Last night I found this very situation going on in my very own bedroom on my very own bed. Stretching out in synchronicity they lay together. One snoring and one rhythmically purring. Left arms slung over the side of the bed eyes gently closed. I’m not sure who I like better, little boy children or little orange cats. It’s seriously a toss up.
Disclaimer: All animal rights personnel please understand that I do love my cat even though at times he appears to be a little beat up. Someone made a decision early in Elliott’s life (prior to me adopting him) that he was meant to be an indoor cat. Sadly, he was declawed. Much to my dismay Elliott has longed to become an outdoor cat. We have a lovely fenced in backyard complete with cat door allowing access in and out of our house. However we also have four little door holders who are more than willing to let Elliott out the front door into the great unknown. Most nights Elliott leaves around dusk for “fight club”. Returning in the morning hungry and sometimes a little beat up. He does his best with his fur paws but isn’t always a match for the real outdoor cats with intact claws. Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved right? Elliott is an outdoor cat at heart but has been blessed with a soft plushy indoor cat body. I don’t feel right depriving him of his nightly adventures nor do I feel like chasing after this cat every single time a small boy lets him out. So there you have it, we love him but allow him to live on the wild side from time to time. If you love something you need to let it go… And we do, most nights and he always returns in the morning to become a fat lazy spoiled indoor cat until dusk...
OH god...I was so excited to visit your blog for the first time today. I loved it and started reading back to your older posts. But this broke my heart and I'm so disappointed. That poor cat. No cats, especially declawed cats should ever be allowed outside unsupervised. We rescue cats and have successfully turned outdoor cats into indoor cats. Sometimes it does take a lot of patience and work. I'm just heartbroken that this poor guy isn't loved enough for you to protect him. It's going to end badly for him. You know what's best for him. He is just a cat. Please PLEASE look into other ways. Outdoor enclosures, invisible fences, even temporary medication to calm him while he adjusts to being indoors at night. This is just so sad.
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm...
ReplyDeleteI know you're right. I'm just not sure exactly how to proceed. We have a great completely enclosed backyard and that should be enough to satisfy him. Maybe installing a screendoor on the front door that automatically shuts would work. My boys often leave the front door open and that's when he escapes. I'll have to talk Scott into installing one, I've been wanting one for awhile. In the meantime, any idea what I can put on his face? If he were a little human, I would love to put some triple antibiotic cream on, but I can't imagine that's good for cats. Thanks for the concern.