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From the Catio


Rebecca York and Ozzie and Beevel...

Last year I read an article in the New York Times that changed my life. It was about city dwellers who constructed “catios,” safe places for their cats to enjoy the outdoors. Basically they were decks or patios enclosed with mesh or screen where cats could safely take the air.

Ozzie looking out the "catio" door
I thought it was a great idea and decided to try it. Cautiously starting with a test run, I bought one of those ten-foot-square pavilion tents with fabric screens. I set it up on the patio outside the sliding glass door to the walk-out basement and used bricks to hold the screen sides down. I positioned it directly against the house so that cats and I could walk right out into the tent. The two adventurous cats, Ozzie and Beevel, followed me out immediately. Ozzie is a female rescued part-Maine-Coon. Beevel is an Abyssinian, the daughter of two grand champions but not quite show quality. The scaredy-cat, Harriet (Ozzie’s daughter), ran screaming from the strange new contraption. I brought her out and held her in my lap. She was doing okay until a gust of wind blew the top of the tent around. In response, she promptly peed in my lap.

But I didn’t give up on her, and soon all three cats were coming out on the catio with me. Since the idea was a success, I went on to the next step–hiring a contractor to build a screened porch in place of the tent.

Harriet & Ozzie with Mom
The four of us are sitting on our catio porch now. It has turned out to be a high point in the cats’ lives and also a wonderful place for me to sit and write, outside with no bugs and pretty scenery. I have always loved gardening, and the catio plans included some garden modifications. A friend helped me construct a fishpond with a waterfall. (No, I do not let the cats go fishing.) As I sit here with the cats, I’m listening to the sound of running water and looking up from time to time at the greenery around me.

All three cats are relaxing at the moment. Other favorite activities out here include sunning and watching birds and squirrels.

Rebecca York
On Writing Romance blog
Posted by Melissa McClone at 7:45 PM
Labels: Paranormal Romantic Suspense, Romantic Suspense

6 comments:

  1. UnknownAugust 31, 2012 at 11:57 AM

    I'm so sorry to learn of Miss Mousie's health problems. I was for years a devoted dog owner. At various times, I've had a German Shepherd (3 times, actually), a fabulous brown and white part Brittany part Pointer named Max, and Chloe, a Dalmatian. In 2005, Chloe left me and crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. Heartbroken, I never thought to have another animal. And then I inherited my best friend, Nancy's, cat. Although I'd known Mitzi aka Mitzer since 2004, she only came to live with me in 2010. Being a dog person, I had no idea what to expect, what to do. Cat food. Litter boxes. Yikes! I was terified. So what did I do? I resorted to the kindness of cat experts, other authors who were and still are kind enough to consult with a novice cat owner. These wonderful cat people include authors Rebecca York, Mary Jo Putney, Chassie West, Diane Gaston and Willa Blair, all of whom who have held my paw (so to speak) in tmes of cat crisis at one time or another.

    I wish Miss Mousie a "ri-foo-aw shi-lay-maw," which is Yiddish for "a complete recovery.

    Hugs!

    Binnie Syril Braunstein

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  2. Melissa McCloneAugust 31, 2012 at 3:21 PM

    Thank you so much for commenting, Binnie! Miss Mousie appreciates the good wishes and hugs. And so do I! Very glad you had people, including authors, to help you with your cat! Take care!

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  3. TDAugust 31, 2012 at 7:00 PM

    The "catio" sounds like a marvelous idea, Rebecca. I wish I'd thought of it when "Carrie" was still with us. She was part of our family for more than 23 years! Never more than 4 1/2 pounds, she'd been a "mouser" on a farm in Carroll County when we adopted her. My daughter named her after her pre-school friend and was in grad school when Carrie died peacefully in her arms. I miss that feisty cat still and keep her paw-print impression next to my laptop to remind me of good times with her.
    I wish Miss Mousie a long and healthy life.
    Toby

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    1. UnknownAugust 31, 2012 at 8:11 PM

      I also had a very special cat named Carrie. She was born under my bed and was with us for eighteen years. She kept me company through a lot of books.

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    2. ElizabethSeptember 1, 2012 at 6:47 AM

      I love the idea of a catio. I wonder if I could figure out how to build a smalldogio for my tiny chihuahuas. I hope Miss Mousie gets all the help she needs.

      Elizabeth

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    3. UnknownSeptember 1, 2012 at 3:53 PM

      There are LOTS of pictures on the web that might help you. Some are big enough for people to join the animals. Other are kind of like cages. For some, the cat can climb out a window. I don't think dogs could do the same thing,though. There are also models you can buy. I guess one url is to a company that sell them. Before I had the porch, I thought about making something w/ pvc pipe and some kind of screening. You know, put together like tinker toys. Or you could buy some sections of wire mesh fence. There is temporary fencing that is held up by sticking the posts into concrete blocks.

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Miss Mousie is a senior (no-longer a foster) cat from the West Columbia Gorge Humane Society in Washington who needed TECA (Total Ear Canal Ablation) surgery that was estimated to cost an estimated $5000. We managed to find another clinic who would do it for under $4000! Her romance author mom enlisted the help of cat loving writers to help Miss Mousie and raised the necessary funds for the surgery in 2012. Be sure to check out the Authors & Their Cats posts. Links below! And her foster family has since become Miss Mousie's forever family.

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