Livvy's 1st Night as an Outdoor cat :(

[NoahsMommy]

Not technically outdoor, she's an enclosure cat now.

Here is her apartment, #172 B (hee hee)

*An old picture, but this is her condo*

David spent a lot of Saturday steam cleaning the couch. He even put a special "PET DEODORIZER" on the couch all night and then steamed the couch again on Sunday morning. Well, we go home after grocery shopping and found that Olivia had peed on the top of the couch and it ran down to the middle. I felt so bad, David was so mad and did all that work. He doesn't want her to be outside, but that sealed her fate.

We had gotten a big tupperware/rubbermaid container (32 gallon) with lid. We turned it upside down and cut a hole in it, like a door. I gave her a warm blankie, put her favorite bed inside as well as that warmer thing. It stays warm for 12 hours, so we re-heated it last night at 9:00. Here's a pic:


Figures, she completely ignored that warm shelter! At least, when we checked on her through the blinds (She cries when she see's us. Figures, now that WE want her out there, she doesn't want to be! ) she was laying on the cat bed by the door. This morning at 5:30, David said she was still there, but when I fed them all at 8:00 she was in her new "house". Guess she finally figured she was out there for good.

Please help me feel better. I feel horrible she's banned from our apartment. It isn't her fault she's so afraid of the others.

I'll take some pictures of her new "condo" today.

[sirrahbed]

Hi Kelly,
It sounds like you have come up with a very good and reasonable alternative for Livvy so please do not beat yourself up anymore. Seems like this has been going on for a VERY long time and you have been more patient than I could ever imagine. She's gonna have the luxury of being indoors AND outdoors and probably the envy of the others!! Birds and bugs to watch, fresh air Also, when it is time for her attention - it will be exclusive I assume You are a TERRIFIC meowmie! Feel any better?

[ramanth]

I think after a few nights, little Olivia will settle in just fine.

[rg_girlca]

Originally posted by sirrahbed
Hi Kelly,
It sounds like you have come up with a very good and reasonable alternative for Livvy so please do not beat yourself up anymore. Seems like this has been going on for a VERY long time and you have been more patient than I could ever imagine. She's gonna have the luxury of being indoors AND outdoors and probably the envy of the others!! Birds and bugs to watch, fresh air Also, when it is time for her attention - it will be exclusive I assume You are a TERRIFIC meowmie! Feel any better?

Very well said and I agree with you 100%.

Kelly, I don't know how you put up with it as long as you have.
A lot and I mean a lot of people would have just thrown her outside with nothing or brought her to a shelter. I think all in all this is the best solution for you and your hubby. She has her own house, with heat, food & water and most of all YOU. Despite everything you have done to remedy this situation, you still love and care for her very much. She will adjust to this new situation and so will you.
Thank you for caring enough for her to do this for her.

[K & L]

Don't feel too bad. As you can read from my "Porch" post, he has to live in the garage and cat run due to being incontinent. At least she's safe and being taken care of!

[shais_mom]

I think she will come to like it in time. You have done far more then a lot of people would!!! PetTalk people excluded!!!
Good Luck!

[catlover4ever]

Kelly you are a wonderful cat mommy. Olivia will settle in just fine. You and David are doing the best you can and at least you are NOT giving up on her.

How many people do you know (besides those of us on PT) would take so much time, make a large effort, give Olivia a wonderful home, and you have not given up on her??? I don't know very many. --- Meg

[catmandu]

That is a great idea , and I finally am going to have the Front and Back Porches , enclosed , so they can get some sun , and warm breezes!

[catcrazylady]

Everyone else has said it and I am going to say it one more time! YOU ARE A WONDERFUL MEOWMIE!!! Olivia is a very very lucky girl. There are a lot of people who would have in no way tolerated her behavior. A lot of cats have been PTS or thrown out for a lot less than you have put up with.
My cats would be green with envy at Livvy's arrangement! HECK I wouldn't even mind that apartment!!! Sunshine, birds, flowers, and fresh air!! How much would you charge me for rent?

[Logan]

Kelly, I have been reading this thread and I can't imagine that whole thought process that you have gone through to make this decision about Olivia. Reading stories like yours, I guess in a way, I find myself quite lucky that Butter and Mimi have the ability to come and go from outside to inside, at will, and neither of them have ever had any problems like you are experiencing. I actually have never had enough cats at one time to ever go through that, actually, as I have never had more than 2 at a time, and the addition of Butter was the first time I ever experienced having more than one.

You hang in there. Olivia is going to be ok, hard as it is. I'm just sure of it. I know it breaks your heart to not let her inside. It certainly would break mine. You can only do what you can do, and hope for the best.

We're thinking of you all.

Logan

[catland]

I can see where that would be heartbreaking but as everyone else has said, you are doing a wonderful job making the best of a bad situation.

Does she get along with any of the gang - on just a one-to-one basis? I know that how cats are in a group can be different than how they are one on one. I'm asking because I'm wondering if there is one in your gang that could go out to visit her every now and then and give her company. But maybe she is truely an only-cat and doesn't want company.

You've made a beautiful enclosure for her - its far nicer than living in a cage in a shelter.

[NoahsMommy]

Thanks everyone.

Livvy also survived her second night outside, but is spending tonight inside. I think we're getting somewhat of a storm and we don't have the second tarp yet.

I came up with a good idea to keep her somewhat insulated at night. Livvy doesn't really like the "rubbermaid" shelter we put in there, so she spent all last night on the large cat bed (the bluish one in the picture above) on top of a fleece blankie I gave her. I'm going to go to a fabric/crafty store to get some fabric and will pin (push pins?) material all around the side of the enclosure that don't back up to our apartment. I'll make it like curtains, so in the day time when its warm, I can open them. That way she'll be better protected against wind.

Luckily, we live in Southern California, so our temperatures are really mild most of the time. This will do until the colder part of winter. So that's good.