Gah, gah, gardening...

[desperance]

Gorgeously lovely day, and all my chilli-seedlings were ready for their repottings now, so I thought I'd do that this afternoon. Out into the yard I went, then, and let Barry come with me, because I could keep an eye on him out there; and he was good as gold, sniffing around, finding hidey-holes and playing with the earthworms.

And I repotted my eighteen heroic survivors, and that didn't go so well, to be honest, because half of them their rootballs pretty much disintegrated as they came out of the little pots, and chillies do hate having their roots disturbed. Just as chilli-seeds do like a loose earth to root into. You will see that these two contrary positions make repotting complicated, but this year was particularly bad; I've firmed them in as best I can, but I'm not sure how many will survive the shock of transfer.

But the other thing, I brought some of them back in to go on windowsills, and I was in the house for one minute and then out again, and yup - you know what I'm going to say, don't you? Barry was over the wall in that one minute, and into the neighbour's yard. He came back soon enough, to the temptation of catnip treats, but it raises all my old problems again. Either I don't let him out at all now, or else I just have to let him roam. And he's been so desperate to be out, ever since the weather turned warm, I'm not sure how long I can take the pressure of playing prison warder. It's no fun at all, for either one of us. All my friends think I should just let him come and go at will - which conspicuously works for them, with their cats - but... Cars! Dogs! People...!

And now I'm trying to find window-space for all my little chillies, and - given that I have also to leave window-space for Barry - it's not going to be possible, if they all survive. I'm leaving half a dozen outside, in hopes that global warming may have its due effect, and even so I can't fit 'em all onto south-facing sills. I did clear the little one down in the cupboard under the stairs, but as soon as I'd done that, guess who co-opted it...?

Comments

[fjm.livejournal.com]

We let Miss P out when we are home. I know he is male but he is basically a house cat, he'll come back.

[wishwords.livejournal.com]

I'm not much on letting cats out if they weren't raised from kittenhood to understand the dangers of outside. Even then... well, I just hate to find my cats dead on the side of the road or watch them get torn up by the neighbor's dog. Besides, here it's against the law to let your cat out to roam. One of mine would love to go out but I'm an evil mommy and just don't let her. If I could afford it I would either turn my backyard into a cat enclosure or build an "outdoor" room. There are plans on line for both options. If you have no idea what I'm talking about I'll give you more details.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

It's illegal? Good grief...

If you could point me towards the plans you mention, I'd appreciate that. Tho' I am not good at getting things built...

[wishwords.livejournal.com]

I'm sure there are more out there, but here you go.

This is one I haven't seen before but looks very good if you have an open American type yard: http://www.purrfectfence.com/outdoor_cat_enclosures.asp

This one I've seen before and heard real good things about. It's good if you already have a fence or wall. I think you can also put it around tree trunks to keep the cats from climbing them and then jumping over the wall. It's also less expensive:
http://www.catfencein.com/

Here's a catyard someone built. I don't see plans but if you scroll down you can see how they did it. Looks like posts and chicken wire with a roof. You could just install a pet door so Barry could get in and out of the house: http://www.kimayarozes.com/catyard.html

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much! I'll see if there's an equivalent of Cat Fence-In over here; that looks ideal...

[affreca.livejournal.com]

I know I've mentioned it before, but the tied up outside works as a compromise between my Barry and I. Of course, he doesn't understand weather, and begs to go out even if it is raining and freezing outside.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

That's right, you did say; I did, of course, forget. I'll try that, see how his young lordship takes it. My anticipation would be 'badly', but we'll see. Thanks...

[pennski.livejournal.com]

Ours are used to total freedom - but then we have a fairly large back garden with access to wilderness beyond.

If Barry was a teenage son would you let him have a motorbike?

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Ah, the parallel is exact. And I hope the answer would be yes (and then sit home and worry, of course, all the hours he was out), but on current evidence I'd more likely stuff him into a barrel and bang in the bung. Y'know, those putative children are just so lucky that I'm not in fact their parent...

[janetmk.livejournal.com]

Keeping cats inside is a much more common thing this side of the pond. I've known many happy indoor-only cats. Years ago, as winter approached, I adopted a stray (probably a dumped pet) who'd lived in our alley for several months--she never had the slightest interest thereafter in the scary outside world.

When I adopted my two kittens I promised the shelter to keep them safely inside and I will do so. There's no safe way to let them outside where I live.

A cat like Barry who wants to roam...that's harder. But there are apparently ways to confine a cat in an enclosed garden. See this summary (http://www.fabcats.org/fencing2.html).

[desperance.livejournal.com]

My two previous girl-cats were housecats to the core; they'd come out into the yard with me in nice weather, but rarely for long and I don't think they ever wondered what might be on the other side of the wall, except as you say for that big bad world I'd saved them from.

Barry - yup, he's different. He just pines to be out there, ruffy-tuffy street boy that he is. It is hard. Thanks for the link...