General Chat

Betty is a smaller than average cat, who will be 16 on July 1st. When I moved here, from and end of terrace, to the middle terrace, I didn't encourage her out the front, as there is no gate, and a very low wall, so no protection. I also wasn't sure if she'd know how to get around the back, to the cat-flap - or whether she could jump over the neighbour's side gate. and the gate between our gardens. Also, the neighbourhood cats are HUGE!!

On Tuesday, I let her come out to the front garden with me, while I planted some plants. She went into the neighbour 's garden, and looked around the corner - then came back when I called her.

Well, later that day, she disappeared! I looked in the back garden - no sign. Looked round to see if she was on the table in my neighbour's back garden - no she wasn't. I opened the front door, and there, on the front doorstep, fast asleep, was Betty! I say fast asleep - but she actually looked dead.

I left the door partially open, so she could come in. She didn't come in - the door was open until 10pm. Then I lifted her up, and brought her in. She then had some food, came back, sat by the door and howled. I wouldn't let her out, so she went out the cat flap, and around to the front. I brought her in at 11pm. She went out again, and was out there until about 5am. She did the same last night.

Tonight, I brought her in at 9.30pm. She's had some food, howled at the front door - which I ignored, and she's just gone out the cat flap again.

You could say I could keep her in, with a litter tray - but she never uses litter trays.
She'd also probably howl half the night.
Looks like 'madam' will have her way. :-S

Shes turned into a right grumpy old woman by the sound of it and very stubborn Maggie....reminds me of my mother lol

Florence in the hebrides :-D :-D

Amazingly, when we moved into our new place a couple of months ago we were worried about our cat (who turns seventeen in September) as he was used to having a cat flap so that he could come and go as he pleased.

There is a cat flap in the new house, but it is in the sliding fly screen which is not accessible at night.

For the first few days we kept the cat in so that he could get used to the interior of the house. From day one he started using the litter tray we got for him and although he is now allowed out into the back garden, which is relatively secure, during the day, so that he can find his own sanitary requirements, at night after we have gone to bed he will use the litter tray.

It's just the embarrassment of people thinking I've locked her out, Florence.
Locking her in, would, to my mind, be cruel.

The bonus of her staying out, is that I don't find the poo deposit on the floor, or the puddle in the morning.

Before she found the front doorstep, she'd never go out in the back garden in the dark - I'd leave the kitchen light on until I went to bed. Any 'business' she needed to do after that time, would be done on a tiled bit of floor, never the litter tray. To give her her due, she never did it on carpet.
Now she's found the front doorstep, her attitude has changed.

There's a huge street lamp right outside my front garden, so she's lit up for all to see her apparently, 'locked out' all night. :-(

Just got back from a 'Platinum' gathering down at No.38 - one of the new private houses built at the end of our Close.

Weirdly, of those from the Social housing end of the Close who attended, we all lived in the odd numbered houses.

Well after a few 'vino's', I explained about Betty. All seemed to understand.

I met Gracie and Peter, who have the most amazing front garden.
Gracie told me she would visit Mary, who is housebound, (next door but one to me) and tell her all about me :-S I hope it's favourable :-D

I met (again) Lynne, the owner of an amazing Alsatian - the first dog i met around here, when her husband was walking her (the Alsatian, not Lynne). I found out her husband died 2 weeks ago.

I've been offered a raspberry cane, by Judith.

When it started to rain, and we (me, and Pat next door) were about to leave, our host - owner of Susie (a Romanian rescue dog who loves strawberries) asked if we'd like to finish the bottles (mine was red, Pat's was Prosecco).
We demurred, then said 'but if you insist', so we staggered the 50 yards home, full union jack paper cups in hand. :-D :-D :-D

Amazing!! ...but Pat and I may have been labelled the alcoholics on the Close!

Oh yes, and I came home to Betty lying on the path, in the rain :-S

Oh Maggie :-D :-D :-D
Sounds like you had a right royal party . Glad you met your newish neighbours. They sound like a friendly bunch.

Aw poor betty!!

Im waiting with baited breath to see who are going to be my new neighbours as the young ones have moved to town.

Florence in the hebrides

'Poor' Betty could have gone into the house via the cat flap! :-|

I hope your neighbours are nice, Florence.