Encyclopedia Tom and the mystery of the missing kitty

[bluegargantua]

Hi,

So this morning we woke up to discover we were short one cat. The fear was that she had escaped outside sometime during the night, because our back door was open, but we took a look around. Quickly ascertaining that no Thorn was to be found inside, I grabbed a spare jingle ball and went out.

I found her beneath the deck and she came over to the jingle ball. She was very unhappy about being picked up and returned to the drab confines of her home -- I now sport an impressive stigmata on my right hand.

Going out for groceries today I figured out how she got loose. Our back door has a screen door in front of it. This screen door isn't well attached and in strong gusts of wind will easily pop loose and swing back and forth. This we knew. What we did not know was that if the back door isn't locked, the air pressure of the closing screen door is just enough to open the back door a smidge. That smidge is more than enough for a determined kitty to worry at until it opens all the way and then she simply steps out.

So we're going to have to start locking the cats in full time.

Thorn seems none the worse for wear for her big adventure.

later
Tom

Comments

[mikecap.livejournal.com]

When they get outside, you have to worry about communicable diseases from other cats and parasites from the ground. My first cat got peritonitis from another cat's scratch, his belly filled with fluid, and he had to be put down - no cure. Plus there's feline leukemia and AIDS that are both very communicable...

It's really better for all cats to be indoors all the time. They'll have healthier lives.