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- Oct 21, 2020
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I got a great suction cupped bird feeder on Amazon that I attached to the window of my fourth floor deck. Kitty has a ledge on the other side. Fun for all!
Don't risk it, attach more chicken wire over the top and completely enclose it. You never know when she might decide to climb out after a Bird, Squirrel, another Cat, etc.The "catio" is just six feet of chicken wire enclosing the balcony - but the balcony has a nine foot ceiling, so I've got three feet of prime bird real estate right above the edge of the chicken wire.
The lady downstairs has a bunch of bird feeders and baths on her balcony as well, we'll get a good setup going for our feathered and furry friends.
I am weighing this option but that is going to be much more difficult as the ceiling isn’t totally level. I’m trying to figure out how to solve that problem in an aesthetically appealing way since you are right that disaster can strike, and that’s why she’s not allowed out there without me right now. Are the odds of a 12 year old domestic longhair who is visibly scared of heights making it up over six-plus feet of chicken wire very slim? Yes. Would I ever be able to forgive myself if she did? No.Don't risk it, attach more chicken wire over the top and completely enclose it. You never know when she might decide to climb out after a Bird, Squirrel, another Cat, etc.
You shouldn't need to attach it to the ceiling itself, if the top of the wire walls are below that you can lay the wire across the top and secure it to the sides with zip ties.I am weighing this option but that is going to be much more difficult as the ceiling isn’t totally level.
Yeah, if she was actually depressed you would know it without doubt. She would sulk around, not want to eat, possibly urinate on your bed/clothes/other belongings, and may not groom herself properly or even stop grooming entirely depending on how traumatized she was feeling. It sounds like she just needs a bit more time to fully accept her new surroundings, but seems to be doing just fine.Well, as mentioned in my previous post, I think I really have just been overthinking this. She's clearly not thrilled that I'm gone and has lots more to say to me when I'm home, but I think a lot of my concern has been from a lack of cat knowledge, mistaking "this is how much a 12-year-old cat will normally sleep" for "she's depressed and lethargic!"
She's getting more comfortable in the new spot and I'm sure once she adjusts to the vertical space in particular - she has way more windowsills, shelves, perches, and cat trees to climb now than she used to - it will be more fun for her to explore the apartment during the day. But she's eating normally, grooming normally, litter box habits haven't changed, and I assume if she were depressed she wouldn't spend so much time sleeping on her back happily wiggling her paws.
Sounds like separation anxiety.Alright, we've hit our first snag, I think because I was also gone a lot this weekend. She didn't sleep well last night, waking up meowing loudly around 4:30am and not stopping until I carried her into my bedroom. As I was getting ready for work she marched into the bathroom and started meowing at me in a frantic tone, and then sat on my lap to try to prevent me from leaving when I was putting my shoes on.
I wish I knew what she was saying when she gets all cranky like this, or how to help!