Jammed cat flap

On Sat, 19 Jun 2010 07:34:46 -0500, Granby wrote:

The
other two probably thought the space was shrinking and then had to get
to the food before it went away.

Cat food hardly ever goes away around here. I try to feed enough so that
there is a bit left over each day to throw outside for whatever wants
it. Of course, the first ones to the bowl when I refill it get the least
crumbs and spit with their kibble.



--
Ted Davis )

On Jun 19, 4:50*pm, Ted Davis wrote:
On Sat, 19 Jun 2010 09:37:30 -0700, Bruce wrote:
On Jun 19, 7:13*am, Ted Davis wrote:
On Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:01:05 -0700, Bruce wrote:
Do you think I want strange d-pets of any size invading at any hour?

I'm not sure, but I think the scheme I use to make the outside flap
coon and possum proof would also stop most dogs: the flap is in the
wall and has a porch about a meter's leap upward at a 45 degree angle
from the back steps.

--
Ted Davis )

Clever. May you all remain coon and possum free but I personally know
how smart a determined raccoon can be. Thanks for your description of
cat flap excitement.

I initially put the outside flap beside the back door, but I got tired of
coons and possums in the house. *I did some research and found a site
that described a cat feeding table that was coon and possum proof. *I
extracted the central concept and built my cat flap and platform
accordingly. *That was at least three years ago - more, I think. *Not a
single coon or possum has made it inside since. *The only drawback is
that sick, aged, and obese cats may not be able to manage the leap, but
the healthy ones have no trouble.

--
Ted Davis )

I would never hurt a coon or possum but if either was in my house I
can only
think reaching for the broom would be my first response to the
intruder. If I
could open the door, "shooing" it out might be possible as long as it
was not
cornered. What you think?
I am very cautious opening the door in winter as you never know
*what*
might seek shelter nearby, not necessarily to go inside.

great word picture, Lee
"Ted Davis" wrote in message
...
Tigger was headed from the kitchen into the mudroom through the hole in
that door. Avery, Chloe, and Curly were streaming through the outside
door coming into the mudroom. Tigger stopped in the hole - he's
seriously obese and completely fills the hole (for a moment, I though he
was stuck). He wasn't going to come out with Curly there, but Curly
*had* to get inside *right now*. Curly - no small cat himself - wedged
his head under Tigger's shoulder and somehow managed, with considerable
effort, to dig his way under Tigger. Tigger didn't know what to make of
that: he was jammed in so tight he couldn't do much of anything while
Curly was digging under him - he couldn't go out and he couldn't back
up. Meanwhile, Curly seemed to be stuck as well. After a few seconds of
struggling, Curly got through. Then Tigger came on out into the mud
room, freeing up the hole - Avery and Chloe sort of shot through the hole
and ran to the food bowl (I had just filled the stainless steel bowl and
I'm sure that even though they were outside, they heard the rattle of
kibble on steel). All three of them were there when I got back in.

I'm not sure whether Avery and Chloe went through so quickly because of
the fresh food or because they feared the hole would get jammed up
again. I think Tigger went to the litter pans, though I was so
fascinated by the others that I didn't pay any attention to what he was
doing, but he did move off to that side.

That's the only time I have seen two large cats trying to use the same
hole at the same time in opposite directions. I have seen small cats
passing one another going through a flap in the same direction, but never
such a mass of cats crammed into such a small opening. Maybe you had to
be there, but I thought it was the funniest thing I had seen in a long
time.

--
Ted Davis )

I agree!

--
Joy

Don't believe everything you think

"Stormmee" wrote in message
...
great word picture, Lee
"Ted Davis" wrote in message
...
Tigger was headed from the kitchen into the mudroom through the hole in
that door. Avery, Chloe, and Curly were streaming through the outside
door coming into the mudroom. Tigger stopped in the hole - he's
seriously obese and completely fills the hole (for a moment, I though he
was stuck). He wasn't going to come out with Curly there, but Curly
*had* to get inside *right now*. Curly - no small cat himself - wedged
his head under Tigger's shoulder and somehow managed, with considerable
effort, to dig his way under Tigger. Tigger didn't know what to make of
that: he was jammed in so tight he couldn't do much of anything while
Curly was digging under him - he couldn't go out and he couldn't back
up. Meanwhile, Curly seemed to be stuck as well. After a few seconds of
struggling, Curly got through. Then Tigger came on out into the mud
room, freeing up the hole - Avery and Chloe sort of shot through the hole
and ran to the food bowl (I had just filled the stainless steel bowl and
I'm sure that even though they were outside, they heard the rattle of
kibble on steel). All three of them were there when I got back in.

I'm not sure whether Avery and Chloe went through so quickly because of
the fresh food or because they feared the hole would get jammed up
again. I think Tigger went to the litter pans, though I was so
fascinated by the others that I didn't pay any attention to what he was
doing, but he did move off to that side.

That's the only time I have seen two large cats trying to use the same
hole at the same time in opposite directions. I have seen small cats
passing one another going through a flap in the same direction, but never
such a mass of cats crammed into such a small opening. Maybe you had to
be there, but I thought it was the funniest thing I had seen in a long
time.

--
Ted Davis )

Guess that is why O T tries to eat the top layer off of each dish before
Piglett gets to it.
"Ted Davis" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 19 Jun 2010 07:34:46 -0500, Granby wrote:

The
other two probably thought the space was shrinking and then had to get
to the food before it went away.

Cat food hardly ever goes away around here. I try to feed enough so that
there is a bit left over each day to throw outside for whatever wants
it. Of course, the first ones to the bowl when I refill it get the least
crumbs and spit with their kibble.



--
Ted Davis )

On Sat, 19 Jun 2010 16:18:56 -0700, Bruce wrote:

I would never hurt a coon or possum but if either was in my house I can
only think reaching for the broom would be my first response to the
intruder.
If I could open the door, "shooing" it out might be possible as long as
it was not cornered. What you think?
I am very cautious opening the door in winter as you never know *what*
might seek shelter nearby, not necessarily to go inside.

The worst cases were a possum behind my computer - I had to make a
capture stick to get it out, and a coon on top of the back door - I
resorted to a slingshot and steel pellets to drive it down and out.

I don't go charging out either door at night, mostly because I don't want
to frighten any skunks that might be out there. There was a small one at
the bottom of the back steps just a few nights ago when I opened the door
to call Tigger in - I quickly stepped back and closed the door. The
skunk ambled on down the small game trail that runs past the back steps
and on out into the field to the stock pond.

--
Ted Davis )