Remember when I told you that Norwegian Forest Cats are known for taking off their long underwear in the Springtime?
“The back legs are adorned with knickers. A once or twice-weekly comb-through is sufficient except in springtime, when the cat begins to ‘take off its winter underwear’.” (Source)
They make it sound so sweet, don’t they? Like the cat just slips out of his knickers and if you’re lucky, you just happen to be there at that moment and you get to watch. And then you just pick the knickers up off the floor and fold them and tuck them away with his baby teeth and other mementos.
Well you know what? That’s not what happens. What happens is that his underwear comes off by disintegrating into billions of bits of fluff. The air around here is thick with soft, fine, downy fur. It’s everywhere. I’m eating it and breathing it and my clothes are covered in it. My eyes are magnets for it. It’s even in behind my eyeballs.
Strangely, Duncan doesn’t look any less furry than usual, so I don’t think he’s anywhere near done yet.
He had himself a nice two-part wretch in the middle of the night, complete with some pretty impressive sound effects. I am blaming it on the fact that he has been eating his own underwear lately.
The other thing that’s going on with Duncan is he has suddenly got himself a severe case of Spring Fever and he is obsessed with going outside. This is new: throughout the winter, he quite sensibly chose to remain oblivious to the existence of Outside.
I’m torn on the whole indoor/outdoor cat thing. All my other cats were free to come and go as they pleased. Hunting bugs and climbing trees and hanging out with other cats are essential components of a full cat life. Who am I to deprive Duncan of the simple natural joys of being fully a cat?
On the other hand, cats who are allowed to go outside have a significantly shorter life expectancy than indoor-only cats. He could get hurt or killed or stolen. There are lots of dangerous possibilities out there in the world.
However, we’d probably all live longer if we never took any risks and just stayed inside where it’s safe all the time too. That doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. It’s the whole quality vs. quantity of life dilemma.
On a selfish and pragmatic note, if he was spending some of his time outside, he’d be doing some of his shedding outside.
I’m going to try the compromise route first, and see what happens. I bought him a size Large harness, which had to be adjusted to its largest settings. I put it on him yesterday and he seemed okay with it. Duncan and I are going to go sit in the back yard and take off our underwear now. Euphemistically speaking, of course.
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I have a main coon, largest breed of north american cat, and looking at your source page, the Norwegian Forest Cat looks alot like a main coon, and probably orientated from the same source.
Anyways, he has similar features, lots of fur in winter, but funny he doesn’t seem to shed, although his main and leggings do thin out in the warm weather (thank goodness). His name is Dylan and he goes out. The vet put a chip in him.
Oh, I just did the harness thing yesterday with Juno and it didn’t go well at all! Yes, there is post about it on da blahg…
Juno was an SPCA cat, and I’m really reluctant to have her be an outdoor cat. We have all kinds of wildlife around here she could get into trouble with: bears, coyotes, raccoons. And after yesterday’s harness debacle and the fact that I cannot afford huge vet bills on my piddly budget, I think she’s going to be an indoor kitty.
We have three cats now. We have harnessed cats for a few years now, I don’t have to worry about them near the roads. We only have two leads though, so when Duece (named for his extra toes) came to live with us, our oldest Russell was set free. Everyone called him fatty, but since we let him run, he lost a few pounds and looks much healthier and happier. Duece on the other hand has gained two pounds, and even on his leash all he does is sleep in or out. He maybe set free soon!!!
Well, our cat Vegemite, born true-blue Moggie, was found on our front porch as an abandoned kit (approx 8 weeks) and she grew up in suburban Sydney, and as soon as she was big enough to climb the back fence she went visiting the neighbours – very sociable girl. De-sexed, of course. And very street-wise.
When she was about 6 y.o. we all moved to a quiet village on the south coast, about 2 hours from Sydney – a dirt road with bushland on the other side. Which is when Veg discovered Rabbit Hunting. And Rabbit Eating.
So from then until our road was sealed, and the traffic increased, and so did her age, she came and went as she pleased – no bears, pumas or coyotes in the Australian bush, and she could handle dogs with one contemptuous paw. When she got to 16, and showed signs of deafness, I laid down the law, and no more wandering – we have a nice big garden, and her aging back legs would not allow her to scramble over the fence any more.
Veg is now twentyone and a half years old, still fit, still happy, still confident, still with ALL her teeth (stained but healthy) and we BUY her rabbits for her. The butcher saws the frozen bunnies into meal sized lumps, and she has one or two pieces per week.
She is (was – these days she is thin) a big strong cat with a heavy blacky/brown double coat, and one of my oldest friends has always (jokingly) referred to her as a Norwegian Forest Cat – and she sheds. These days, because she spends a lot of time sleeping, the shedding is more in the form of knotting and matting, so I am on constant ‘knot patrol’.
She has been part of this household for half our married life. She has seen many dogs come and go – she has always been part of a very mixed ‘pack’, it is only impertinent stranger canines who get her back up………
Gae, in Callala Bay – where it will only ever snow if Hell freezes over
My cats, Agnes and Lynette are almost seven and only go outside when they are wearing a harness. Agnes especially likes to go for an evening stroll around the neighbourhood. She is however a cat and frequently stops walking to stalk invisible creatures in the grass or just to lie down and have a rest.
They like to be out in the yard when I’m out there. I never leave them by themselves. Lynette climbs into the shrubs and one time when I wasn’t paying attention I heard the bell on her collar ringing and there she was dangling by her harness in mid-air. She wasn’t hurt but I got a scare.
I have tried a number of different kinds of harnesses and my cats can get out of them if they really try. The newest ones I bought them are walking coats (for dogs)that have velcro neck and tummy straps and a d-ring on the back for a leash. These are really easy to take on and off. Unfortunately they are made of faux suede with faux fur lining so they are not really suitable for summer. I plan on making them cotton ones for the warmer weather. If they turn out okay, I’ll let you know; maybe Duncan would like one.
For your own peace of mind, keep Duncan on a leash. He may shed a lot but if he is running free he will get into burrs and other things that will tangle in his fur.
Welcome to my world. I have two of sheddiest twin cats ever, 365 days a year. I’m gradually learning to buy things that match them 😉
Do you have a Furminator? They are brilliant for getting rid of hair. The only thing my cats don’t like about it is that I refuse to use it inside since it gets out an insane amount of fur and I don’t want that in my apartment. If I did, I wouldn’t bother to brush them.
My two cents: It’s better to let cats out and let them lead full lives than to keep them indoors or on a leash. Yes, their life might be shorter, but fuller. At least when they are gone you can say you gave them everything they ever wanted or needed and they lived a full life. That’s more comfort to me than anything else when I lose an animal. I also once heard the SPCA people here denounce leashes for cats as they only give them the freedom to walk with the owner, but not the freedom to flee if they are scared by something. If you’ve got your cat on a leash and a dog attacks, your cat hasn’t got a chance unless you can stop the dog – I’ve know dogs that are unstoppable, and that makes me afraid. Like I said though, just my two cents. Everyone has to decide for themselves what’s best for them and their lifestyle.
Zoom,
I use an undercaot comb on our Norwegian Oscar to remove much of the fluffy undercoat. Brushing with a brush alone will not do it. He loves it….I think all that extra trapped fur is itchy. He comes to me several times a day to get me to his “brushing staion”. You can get an undercoat comb or rake as they’re called, at a reputable pet store. Usually they are for dogs such as golden retrievers who also have an undercoat. Just be careful when using one, as a cat’s skin is delicate.
Oscar is on an electric fence we had installed for our dog. He wears a special collar that will give him a tone and then a mild shock if he tries to leave the yard. He is much happier when he is able to go outside. Without the fence I would worry about his safety and whereabouts.
Balance Sheet of the pros and cons of keeping cats indoors:
Pros:
1. Injury or death by vehicles
2. Poisoned intentionally or accidentally
3. Injury or death by fighting with other cats
4. Infectious diseases contracted from other cats: FIP,FIV,FeLV,URIs
5. Parasites: fleas, ticks, ringworm
6. Injury or death by sadists
7. Injury or death by dogs or predators
8. Killing of wildlife by outdoor cats
9. Getting lost, picked up by Animal Control
10. Theft for sale as laboratory animals or “bait” for illicit gaming
11. Problems with neighbors: cats littering their yards
Cons:
1. Indoor cats are lazy, and don’t get the exercise they need.
2. Cats by their very nature deserve the freedom of outdoor life.
3. The cats love the outdoors, fresh air and sunshine, and I love watching them there.
************
Late in 2005, Annie and I acquired two kittens who spent their first six months as outdoor (barn)cats out in the country (in Vernon). Until then, *all* of our cats had been outdoor cats (for the reasons listed in “Cons” above). Now we realize the rules are changing, mainly because we’re aging and getting forgetful — our older cat (the one with long-standing outdoor privileges) has already spent an “accidental” night out in the pissing rain because each of us thought that the other had brought kitty inside before retiring. We were all lucky that there were no nasty repercussions.
We made the right decision for us re. our own situation an feelings, but we understand that not everyone’s on the same page on that topic…
Whatever you decide, we wish you many long and happy years with your loving companion, with or without his underwear!
So, does Duncan also have “lucky underpants”? he may need them if he’s gonna be an outdoor cat…
(:-D
Mine is spending his days recently starting yearningly out the window, too. Ya, cats should be free to roam at will in the wild, but the extra vaccinations, insurance, licence fees and contructing a handy cat door are beyond me — not to mention the constant anxiety. I want photos of you walking Duncan around the neighbourhood on his leash.
*snickering at knickers* It sounds so cute!
The husky term is “blowing their coat” which is pretty descriptive, its kinda like blowing on dandelion seed heads. Mica is just starting the process, it’ll take about 3 weeks with her. In the meantime my eyes will itch with hair, the dust bunnies will roll through the house the size of tumbleweeds, and Mica will look like she has mange.
I brush for about two hours a day, its all she’ll let me do, and then I forget to brush the kids and my own hair…so we all look a little ratty!
Fergus, our 12 year old cat was a barn cat for the first 11.5 years of his life. He came and went as he wanted. He slept next to our bed with the dogs everynight, but he went in and out about 20 times a day. We were terrified for him when we moved into town in November. He instantly became an indoor cat and never asked to got out…until about three weeks ago. Now he goes out in the yard (fenced, but with gaps that he could get out if he wanted) wanders and comes back. He has adapted to the life of a town cat quite well but I don’t think that he would be very happy if we kept him in now. Too bad you can’t just leave Duncan in the yard (he’d probably just sleep in the sun all day)but your fence wouldn’t keep him in
I have lost so many cats from the great outdoors (cricket, penny, jasper, freya) that I have vowed to never let another one of my cats go outside. I just couldn’t bear losing them. When I see other cats outside now, I always want to pick them up and put them in a nice safe place.
That said, it’s a highly personal choice, and one that is up to you and Duncan.
hm, shedding outdoors. now there’s a good argument for our cat being allowed on the balcony. hair behind the eyeballs, I hear you. cat-cotton balls shoved up nostrils by morning…I’m going to retch up a hairball myself before long.
My kids are all indoor kids, Tux is too much of a pansy to go outside. He’s terrified of dogs, and out of the eight units in my townhouse complex there are seven dogs. Peno is terrified of EVERYTHING, so she shows no inclination to being outdoors (unless there is a bird on the windowsill) Rocky was born in a barn, but since the other ones are indoors, so it he.. it doens’t seem to bother him much.
Harnesses are great, but you do have to be careful still. I had a cat named Kobi, he was out on a harness(i used to take him for walks as well) On day he was out on his leash and I had forgotten about him. He climbed the lilac bush and something happened, he must have slipped and in his struggle to get back into tree, he slipped out of the back end of his harness… it was still around his neck however. I didn’t find him in time. So my advice is leashes are great, but keep him well supervised and make sure you have a break-away harness (not one with buckles). I’d hate for anyone to lose a pet the way I lost Kobi.
I vote outdoors. I’m almost 50, and have had a couple dozen cats throughout life. I’ve lost only 1 to a car. I live in a suburb, so I don’t have to worry about wild animals. I tell my neighbors that if my cats become a nuisance, to let me know, and it hasn’t been an issue yet. I could not in good conscience keep an INdoor cat.
I’m also torn about indoors or outdoors for my cats.One nasty consequence of outdoor life is burrs. Two of my cats are outdoor cats and the others are indoors. I don’t think I would ever let my Maine coon cat outside because of the burrs and other plant life nasties. Besides, he’s dumb as a post.
Luna just started going outside again. I was worried about all the raptors here until we were at an eagle fest (field where the chicken farms throw out their dead and 50-100 bald eagles and other hawks and eagles come and gorge themselves daily) and the farm cats all sat around and watched with obvious predatory glee. She’s old and wiry and our husky is afraid of her. She’s welcome to take her daily sunbath on the lawn:-)
I took my winter underwear off too recently, but put it back on today… brrrr!
My two felines go out… One is 14, and the other is 4.
I only lost a cat to the outdoors once, and that is because he liked to chase after Coyotes! He sure lived a full life before a Coyote got him… Some of the rodents he caught and brought home were actually shipped to a scientist in Britain for research…
My longhaired white kitty is an indoor-only baby. She used to be indoor-outdoor, but she developed an allergy to fleas that precludes her going out. Since we discovered this (9 years ago), she has taken to indoor life very well, having only “escaped” twice. Overall, she’s content to gaze out from the screened porch a couple of times a day. The rest of the time, this pampered puss likes the climate-controlled life. (That may have something to do with living in Florida.)
My vet lets her cats outside. She says there are fewer behavior problems with outdoor cats. You’ll just get to play the let-me-in, let-me-out game.
I loved reading all your cat stories, and I just wanted to say thanks for all the quality input. It’s still a dilemma for me, and I haven’t decided yet, but it’s reassuring to know there are so many good cat people out there who have decided to keep their cats inside, and just as many who have decided to let their cats go outside too.
Heya, been reading your blog page for a long period. I run a related blog site but I keep getting tons of spam remarks, tips on how to keep your blogging site so unpolluted?