Well, we're facing a dilemma now... Rocket is doing better, though he's not entirely up to 100%. However, he's healthy enough to start asking to be let outside again. Well, for now he can't go until we're done giving him all his medicines. However, ultimately we have to choose.
We can't give him the run of the house *all* the time, because the other cats (especially our Siamese [Yoda]) will harry him. For now, we've been locking him in the garage most of the time, then giving him the run of the house while we're home (this means mostly on weekends).
Most of my life I felt that it was unfair to a cat to lock them up indoors, it was rather like locking them in prison, they *so* enjoy wandering around outside (especially in our large, feral yard). However, with more recent cats in the past decade, we've been keeping them inside except when *we* go out back, and we don't allow them to leave the yard - if they jump on the fence, they go inside for the rest of the day. Believe it or not, that actually works, though it requires regular monitoring on our part.
I'm not sure how Rocket will fit into all this, though. For now, he's reasonably happy (or accepting of) living in the garage most of the time. When he comes into the rest of the house, he usually sleeps on milady's bed, but we can't let him stay in there at night because he's too active, we don't get any sleep. So ultimately, he'd spend most of his time in the garage, with house access on weekends. We put my wife's blanket under a shelf in there, and he *loves* to hang out there (he used to sleep in her lap, I think it reminds him of comfort, though he *doesn't* climb into her lap anymore).
So, is that unfair, given that he's lived all his 13+ years outdoors? Should we just leave things like this and see if he gets upset about it? I think, at this point, we'd like to keep him in for the rest of his life, given his marginal health, so we can monitor him and be near him. One of the things we *didn't* like about outdoor cats is that they don't bond to us nearly as much as indoor cats do, and we don't feel as connected to them. We'd like to be closer to him for the rest of his life, especially my wife, who has a powerful bond with him (we call him "my competition" !!).
... and yet, I can't easily shake the feeling that I'm locking him up in a prison, and depriving him of that beautiful yard that he loves so much. One thing is for sure - if we let him out, he will go straight to the back fence, jump over it, and be gone until he feels like coming back, which might be tonite for dinner, or several days from now, or never...
One thing I realize is that this question is exceedingly close and inter-twined with the indoor/outdoor thread that has been active both recently and for all history, but when I was reading through that thread yesterday, it seems like there's no clear consensus there either... ???
Any thoughts or insights would be grateful welcomed here!
We can't give him the run of the house *all* the time, because the other cats (especially our Siamese [Yoda]) will harry him. For now, we've been locking him in the garage most of the time, then giving him the run of the house while we're home (this means mostly on weekends).
Most of my life I felt that it was unfair to a cat to lock them up indoors, it was rather like locking them in prison, they *so* enjoy wandering around outside (especially in our large, feral yard). However, with more recent cats in the past decade, we've been keeping them inside except when *we* go out back, and we don't allow them to leave the yard - if they jump on the fence, they go inside for the rest of the day. Believe it or not, that actually works, though it requires regular monitoring on our part.
I'm not sure how Rocket will fit into all this, though. For now, he's reasonably happy (or accepting of) living in the garage most of the time. When he comes into the rest of the house, he usually sleeps on milady's bed, but we can't let him stay in there at night because he's too active, we don't get any sleep. So ultimately, he'd spend most of his time in the garage, with house access on weekends. We put my wife's blanket under a shelf in there, and he *loves* to hang out there (he used to sleep in her lap, I think it reminds him of comfort, though he *doesn't* climb into her lap anymore).
So, is that unfair, given that he's lived all his 13+ years outdoors? Should we just leave things like this and see if he gets upset about it? I think, at this point, we'd like to keep him in for the rest of his life, given his marginal health, so we can monitor him and be near him. One of the things we *didn't* like about outdoor cats is that they don't bond to us nearly as much as indoor cats do, and we don't feel as connected to them. We'd like to be closer to him for the rest of his life, especially my wife, who has a powerful bond with him (we call him "my competition" !!).
... and yet, I can't easily shake the feeling that I'm locking him up in a prison, and depriving him of that beautiful yard that he loves so much. One thing is for sure - if we let him out, he will go straight to the back fence, jump over it, and be gone until he feels like coming back, which might be tonite for dinner, or several days from now, or never...
One thing I realize is that this question is exceedingly close and inter-twined with the indoor/outdoor thread that has been active both recently and for all history, but when I was reading through that thread yesterday, it seems like there's no clear consensus there either... ???
Any thoughts or insights would be grateful welcomed here!
. I have heard so many stories, especially this time of year with cats missing and disappearing and never returning. Believe me, you dont want to go through that kind of misery and wonder. it will stay with you a lifetime, the not knowing. At his age and with some health issues, he is better off kept indoors and he sounds like he enjoys the comforts of home. I would try to make the garage fun for him. Add tall cat trees and scratching posts. If there is a window, make it special for him and easy access to look outside. I even know of one rescuer who brings in large tree branches for their rescued cats to climb on, claw and chew. Play some music when you are gone. Leave special food or treat balls for him to knock around. Is there a friend who can join him? It sounds like you and your wife really love Rocket and I would not risk the dangers of the outdoors, especially since you say he could scale the fence and be gone. What about an outdoor enclosure? Safe, secure and he could be outside for a bit. I do not think the garage or any other small room is a prison for a cat. Plus he is allowed in the house on the weekends, and eventually he might get so well adjusted to be allowed inside on a more permanent basis.
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. Ya know, you could have a window installed, maybe 
. Unless you live in a condo/apt. complex then that wouldn't be allowed. It does sound like Rocket loves his time in the house on your milady's bed
