Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: scared
  • Music: Counting Crows, "Murder of One."

Oh sweet Great Pumpkin cats are hard on the heart.

Thomas can open doors.

Thomas has been able to open doors for a while now.

Thomas has never previously opened the front door. So this was new.

I got up to get ready for bed and discovered the front door of the house standing open, and an utter absence of cats. This, naturally, triggered INSTANT HYSTERIA, and lots of frenzied cat-calling, which probably frightened the neighbors.

Lilly came immediately, looking faintly ashamed of herself, and limping slightly. Thomas was in the yard, sniffing things, and came when called. I closed the door and turned to inspect Lilly's paw...during which pause Thomas OPENED THE DOOR again and let himself back outside.

I retrieved Thomas, called my mother, put on trousers, went outside, locked the door, and began searching the neighborhood for Alice. I found her halfway down the block, investigating someone's garden. I got her to come by clanging a can of wet food with a fork. She's mad now because she didn't get treats. I'm mad because, well. ESCAPING ISN'T COOL. Poor Vixy got me calling her in hysterics, wailing about how they got out.

All three cats are fine and uninjured. I cannot sleep. I have notified work that I'm going to be in late tomorrow, because there's no way I'm sleeping in the next hour. And from now on, the front door is locked even when I'm in the house.

Stupid cats.
Tags: alice, cats, freaking out, lilly, thomas
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  • 220 comments

sysrae

June 23 2011, 10:21:55 UTC 6 years ago

My childhood cat could open doors with turn-handles: she'd jump up, wrap her paws around the knob, swing to jimmy the latch, butt the door with her head, and then repeat until the door swung open. It was really disconcerting the first time we actually witnessed this process, because up until then, the only doors she'd been interested in opening had us on the other side, so we didn't know how she was managing to get in. Thomas, though, sounds scary-smart.

Also, out of curiosity: why aren't your cats allowed outside? Do you live near a big road, or is this a difference between Australian and American cat-owners?

tollers

June 23 2011, 13:11:01 UTC 6 years ago

In addition to the factors which have already been mentioned, Feline Leukemia and Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FLV/FIP) are endemic in much of the feral cat population, and the FLV vaccine, especially, is only about 70% effective, so vaccinating your cats is not a guarantee that a fight with an outdoor stray won't infect them with a miserable, incurable and ultimately fatal disease.