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Charlie is fine with my kid, and very patient with her, but now my kid is at the age that she likes having friends round to play so the neighbour kids are always coming round and Charlie is not too keen on them. I usually put her in the bathroom when they come round so they don't hassle her but then she whines to come out and the kids get overexcited and chase her around (I'm trying to get them to stop but they're young, the youngest is two so really doesn't understand, and the language barrier makes it difficult). Is there anything else I could try to make things work? I'm terrified Charlie is going to get pissed off and scratch or bite one of the kids or that they'll accidentally hurt her
Other issue is the cat leash. Now its summer Charlie loves to sit in the garden and roll in the grass so I let her out there with the harness on and the leash tied to the door but sometimes she manages to escape from the harness and I have no idea how. Its on as tight as it can go, and its the smallest kind available, and it really looks like she shouldn't be able to escape but she does. She got out of it today and I had to chase her through all the neighbours' gardens (which was very awkward) and got scratched up bad when I caught her. (I don't leave her out there unsupervised, I sit out and enjoy the sun too but she's too darn quick for me!)
I would keep the kids away from the cat due to the fact that kids hurt animals...intentionally and unintentionally.
Cats that have experienced the outdoors don't want to be held back from exploring it. A cats nature is to hunt and explore...they are curious. I think it is cruel to put her on a leash and limit her from exploring...and it is clear the cat thinks the same thing.
Can you get a pet door so that she can come and go as she pleases? She would love that and be able to escape the ruckus of the children when she feels the need to.
Can't put a pet door in or anything like that, we rent this house, and I'd be too worried anyway about her getting run or something as there's a busy road nearby an a railway.
For some reason she doesn't go up on top of the bookcases. And even if I leave the bathroom door open so she can go in and out as she chooses she stays in the room with the kids but doesn't seem to like them, or at least isn't too sure about them. Just acting differently from how she does normally (normally if she wants a break from my kid she'll go to the bathroom herself as that's her room but she's not doing that when the other kids are here)
I won't be letting her out there on the harness any more, that's for sure, not unless we're walking together.
What kind of harness are you using? My cat can get out of the strap type (the type that goes around the neck with the piece that goes down the chest and connects to a strap that goes around the rib cage and gets snapped). I switched to a fabric one (same kind of design except it's not straps and is wider pieces of reinforced fabric). I think for one thing the wider fabric feels less constricting than the narrow straps which makes it more comfortable for Silver which means he is less inclined to get out of it.
As for the kids and Charlie, as Natsku suggests, give her some up-high place so that she can be present like she wants to be and yet safe. Although this is all tough on you and on Charlie, you're actually giving all these young children a life lesson about respecting animals, something they won't learn if not given the opportunity to learn.
You obviously know Charlie well and care very much for her. If the bathroom is her Safe Spot, then I would just leave the door open and let her go there when she wants.
But she obviously wants to be out where she can see what is going on. So she needs a safe spot that is hers.
If you do have high furniture, it is odd she has not claimed a spot for herself. Is the top clear? Made cat friendly? Easy access to it?
I would create an elevated space for her, either from existing furniture or new (such as shelves on the wall) and let her know it is hers. You can do this by putting her scent up there. You can put a little blankie or pad up there for comfort, rub it on her to give it her scent. Or put a t shirt or pillow case you have used up there, so it smells like you.
If she likes boxes, put a shallow cardboard box up there, or if there is room, a larger box on it's side for a Box Fort..
Feed her a couple of treats up there so she understands it's a spot for her.
If she still slips out of the harness when you stay with her, you might want to look into a differnt type of harness, that she can't slip out of. Something like this maybe. Of course you still shouldn't leave her tethered. A cat is a sitting duck for any danger when tethered and it is very stressful for the cat, and dangerous.
One more suggestion. Get some rescue remedy for pets, and when you knopw there's going to be a crowd, give her a few drops with a small meal about an hour before the kids get there. This will help relieve her stress.
She has the strap kind of harness, its the only one they sell in the local shops. I'll see if I can find a better kind at a big pet shop in the city as we're off there next week anyway.
Access to the top isn't that easy - she can do it but doesn't do it often. She prefers the bookcases in the bedroom but then she can't see what's going on, but I'll try putting something soft up there for her and see if she likes it better then. If that doesn't work then I'll try the shelf idea, thanks.
I do hope the kids will learn eventually how to be calmer and gentle with Charlie, these kids are a bit rough and ready so its I guess its a bit of a new concept for them. My kid has slowly learnt to be much better but she gets carried away with the other kids. They are so young still (she's the oldest, at 4) that it must take time. I'll look up that rescue remedy stuff, never heard of that.
It could be made easier access with a little re-arranging on my desk I think. Shall see what I can do And encourage the kids to play at their house for the time-being until I can be sure Charlie can get up to a safe place.
She is wandering about near the door making sad sounds at me, poor kitty.
Some cats never adjust to little kids. Mine runs under the bed when they are here. I just shut the door to my room. She was a rescue, and I'm not going to fight that battle with her. She comes out for my adult friends, if she likes them.
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