Hi, so my small 7 lbs cat was being pampered with LOTS of cat things (I've donated many items to get ready to move) and has had lots of room to run around in a 2 bdrm, 2 bathroom apt for the past 1.5 years. It's just me and my cat, however I suddenly became seriously ill and quit my job instead of requesting medical leave. Unless a miracle happens, I'll have to move back into my parents' rundown, junky apt where I'll have to restrict my cat to only my small bedroom so that she does not eat junk or race out of the apt to escape.
She's accustomed to nicer surroundings, so my parents' crappy apt will seem like a nightmarish place for her and me. I was trying to get my parents on Section 8 to move them to a better area and apt. I was going to give my cat back to the rescue shelter where I adopted her, but they have not responded to my emails. My other choice would be a PetSmart or similar no kill shelter or hoping to find a foster person.
I realized I could get a big playpen to keep my cat locked safely up when I leave my room. I think it's the best alternative although my cat won't understand it after having so much space to run around in normally. When I'm in my bedroom, I can let her out of the playpen to move around the small bedroom and sleep on my bed, but the bedroom door doesn't close properly so when I'm gone, she needs to be locked up. When I'm in my room, I'll use a chain lock to keep the door closed enough that there's no gap. I'll get small rugs to cover the truly terrible carpet so she can roll around like she likes.
My cat's situation could be worse...This way, she'll still be with me and she knows I adore her. I'll try to play with her more to keep her happy and I hope it'll just be for 6 months although I know that's a long time in cat years. My cat is so much better and much more domesticated from when I first adopted her, but she still bites sometimes and I think someone else would return her and/or hit her when she bites. Even a foster person. Please let me know if you think this playpen idea will work. I can't possibly clean up my parents apt. It's beyond me and they keep plastic and trash and food out and it's a junky place. I feel certain my cat would quickly race out the moment the outside door opened to escape if she was allowed out of my bedroom there when it's time to move. She's small and very fast. She's never tried to escape my apt, but my spacious apt is nice and she's usually well cared for except when I was seriously ill recently.
This playpen looks like a similar one I saw at the vet's office where a small black cat was being kept and advertised as up for adoption. At least this way, my cat will remain with me and be around me, which should be comforting in the strange new bedroom where some of our old, familiar things will be. It would break my heart later on to have to give my cat up although I was going to give her back to the rescue shelter before I thought of the playpen. The no kill rescue shelter had said to return her if I ever couldn't take care of her, but they never responded and now I think the playpen may be the best option for my precious cat baby.
She's accustomed to nicer surroundings, so my parents' crappy apt will seem like a nightmarish place for her and me. I was trying to get my parents on Section 8 to move them to a better area and apt. I was going to give my cat back to the rescue shelter where I adopted her, but they have not responded to my emails. My other choice would be a PetSmart or similar no kill shelter or hoping to find a foster person.
I realized I could get a big playpen to keep my cat locked safely up when I leave my room. I think it's the best alternative although my cat won't understand it after having so much space to run around in normally. When I'm in my bedroom, I can let her out of the playpen to move around the small bedroom and sleep on my bed, but the bedroom door doesn't close properly so when I'm gone, she needs to be locked up. When I'm in my room, I'll use a chain lock to keep the door closed enough that there's no gap. I'll get small rugs to cover the truly terrible carpet so she can roll around like she likes.
My cat's situation could be worse...This way, she'll still be with me and she knows I adore her. I'll try to play with her more to keep her happy and I hope it'll just be for 6 months although I know that's a long time in cat years. My cat is so much better and much more domesticated from when I first adopted her, but she still bites sometimes and I think someone else would return her and/or hit her when she bites. Even a foster person. Please let me know if you think this playpen idea will work. I can't possibly clean up my parents apt. It's beyond me and they keep plastic and trash and food out and it's a junky place. I feel certain my cat would quickly race out the moment the outside door opened to escape if she was allowed out of my bedroom there when it's time to move. She's small and very fast. She's never tried to escape my apt, but my spacious apt is nice and she's usually well cared for except when I was seriously ill recently.
This playpen looks like a similar one I saw at the vet's office where a small black cat was being kept and advertised as up for adoption. At least this way, my cat will remain with me and be around me, which should be comforting in the strange new bedroom where some of our old, familiar things will be. It would break my heart later on to have to give my cat up although I was going to give her back to the rescue shelter before I thought of the playpen. The no kill rescue shelter had said to return her if I ever couldn't take care of her, but they never responded and now I think the playpen may be the best option for my precious cat baby.