Living in land of grizzly bears

It is interesting times here, our bear hunting season is currently running.

Quite many bears live in this area, their routine route is about 600ft from my front door, another route is bit over half mile away, both places bears walk almost daily.

I have given access to outdoors for two of my cats, they are still learning a bit, but slowly they start to understand time to come indoors so I can lock them indoors for night.

I'm not sure if bear has ever harmed a cat, but I have had Lynx on my yard too, we have more beast than people here some say.

Keeping them safe from such beasts is challenging when they decide to go exploring and forget to stay close to yard, they have access to warehouse even at night, but not so sure they are bright enough to stay there if they miss time window when to come indoors, however I need few claws on my yard now as all fields will be turned and many critters start to find shelter from indoors, destroying insulations of house in process, so I have two of most tame and skilled hunters working with this issue.

Bit silly how they transform when walking out of the door, no way to pick them up outdoors even at indoors they purr on lap.

They bring 3 to 4 dead mice or some other critters to stairs in a day, as gifts, so they must find lot of those.

There has been also some hawks on yard, they make just some noise, haven't found them being interested from cats and cats seem not to be bothered to hunt hawks either.

Before winter I have to decide what to do with my allergies, I can't live in same space as my cats anymore, it is causing really bad symptoms, lack of breath for example, so there might be some tough decisions to be made. It is only about 2 months from now when I have to decide how to solve that issue.

There was also some cat fights, some cat came into warehouse where two of my cats were, lot of screaming and lot of fur was left behind, after that there has not been such visitor, good thing that those two of mine are also two of the strongest ones, but generally I don't like from fighting cats at all, everything should get along from my opinion.

Have you thought about building an outdoor enclosure for them?

Not really, as they have about 200 sq. meters of warehouse that they do have free access to, so it is kind of one gigantic outdoor closure, with lot of shelves to climb and unlimited hiding places too.

Also there is insulated cat box which they once did live at when it was close to -40C.

They have also access to warm indoors from warehouse, so outdoor closure would probably do quite little.

However I have planned to put some fences so that they would stay better on yard, however there seem to be slight problem with treasure chest, it is quite empty, after paying bills and feeding cats it leaves for me only 1.5€ for a day to get food, clothing etc. So no fence for them, unless I find few hundred from ground, for poles and wire fence, which is quite unlikely.

Maybe some day, but until that some day I have to teach them to come back indoors for night, which worked quite well today, as sun started to set they came to door and I let them in, they seem to be learning the idea quite well, only few nights in cold damp weather has taught them that indeed, it is better to be on time and come inside at evening, perhaps bit cruel, but also very efficient and there is always another warehouse for them, also there is summer house quite near where is open holes for potato cellar where is some sawdust and such so they don't get too cold even if they happen to forget what time they should be at home.

They are quite vocal when they come back and are very eager for indoors, so they have learned well. Also when rain comes they know to come inside, I have to open few doors for them so they can get to upstairs which is their 'home' and they seem to be equally happy to come inside as well as to get outdoors, so things are working out quite well.

Not sure if they will go very far after freshness wears out, also times are getting colder, also soon there is snow, so they might not wander as much then.

Beasts are so shy here that one really can't see them, usually they stay out from yards too, but some individuals are bit too brave, but those are usually hunted when hunting season starts. For Lynx it is only possible hunt it when there is snow at ground, I think it was december, for bear hunting season is running and they already have got one problem bear out, so things should get safer.