Now instead of working out a schedule with me of WHEN we could have our cats outside independently, she decided to threaten and be angry.  As a veterinarian, I’ve seen what happens to cats who roam outside and I don’t like letting them outside particularly as I have first-hand knowledge of the perils that they face outside.   In Frank’s case, he was going absolutely crazy indoors exhibiting the most irritating cat behavior after I’d had him for a year.   I used to take him for a walk with a cat harness and sometimes tie him outside briefly with a cat tie out.  That didn’t work because he goes into Fight-or-Flight so fast that he’d be frightened by something and wriggle out of the harness.

Since I’m so close to my own pets, I sometimes have a difficult time making sure that they have received my communication, I let my best-friend, Bonnee make absolutely sure that Frank understood the rules about going outside.   The rules for his proper cat behavior were that he was to only stay in the residential part of our neighborhood and come home promptly at 4pm when he was called.  I put a collar with a bell around his neck so other cats would know he was coming and it all worked out well.  I’d call and whistle at 4pm and he’d come running.

In my current situation, I built Frank a “cat kennel” that he stays in during the days  that my neighbor is at home and he’s free to roam for a few hours in the evening or during the day when she’s away.  Problem solved.

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