Indoor/Outdoor -- Partial Heat?...

noon

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Hi.

So, my cat is a bit over a year old. I had her spayed about sixth months ago when she began to display signs of going into heat (catterwauling, trying to dart out the door, etc.)

I have always kept her as an indoor cat, but have allowed her maybe a handful of highly supervised outdoor visits.

At my old place, there was very little of interest to be seen out the windows and she seemed pretty much happy to stay in.

I moved about a month ago and the new place has great views and lots of action going on all around. There is also a crew of alley cats around.

Since we've moved here she has enjoyed the views from all the screened windows a great deal and has played pawsy under one of the doors with some of the alley cats.

She is my only pet.

A few days ago she started screaming like crazy to go out. I denied her. And while I slept she managed to knock one of the screens out of one of the windows and get out. A few afters I awoke the next morning, I realized she wasn't in the house and was frantic to find her. Luckily, she is very vocal, knows her name, and hadn't strayed far because as I called ofr her she started chirping back at me and I found her hiding in an opening under my house. At that point, I had no idea how she'd gotten out at all. She'd come to bed with me. Had I slept walked and let her out? Had someone broken in? Had she walked through the wall? Nothing seemed displaced.

An hour or so later, she disappeared again and this time left the screen of the window she'd escaped from ajar so I realized that was her escape route. Luckily, I found her again quickly and locked her in a closet while I nailed all the screens in firmer place from the outside.

A few more hours pass and I hear a terrible noise. She's clawing through the screen she'd escaped from the two times before and I try to grab her from the inside but it's impossible. By the time I get outside she standing on my fence. She allows me to bring her back in. That window gets closed for good.

She was good all night and then began again the next day. She knocked a different screen out, and tried to climb out through 3 others. Finally, I just said, fine you want to go out, go out and hung out with her for an hour in the yard. But she wasn't done and kept screaming to go out again, so I let her out and got really scared after about 15 minutes when I had no idea where she was. She's fully grown at this point, but is really tiny. She's still kitten sized and isn't going to get any bigger. Some of the stray cats around here are really 4 times as big as she is and she won't even kill spiders in the house, she just stares and screams at them until I come to kill them, I don't really think she can hold her own against some of these cats. Also, I live on one of the busiest streets in Los Angeles. I'm a bit back up off the street but there are still tons of cars and motorcycles about. While looking for her over the course of another hour, I met a neighbor whose female cat is in heat. I really think that if she wasn't in such constant contat with all these other cats and their scents she'd be happy to stay in.

I've kept all the windows shut which has beenr eally stuffy and unpleasant for the past two days and she's been screaming and climbing the walls and playing much too roughly with me. It is very similar to the behavior she showed when she was starting to go into heat. I'm wondering if the vet maybe just removed her uterus and not her ovaries? Would that explain going into a partial heat? Would just the scents and temptations of all the other cats about be enough to drive her mad like this? Would getting her a kitten help distract her? Should I just give in and hope for the best and let her come and go as she pleases? She's really climbing the walls. It made me so sad when I didn't know where she was.
 

larke

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Were you asking a question? I wouldn't let her out alone now, because she's quite likely to disappear with some of the other cats, or alone, never mind the car/big dog and other dangers out there, but why not look into a 4-point harness for daily walks?
 
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noon

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Hey,

Sorry, my initial post got accidentally cut off. Yes, I was asking several questions. I've tried her on a harness several times, but she refuses to move on it. And, frankly, in this new hood, I think it might make her seem even more weak to the other cats and I don't want to do anything to emphasize her weakness. This biggest and meanest of the cats as far as I can tell is actually someone's pet, it has a collar, but it's gigantic and is covered in fight wounds. The others are fed by another neighbor but seems to mostly live in the walks between the buildings. They all look fairly healthy, some of them are obviously purebreeds even, but they're all tougher and bigger than my girl and have their own social system etc.
 

missymotus

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It could be seeing the stray cats that is setting her off, some cats get very distressed when they see other cats in their territory - even through a window.

I'd be cautious about letting her paw the strays under the door, you don't want her picking up any diseases.

It is also possible that some 'bits' were missed during the spay, you'd need a vet to open her up again to check it out so personally I'd want to be sure that was what's causing it before going in for another operation.
 

mooficat

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I am sorry that you are feeling stressed about your kitty, but of course, can perfectly understand your concerns


It is a worry when you think your cat has been spayed and then you see signs of what you describe as 'mating' behaviour. Have you rung your vet to check things over with them and ask what surgery actually took place.

The other thing is your cat might just be one of those that want to go out anyway, the sight, sounds and smells of other cats will surely attract her, she'll want to protect her territory
I have 4 cats and they all go out most of the time, yes there are dangers but you and only you can make the balance and decision about letting your cat out or keeping her in and dealing with the resulting behaviours


If you feel comfortable to let her go out, then I am sure you can manage the situation OK. If possible try to let her out when you are in and can call her back. Its sounds like she knows the outside area very well already and can easily find her way home. As you know cat use scent trails to explore and navigate


As we all know cats sleep the majority of the time
so once she has her fun and games outside you can make sure she is in your home. She'll have had a great time and ready for a good old snooze and dream about her adventures


As long as you make sure your cat has the necessary vaccinations along with flea/tick prevention then you are certainly reducing those type of problems.

Well I hope you come up with a solution and I am sure in time you and your kitty will get into a routine that satisfies you both


Keep us posted !
 
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noon

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Originally Posted by missymotus

It could be seeing the stray cats that is setting her off, some cats get very distressed when they see other cats in their territory - even through a window.

I'd be cautious about letting her paw the strays under the door, you don't want her picking up any diseases.

It is also possible that some 'bits' were missed during the spay, you'd need a vet to open her up again to check it out so personally I'd want to be sure that was what's causing it before going in for another operation.
She doesn't seem upset by the strays; she seems like she really wants to make friends. I think she's lonely and kinda bored. The other cats haven't tried to warm to her really, but she's not had any experience with other cats since the shelter I picked her up from and she was terrified at that point. She's lived as an only cat and been quite spoiled and hasn't had any mean creatures or people around so I don't think she quite gets --- well, frankly, maybe I've over-domesticated her in that she's never faced a threat or unexpected danger. She figures these other cats to be just as friendly as the friends of mine I've brought over and they aren't. She's running up trying to sniff bums and say hello and they're ondering who the hell she is and why she's trying to be so suddenly friendly. You should have seen the smile on her face though as she was rolling around in the dirt.

I am very worried about what diseases these cats might be carrying. If they weren't around, sure, no problem, I'd let her hang out a bit more and not be so worried, but these are ferral cats and as healthy as they look they probably aren't. I'd have to get some kind of wood caulking to fill in the gap in the door. I've already got to replace 4 screens because of her recent fury. I think she's lonely. I'm not here most of the day. I grew up with cats but they were pretty well able to amuse themselves and prefered to stick to their own rooms and were just very solitary creatures. I wanted to get a cat for a hundred reasons. But I expected she would be like the ones I grew up with. She isn't at all. She's very emotionally needy and wants to be in constant communication and expresses very obviously when she's lonely and things like that. She seems like she'd be happiest in a group and always has -- long before we moved to alley cat central. I have no real interest and frankly it would be stretching my resourcing to take in another animal right now. But she loves and is fascinated by other creatures, dogs, cats, whatever. 've been thinking about getting her a hamster. For most cats that would be a bad idea, I know, but seriously, she refuses to kill even the tiniest bug, she's not a fighter, the attack instinct is dulled in her, she's just a lover.

Yes, I've thought, perhaps, something got missed. And then I read that some vets only perform partial hysterectomies. I haven't called the vet yet for a handful of reasons...
 
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noon

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Originally Posted by mooficat

I am sorry that you are feeling stressed about your kitty, but of course, can perfectly understand your concerns


It is a worry when you think your cat has been spayed and then you see signs of what you describe as 'mating' behaviour. Have you rung your vet to check things over with them and ask what surgery actually took place.

The other thing is your cat might just be one of those that want to go out anyway, the sight, sounds and smells of other cats will surely attract her, she'll want to protect her territory
I have 4 cats and they all go out most of the time, yes there are dangers but you and only you can make the balance and decision about letting your cat out or keeping her in and dealing with the resulting behaviours


If you feel comfortable to let her go out, then I am sure you can manage the situation OK. If possible try to let her out when you are in and can call her back. Its sounds like she knows the outside area very well already and can easily find her way home. As you know cat use scent trails to explore and navigate


As we all know cats sleep the majority of the time
so once she has her fun and games outside you can make sure she is in your home. She'll have had a great time and ready for a good old snooze and dream about her adventures


As long as you make sure your cat has the necessary vaccinations along with flea/tick prevention then you are certainly reducing those type of problems.

Well I hope you come up with a solution and I am sure in time you and your kitty will get into a routine that satisfies you both


Keep us posted !
I haven't called the vet yet for a number of reasons...


Yes, I think she may just be one of those cats who wants to patrol her territory a bit. This worries me. Not just because of the immediate concerns, but because I also live in NYC and sooner or later we're going back to my apartment there and there is no outdoor space there at all except my 5 story up Manhattan fire escape which there's no way I'm letting her out on. I don't want her to get too used to The Great Outdoors or this particular neighborhood so she doesn't realize so much what will be missing there. I know that's asking a lot. And it's another reason why I don't want to bring another cat into the fold.

Where there not this other gang of cats around (this gang she seems intent upon joining) I'd be totally cool with her hanging out in the yard for a few hours a time. While I watched her. Frankly, I'm terrified of her not coming back. She was a really sickly kitten and I'm very emotionally invested in her; those 45 mins when I had no idea where she was, my house didn't even feel like a home to me anymore. That's my own issue I guess, but there's nothing I love more than coming home and saying hello to her. The hour she was gone, I was just worried had she been hit? beaten up? cut herself? etc...was she ever coming home or had I just carelessly allowed my girl to suffer and die? On the other hand, I'm like, if she wants to be out this badly, I should really just let her go and if she comes back, great, and, if she doesn't, hopefully, she'll have become a happy hobo.

She was very curious when I let her out & watched her for that hour. She would go so far and then trace back, go in a differnt direction and trace back, and on. She was intentionally learning the area. But anytime it got past my yard (which is only partially fenced) I would freak out a bit.

I work during the day (though not every day) and I'm not comfortable letting her out at night or dusk nor while I'm gone at this point. And have a lot to get done when I'm not at work so can't watch her constantly outside. Realistically, I could spend about 5 hours in the yard a week with her during daylight. But I don't want her to get used to that and then take it away from her. I have much more time to spend with her int eh house while I'm getting other things done.

She's got all her shots but there's no shot for feline leukemia or feline AIDs. These cats around look pretty healthy except for the big mean one with the bite marks and other stuff. But who knows what they've got? I just don't know what to do with her and I can't live with all the windows closed forever, her screaming forever, etc.

Do you think getting her a kitten or rodent would distract her and keep her company enough that she might get off the outside jag?
 

mooficat

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Thanks Noon for more information, I can see your problem a lot better now
yes things are a bit sticky for you


I've never heard of getting a rodent for a cat as a playmate
and would be a bit worried that your cat would get over zealous and kill it, which of course thats not what you are trying to do.

Another kitten buddy is a good idea, but then as you mentioned that does mean more costs and effort with settling a new one into your household.

Also not sure what you mean about theres no vaccination for feline leukemia - my cats have one every year - the FeLV vaccination is highly recommended for outdoor kitties. I also think they have developed a jab for feline aids, FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) back in 2002, I'm not sure on its current status.

Maybe your cat - whats her name - just needs more playtime with you - which I know can be hard, when you've been out working all day and just want to chill in the evening - so how long do you manage to get to play with her ? Its also might help to have half an hour before you go out in the morning - just a thought, let me know what you think

 

bkydrose

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When you had the screens fixed did you use pet screen material? It's made of heavy duty vinyl coated polyester and much more difficult for cats to tear. It doesn't let as much light and air in as the normal screens do, but my cats have not been able to damage it at all. I also keep their nails trimmed.

My cats love looking out the window, watching the birds and the squirrels, and smelling the air. I think that if your cat was able to do that safely she would be happier.

Denise
 

larke

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Absolutely get her a friend - a younger male would be perfect as she won't necessarily feel as territorial about him as she would with another female.
 
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