Installing Indoor Cat Tree

[marky mark]

So, my gorgeous girls have a small run at the bottom of their house but its not huge, though is big enough in terms of square footage for what they need but I would like them to have some more space. Mark is intending on building them a run but who knows how long that will take and in the mean time is suggesting that we let them loose round the garden on Sunday for a run around. I have a couple of questions about this - will they be easy to catch so we can put them back in their house and will they completely destroy my veg patch? Also, we will be there to keep an eye on them but will foxes come and get them in the day? And will my cat try and attack them? The cat has shown very little interest in them in their house - spent about 5 mins sniffing them but thats about it!

 

Thanks, Sarah xx

[Egluntyne]

1. will they be easy to catch so we can put them back in their house and 2. will they completely destroy my veg patch? Also, we will be there to keep an eye on them but 3.will foxes come and get them in the day? And 4. will my cat try and attack them? The cat has shown very little interest in them in their house - spent about 5 mins sniffing them but thats about it!

 

Thanks, Sarah xx

 

1. Probably not easy. Have an old towel to throw over them or an anglers net to catch them. Or entice them with a trail of sweetcorn.

 

2. Yes. Protect your veg with some netting.

 

3.NEVER underestimate the fox. Always expect him, no matter how lucky you have been.

 

4. Your hens will probably give as good as they get re the cat.

 

Good luck.

 

[Leicester_H]

will they be easy to catch so we can put them back in their house and will they completely destroy my veg patch? Also, we will be there to keep an eye on them but will foxes come and get them in the day? And will my cat try and attack them? The cat has shown very little interest in them in their house - spent about 5 mins sniffing them but thats about it!

 

Thanks, Sarah xx

 

Hi

 

Before I let them out free, I used to hold a bright red bowl through the door and get them used to eating treats (usaully sweet corn) from it. I also blew a whistle as I approached. Now when they are out, if I blow the whistle, they come running. I simply put the bowl of treats in the run and close the door behind them. Never had a problem. The yare very much creatures of habit.

 

We don't have a veg patch, and they have been much less desrtuctive of the plants than we thought.

 

I NEVER leave them at all on their own when out of run, in case of foxes.

 

Neighbours cats don't seem to be a problem.

 

Good luck, H

[Olly]

They will sort out a relationship with the cat. My cat shows no interest in them (usually) but they always squawk a bit when he appears.

 

There have been a couple of cases of mistaken identity, when he saw chickeny feet scrabbling behind a bush, and his natural instincts overcame his manners. Despite huge squawks and a vertical take-off from Hilda, no harm was done and cat retired shamefaced. Wouldn't worry too much there; they will defend themselves if needed and your cat won't come back after a peck on the nose!

 

Different story with the fox - don't take any risks, especially if you are in an urban area. I won't even leave my girls to go and make a cup of tea, after a couple of near misses. Rural foxes are probably a bit more scared.

[Snowy]

I agree with all of the above!

They definitely get to know a certain food bowl or routines. I usually take a bowl of s"Ooops, word censored!"s out to mine to put them back into the run at tea time. Open the back door any time after 6pm and I usually find them all asleep on the back door step. They jump to attention and leg it to their run as fast as possible to be first in line for the s"Ooops, word censored!" bowl.

[marky mark]

Thanks for the tips, Marks hoping to build a temporary run that we can put them in whilst we watch as it will just be like a moveable fence so we can corner them in, but as we live in an urban area we will stay on watch out for the foxes! I will also try the idea with the bowl and the s"Ooops, word censored!"s! Will any s"Ooops, word censored!"s do? I gave them a lettuce this afternoon but they didn't look at all interested! Perhaps they take after their mummy and would prefer to nibble on some choccy!

[Olly]

pasta, pasta! mine go mad for it. Or cold peas, the outer leaves off cauliflower, potato peelings (cooked), cucumber, left-over carrots ... anything veggie basically!

 

As I don't always have s"Ooops, word censored!"s available, I keep a pot of dried mealworms to get mine back in the run. Works every time.

[Leicester_H]

I gave them a lettuce this afternoon but they didn't look at all interested!

 

Mine like the thick stems of lettuce rather than the leaves which the yleave until last

Also, Sainsburys (and probably all stores) do cheap tins of sweet corn - 17p for corn of different sizes, 25p for regular basic corn - some have LOTS of salt and/or sugar - so just check what you're comfortable with.

 

One tin does for 3 days of treats for my 2 chickens so its quite ecconomic. Frozen might be cheaper but then I'd have to plan ahead to defrost it.

[Edgeman]

As my wife pointed out, it is best to rinse the tinned sweet as the juice in the can will be high in sugers and salts.

 

They still go mad for it after its washed. Also I put in a couple of cooked half corn cobs in the run last week. These were stripped bare of course but they did last a lot longer than canned corn

[Leicester_H]

As my wife pointed out, it is best to rinse the tinned sweet as the juice in the can will be high in sugers and salts.

 

Sometimes I let them have some of the liquid - they DO love it - I assume once in a while its OK ?

[Richard]

pasta, pasta! mine go mad for it. Or cold peas, the outer leaves off cauliflower, potato peelings (cooked), cucumber, left-over carrots ... anything veggie basically!

 

As I don't always have s"Ooops, word censored!"s available, I keep a pot of dried mealworms to get mine back in the run. Works every time.

 

 

Yep - I could tempt my girls anywhere with a few bits of fusilli pasta. Or some sunflower seeds. Mind you, I usually can't be bothered and just let them find their own way home when its time for them to go to bed.

I let them out into the garden for a couple of hours every evening. They do go into the veg patch and have a go at the lettuces, but they don't do a lot of damage so I don't really mind.