No cat run for me *vent*

[icedtea]

Now I am annoyed at my Dad, because he refuses to help build an enclosure. Nobody does it in New Zealand,and he hasnt heard about it before,and i think thats why, but anyway, he says that as I am a believer in free range chickens, this would not be free range cats and we would have green peace on our doorstep. I just want to do my cats a favour. It is sooo annoying.
i just want to do my cats a favour, sorry about this vent. I am probably being unfair on my dad, but i just had to VENT! grr.

I jsut want to do the best for my kitties and my Dad is only here half the time, as he drives a ship for work and he is home for a 5or 6 weeks, then away for 5 or 6 weeks. he hardly knows the kittens!

[icedtea]

doesnt anybody else ahve an opinionof my vent??

[emily_the_spoiled]

Would it be possible for you to put it together, maybe with your mother or other friends?

[Beauty17]

Sorry your father does not see things the same way as you do regarding the cat run. Maybe he would feel embarrassed having one because no one else around has one. Are your kittens totally indoor now, or indoor and outdoor? If they are totally indoor, they might not be missing the outdoors as much as you fear. Mine like to sit in windowsills. We also have an enclosed porch - not screened in, but it does have a couple of large windows with deep sills, as well as a door to the outside, so that the cats can look out - and to them, it's like going outside, because it's a different space for them to explore, with different smells and a different temperature from the indoors - and sometimes, when the screens are in, they get the fresh air that way. Again, sorry you are having trouble getting things the way you want them to be. One other thought - just in case it's the money that is stopping your father, is there any way you could earn extra money to put toward the cat run? Or maybe he thinks it will spoil the looks of the property? Good luck in resolving your dilemma.

[Corinna]

Depending on wire gauge you can get a dog kennel (run) and just put a tarp on it to contain kitties. If you can't find a small gauge one get some chicken wire and put it over the wire on kennel.

[catmandu]

I wish I could help but I am terrible at building things.
If I knew anything I would have nice enclosures for the Cats on the front and back porches as I once saw in Cat Fancy.
Good Luck with your enclosure.

[NoahsMommy]

Is it that he doesn't want a cat enclosure at all, or he doesn't want to help do it??

It kind of sounds like he doesn't agree with having one at all. And if you're living with your parents, you have to live by their rules - they pay the house payment after all.

Maybe you could make something smaller and temporary you can set up on the warm weekends or something? Then he can see what your goal is and understand why you want your kitties to have one.

Are your kitties indoor only?

[icedtea]

the kittens are pretty much indoor, they go play outside for 2 hours, about half and hour before i go to school, and about an hour and a half after school.

My Dad is worried mainly about practicalities, I think. he thinks rain will get in it, but of i think there are ways around it. My Dad isn't much of a handyman, but he can make some things, and i think he could sorta make this. I think my parents are stuck in their ways, because all the cats they grew up with always went outside when the wanted, and they dont know that many people have cat enclosures. We could paint the posts for an enclosure white, like our house, and low visibility netting. Hmmm. Ill have to think some more, but I was thinking that even if they go outside when they want when they're older, i would keep them inside at night anyway, and scoop in the morning, wellmaybe I could have an enclosure that isnt connected to the house, and they could be in there during the day, and some of the time after school, and be inside with a litter box at night and most of the afternoons.
what do you think about this?? I reckon this might solve some problems my Dad has found, but then he also thinks it is unfair to keep animals in an enclosed area, but i think it is unfair to endanger animals that are small (like Kansas) and let them run loose near a street where some stupid people drive too fast.

[Beauty17]

Sounds like you have multiple problems, because your attitudes and your parents' differ in several ways. And it does sound as if your father genuinely cares about the cats - he doesn't want them to get wet, and he wants them to have freedom, which he considers to be important to them and something that they want. Letting cats play outside for part of the day does complicate things, because it gives them a taste for the outside. I don't have that complication, because my cats are strictly indoor cats. Maybe if you point out to your father that there are many health and safety dangers out there for cats, and even that those can result in very expensive vet bills, he might give his position a second thought. I am not sure about leaving cats in an enclosure outside while you are gone - an animal or person could get in and harm them or take them. These are just a few stray thoughts that occurred to me as I read your most recent post.

[icedtea]

yea, my dad is phoning from sea in a few days, and he will be home on friday i think, and i can talk to him about it then. Right now Im considering all my options, but my Dad is say that he thinks ahvign the cats iondoors at night is a good idea, and he's not her emuch, so it wont affect him

[Beauty17]

Sounds as if you have a good relationship with your Dad as far as talking things over with him. That's great. Good luck in reaching an agreement that suits everyone and is good for the cats. It sounds as if everyone does have their best interests at heart - it's just a matter of everyone agreeing on how to best meet their needs. That's what being a family is all about, isn't it? It's about working things out together, by talking things through.

[moosmom]

They may sell kits that have all the parts to put a cat enclosure together. It's worth checking out.

[icedtea]

yes, I am thankful I ahve a better relationship with my dad than many kids. I guess because I dont see him as much as most kids see their dad, I have to make the most of him.

I was thinking we could operate the current cat doorin the afternoons, from 3 oclock till 5 oclock and have them inside when Im at school, or otherwise in an enclosure, or something. ill figure somethign out, but I want them to eb safe and keep out of harm especially when im not there to keep an eye on them!

[moosmom]

Iceadtea,

How about something like this??? It's only $21.99 and is sold on overstock.com

Kitty Cabana

http://www.overstock.com/?page=proframe&prod_id=1910609

Kitty Run

http://www.overstock.com/?page=proframe&prod_id=1912965

http://www.overstock.com/?page=proframe&prod_id=1913754

Kittywalk Law

http://www.overstock.com/?page=proframe&prod_id=1907870