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- Jun 2, 2006
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First of all, I'm sorry if this is a stupid question.
Molly is my 3 year old Siamese. My other cat is content being inside, but Molly really isn't. I live in the desert of Arizona where there are coyotes, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, gila monsters, etc. It's an extremely dangerous place for a cat to be, especially since one side of our property faces the "town" where a cat could be run over, stolen, etc., and the other side the open expanse of desert where it's easy prey. In a perfect world Molly would be able to go where she wants, but it's not a perfect world.
My neighbors have had 5 cats since I've known them, and only one has made it more than a year out here.
Molly is channelling Houdini's spirit and keeps finding ways to get out of the house. She's very interested in the outdoors, but there's no way she can be an outdoor cat, especially since she's small for a cat and she's been an indoor cat her whole life. I'm not going to let her run free, but I want to help her get at least part of what she wants.
My idea is to get her a harness and introduce it to her, then step by step start to walk her a bit and let her climb trees, at least until I can find an enclosure that suits us. My mother says she thinks this will make it worse because she thinks then she'll think she "belongs" outside and will try to get out more. She wants me to just let Molly "forget" it. Couldn't that possibly make her more desperate to escape, though?
I've also been told just to let her out (which I refused to do).
I've just been told so many points of view and I think you are the perfect group that can help me. I don't know what to think anymore.
Any advice?
I just want to find a balance between her happiness and her safety.
Molly is my 3 year old Siamese. My other cat is content being inside, but Molly really isn't. I live in the desert of Arizona where there are coyotes, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, gila monsters, etc. It's an extremely dangerous place for a cat to be, especially since one side of our property faces the "town" where a cat could be run over, stolen, etc., and the other side the open expanse of desert where it's easy prey. In a perfect world Molly would be able to go where she wants, but it's not a perfect world.
My neighbors have had 5 cats since I've known them, and only one has made it more than a year out here.
Molly is channelling Houdini's spirit and keeps finding ways to get out of the house. She's very interested in the outdoors, but there's no way she can be an outdoor cat, especially since she's small for a cat and she's been an indoor cat her whole life. I'm not going to let her run free, but I want to help her get at least part of what she wants.
My idea is to get her a harness and introduce it to her, then step by step start to walk her a bit and let her climb trees, at least until I can find an enclosure that suits us. My mother says she thinks this will make it worse because she thinks then she'll think she "belongs" outside and will try to get out more. She wants me to just let Molly "forget" it. Couldn't that possibly make her more desperate to escape, though?
I've also been told just to let her out (which I refused to do).
I've just been told so many points of view and I think you are the perfect group that can help me. I don't know what to think anymore.
Any advice?