Outdoor Cat House/Shelter needed

TargetWidow

My beloved one year old Tiggy is an outdoor cat of late. Two things necessitated this. One, I had a baby and don't want the cat in the house with her, as she hunts (the cat, not the baby!) so I moved her into the shed with the dog with whom she used to get along famously. Shortly thereafter the cat tried eating the dogs food and so fell out of favour with the dog who promptly tried to skin her alive and evicted her from all access to the back yard. I am beside myself about this and I let her sleep in the hall during days when it rains but must put her out at night as I cannot have a litter box in the house with the baby.

I really really want to build her the Ritz of all cat houses in terms of cat comfort because she is so lovely and deserves it. I will put it by the front door which is where she snoozes when it is sunny and where she currently feeds. Any ideas for building one or buying one at a reasonable price please?

carwash_2006

Any particular reason why you cannot have a litter tray inside? The baby is hardly going to be crawling at this stage and therefore cannot get into the tray.

BlackCat2008

My kids grow up with loads of cats and were thought not to touch the litter tray or were not a load into the bathroom by them selfs anyway were I kept the litter tray.

You can keep her in the house just be careful were she is when you shut the door to were the baby is thats all. No need to put her out most of my cats wouldn't go near them as young new borns because of the noise they make, cats tend to run for cover when they here a baby crying, I do if the baby or kids not mine.

I think your worring just a little to much, relax mine are 8&10 and grow up in a rescue house/shelter and they are just fine. Just make sure she is wormed and has her flea drops once a month, just in case baby does get to the litter tray and everything will be fine.

Kittie will most likely miss the comfort of your lap more than anything.

Glowing

Why not put a cat flap in?

You can't have an indoor cat for a year and then banish him or her to the shed for the rest of their lives! He'll be missing your company, and a couch to lay about on ....

A cat flap means he can let himself in and out when necessary - although i'm sure you could find a way to close off the cat litter tray if your baby is crawling.

Sigma Force

Not another one of these babys here pet has to be shut out threads, keeping the cat in isn't going to do any harm. If cat is kept in cat cannot catch mice etc and bring them in and cat is safe from being attacked by dogs, killed or injured by a car and now it's coming up to Halloween cat wouldn't be in danger of being thrown on a bonfire etc list goes on.

Keep you cat in and safe, just don't leave any pet unsupervised with a baby but that's just common sense.

Had 2 dogs, pet rodents and 3 cats when my daughter was a new born not one problem, never any problems. It's not that difficult.

It's one pet not a bomb.

TargetWidow

Thank you all for the lovely advice on where to build or buy a cat house.:mad:
The house is TINY. Too small for a litter box on any available floor space. The cat is a feral kitten I rescued. I believe cats are happiest when allowed access to the outdoors and this particular one has a penchant for catching rats (I live near a river bank) and letting them loose around the house after she sneaks them in. I love her dearly but I'm not having her back inside full time and I'm not justifying that choice either. Hey Gineapig Rescue, you should head on over to the thread where women have just decided to give up breastfeeding in favour of bottle feeding, they are running a bit low on people to give them a good kicking.

mary123

TargetWidow wrote: »

Thank you all for the lovely advice on where to build or buy a cat house.:mad:
The house is TINY. Too small for a litter box on any available floor space. The cat is a feral kitten I rescued. I believe cats are happiest when allowed access to the outdoors and this particular one has a penchant for catching rats (I live near a river bank) and letting them loose around the house after she sneaks them in. I love her dearly but I'm not having her back inside full time and I'm not justifying that choice either. Hey Gineapig Rescue, you should head on over to the thread where women have just decided to give up breastfeeding in favour of bottle feeding, they are running a bit low on people to give them a good kicking.

Think the best thing u can do is find a new home for ur poor cat. I really hope in yrs to come when ur baby is no longer a baby and decides that she is going to go out and get all mucky that u decide not to banish her to the shed.
As for what u said to Gineapig Rescue that was uncalled for, she does great work and its because of people like u that doesnt make her job any easier.

TargetWidow

Again, thank you for the advice I asked for. Not.
Go get a hobby. One other than judging others please. And enjoy mass on Sunday now.

mary123

TargetWidow wrote: »

Again, thank you for the advice I asked for. Not.
Go get a hobby. One other than judging others please. And enjoy mass on Sunday now.

Sorry but because of people like u my kids and me are going through heart break today. A old boxer that was dumped, what ever, not sure, was about to be put down a month ago i took him in till a home could be found for him, not going through it all now but today he died. i have 2 kids that are crying there eyes out, if them people took care of this dog, my kids wouldnt be suffering and poor Rocky would have died with owners hed knew all his life, not strangers.
I have also homed nearly 30 kittens this yr because of people like u. Still have 3 here looking for homes. If u cant mind ur cat give her to someone that can.
So dont u say that we are judging, or right maybe i am but u come to my house, see these pets and u tell me what ur doing is right.

TargetWidow

I have spent my entire life rehoming pets but unlike you I'm not in here pissing on everyone else. Just how exactly is it because of "people like me" that you have to foster pets? My cat is neutered, extremely well fed and seldom more than 20 feet from my front door and comes to my call. Just what exactly are you suggesting here, since you really want to get into character assasination?

mary123

Read back to ur first post. U chucked the cat out, then ur dog tried to kill her. Do i have to say any more. If u cant see that, yes ur feeding ur cat, but what else. U had her in the house for a yr, now shes out. What about love, what a bout companionship. If u cant see what ur doing wrong then whats the point.

Jack B. Badd

Hi TargetWidow. Myself and my boyfriend are currently looking for a cat that will be happy outdoors and picked up a KatKabin after some looking around. I can't vouch for how happy a cat would be with one yet but hopefully it will help

As an aside, I've had a similar issue on this forum with people going out of their way to give unsolicited, irrelevant opinions on the subject of keeping cats outdoors. It's tedious.

rainbowtrout

TargetWidow wrote: »

The house is TINY. Too small for a litter box on any available floor space. The cat is a feral kitten I rescued.

what was the cat using for a litter box up to now that has to change?

a friend of mine has two cats that sleep indoors, he used to bring them in for the night around 8 or 9, now he brings them in an hour or 2 later when the baby is in bed, and there's no problem and puts them out again in the morning so contact with the baby is minimal

mary123

Jack B. Badd wrote: »

Hi TargetWidow. Myself and my boyfriend are currently looking for a cat that will be happy outdoors and picked up a KatKabin after some looking around. I can't vouch for how happy a cat would be with one yet but hopefully it will help.

As an aside, I've had a similar issue on this forum with people going out of their way to give unsolicited, irrelevant opinions on the subject of keeping cats outdoors. It's tedious.

Im not giving out about a cat been put out one of mine is a indoor/outdoor cat. i dont think its right to go suddenly from been a indoor cat to been chucked outside full time. The poor thing has also been attacked by their dog.

TargetWidow

mary123 wrote: »

Read back to ur first post. U chucked the cat out, then ur dog tried to kill her. Do i have to say any more. If u cant see that, yes ur feeding ur cat, but what else. U had her in the house for a yr, now shes out. What about love, what a bout companionship. If u cant see what ur doing wrong then whats the point.

The cat is FERAL. Not suitable to have in the vicinity of a baby. Not a domesticated cat. I'm lucky he comes to the call at all. He was within 30 minutes of being drowned by a farmer who had found him and his littermates in his shed when I took him. I met his wife at work crying and she was so upset. I took him home and did my best with him. He was mangey and disease ridden. It has taken the year to get him well. The vets bills were large. He never slept in this house by night. I moved house (just down the road) around the time this all kicked off. In the old house we had a big hallway where we had loads of room for his bed and toys and litterbox etc but the new house is tiny and has brand new carpets etc. I've spend hundreds of euros over the years replacing the cheap carpets I always bought to replace the ones ripped up by cats claws. And dont even go there if you are gonna say de-claw her because I wont. I think people who declaw cats should be taken out and shot. But I dont go looking for them on the internet to tell them that, I keep my opinions mostly to myself.

So how did you pay to have the 30 kittens you fostered spayed? Or like most "well meaning" uneducated animal welfare types did you feed them to breed them? You know, if my children were "crying their eyes out" tonight I'd be busy comforting them and not being and interfering auld B%*ch. I'll let it go with you now Mary cos I know you are having a hard day with having to put the Boxer down, and you genuinely have my sympathy there, but you should really look at how you deal with things when you are having a bad day as to whether you tend to come onto boards like these just to unload your toxic crap.

TargetWidow

Thank you so much Jack. Finally what I was hoping for. KatKabin. I'm onto it straight away. She has a cat house, but I want her to have some comfort and some insulation, although she has layers of fat from the (entire) chicken carcasses and salmon she wolfs down! Cant wait to see.;)

mary123

Jack B. Badd wrote: »

Hi TargetWidow. Myself and my boyfriend are currently looking for a cat that will be happy outdoors and picked up a KatKabin after some looking around. I can't vouch for how happy a cat would be with one yet but hopefully it will help

As an aside, I've had a similar issue on this forum with people going out of their way to give unsolicited, irrelevant opinions on the subject of keeping cats outdoors. It's tedious.

TargetWidow wrote: »

The cat is FERAL. Not suitable to have in the vicinity of a baby. Not a domesticated cat. I'm lucky he comes to the call at all. He was within 30 minutes of being drowned by a farmer who had found him and his littermates in his shed when I took him. I met his wife at work crying and she was so upset. I took him home and did my best with him. He was mangey and disease ridden. It has taken the year to get him well. The vets bills were large. He never slept in this house by night. I moved house (just down the road) around the time this all kicked off. In the old house we had a big hallway where we had loads of room for his bed and toys and litterbox etc but the new house is tiny and has brand new carpets etc. I've spend hundreds of euros over the years replacing the cheap carpets I always bought to replace the ones ripped up by cats claws. And dont even go there if you are gonna say de-claw her because I wont. I think people who declaw cats should be taken out and shot. But I dont go looking for them on the internet to tell them that, I keep my opinions mostly to myself.

So how did you pay to have the 30 kittens you fostered spayed? Or like most "well meaning" uneducated animal welfare types did you feed them to breed them? You know, if my children were "crying their eyes out" tonight I'd be busy comforting them and not being and interfering auld B%*ch. I'll let it go with you now Mary cos I know you are having a hard day with having to put the Boxer down, and you genuinely have my sympathy there, but you should really look at how you deal with things when you are having a bad day as to whether you tend to come onto boards like these just to unload your toxic crap.

Excuse me my kids, if its any of ur buisness are out at the moment with there dad, that is why im on here. They will be back soon then i will be off here.Tomorrow we are going to buy a casket for him, there choice. They wanted to bring him home not leave him at the vets.
Thats big of u letting it go, but i only got involved when u started at Guinea pig rescue she didnt deserve that. It seems u only have a nice word to say about people if they say what u want them to say. Really if this is the case u shouldnt be here.
How do i pay for kittens to be spayed, they are between 6-10 weeks old if u know anything, that is 2 young to be spayed, but i do make sure the people get them spayed when they are old enough.
If u want to contine calling me names i will now pm u my no and maybe we can discuss this of line as this is getting out of hand.

Sigma Force

Don't know why you commented on bottle/breast feeding because my concern is not for your child but for the cat. The child will be perfectly fine not doubting in any way that you aren't a good mother I am sure you are and as I am guessing this is your first child you will be more protective which is understandable but I do find first time mums and even 2nd or 3rd etc time parents can be over protective and super clean etc. So are paranoid about cat germs and all sorts which is crazy children need to develope an immune system.

What annoyed me was the comment about the cat being a beloved cat if it's so beloved then why risk the cat having it's pelvis crushed by a car or shaked around like a rag doll by a dog or kicked like a football by a bunch of kids.
This is a fact this happens to cats on a daily basis cats that are allowed to roam have more of a chance of dying at a young age, some of course are lucky and can live a long and happy life but it's luck.

Would you let your dog roam free around the streets etc. porbably now so what's the difference between a cat and a dogs welfare is a cats life not as precious as a dogs. The fact your dog already attacked the cat should have you asking yourself what if it wasn't your dog what if it was another dog down the road and the cat was left to die.

Some people think it's mad not to allow a cat to roam free and I agree cats love roaming around long grass, having the freedom to plod along doing their own thing but sadly the world isn't a safe place anymore unless you live in the back of beyond so we have to make up for this by supplying cat towers, toys, enclosed areas like aviary type structures etc.

If you insist on leaving the cat outside then check out zooplus.ie and if not already, have the cat microchipped so if/when it does go missing you might get him back. Growgreensolutions (think that's their name) have cat housing where there's a little glass window area to sunbathe in and you can put it in an enclosure if prefferred.
A small potting shed can be cheaper than cat houses, with a cat run attached and perhaps it's worth thinking about getting another cat for company for the cat if room really is an issue in the house.
If you can't get an elec. socket in the shed then other options to keep the cat warm over winter is good insulation, vet bed, snugglesafe heat pads.

I will stop giving my opinion on why cats should be kept indoors when I stop seeing and hearing horror stories of injured cats and missing cats etc.

Also there is a risk of someone else taking your cat as they might think he's a stray cats can sometimes choose another household and owners think the cat has just wandered off when in fact they could be just down the road sitting by the fire.

I'll say no more think I've said too much already. Don't mean to offend just so frustrated with all the pregnant and new parents out there with the same reasons over and over again. I just don't buy it.

mary123

I am now been accused in pms of neglecting my kids. First of like i said in the post my kids aint here, they have a hard day tomorrow so are gone out for the eve. all i tried to say was u cant just chuck a cat out to fend for itself after a yr its not fair. also the name calling is not right if u cant take opinions that u dont agree with fair enough this is what these boards are for but like i said leave the b***h and P*****g out of it.

Whispered

mary123 wrote: »

I am now been accused in pms of neglecting my kids. First of like i said in the post my kids aint here, they have a hard day tomorrow so are gone out for the eve. all i tried to say was u cant just chuck a cat out to fend for itself after a yr its not fair. also the name calling is not right if u cant take opinions that u dont agree with fair enough this is what these boards are for but like i said leave the b***h and P*****g out of it.

Forward the PM's to a mod, thats ridic, and totally uncalled for. Shows desperation when people resort to personal insults.

Perhaps the OP will change her mind about the best thing to do when kitty doesn't return home. He will have no street smarts at all.

OP if the cat has been living indoors I find it hard to believe it's feral, esp if he's only a year old how long have you had him?

Also, I find it hard to believe you were ever involved in animal rescue if you think what you are doing is in any way fair to the cat. But obviously, and understandably you need to put your child first. If you feel the only way to do this is to not have a cat, then really, the kindest thing to do, would be to find the cat a new home.

TargetWidow

Just really sick to death of being on boards like these, desperate for a specific piece of information or feedback and all I ever seem to get is nasty comments from women like Mary and GuineaPigRescue. Fed up to the back teeth of it. I asked if ye knew where I could buy her a nicer house and all got was inferences that I am a bad person. And Mary nice one, PMing me with more abuse, if you dont like the last slap, dont give the first one...
I'll quote you publicly now like I did in the PM...

mary123 wrote: »

I really hope in yrs to come when ur baby is no longer a baby and decides that she is going to go out and get all mucky that u decide not to banish her to the shed.

So Mary who was the first one to talk about kids?

Guineapigrescue wrote: »

Not another one of these babys here pet has to be shut out threads, keeping the cat in isn't going to do any harm. If cat is kept in cat cannot catch mice etc and bring them in and cat is safe from being attacked by dogs, killed or injured by a car and now it's coming up to Halloween cat wouldn't be in danger of being thrown on a bonfire etc list goes on.

Where exactly is the help I asked for here?

Whispered

OP, how long have you had the cat?

TargetWidow

And just so it's not taken out of context. The reference to breastfeeding vs bottle feeding relates to the kind of thing that happens when someone like me innocently wanders onto a board like this and asks for a bit of help switching from breast to bottle and proceeds to receive the kicking of her life for her choices. I will not apologise for standing up to ye. Ye are bullies. Go bully someone else.

mary123

if u read my post it says "IF" in yrs to come i didnt say u would. u have both in public and in pm accused me of neglecting my kids and also in both have called me names and swore at me. i asked u in pm why do u have to swear nothing else did i write and u then proceded to call me a bully.

TargetWidow

I'll phrase it in words you should understand better Mary.
LEAVE ME ALONE
You should understand that.
Bullies seldom take any notice of it though.

Whispered

OP, again, how long do you have the cat.

I'm really confused.

TargetWidow

Just completed the transaction to buy a KatKabin DezRez and a winter warmer insulator. She likes her current abode but I want to make sure she is warm enough. Thank you Jack B Good for being there and for actually answering the question I asked at the start. The only one who did. You are a jewel and Boards need more like you.

bigpinkelephant

TargetWido, you claim that this cat has had a really rough life and make yourself out to be a saint for saving it.
If all this was true, then you would not be kicking the cat out of the house now just because you have a baby.

I noted a mention of "brand new carpets" and "new house" it seems to me you are more concerned about your shiny new house than your pets, who are to live their lives in a kennel outside.

I hope you're not one of these modern mums with a Dettol wipe permanently in-hand, and will never let her child come into contact with a single germ, and then wonders why the child ends up getting every cold going.

PS Word to the wise- it's rather humorous that you call other people bullies, yet you are calling them every name under the sun.
And as for the swearing, the problem with swearing is that it tends to make people look uneducated.

TargetWidow

I cant be bothered replying to any more of ye. If ye are feeling the need to be mean to someone, or are suffering with PMS or are menopausal or whatever, go take some Evening Primrose Oil or valium or whatever it takes. I've had HOURS of criticism on this thread tonight. And very little actual help. It's time this thread was closed so that the bullies have to find another playground. Why not go into the INSULTS thread? There are people there who will accept your comments with vigour and reply with wit and energy. This is not the appropriate thread for criticism. I asked for HELP. If you cannot provide it then please keep your critical nonsense to yourself. And at least please have the good manners to read the whole thread before you all comment so I dont have to keep repeating myself.

Whispered

OP - are you not seeing my posts, or is it easier for you to not answer. HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD THE CAT?

(perhaps I'll be third time lucky)

mary123

Thank u big pink elephant was afraid to write what u just have as i was afraid of been called a bully again.
Right kids have just came in now. going to get a takeaway and watch a DVD with them.