Spooky’s Latest Escapades

So, I’m sure you’re wondering what my cat is up to now…? Well, it is now a common occurrence for him to let himself in my screen door, but the conundrum is that once he’s in for the night, how do I keep him IN now that the weather is so pleasant that we want the door open to the screen? Hmmm, I thought it was all cute that he could let himself in, but I don’t want him to let himself out…I don’t mind him going out during the day, but the night is another story.

Here in the desert, house cats have many enemies if let out in the wild. Spooky still has his claws and they are quite long and sharp, he’s a good size and he’s fast and can jump really high and far, but I don’t think these natural defenses will protect him that well against coyotes, cougars, javelinas, deadly snakes, owls, & hawks if  seriously attacked in a life and death fight.

I’ve touched on this subject before, but I’ve battled the decision between keeping him locked in the house and letting him explore his wild side. His wild side won out when he first opened the screen door and found his way out and frolicked in the backyard and looked so happy. He had kept his sojourns to our front and backyard but I know he has expanded his territory now to the mountain territory behind our house. My answer to this is getting him in the house by dark, like a child he has a curfew, but there lies the rub, how do we keep him IN now that he’s so smart? Hmmm….so far, I just speak to him in a harsh voice when he goes near the screen door at night as we’re right there, we don’t leave him alone by it, of course not, it’s right by the large screen TV. That’s been working. Let’s hope that keeps being the stats quo.

One upside to his wandering, is he’s not using the litter box…that’s alway a pleasant side effect. I’m not crazy having to do that so that’s a high point that he’s out wandering in his natural habitat.

(C) Written by Evelyn Garone 3/2011

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