house, and I watched it follow approximately the same path as the previous one...I'm wondering if it's coyote mating season or something. Anyway, I am really thankful that my furbabies were not outside today. The coyotes are one big reason I was always stressed out about them being outside for very long. I'd really rather they did not become somebody's dinner!

Originally Posted by Cocoa Cream

they are going to be indoors only from now on.

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Thank you for that Your kitties will live longer, healthier lives because they will be safe from danger, especially from coyotes.

Oh that is sososososo great!! your cats will eventually adjust and it is so much safer inside for them!! ( ecspecially with wildlife in your back yard)

You can always build an enclosure and link it up to a window so they can come and go but still be safe.

OMG they are so lucky!

You know when I got Easy, she was outside and she wanted to go back out. I just redirected her attention with play whenever she cried to go out and eventually she stopped asking to go out.

Yeah, I know they will get used to being inside all the time. They already have quieted down about it quite a bit. I'm trying to spend more time each day playing with them, and that helps alot. I loved watching them bound around in the grass and climb the trees, but I'd rather sacrifice that than run the risk of them never coming home again.

When I was in nursing school, I would wait outside for my ride before daylight and hear what I thought were coyotes howling in what I thought was the distance. Recently, my husband and I were coming home late one night and turned on our fog lights as we drove down the country road that we live on. Suddenly, a skin-and-bones coyote with almost no hair ran in front of us and started chasing a rabbit in the neighbors' yard. It made me glad my cat stays inside.

wow! How scary!!! sometimes our Mommy instinct is soooo right