Hi all..
We recently moved house with our elderly cats both 15yrs old. Before the move they had unlimited access to the outside via cat flap. They were safe as it was a quiet cul de sac. Our new house is a lot bigger but close to a busy road so we have decided to keep them indoors now full time. They took to using tray straight away which was good. We take them outside with a harness when the weather is nice, one of them has a quick sniff where visiting cats have been and heads back indoors in minutes, the other has a bit more of a wander around and sit sniffing the air before returning indoors. They have become more demanding, mowing at us, 1 of my boys is deaf now and he randomly started mowing loudly about a month ago, he is normally laid back and happy to sleep most of the day as long as he has his dinner when he asks. The other boy is a bit more delicate and likes a cuddle, he started walking away from us to the far end of the house and mow loudly as soon as I say his name his mow changes like he is a little kitten, it's like he goes off makes out he is lost and then comes for a cuddle when he realised he's not lost... It's a full time job... At the moment they are both sound asleep upstairs
Margaret. Spencer and Alfie.
Movinging house is a big change and a lot of stress for anyone, it sounds like your lads are adjusting as well as could be expected. I fully agree with you decision to keep them inside. a quiet cul de sac is one thing (I'm lucky enough to live on one so my three have free roam), asking them to learn to cope with a busy road would be asking for disaster in my opinion, some might make the change, but I don't think it is worth it if they are happy enough inside, particularly as they are developing the health problems that come to us all with age.
Give them a fuss from me and I hope they give you many more years of company.
Thank you for your reply, we love our boys very much and do hope they are with us for many more years, they have driven us mad and wreaked our house for 15 years and still they are our babies
I am sure you are right & also that they will settle more as time passes. I've just started caring for a 16y old who is quite deaf & recovering from the effects of untreated hyperthyroidism. Although I'm in a cul-de-sac I'm not letting her out alone & she has adapted quite well to a harness & lead (Mynwood harness). However, I've found that with the lead extended with some rope (just what was handy!) she is quite happy lolling around on the grass while I garden nearby. I moor her to a tree or something where I can see if she gets bored. That might be a way of letting yours have more outside time if they want it & you a little more freedom
A friend had a slightly different idea to let her cat enjoy the garden - instead of tying the rope to a tree she tied it to her washing line, which ran the length of her garden, giving the cat plenty of room to play. It all depends on the size and layout of the garden.
It's a full time job... At the moment they are both sound asleep upstairs 
