My kitten is alive! (updated)

[Lazarus]

I second Big Oranges idea, we had a similar set up for our cat, which by the way we have no given up keeping inside and let roam free. He's an Abbyssinian, and they are known to be traffic stupid, so we built a pen for him in the back garden. Basically several wooden posts in concrete, nailed together with chicken wire around and above, and a door. Put some logs and platforms in there, along with some interesting hanging bits and pieces, and don't mow the grass, and cats usually love it. Beats the hell oput of being locked up inside.

[Batman]

While I'm of course happy for you, WyrdNyrd, I'm not sure that's going to work. While cats CAN be indoor animals, and can be quite happy about it, I'm not sure you can get a cat that's used to being able to roam to accept that.
I'm with Howedar on this. I know how much losing a pet hurts, but turning him into a sofa cushion that needs to be fed regularly isn't the answer. At the very least think about what Lazarus and Big Orange said.

[BloodAngel]

I agree with the idea of a pen. Attach it to your house and secure it tightly, and make a small opening in the wall for the kitty to pass through whenever she wishes. Outdoors fun and security all in one package!

And to join the bandwagon, congrats WyrdNyrd!

[Chardok]

That is unfreakin' believable. I am SO HAPPY FOR YOU, Nyrd! congrats, man...I know how horrible it is to find (Or in your case, believe you found) a pet on the road...it is absolutely devestating, I wish were so lucky as to have my Lacey sache in the door after I found her. Man, that is great news. Take care, man.

[The Yosemite Bear]

reminds me of he time pippin and mary spent in the neighbor's RV. (ent on vacation with the neighbors and everything, just returned a week later)

[WyrdNyrd]

Thanks for the advice guys. And you're right, it was a selfish and overly emotional decision to lock the cats up forever. I'll start thinking of better ways to secure the place, either by beefing up the existing fencing, or, as suggested, making a "cat run".

But I need to calm down some, and more importantly, C. has to calm down, before we'll be able to let ourselves let go. I'm not even going to mention the idea to her yet, she's still too emotional.

And this is another good reason for us not to have actual human kids. They'd grow up so spoiled and over-protected that they'd be utterly defenceless when they eventually had to face the real world. Kinda like I was...

[Mrs Kendall]

If you're gonna make a pen for your cats to run around in make it large, otherwise they'll just feel like their in Jail. I'm sure you're smart enough to figure that out but I just wanted to make sure you think clearly about it and see the amount of work it'll actually take to build such a thing before you actually start work on it. If you're not willing to make a large one then don't bother. Cats don't like being held in one place for too long. Good luck and give your SO all the comfort she needs. This is probably so tough on her cause she's older and her body hasn't been used for what it's meant to (I'm assuming she hasn't had any kids with anyone else as well as you) and she's probably feeling like these cats are her children.

[Winston Blake]

1. Do you have any ancient Indian burial grounds nearby?
2. Does anyone in your family love your kitten enough to do this?

[chitoryu12]

I remember what happened to my friend's kitten. He has a little black and white kitten named "Chewie" (guess where he got the name from.)

The first day he got Chewie, he ran outside, climbed up the bottom of his dad's van, and got stuck in the engine. They had to reach into the engine and pull him out. From that day forth, Chewie was never sent outside. They're other cat, Taz, is a big old ginger cat that always rests under some garbage on the porch.

[His Divine Shadow]

My cats are happy for your kitten, just look

[WyrdNyrd]

Yup, by cat standards, that picture shows boundless enthusiasm.

Oh, and Winston Blake, fortunately the only Indians in my neck of the woods are all either Muslims or Hindus, and neither religion is big on bodily resurrections of pets.

Furthermore, Esk (as in Eskarina from Pratchett's "Equal Rites") hasn't been chewing my toes or fingers any more than normal since her return, so she's probably not a zombie cat.

Although it's hard to tell with cats, they're so inscrutable.

[Ford Prefect]

Damn man, congratulations! That is some damn fine happenings.

[Darth Wong]

She's alive!
She's alive!
She's alive!

She just walked into the house as if she hadn't spent the whole day missing!

The road-kill my wife found was too damaged for a positive ID. It seems it wasn't our bundle of aggravation after all.

Of course, she will be an indoor cat for the rest of her life, as will our other two, by necessity. C. and I can't go through this again. The irony is, one of the principle reasons we moved out of my old apartment and into this house is that we were desperate for our cats to have a garden to play in.

Of course, C. and I are crying again!

Thanks for the support, guys!

Of course, our happiness is tempered by the thought that someone else's baby won't be coming home tonight...

That's wonderful news. You might want to look into some of the methods that dog owners use to keep their pets in a controlled area. Things like underground invisible fences (with a mild electroshock collar), overhead-tied leashes, and of course, better fences in general (but pets are notorious for their ability to find and exploit weaknesses in fences).

[Lord Woodlouse]

I still have an image of HDS' cat from a while ago...

[WyrdNyrd]

(but pets are notorious for their ability to find and exploit weaknesses in fences).

Yup. Heinlein's "The Cat Who Walks Through Walls" lives in my house!