I can't see it happening to be honest.

A cat would never allow another to pick at a wound, and in any case I've not seen any evidence from ours (who were youngsters when they were 'done') showing any interest in each other's scars.

As for not liking you for not letting them out, this could do them favours anyway. With idiots like PingMyPong around you don't want your pets out there anyway.

Far better indoors than the usual "put them out at night and when I'm at work and let them fend for themselves":

1) Cats *don't* like being locked out all the time. It's the whole reason they develop "feral tendencies" in the first place. A cat likes nothing more than its comfort. You put it out, and don't let it back in (as far as the cat is concerned this is what you are doing) and it will find the most agreeable alternative shelter it can find. If that means making friends with the family across the road, so be it.

2) The only reason people see putting cats out as being acceptable is that they don't generally cause much real disruption to other people's lives. Unlike dogs, which will naturally form packs and act aggressively to strangers if left to their own devices, a cat just wants to find a comfy corner to curl up in. But cats *are* a nuisance if they are put out, and you *are* being irresponsible by doing so.

Cats should be kept within the confines of the owner's territory. They only roam because they're put out for prolonged periods, and curiosity gets the better of them -- no different to dogs in this regard.

Keeping them indoors, or providing an easy path for them to get back into the house combined with having their litter tray indoors, gets rid of 99% of the antisocial behaviours people complain about.

Sooty & Sweep are just about 6 months old - I booked their op when they went for their shots at 9 weeks because there are a huge amount of cats in the neighbourhood and one escape out is all it would take.. I've a friend whose 6 month old was got at and then again after the litter and the poor thing was in tatters...

They seemed to quite like the vet last time so hopefully they won't be too traumatised.. I too am taking a couple days off work...

We plan on getting them a cat flap when they're ready, and making sure they're in at night, but cats are wanderers by nature, unforunately, and I know my two want to get out there and conquer the world... just before coming home for dinner & a nap !

I believe they're less likely to roam once they're fixed so hopefully that'll help. The land at the back of your house is wasteland, and there's loads of wildlife for them to hunt back there, and they've been glued to the window looking out at it, so they will make a break for it some day soon... hopefully they'll find their way home.

Thanks for the reassurance on the wound front - I thought that because they wash each other ( bottoms included ) they might try to wash the wounds, but you're right.. they probably won't ...

I have a cat Meow

OK normal married man here. Who has been brought up with dogs all his life, and has very happy dog memories and in a few years a Labrador will be joining his family.

I have been fortunate to be Chief and duty Slave to 3 cats in 25 Years.

Cleo 1985 to 1986
Cat 1992 to 1998
Moggs 2002 to –

Cleo died young.

Cat hated women, any one who got close to me was marked, and she was a complete bitch, blokes were fine, she hated the females in my family, girlfriends were terrorised.

Moggs, well former RSPCA rescue cat with form as they say!

I love cats. I seem to attract them wherever I am. They seem to make a beeline for me. Mind I don't mind about that. Lol

I love cats as well I have not got a cat at the moent but would like to get one again, the majority like me which is goof

Aww I love cats!!

My cat's name is Muffin and he is so lovely! He's got a lovely little baby face and will follow you about like a lamb! He runs off if a stranger comes into the house, but likes getting cuddles off people who you assure him are nice He's so sweet!

He is a dribbly cat, so you do need to have him sit on a towel if he's on your lap

He's so lovely though- I wouldn't change him for the world He's so clever too!

I treat my cat like such a baby.

I pick her up and cradle her in my arms on her back like a baby, I kiss her on her nose all the time and I'm always talking to her.

I love cats. I'm always looking at cat videos on youtube. Our cat at my parents place recently died aged 19, so sad, i remember the first day we got her when i was a kid. Wish i had one of my own, but don't really have the space.

Cats are such adorable creatures, I love them esp Black and White cats

That reminds me of when we had our Timmy, he was sitting on the landing one morning miowing loudly ( I was sitting up in bed reading the paper !) I said 'alright Timmy, I'll be with you in a mo' thinking he just wanted something to eat.
The next thing I heard was running water. I got up to investigate and there was Timmy in the bath, having a wee down the plug hole, bless him

My son of 14 would pick our Poppy up and sing 'Rock-a-bye Poppy', she loved it

I definately know what you mean with our Poppy. She was 'our baby sweetheart' and was always dribbling when she was have cuddy's and kisses. We miss her lots

Do any other cats play fetch like mine? Lyra can happily spend hours picking up a feather/toy and bringing it to me, which I throw and on and on and on Never had a cat do it before!

Daisy is always bringing me her toys too, but she usually just dumps them on the floor and walks off

I'm jumping in on the cat badnwagon, love them, favourite animal ever.

I have one cat, he's a little bugger.

My cat never leaves the confines of her own back garden ever since she was hit by a car at 10 months old. It's not big, but there's plenty of places to hide and she loves it if I'm out there gardening.
She'll sometimes sit on the arch that's over the back gate, and thinks nothing of scooting up the fence so she can get onto the pitched roof and thereby get into my bedroom window, but usually, she just lets me know when she wants to come back in by scratching at the door.
I've never known her to step over our front door step, even when it's wide open for us to bring the shopping in. She'll just sit there and wait until all the bags are in, and because we're on a walk way, if she hears somebody coming, she'll quickly run inside.

And that's just the way I like it, I know where she is at all times.

Our male cat used to do that, but as he's got older and lazier he can't be bothered any more.

Even when he plays it tends to be lying on his back, expecting us to wave a toy in front of him for him to catch.

Idle so-and-so

People say that Cats are elegant..... based on my cat I have to disagree

Does anyone else find their cat to be the most clumsy living thing on earth?

Yep mine is, but she's just over 5 months so still has a lot to learn.

She is a pretty, dainty little thing and looks so elegant when she "trots" around with her tail pointing skywards - watch her make a jump for the first time time though and she is all flaying arms and legs and there is lots of squealing too

'Nother cat lover here.

We are owned by 2 at the moment, both tuxedo queens.

Maisie is the boss of the house. She is pushing 20 (we think, she was a feral and about a year old when we got her from cat rescue in early 1990). She definitely sees herself as being the same species as us -not that she thinks she is human, more that we are just big, deformed cats. When my son was born in 1992, she decided that he was her kitten, and would growl and hiss if anyone other than OH or I approached him. She still tries to groom him to this day. She also tried to litter train my mum's puppy yorkie, after he pee'd on my kithen floor!

Maisie used to have 2 companions, Polly and Magwai, who are both now gone. Polly (who was the same age as Maisie) sadly died some years ago. After Magwai (a year younger) also died 5years ago, Maisie became very lonely and clingy -so we got Sam.

Sam was 8 when we got her from cat rescue. Her person had died, so she was also bereaved. She had been a house cat, but gradually followed me out to the garden, then followed Maisie thro the cat flap to explore the world (our garden) outside. it was great watching her jump and play, trying to catch flies etc- just like a kitten! She also fitted right in with my son and his mates - if they were inside playing playstation or whatever, she'd be there too, like one of the 'gang', same if they were playing football in the garden. We live very near a primary school andshe has discovered that if she sits at the end of our path when the wee kids are goingto school or comming home she gets lots of pats and "Pretty Pussies" - so she's there twice a day!

Polly was a theif. If any work men wer in our house, they'd be a bit bemused that i'd always ask, "Has the black cat been in here?' If said yes, I'd go look under our bed and invariable find the screwdrivers etc that she had stolen.

Magwai was my baby - scared of everyone and everthing in the world apart from me and Maisie, she was very affectionate and VERY clever - could open doors, fridges etc.

I thought that you lot on here might like to know about this place in Rome, where we adopted our last cat-

www.romancats.com/index_eng.php

Here volunteers from various countries care for abandoned or feral
cats, providing them with food, shelter and vetinary needs. All of
the cats brought to the sanctuary will be spayed or neutered,tagged
(ears clipped, so that it can be seen that they have a home should
they go feral again) and then allowed to remain in the sanctuary or
surrounding area. Visitors can adopt the cats, or 'adopt at a
distance' sending monetary help to the sanctuary. The sanctuary
encourages people to 'adopt at a distance' those cats who are
unlikely to be re-homed - the sick, the lame, the blind, and the too-
damn-spiteful!

We adopted Domini, who was later rehomed. Shw was a blind tortie, who eventually went to Holland to a woman who had other blind cats. Now we have Nero - think he falls into the 'spiteful' category!

I absolutely adore cats!!

I have two. Up until 3 weeks ago I still had two but had my beloved Percy 14 put to sleep. That left me with Blackster, who is 3., a super large all black male (hence the boring name LOL!) After Perc went there was such a huge void that we went to the local RSPCA and adopted a (supposidly) 2-3 year old female who had just had kittens (bless her ), anyway have had her for 8 days now and she is called Lily. I would now suppose that she is 1-2 not 2-3 as she is playing just like a young kitten would. Small and dainty bundle of fun she is. Gets on fine with Blackster since Day 1, although today they did have some fistycuffs under the table!!

~~~I LOVE CATS~~~

Thought I would share this message with all you fellow cat lovers. The message is on a plaque which I bought in Flordia. Very apt for my house, and many of your houses I am sure!

"This home operates solely for the comfort and convenience of the cats"

this is a lovely thread.
i adore cats,to me a house aint a home without one.

i had my first cat Pepper,a tortoiseshell and white from when she was kitten for 19 years til i was 26.
then i had Zane,a maine coon(very haughty)
and spyder my baby black cat.i lost her 4 months ago when she was 11.

i have a new kitten now,Pippin is black and white 4 months old and a lovely girl.shes been a great comfort to me in the past few months.shes an absolute bundle of mischief but i love her loads.

We have hopes of ours, he's a Maine Coon, they are well known for this kind of thing, along with extreme affection. He manages that bit pretty well, but would sooner chew the toy to bits than bring it back so far, but then he is 4 months old, 2.4kgs now. There's a load of vids on youtube about Maine Coons for those inclined, very hairy, very cute.