DEAR JOAN: We simply added a catio to our terrace for our two grownup ragdoll cats which have all the time been indoor cats. We thought they’d like to spend time with us outdoors admiring nature.
Not!
They’re very traumatised and attempt to tear it aside to flee, whereas crying the complete time. We’ve added extra enjoyable issues to the catio (toys and a scratch pad) and we’ve been preserving the door to the catio open so it doesn’t really feel a lot like a cage. What different issues can we do to assist them study to like their new setting?
— Christine Buss, Palo Alto
DEAR CHRISTINE: The nice outside is usually a large and scary place, particularly for cats who’ve solely seen it from the security of the good indoors. As a result of that is their first expertise of being on the surface, they is likely to be overwhelmed by all of it, not recognizing that they’re in a protecting enclosure.
In your pleasure to supply your cats with a deal with, you might need moved too shortly. Cats are very a lot creatures of behavior and lots of are very comfy contained in the protecting (and strong) partitions of their house.
You would possibly want to start out over with brief visits to the catio and by becoming a member of your cats contained in the enclosure, taking part in with them and having some cuddle time. Slowly enhance the period of time they’re within the catio, and reduce your period of time inside.
You may additionally wish to improve the sensation of safety by draping sheets over many of the catio. As they begin to really feel extra comfy, begin peeling again the sheets to show extra of the out of doors view.
You’re doing all the suitable issues now, so simply preserve at it.
DEAR JOAN: I’m wondering if whether or not home cats who love sleeping outside are at risk from the quite a few hawks I see circling round I-580 between Excessive Avenue and Keller Avenue the place the Oakland Zoo is situated.
We’ve three white Persians who could also be straightforward to identify as a result of their white fur may be very brilliant. Our cats vary between 2 to 11 years outdated and weigh round 9 kilos.
— Robert Zolly, Oakland
DEAR ROBERT: Hawks will and do prey on cats and small canine, however assaults are rare. With any predators, measurement issues. Kittens and unhealthy cats usually tend to be preyed upon by hawks than bigger, wholesome grownup cats.
Hawks feed on rats and mice, squirrels and different birds, but when they’re hungry or searching for meals for his or her offspring, a small cat or canine is likely to be taken. The larger risk to out of doors cats is coyotes, which additionally hunt smaller animals however go after cats extra usually than birds of prey do.
One of the best ways to guard your cats is to maintain them indoors, and I extremely suggest that or utilizing a catio. However in the event you insist on letting your cats snooze outdoors, you need to be a part of them each time they’re outdoors. The presence of a human is a deterrent to most predators. You additionally ought to preserve them indoors round daybreak and nightfall, which is when hawks are more than likely to be out searching.
