A Bola first............

............he wanted to go out last thing at night yesterday, but I made him stay in.

Normally, even if he's out, he comes in as I'm getting ready for bed and dashes upstairs, but he was already in last night playing with Dexter and Jimmy. I let those two out at midnight then locked the flap, and instead of going upstairs, this time Bola just sat there pawing at the flap. I can't deny I felt a bit guilty at not letting him out, but he's so used to the flap being open during the day he'd probably have expected it to be open if I'd let him out.

I don't know why I don't trust him to stay out of trouble overnight, he's old enough now to do so, but for some reason I still think of him as a kitten The only all nighter he's had here was when I once locked the flap thinking he was in, but wasn't when I went to bed, and he was there on my step the next morning. Now the weather is better I think I might let him out if he asks again, but I know I wouldn't sleep easy if I do.

Ian

Well don't let our two out at night either, Moto used to get out but all he did was fight which is surprising as he's such a wuss, but on Monday, he was being a right pain, so steve let him out at nine when he went to badmington, well at 11, just as I was drifting into a sleep, there was this horrendous noise outside the bedroom window, I went to look and there he was (Moto) chasing this wee black cat,
So he eventually came in when Steve came home, and the flap was closed, no way could I put up with that racket during the night, funny thing was, Sophie was watching from behind the blind, growling her little head off, oh the joys of cats and bedtime. LOL

Hi Kath,

For all I'd rather he stayed in, it's not really a matter of my (really) minding him being out, more a case of him never showing any interest in going out last thing at night before. Even before I started locking the flap he stayed in, so it's not my making him, it's been his choice.

If he asks again, I think I'll let him. I reckon it's his colour that makes me nervous about him having all nighters outside, he'll be all too easily missed on the road, but on the other hand he rarely goes there, tho' it only takes one mistake doesn't it?

Ian

Yeah it does, but the same can be said for during the day, Sophie runs across our main road in the village whenever we come home, and no doubt so many times during the day, but what can we do? apart from keep them in, and am not doing that.

If Bola asks again, I would let him out, maybe he won't go, but if he does, well, if he does, just hope he's safe.

Hi Kath,

I've decided, if he asks again, he can go.

It's not as tho' he'll be out for long, I don't go to bed much before 12.30 usually and I'm up between 5 and 6 most days. If he does go out I'll probably leave the flap open but shut the kitchen door for the first few times he does so he can at least get back in.

I could always leave the door open and set the flap so that he can come in once but can't go out again, but that'll mean any strangers visting in the early hours wouldn't be able to get out once they're in, and I don't want them wandering round the house, so perhaps this isn't a good idea

It's funny, I don't recall getting this many visitors while BT and Beckett were here, tho' I must have at least some as the flap was open 24/7.

Ian

Well these last few months you do seem to have had soooooooooooooo many new faces, as has been said before, word has got around, free board and lodgings at Ians. LOL

Very true Kath

I have made a useful discovery this week tho', right above/behind my recliner in the living room is a old fashioned serving hatch. Now whenever I hear the flap go I just open and shut the hatch, my lot are used to the sound now (except GT) but any strangers aren't and they leg it pronto. It's only a matter of time till they do get used to it, but in the meantime it means I'm not constantly getting up out of my chair to check who's just come in.

I should have thought about doing this ages ago

Ian

I can understand you still thinking of Bola as a kitten. I think him and Boo are around the same age and I certainly still think of her as a kitten. Bola is street savy tho, as you know... but... there is a big difference to him going out during the day and at night, the main difference being he couldn't get back in as the flap has to be locked to keep the visitors out, and during the day you have the comfort of knowing if something happened he could run home, whereas he's have no choice other than to fend for himself at night. That and they tend to stray further at night time and with that nutter cat hater in your neighbourhood you're right to want to know he's in and safe.

It probably is similar to a kid saying 'but my friends are allowed', so just tell him 'if dexter and jimmy jumped off a bridge...etc.' LOL! Aye, you're doing right keeping him in at night, he's your baby afterall and as dad its your job to keep him safe even when he may not like it! LOL!

I don't know Bolas exact age, but he's over 2, and as you say he's savvy enough to have stayed out of trouble when let out at all hours as a kitten before adopting me.

What happened to Beckett is bound to be at the back of my mind, but Bola would need to cross the road to get to that idiots house/garden, and that's something I've yet to see him do. When he goes to the front of the house he stays on my side of the road, occasionally he'll sit under parked cars, but that's about it. There are lots of cats near the poisoners house who roam freely but have come to no harm.

My biggest worry is that he follows Jimmy (who wanders miles) and ends up lost, but unlike when I found him, he's chipped and wears a collar at all times with my phone #, so if he is ever found lost they'll know who to contact.

He stayed in as usual last night, even tho' Max went out last thing, he didn't follow him downstairs but stayed fast asleep on my bed.............till I went to bed that is, that's his cue for demanding 10 minutes mad-cat-chasing-string time

Ian

I thought he was going to ask to go out last night as he really had it on him. I'd locked the flap and was washing a few dishes while he was sat looking out of the flap, I finished and headed for bed, called him and he came so far then sat down looking at the flap for a second or two before running upstairs. If he hadn't been in such a excitable mood I would probably have let him out, but when he's like this during the day he's in and out all the time, something he couldn't do if the flap was locked.

I'm starting to feel ever more guilty about keeping him in, tho' as worried about him as I'd be, it's more a case of keeping other cats out, but he won't know that.

Ian

He went out at 12.15 last night, but that was only because while he was dead to the world on the sofa, I took the chance to put his Frontline on. Needless to say he didn't stay asleep long before bolting thro' the flap and disappearing, tho' at least I managed to get it all on.

I gave up calling him, so left the flap open and went to bed and, barring my bedroom door, shut every door in the house. I hadn't been in bed long when he appeared, no doubt the little sod had waited to come in as my punishment as he knew I'd get up to lock the flap

Ian

LOL! Good job you did lock the flap, or you may have woken up to 4 dead birdies in your kitchen! LOL! Aye, they know how to punish us! After giving Mads her cystease this morning, when I fed her she turned her back on her food all huffed until I said sorry and gave her a stroke, then and only then would she eat! Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face! eh? LOL

As Max stayed in last night and GT came in at 12.15 for a very late supper, then curled up on his chair in the living room, before going to bed I had to set the flap so both could get out but not back in should they want to go out.

Both had, I saw Max sat under my fir tree when I opened the bedroom curtains, and there was no sign of GT when I went downstairs...................but there was no sign of Bola either. He usually appears when he hears me knocking about first thing, but not today, so I thought he'd gone out and must be sheltering somewhere, tho' he didn't come when I shouted him.

Of course, he hadn't gone out at all, instead of spending the night either on my bed or under it, he'd found a cosy, but well hidden, spot in the spare bedroom. It looks like I may be able to set the flap like this last thing from now on as he's most likely used to staying in at night and won't bother trying the flap, at least for a while.

Ian

Bola had his first all nighter outside last night.

He was in, along with Fudge and Jimmy when I went to bed, but he was in a right mood, chasing Jimmy round the house at gone 1am I'd set the flap so they could get out but not back in, and heard it go about 1.30, so didn't expect to see either of them this morning.

Surprisingly, Jimmy was in, on the junk room windowsill and Fudge was in her box, but no sign of Bola. At least it was mild overnight, tho' by the looks of things it had rained quite a bit, but I didn't have to go looking for him, as soon as I unlocked the door he heard me and came dashing home...............then spent the next 5 minutes greeting me like he hadn't seen me for a month

I suppose he'll expect to do this from now on, and I'd better get used to it, but it'll be a while before I'm happy about him staying out.

Ian

Big brave lad! LOL, he was probably having a ball! Like you tho, I would not be happy about him staying out all night.

He could have gone out again last night but stayed in. He was left to roam free when I first saw him as a very young kitten and came to no harm, so he's got the nous to stay out of trouble. After what happened to Beckett, I'm probably just being over protective of Bola.

Ian

No, no, not being overly protective at all there Ian, whatever he did as a free roaming kitten, he's a far cry from that kitten and without him being out all the time day and night like that, he may have lost some of his wariness and street nous. Besides he is your baby and you'll naturally feel protective of him especially as you say, after what happened to Beckett. But, its difficult to take away freedom, once he's used to it and his happiness is the most important thing.

Hi Helen,

I would hope he's still got the nous he had as a kitten, and then some, it's not as tho' he's been wrapped in cotton wool while he's been with me. The only difference between my house and his *real* home is that he can come and go as he pleases here, it's only relatively recently that I've started locking the flap at night. He never stayed out overnight when it was open 24/7 even tho' he could have done.

He went out at midnight (and stayed out) again last night, but couldn't wait to get back in this morning to say hello, then he was off again. As long as he doesn't wander too far, I'm happy-ish to let him stay out as it clearly makes him happy. The odds on what happened to Beckett happening to Bola are long, and the truth is it could just as easily happen during the day.

Ian

Aye, he certainly is a happy cat, but again it would be great to know what he actually does and where he goes... another instance for cat-cam! lol

I don't think he goes far on his travels, at least duriing the day. Whenever I shout him, 90% of the time he comes stroling home in less than 30 seconds, exactly the same as Beckett, tho' I often wonder if Bola ever goes near his *real* home as it's not that far away IIRC, and if they see and recognise him there.

He might well wander further at night, I know Beckett roamed much more than I ever imagined he did, so I guess all cats do it.

Ian

I found him sat on the shed roof with Fudge at gone midnight last night, but would he come down, would he hell so I left the flap open and before going to bed just after 12.30, pulled all the doors to except my bedroom so he could come in when he was ready.

At 1.15am I heard muffled miaowing and scratching, I knew it was Bola and thought he was on the stairs so shouted him, but no sign. After half an hour of said muffled miaowing and scratching I had to get up to see what was wrong, no sign of him on the stairs, nor downstairs either

It was only when I gave up and went back to bed that I realised he'd sneaked in unseen and was now in the spare bedroom but couldn't get out because I'd shut the door

Ian

Rofl! Serves him right for not coming down from the shed roof when called! lol! Oh thats funny, bet you were torn between laughing and awww'ing.

He had it on him last night big style..................

He dashed out as I was locking the doors just after midnight, but refused to come back in, giving me "I promise I'll come in and stay in, but only if you can catch me" miaows as he tore round the garden

I gave up after 15 minutes and went to bed, and typically, he came in voluntarily soon after

Ian

LOL! He is the lovable rogue!