Hello and thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer
I'm a 1st time cat owner and am trying to figure out what to expect out of our lil furry feline friends. I've made a couple posts already about my cat Merlin, and have been offered some excellent advise. I've had Merlin for about a year. He's approximately 6 years old and I'm his 3rd owner. If it matters, I was told by the sister of the original owner, who gave him to me, her brother was a drunken jerk and would abuse him.
Right now I'm trying to figure out how to let him go outside without putting him at much risk. This whole time I've had Merlin, he hasn't shown any desire to go outside. That changed all of a sudden about a week ago and now he's obsessed with going outside. His previous owners (The sister of the original owner) use to let him go out with some regularity, and I'm guessing he's finally gotten comfortable enough with his environment here that being an in-door cat isn't cutting it for him any more.
Unfortunately, I live in a condo building next to a Forrest preserve and a very busy street. So the idea of opening the door and just letting him out like his previous owners isn't an option. I've taken him outside a couple times (As I followed him around) and he loved it. A little to much to from the looks of it. During out last trip outside, he sort of bolted away from me. He didn't stay far and I got him right away, but it was sudden enough and far enough that it scared me out of letting him run free. I went to the pet store and bought the most expensive harness they had, thinking it should be the best.
I went to put it on him tonight and I got a fight. He hissed, and growled and struggled with me putting it on him. At the time I thought it was a pretty normal reaction for a cat being put in a harness for the first time. After I got it about half way on, he started gagging uncontrollably. Although there seemed to be plenty of room, I thought I had it on to tight and adjusted it. I took a few minutes to pet him to calm him down. Which seemed to work and he settled down enough for me to get it completely on him.
He wasn't thrilled about wearing it until he realized I was taking him outside. Once outside he seemed fine and became more interested in everything that was going on around him. I connected him to a retractable leash and followed him around for about 15 minutes. In that time we came extremely close to a possum (To close for comfort) that suddenly appeared out of the bushes. Merlin just stood his ground and growled at the thing as it walked away. We also saw a skunk about 40 feet away a few minutes later. I've heard coyotes and have seen some huge raccoon's in the Forrest preserve too. So the chances of me just letting him out is zero.
Merlin seemed to be having the time of his life slowly exploring, when he started venturing to close to a large creek with heavy foliage. I didn't want him getting to close to it and stopped following him. I did not yank on the leash or anything, but he went to keep walking and couldn't because I had stopped. All of a sudden he started fighting with the harness and jumping around like mad. He was going crazy enough I was worried he might get out of the harness, so I picked him up to try and calm him down. As soon as I picked him up though, he started gagging again uncontrollably.
I decided Merlin had enough excitement for one night, but was willing to sit outside my place (Our common hallway is exposed to outside) and let him roam up and down the hall. I put him down and for a second he seemed fine, when he practically had a seizure. He started gagging and upchucking like crazy (More spit than puke) and suddenly, and very literally, started climbing the brick exterior just outside of my apartment door. I opened the door to let him in and I have never seen that cat move so fast as he ran inside. Once inside he went nuts and started climbing all over things, jumping around, all while upchucking.
I got the harness off him and he almost immediately calmed down. Unfortunately for the next 20-30 minutes, I followed him around, cleaning his upchuck as he had this "seizure". At this point I'm assuming his reaction was due to the stress of wearing a harness. Although I'm not sure. He is obviously not feeling very well as I would approach him and give him a couple reassuring pets, when he would walk away from me and keep his back to me (Which I took as a sign of his displeasure with me) and would upchuck a little more.
Eventually, he wound up laying down on one of my pillows on my bed. I left him alone for about an hour and then approached him. I stroked him gently on his forehead, which he usually enjoys. He was clearly not himself though, and almost seemed depressed by his reaction as he just laid his head on my pillow. After a few minutes though he got up and jumped into my bath tub. Which as near as I can tell was his "safe place" at his original owners. I took it as a sign he wanted to be left alone, so I figured the best way to deal with him at the moment is let him approach me.
I want to try and let him go outside but in a way I can be assured is safe. I feel horrible about putting him through this... Unfortunately based on his reaction to the harness, I don't know if letting him go outside is going to be possible. Can anyone recommend a good harness that won't completely stress a cat out about wearing? Once again, thanks in advance for anyones help
I'm a 1st time cat owner and am trying to figure out what to expect out of our lil furry feline friends. I've made a couple posts already about my cat Merlin, and have been offered some excellent advise. I've had Merlin for about a year. He's approximately 6 years old and I'm his 3rd owner. If it matters, I was told by the sister of the original owner, who gave him to me, her brother was a drunken jerk and would abuse him.
Right now I'm trying to figure out how to let him go outside without putting him at much risk. This whole time I've had Merlin, he hasn't shown any desire to go outside. That changed all of a sudden about a week ago and now he's obsessed with going outside. His previous owners (The sister of the original owner) use to let him go out with some regularity, and I'm guessing he's finally gotten comfortable enough with his environment here that being an in-door cat isn't cutting it for him any more.
Unfortunately, I live in a condo building next to a Forrest preserve and a very busy street. So the idea of opening the door and just letting him out like his previous owners isn't an option. I've taken him outside a couple times (As I followed him around) and he loved it. A little to much to from the looks of it. During out last trip outside, he sort of bolted away from me. He didn't stay far and I got him right away, but it was sudden enough and far enough that it scared me out of letting him run free. I went to the pet store and bought the most expensive harness they had, thinking it should be the best.
I went to put it on him tonight and I got a fight. He hissed, and growled and struggled with me putting it on him. At the time I thought it was a pretty normal reaction for a cat being put in a harness for the first time. After I got it about half way on, he started gagging uncontrollably. Although there seemed to be plenty of room, I thought I had it on to tight and adjusted it. I took a few minutes to pet him to calm him down. Which seemed to work and he settled down enough for me to get it completely on him.
He wasn't thrilled about wearing it until he realized I was taking him outside. Once outside he seemed fine and became more interested in everything that was going on around him. I connected him to a retractable leash and followed him around for about 15 minutes. In that time we came extremely close to a possum (To close for comfort) that suddenly appeared out of the bushes. Merlin just stood his ground and growled at the thing as it walked away. We also saw a skunk about 40 feet away a few minutes later. I've heard coyotes and have seen some huge raccoon's in the Forrest preserve too. So the chances of me just letting him out is zero.
Merlin seemed to be having the time of his life slowly exploring, when he started venturing to close to a large creek with heavy foliage. I didn't want him getting to close to it and stopped following him. I did not yank on the leash or anything, but he went to keep walking and couldn't because I had stopped. All of a sudden he started fighting with the harness and jumping around like mad. He was going crazy enough I was worried he might get out of the harness, so I picked him up to try and calm him down. As soon as I picked him up though, he started gagging again uncontrollably.
I decided Merlin had enough excitement for one night, but was willing to sit outside my place (Our common hallway is exposed to outside) and let him roam up and down the hall. I put him down and for a second he seemed fine, when he practically had a seizure. He started gagging and upchucking like crazy (More spit than puke) and suddenly, and very literally, started climbing the brick exterior just outside of my apartment door. I opened the door to let him in and I have never seen that cat move so fast as he ran inside. Once inside he went nuts and started climbing all over things, jumping around, all while upchucking.
I got the harness off him and he almost immediately calmed down. Unfortunately for the next 20-30 minutes, I followed him around, cleaning his upchuck as he had this "seizure". At this point I'm assuming his reaction was due to the stress of wearing a harness. Although I'm not sure. He is obviously not feeling very well as I would approach him and give him a couple reassuring pets, when he would walk away from me and keep his back to me (Which I took as a sign of his displeasure with me) and would upchuck a little more.
Eventually, he wound up laying down on one of my pillows on my bed. I left him alone for about an hour and then approached him. I stroked him gently on his forehead, which he usually enjoys. He was clearly not himself though, and almost seemed depressed by his reaction as he just laid his head on my pillow. After a few minutes though he got up and jumped into my bath tub. Which as near as I can tell was his "safe place" at his original owners. I took it as a sign he wanted to be left alone, so I figured the best way to deal with him at the moment is let him approach me.
I want to try and let him go outside but in a way I can be assured is safe. I feel horrible about putting him through this... Unfortunately based on his reaction to the harness, I don't know if letting him go outside is going to be possible. Can anyone recommend a good harness that won't completely stress a cat out about wearing? Once again, thanks in advance for anyones help
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