If You Found Your Lost Pet, Would You Ever Let it Out Again?
August 20th 2008 21:00
Two weeks after Butterscotch the cat was found after he went missing for almost a week, my friend Brett decided to let him back out again. I was horrified when I heard this. Brett had been stressed the week his cat went missing and once he got him back he told me he was going to keep Butterscotch under house arrest for awhile until he recovered. The poor baby was starving and had lost a lot of weight. Once Butterscotch was reunited with Brett, all he wanted to do was stay inside and lie on Brett’s lap. Butterscotch no longer wanted to be let out.
But after two weeks Brett decided it was okay to let him out, albeit for short periods of time. Brett’s assurances that nothing bad would happen this time failed to convince me. Butterscotch was a feisty, curious cat. It was being let out that led to him going missing for a week. I asked Brett why he would want to let him out when he could go missing again? Imagine having to go through the stress of having to look for him again.
So far, Butterscotch has been coming back home, touch wood. If he was my cat, I wouldn’t let him out of my place, full stop. I suffered when I lost my ducks and I certainly don’t want to go through that again.
My neighbour feels the same. Shortly after she moved into her flat, she left a window open. Unbeknown to her, her cat Miggins started hanging his head out, eagerly watching the cars and people going by. Next thing she knew, Miggins flew out of the window, landing 14 feet below and ran for the busy road that was in front of my neighbours unit. My neighbour ran outside in a panic, searching for her lost cat, hoping he wouldn’t get run over. She managed to quickly locate Miggins and bring him back home but to this day, she keeps her windows shut whenever she is out, even for short periods. When she is at home, she keeps her windows slightly open for ventilation and constantly checks them to make sure Miggins isn’t nearby.
Has losing a pet forced you to keep them in seclusion? Or are you like Brett, happy to let them out again after a recovery period? Or are you a bit of both?
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Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
When I got my own cat years later (on my 18th birthday!) I vowed she would never go outside. I love her so much and I would never risk anything happening to her. I actually took her out for a walk today and she ran under the house - thats it. No more outdoors for you! A few years later when we decided to keep two boy kittens I made the same decision, no outdoors, not ever. I brought the ducks from the pen to the laundry because we lost 2 to pitbull puppies, and I lock them back up in the laundry if Im leaving the house for any reason.
I know the stress of a lost pet, a dying pet, an injured pet, and a pet that could have been saved if only we had done this or that. So I make it my goal to eliminate any situation that might lead to that ever happening again. In my opinion, its worth a bit of inconveniance on their part to stay alive and healthy. Sure, they get upset to have their freedoms limited, but they get over it! Better to be alive and grumpy!
Comment by Queenie
Quirky Folk
Quirky Queenie
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis