[taylor111947]

My house is going on the market in a week or so and I can't figure out what to do with my cat. She's not an outdoor cat and I'm really afraid with people going in and out that she will escape.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[runnermi]

Normally my cats run and hide the minute they hear strange voices. Do you have a friend who can foster your cat? Or stick a note on the door to be mindful of the escape artist kitty? Normally real estate agents call before showing the house to give you time to vacant. Can you cage her if you know they are on the way? Or take kitty with you in a cat carrier?

[Tom Hannon]

For our cat we have this green screen house where he hangs out for hours at a time. I don't know the brand off the tpo of my headbone but I can find out if you are interested. It is meant mostly for ourdoors but can work inside the house.

[jblum8156]

I understand your fear. One of my cats escaped while people were looking at our house, and I never saw her again. I would recommend that if you are leaving the house while people are viewing, take the cat with you in a cat carrier. Pets in the house really don't make a good impression anyway.

[redwitch]

When I was selling a house in California, I put the cats in the small closet in the spare room with a picture of the closet on the door and a note asking that the closet not be opened because of the cats. There was room in the closet for the cat box, food and water (I put plastic down so that the cat sand wouldn't get into the carpet). I also required that all showings be by appointment only because of the cats. Worked like a charm.

[graciegirl]

We were selling a house a long time ago and our indoor Himalayan cat Weebok lived with us, and we were going to breed her once before she was spayed.

Weebok was always there when the house was shown and was always there when we got back. BUT she must have gotten out at least once.............

Imagine our surprise when she had kittens. They were beautiful all white and had her blue eyes. We suspect a white stray who hung around the house..OUTSIDE and who we fed and who really had the personality of a good ole beer drinkin', fast talking, heart breaking guy.

We were glad they didn't get married, but they had some cute kids.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

We were selling a house a long time ago and our indoor Himalayan cat Weebok lived with us, and we were going to breed her once before she was spayed.

Weebok was always there when the house was shown and was always there when we got back. BUT she must have gotten out at least once.............

Imagine our surprise when she had kittens. They were beautiful all white and had her blue eyes. We suspect a white stray who hung around the house..OUTSIDE and who we fed and who really had the personality of a good ole beer drinkin', fast talking, heart breaking guy.

We were glad they didn't get married, but they had some cute kids.

Sounds like a "hit and run".......

Bill

[katezbox]

Reminds me of a beautiful British Short Hair that we rescued. Tessa was my son's cat. Around the time she was due to be spayed, my ex lost his job - so all discretionary spending was put on hold. Tessa was an indoor cat, but, when she went into heat, had a large contingent of "admirers." We called them her "boyfriends."

Imagine our surprise when my daughter (age 5) looked out the window and said that Tessa had gotten outside and one of her boyfriends was on top of her and that she didn't seem to mind at all! She (my daughter) wanted to immediately call her bff who happened to be a minster's daughter!

Those were the days! The daughter is now 29, Tessa has gone on to her reward in kitty heaven and the minister adopted one of the kittens (also gone on to her reward).

[runnermi]

Gracie and Katezbox, I love the pregnant cat stories. Very funny!

I have always let my cats outside. As long as I am home, I am okay with them going outside. If I am leaving the house, I herd them back inside and they also are inside at night. I know a lot of people disagree with that but I haven't lost one yet in over 27 years of owning the little fur faces.

They stick very close to home and also know where home is. If they escape outside, I know they will be back just as soon as they are tired, hungry or cold. One of my babies lived to 21 and another to 20. My Vet told me whatever I was doing to keep it up as the oldest one she ever had was 18.

It has given me some interesting encounters with other critters. Frogs, chipmunks, birds, etc. in the house. You never know what they might drag in and drop. The frogs were the most interesting. Some days it can be like a 3 ring circus. I am usually able to rescue the victim and return them to the wild unscathed.

Gail in Michigan

[skyguy79]

Originally Posted by runnermi

Gracie and Katezbox, I love the pregnant cat stories. Very funny!

I have always let my cats outside. As long as I am home, I am okay with them going outside. If I am leaving the house, I herd them back inside and they also are inside at night. I know a lot of people disagree with that but I haven't lost one yet in over 27 years of owning the little fur faces.

They stick very close to home and also know where home is. If they escape outside, I know they will be back just as soon as they are tired, hungry or cold. One of my babies lived to 21 and another to 20. My Vet told me whatever I was doing to keep it up as the oldest one she ever had was 18.

It has given me some interesting encounters with other critters. Frogs, chipmunks, birds, etc. in the house. You never know what they might drag in and drop. The frogs were the most interesting. Some days it can be like a 3 ring circus. I am usually able to rescue the victim and return them to the wild unscathed.

Gail in Michigan

Gail, you are quite fortunate that there have been no incidences that have made you sorry that you didn't decide otherwise about letting you cats out of the house.

Many many years ago we used to let our cat out. We would let her out of our upstairs bedroom window and she would climb down a tree like shrub and back up to meow at our window when she wanted back in.

Twenty some years ago there was a serious racoon rabies scare in our area and that was the last we ever let her out and have never let any subsequent cats out. We have no regrets for that decision.

What I guess I'm trying to say is that anytime we let our pets out there is always a risk, and we all have to consider and judge that risk for ourselves before deciding to let out pets out.

[Mich_Duval]

I would agree make the showings by appointment only and get a cat carrier so you can take her with you.

I believe that is the safest way, so you know your kitty will still be with you in your new home.

Best of luck!

[RichieLion]

Originally Posted by Mich_Duval

I would agree make the showings by appointment only and get a cat carrier so you can take her with you.

I believe that is the safest way, so you know your kitty will still be with you in your new home.

Best of luck!

This is a great idea. I caged my cats when the house was shown and it worked out fine.

I took my cats to my vet in NJ, who also boards cats, while my house was packed for the move to TV so I didn't have to worry about them being upset with the commotion. They all had physicals and shots updated, and on the morning of my drive to TV they were all given mild sedatives and loaded in their cage in the back of the car and mostly dosed the entire 18 hours down which we drove in one trip, changing drivers as needed.

By the time we reached TV they were alert and wide eyed and curious.

It all worked out wonderfully and now my cats are kings of the lanai where you will see them stretched out in the sun on most occasions.

[laryb]

We showed our home twice and accepted the offer from the second couple. We left the cat in the house (he's an indoor Maine Coon) and told the realtor to make sure he didn't get out. He said it wouldn't be a problem and does it all the time. When I returned from driving my drooling Bullmastiff around for 4 hours, my agent told me how much he liked our cat and that the people looking at the house liked him too. Two days later we exchanged offers and agreed to sell. The next morning we received a call from my agent saying that he had a strange request from the buyers. They still loved the house and were still buying, but wanted to know if we would be willing to leave the cat! In this case, I think he might have helped with the sale. By the way, I respectfully declined, I'm not going anywhere without him! I never liked cats, so it's pretty strange to so attached to one.

[taylor111947]

FYI - in case anyone else has the dilemma I described in my original post. I found a 'cat gate' (sort of like a child's gate) that is 4 ft high. I close the cat into the upstairs bathroom with the gate, put the litter box in the linen closet (out of site, but not out of reach) and put her food/water bowls on the floor. Potential buyers can see the bathroom without removing the gate and the cat is perfectly happy there (until I get home). So far she has not tried to climb or jump the gate.

[redwitch]

lary - What a sweet face! No wonder the buyers wanted him. And a bull mastiff! I LOVE that breed. They are such sweet giants. Where's his pic?