English/German as always. Expand for full album
Miez has gotten quite used to going outside on her own while I keep track of her via GPS. I have this window that is divided into two parts, the smaller of which opens first. So this is the perfect exit and entry point for her.
Nachdem ich endlich verstanden habe, dass meine Miez nicht auf das etwaig nasse Fensterbrett hüpfen möchte, also habe ich ihr eine Katzentreppe mit Durchgangsschleuse gebaut.
Miez hat sich super dran gewöhnt alleine raus zu gehen, während ich per GPS genau weiß, wo sie sich rum treibt. Ich habe dieses geteilte Fenster von dem der kleinere Teil sich zuerst öffnen lässt. Das ist perfekt als Durchgang für sie.
Lately however she went outside here, then waited to be let in at the terrace (other side of the house). She refused to go back in by this window. So today I gave in and upcycled the rest of a living room wall I got from a friend (the majority went into another project).
Seit Herbst ist hat sie jedoch damit angefangen, zwar noch hinten raus zu gehen, will dann aber unbedingt vorne zur Terasse wieder rein gelassen werden, und weigert sich strikt das Fenster zu benutzen. Also hab ich ihrer Bitte Gewähr geleistet und habe den Rest der alten Wohnzimmerwand eines Freundes verbastelt (den Großteil hab ich für ein anderes Projekt gebraucht).
Miez kept a close look at every step, even defying the noise of my jigsaw at times. I think by now she knows that most of the stuff I build is for her.
Miez hat mir trotz Stichsäge stets zugeschaut. Ich denke sie weiß, dass das meiste das ich baue für sie ist.
Most of the times she interrupts me like this is to demand cuddles though.
Meistens wenn sie so nah kommt, will sie für Kuschelpausen sorgen.
As the raw material is really practical I had finished this in just a couple of hours. I’m contemplating giving the wood some additional protection, but I don’t think it’s worth the effort. I built the entrance way like this so less heat escapes. Once she’s used to it, I’ll make the openings smaller, possibly with some cat flap.
Da das Rohmaterial sehr praktisch ist, hat mich das ganze nur wenige Stunden gekostet. Ich überlege, das Holz noch besser zu schützen, aber bin mir unsicher ob es den Mehraufwand wert ist. Ich habe so eine Schleuse gebaut, damit weniger Heizwarme flöten geht. Wenn sie sich dran gewöhnt hat, mach ich die Öffnungen noch kleiner, wahrscheinlich mit ner Katzenklappe.
With a little encouragement, she went for it. Sorry for the imgur upload, I currently don’t have any other video hoster (that actually deletes files when I remove them).
Mit etwas Ermutigung hat es schnell geklappt. Sorry dass ich noch imgur verwende, hab noch keine neue gute Plattform für Videouploads (die entfernte Sachen auch wirklich löscht).
Why are so many people making jokes about ecological destruction? No, you’re not “literal Satan hurr durr” but you’re kind of a piece of shit.
This ain’t it OP. I am a nature guy and a cat guy so I get it, but it really is not it.
Vorsicht vor Ratten. Ich habe eine Ratte mal unabsichtlich in meine Küche hereingeladen durch so eine Leiter aus Reben wachsen lassen. Die hat die Besuche mehr als ich genossen.
Watch out for rats. I accidentally invited a rat into my kitchen once by letting vines grow onto a ladder like that. It enjoyed the visit more than I.
Hi,
Hope your are doing well.
I just want to let you know that you are literally Satan for letting your cat out and are personally responsible for the destruction of the environment. You personally, not my rampant consumption and pollution.
Best regards.hey, this sounds familiar…
I got the /s my bro.
Funny how this time two people post comments like yours before anybody who is serious about this.
“if other people are worse, it’s fine if I’m a dick too”
I love that Miez is beginning to understand that the jigsaw noise means “new things for me” :)
I like how you barricaded half of your window for the cat.
It’s only my small guest room, mostly only used for the cat toilets, so I don’t really mind. I’ll probably cut off some of the upper part though.
if you posted this on reddit you would be flamed into oblivion by virtue signalling blowhards how letting a cat out is literally Satan and you are personally responsible for the destruction of the environment and not their own rampant consumption and pollution.
It’s still not good. Not gonna call op Satan, and I had outdoor cats as a kiddo.
I like that you imply people should do whatever they want, regardless of consequences, if there’s other bad things happening too. Fuck that. Do the right thing as often as you can. It doesn’t matter if that’s being more conscious of pollution and consumption, keeping cats indoors (for their health and for the environment), or whatever else you can do to improve yourself and the world. Just because other people do bad things doesn’t give you an excuse to also. If you can recognize the failure of others then you’re perfectly capable of recognizing it in yourself too.
I am well aware of that, these holier-than-though people exist here as well. Also, my conscience is clear as Miez only hunts mice by sitting in front of their entrances. She is way too old, slow and limping to learn catching birds.
I’d be more worried for her safety then if that’s true
To people like me it’s a risk reward calculation, to others it’s about eliminating even the slightest risk. It’s a question of mindset. To me, the other mindset doesn’t make sense and is even a slippery slope, as this is how you end up with helicopter parents, surveillance states etc., all because of giving yourself an impossible task.
I have considered the risks, have watched how she behaves, and have come to the conclusion that it’s worth the risk as long as her hearing and eyesight are still good.
Worth it to gain what?
You are not re-wilding an animal that’s gotten used to being in a zoo.
Your logic is like overfeeding a pet because it likes the food enough to keep eating it.
Your cat is not a toddler that will one day need to be a functioning member of society. You can and should make decisions that ensure its safety in exchange for its freedoms.
It’s the same reasoning behind why you don’t let a child hit the town until they’re old enough. The difference, is that a cat is never “old enough”. It’s a pet.
We’re not in the American wilderness, tho.
Like the other guy said.
How can your conscience be clear, if the one in danger is Miez?
This is Germany. What’s going to eat her, a blue tit? Wolves don’t come this close to houses and kites don’t eat cats.
Parasites. Disease. Pest traps. Poisons. Traffic. Dangerous climbs. Other cats. People.
I know someone who had three cats get run over before they learned to keep them inside. They live on an island in the finnish archipelago that barely even has roads let alone traffic.
Another friend lost two cats to a neighbour who fed them poisoned chicken.
Go on. Tell me there’s zero risk.
Life is risky. You should probably go outside today without fearing that a meteor will strike you… And so should that cat. By all means, take reasonable precautions, but your comment is over the top.
Listing five preventably dead cats I personally knew is over the top?
Why is taking the risk important?
You are not re-wilding an animal that’s gotten used to being in a zoo, in order to restore an endangered species.
You are releasing a domestic pet into an uncontrolled environment.
Why is it important to do that? And why does this importance only apply to cats?
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That 1 minute and 47 seconds of full on supportive & encouraging communication tho … <3
Looks totally sweet! I don’t necessarily approve of the seemingly flat window sills (a little slope for the water to run off would be nice) but I’m guessing you didn’t install them. Good project for a lovely cause. <3
They actually are normally sloped, it just doesn’t show in my construction as I cut the wood on the bottom with the same slope. I’ll see if it becomes a problem on the top of the entrance box thingy, I might have to add some sloped roof there.
Don’t know why, but I bet OP knows a bit about the Kansas City Shuffle.
You can ignore this comment, OP. I’m sure you’ve heard all this before and already have practice.
This is for everyone else.
A cat can live a perfectly happy life without danger. Do not let them outside without a leash.
“Outdoor” cats die earlier and are at greater risk of parasites and disease. That is a fact. Most animal shelters include a contractual obligation not to do what OP does in their adoption agreements. Violating this requirement would be considered animal abuse, and grounds for them to take the animal back for re-adoption.
Transitioning an outdoor cat to indoor life can be difficult, but what OP does is not normal and should not be. No-one should let a pet outside unattended. And most people wouldn’t. But for some reson some people make an exception for cats. And only cats. This is a logical error.
Animals are either wild or domestic. Not both.
I’m pretty sure OP wouldn’t let a dog roam free, yet all the same logic for why that is so, applies to cats.
The needs of a cat that are fulfilled by the outdoors, can be fulfilled indoors. Places to hide, surfaces to scratch, toys to play with, etc. If your cat is miserable indoors, that’s on you, not the nature of the animal.
“Outdoor” cats die earlier
My wife had a cat that loved to sneak outside when I would let the dog outside (into our fenced yard). June 8th 2023 he snuck out at 1am. I was too tired to go search for him and thought he would be fine until morning (previous nights he snuck out unnoticed be was always at the door crying to get back inside in the morning), so i went back to bed and did not wake my wife. We have never seen him again.
