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Our Bengal Cats, Leilo and Tica, go outside - safely....
Bengal cats are an energetic and intelligent breed, needing plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. They can get bored, frustrated (and fat!) without enough to do. Keeping Leilo and Tica happy and suitably-occupied inside the house was a constant struggle. Indeed, despite my best efforts, they were rarely content as house cats.
They were eating and sleeping their lives away...
Just look at the size of those tummies!
A friend once asked me why I couldn't love them just the way they were (i.e. overweight). But, it wasn't a matter of aesthetics: Of course I loved them as they were! It was a health issue. I want them to have long, healthy and happy lives.
Their weight shot up immediately after neutering. It continued to climb, despite a neutered cat prescription diet and as many toys and games as I could offer. Leilo constantly nagged for food, which was distressing for both of us!
Not surprisingly, they were desperate to go outside - sometimes crying at the window. I even stopped going in the garden myself. I couldn't bear the guilt when I saw their little faces looking out at me. It was awful.
But, I just couldn't bring myself to allow them to roam around the neighbourhood. It is dangerous and dramatically reduces a cat's life-expectancy.
An indoor cat's life expectancy is about 16 years. This, is approximately equal to a human age of 80. An outdoor cat's life expectancy falls dramatically to an average of just 3 - 5 years. This is approximately equal to a human age of 28 - 36. Cats love to roam around their kingdom. But, there are hazards they are likely to encounter on their adventures, for example...
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Traffic Many cats are killed or injured on the roads
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Fights with other cats and dogs
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Pregnancy which accounts for so many kittens in rescue centres
- Theft Pedigree cats are particularly at risk
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Disease
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Rat Poison
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Poisonous plants
It's a jungle out there! But, the words, "Better to live for a day as a lion, than for a lifetime as a mouse" were constantly rattling around in my head.
I had been told by several breeders that Bengals are happy as house cats. I realise that many house cats are very happy. But, this was not right for my cats. Mine were not happy. They were bored and they were getting fatter and lazier...
I decided it would be cruel to keep these lovely animals locked up for a lifetime, never feeling the wind in their whiskers!
I started allowing them outside - under close (and exceedingly neurotic) supervision. This was not an effective solution. I was petrified of them disappearing, never to be seen again...
I had to find a way of letting them out - safely.
I installed an electric wire around the garden perimeter. But, I was so apprehensive about zapping the cats that I never actually switched it on! I did manage to train them, on harness and lead, not to go beyond the white marker flags that indicated the "zapping zone". But, as they were never actually zapped, they plainly found the idea ridiculous.
They knew that the rule was, "Do not go beyond the flags"...
The problem was getting them to obey the rule. That is where it went wrong. If I turned my back for a moment, they were naturally compelled to sneak off into the bushes and beyond...
Suffice to say that I was occasionally to be seen rummaging around in the undergrowth of a confused neighbour's garden, rattling a toy mouse and urgently calling, "Tica / Leilo - mousey, mousey, mousey!" A few minutes later, I would emerge - triumphant, covered in twigs, with an entirely cheesed-off cat under my arm.
I've never before seen so much simultaneous curtain-twitching as I did during these ludicrous escapades. My credibility in this village will certainly not recover.
I had to accept that the cats were clever enough to know the rule: However, I would never be able to train them to obey the rule. So, after 6 utterly futile months of training, it was back to the drawing board...
Finally, I found the answer to our problem...
Houdini-proof fences - especially for keeping cats safe outdoors!
Please Note...
I have not received any payment / benefits from Purr...fect Fence for the promotion of their product on my website. I am promoting it simply because it is a fabulous product, which has vastly-improved the quality of my cats' lives. (See the end of this article for information about a discount to Leo Lebrun Bengals readers!)
I installed the fence alone and it was easier to do than I had expected (being a mere woman!) I didn't even have a sledge hammer. I only had a broken old lump hammer, whose end kept flying off! My garden posed several installation challenges - slopes, steps, trees in the wrong places, tarmac, etc... But, with some planning, the fence went up fine. So, if you are considering installing a fence, but your garden is awkwardly-shaped, don't be put off.
The finished fence is almost invisible and does not spoil the appearance of the garden.
When I could finally open the door and let the cats go out freely, it was the happiest moment.
The change in their behaviour was instant - from bored and frustrated, to occupied and content.
They now spend most of their time charging around the garden - even in the rain.
These days, it's a challenge getting photographs in focus!
They are just furry blurs, darting around.
They are such happy cats now.
I no longer have to measure / limit their food. They limit their own food intake naturally, as they have other things to think about. They come indoors occasionally for something to eat and then get back to the important business of playing outside. Their weight is returning to normal and they are becoming sleek, agile and kitten-like in their play once again.
Another advantage to the Purr...fect Fence is that it protects the local wildlife. Birds are often to be seen sitting safely behind it, laughing at the cats!
To date, neither cat has killed any creature. Their toys are their only "victims"!
And when they sleep, it is because they are tired and exhausted - not because they are bored.
Leilo, after a hard day in the garden
Tica, after a tiring day in the garden
Aaaah... Night, night.
Please Note...
I have not received any payment / benefits from Purr...fect Fence for the promotion of their product on my site. I am promoting it simply because it is a fabulous product, which has vastly-improved the quality of my cats' lives.
Leo Lebrun Bengals Readers get a...
5% Discount from Purr...fect Fence !
The lovely people at Purr...fect Fence have offered a 5% discount on orders generated from this website.
To get your 5% discount, order by phone toll free on 0808-234-8848
giving Leo Lebrun Bengals as a reference.
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