The last few weeks have been one long adventure with Miss ShiShi - some of it good, and some of it completely nerve-wracking.  Over a handful of days, she escaped unsupervised from our house multiple times, until we finally figured the (numerous!) ways that she was making her escapes.  If we lived somewhere safer for cats, I might not have been so worried, but we live on a suburban street where cars routinely drive 50 mph, and the neighborhood has more than it's fair share of coyotes, osprey, eagles and snakes - way too many dangers for an unwary kitty.
This post contains affililate links.  I get commissions for purchases made through the links in this post, which helps to support the blog. ​​​

On the bright side, all of the outdoor leash training that I've done with ShiShi both around our house (and more recently around our neighborhood) really served us well during all of this chaos.  Each time that she managed another grand escape, I was able to walk right up to her outside (after a frantic search!) and she would meow a welcoming hello before letting me carry her back indoors.  By the end of that week, I was becoming understandably paranoid, using her Loc8tor collar tag to find her around the house every few hours and any time that the front door was opened (often - we are a large family).   It was a very, very long week, and my kitty-watching nerves were completely shot by the end of it.

After MUCH investigating, it turned out that my darling ShiShi had  utilized a number of different escape routes into the Great Outdoors over the week's time.  She managed to sneak out invisibly at least once through the front door, despite our many precautions (which include a cat gate placed directly in front of the door, meant to prevent those particular escapes).  But that wasn't nearly the end of it - the real problem, as it turned out, was the three separate (and camouflaged) holes that she ripped in the screens on our lanai (patio).   And, should you wonder, those ripped screens were a whole new never-before-seen problem after the past several years of letting her spend unsupervised hours/per day exploring and lazing around on the lanai.

What in the world happened to bring all of this on?  It's hard to really get into the mind of a cat and know for sure, but I have a strong working theory that seems to be panning out so far in terms of no further escapes.  Over the past many months, ShiShi and I have been spending more and more time exploring the outdoors together - in our yard, our neighborhood, and even local parks.  I try to get outside with her one way or another at least every other day if at all possible.  She's always had a tendency to  meow for company to come out and spend time with her on the lanai, and often Haku or else some human from the family caves in and hangs with her out there.  (Spoiled much??)  But this last month has been extremely busy, and she was being left by herself on her 'catio' more than normal.   I am thinking now that her growing love of companionship caused her to be distressed on her own, and she started a brand new and rather frightening habit of clawing through the screens when she was left on her own...  

But, all's well that ends well, right?  For now, we seem to have fixed the problem with new measures for cat safety and happiness in place (no new escapes in the last week or so).  ShiShi is back to her normal wild but affectionate self, and I'm starting to breathe more easily again.  Just a little, until something new comes along...

1.  I know that I've said it before, but this has been yet another lesson for me in the New Cat Habits Gone Astray category.  After three years of no problems with ShiShi alone on the lanai, BAM!  It completely took me by surprise.  I used to check the lanai screens after storms just to be sure that all was well, but now it is my new daily habit.

2.  Can't say it enough - I am so very grateful for the Loc8tor radio tags that ShiShi and Haku always wear.  Without them, I think I would have gone insane.  As it was, they helped me to find ShiShi quickly several times once I realized that she was missing.

3.  For now, any time that ShiShi is outside on the screened lanai, the sliding doors are always left cracked open for her to come and go at will.  This seems enough to keep her confident, although I'm finding that she's coming inside and checking in with me far more often than she ever used to.

4.  Once the truly hot summer weather hits, I'll be installing a Pet Safe Pet Door Sliding Door Insert to make sure that we don't run into these kinds of cat (and human!) anxiety issues again.  The lanai has always been ShiShi's happy spot - I want her to have access, but also to make sure that we keep the 'happy' part of that equation!

I'd hate to say that cats are my life.  But in a way, they kind of are.  Don't get me wrong - I absolutely adore my family and friends and the entire rest of the life I've been blessed with, but I really, really love my cats too.  There's just one problem - I also happen to be quite allergic to most cats.  And over half of my (rather large) immediate family is as well.

That said, I've loved cats and had them around me pretty much always.  One of my earliest memories is of helping to pick out a kitten for my family.  Her name morphed into Kiki, because I was too young to even pronounce the word kitten yet - and I absolutely adored her.  Much later on, though, I was diagnosed with migraine-causing cat allergies - and that was no fun at all.  My family didn't know a thing yet about all the natural and alternative medicines that I have in my arsenal  today, so I received the typical allergy shots in hopes of relief (no way I was giving up our cat!)  And when I got my first apartment after college?  I went (literally the next day) to a shelter and adopted my very own kitten/best-furriend.

Long story short, eventually I had to stop those allergy shots after they became dangerous to me (anaphylaxis).   And over the past 20 years my cat allergies gradually became worse and worse.  It was pure torture, because I found myself pushing away our cat much of the time, or instantly scrubbing face, hands, clothing after giving in to enjoying a cuddle with him.  And unfortunately, during that same time span, some of my (human) kids were starting to show allergy problems too.
This post contains affililate links.  I get commissions for purchases made through the links in this post, which helps to support the blog. ​​

So, what did I do?  For allergic cat lover's around the world (and there are a surprisingly high number of us), how to fix those tragic allergies is the sixty million dollar question. 

Once I was (forced) to admit that our cat allergies were getting completely out of hand, I began researching like mad!  Information is power, and I was absolutely determined to win the cat allergy war.  And then I started implementing everything that I could, slowly over time changing both our habits and our habitat. 

I prefer to tackle things in bits and pieces with any project like this that may involve a lot of changes for either myself or my family.  If I try to jump in whole-cat (so to speak) all at once, I'm far more likely to just give up and find the whole thing too overwhelming.  In this case, though, the benefits (of millions of cat cuddles) were a huge motivation for me.

Knowing the enemy ( not my furry loves!) is really helpful dealing with cat allergies in the most successful and natural way possible.  The predominant cause  is a protein that the cats produce called Fel d 1.  It excretes primarily through their skin's oil glands and their anal glands, and also through their saliva and their fur.  The bulk of it, however, really does come from those skin and anal glands.  (Yup - that's why changing litterboxes and kitty kisses/head bumps can really set off allergic reactions.)  All of the information can be really confusing - there's a lot of it, but it's not always the most accurate stuff.  Much a what is floating around on the internet these days is actually based on older myths and defunct research - for instance, all those statements that cat saliva is the main problem.   (Check out the Fel d 1 Fact List and Resources at the bottom of this page 👇)

I work hard to keep everything to do with my cats clean.  Anywhere my little darlings like to hang out needs to be either wipe-able or easily washable.  And carpeted cat trees are a huge no-no!  They just can't be cleaned of allergens properly.  Fortunately, ShiShi and Haku adore our Armarkat Solid Wood Cat Tree  - they love it for the hiding cave, great perches (it's also where I feed Haku), and the best kitty hammock ever.   (If you notice fuzzies in the photos of our cat tree,  it's because I cut up a bathroom rug to fit on the perches - super easy to wash, and the kitties like the fluff.)  I also keep my cats extra healthy with their raw diet and lots of exercise, and keep their fur clean with daily wipe downs.   And, while it isn't the right choice for everyone, this time around when it was time to adopt cats, I very carefully chose a cat breed (Siberian) that naturally produces significantly less of that darned Fel d 1 protein.  

What do I do for any remaining allergies?  They do still crop up once in a while, especially if my immune system is down because of fatigue or having a cold.  Heartbreakingly, I had to stop volunteering at our local no-kill cat shelter.  And I still do a crazy wash my face, rinse my eyes, rinse my sinuses, wash my hands, change my clothes routine whenever I love up somebody else's furry darling.  But, in my own home, with my (mostly hypoallergenic) Siberian cats, I do extremely well.  Check out my self care tips below for more info on my personal anti-allergy regime, and also for the rest of the fabulous protocols that allow me to be a happy and healthy cat owner.  And yes - I happily and healthily face-plant and rub noses with ShiShi and Haku at least a billion times a day now. ❤

An Update on Molecular Cat Allergens
Study about cat allergens, and possible medical solutions for the future.  Lots of great background info.

Myths About Siberians
Article about myths and facts pertaining to low Fel d 1 in Siberian cats.

Kitten Saliva Testing for Fel d 1
Explains saliva testing, accuracy, and sources of current testing.

Jackson Galaxy Cat Allergy Blog
I don't agree with absolutely everything in this article, but Jackson offers some great tips and solutions for people who  own a cat that they are allergic to.

Bored cats = trouble cats!  Even more than trouble (although cat shenanigans can be frighteningly destructive), boredom in cats can lead to a host of other problems including depression, health and litterbox issues.  If given free access to the outdoors, a well-fed housecat will normally roam and patrol a territory of around 5 acres on a regular basis, while their feral counterparts range much further.  And, simply put, even five acres  has a whole lot of stimulation - tantalizing scents, animal trails to follow, birds to wish for.  But that free-roaming lifestyle has plenty of other problems attached to it and just isn't possible, or even recommended, for the majority of housecats.

As I have said before, cats are REALLY intelligent.  I often think that living with cats is a bit like living with toddlers in the house.  They are easily smart enough to learn all kinds of tricks - sometimes they are the kind of tricks that I enjoy - like 'shake' or 'boop', and sometimes they're not so fabulous tricks like Haku's opening the cupboard doors where the treats are stored!  And just like any toddler, cats need to have their intellect challenged and their senses stimulated to maintain their physical and mental health.

So, what do you (as a loving cat owner) do?  Outdoor adventures on leash and harness aren't always practical or possible, even with a nature-loving cat mom like myself, let alone our many friends who live in large cities.  But, for the times when going outdoors really isn't a possibility, we have hit on a happy (if sometimes messy!) solution for ShiShi and Haku - indoor cat forts.  And not so surprisingly, those kitty forts have a great deal in common with the temporary forts that I used to build for my own kids when they were younger.

Whenever something keeps us indoors, as the weather often did this past summer (Florida summers are just crazy hot), that's when I pull out my indoor kitty fort building skills.  It doesn't honestly take a lot on my part - maybe 5-10 minutes of my time, plus the willingness to let my living room be a complete disaster for the next few hours.  ShiShi especially is ALWAYS willing to help with the building part.  Generally she is there inspecting every little layer that I add to the pile of human and cat stuff that turns into the fort-of-the-day.  Haku is a bit slower to the game, but always makes sure to stake a claim once the building process is done!   

Both cats always seem to know that the fort is especially for them, even if I haven't included any of their own toys in it, and they always ask me to play with them in their forts as well.  In fact, they pretty much expect it.  (Those pitiful eyes and flirty mews do me in every time!)  And once the fun and romping around has died down, I'm sure to find at least one of them napping in their temporary castle, guarding it from all intruders.

Do I think that these forts do their job?  The answer is a massive yes!  Any day that includes the building of one of a kitty fort - either simple or elaborate - is also generally a day with far less unhappy pawing at the door for adventures outside.   I also see some of the other adventuring benefits in the form of one (very)picky eater finishing all of her dinner, and more kitty cuddles from both of them.  And distinctively less pawing at that kitchen cupboard!  They also just seem to be more alert and likely to be inspecting the house for more fun, rather than simply sleeping through the day.  For anyone with cats who get into that extra bit of trouble on too frequent a basis, or even cats who have become lethargic and less interested in play, I can't recommend enough the magic or these easy-to-make, temporary forts.

​Happy Building!

1.  Temporary cat forts can (and should) be simple.  Just a few items presented in new way can be very interesting to a cat.  

2.  Claw hair clips and clothespins combined with a sheet or a few scarves and a chair will take you far!  Other items that my cats seem to frankly adore included in a fort are boxes (of course!), baskets, hula hoops, a few of their catnip toys scattered in the structure, and tissue paper.

3.  Some of the all-time favorite forts that I've made for ShiShi and Haku have included one of their cat trees - either moved to the center of the room, or even laid on its side.  Apparently nothing is ever so amazing as one of their own items, made to seem entirely different.

4.  Don't feel obliged to leave the awesome new fort cluttering your space for more than a few hours.  Just like the aforementioned toddlers, cats can also have short attention spans.  In fact, it seems to keep them much more stimulated if one fort disappears, but something quite different appears the next day.  And really, have fun with this - time to let your own inner child out to play!

While I lazed around after a horrible root canal two weekends ago, my incredible husband was busy building a cat wall in our bedroom as part of my continuing efforts to change the dynamic between ShiShi and Haku.  Since we first introduced four month old ShiShi to ten month old Haku, sibling rivalry has been the name of Haku's game.  ShiShi, on the other paw, always seems to tread extra carefully around him - just in case something set him off and he chased her screeching under the armoire.  Again. 
 ​
My goal with this cat wall was to create enough variety of prime viewing/napping spots in my bedroom that Haku would stop his efforts to claim ShiShi's new sliding door perch, and hopefully finally let her be in our bedroom again in peace. (Non-climbing Haku had actually started making  the tall climb up to her new window hammock perch that I put together a few weeks ago, just so he could claim it.  Unreal! )
​
This post contains affililate links.  I get commissions for purchases made through the links in this post, which helps to support the blog.

It's not the most gorgeous decoration that has ever graced my bedroom, but shelf brackets plus an old kennel sling and a scratching post that has been very popular with both ShiShi and Haku have helped to turn our boring wall into a kitty palace.  Especially when coupled together with the sisel rope covered tree branch/hammock perch that I put together on our sliding door for ShiShi.   By this time I had become very picky about what I thought the cat's needs might be  -  I wanted to create an ease of climbing (for Haku), a comfortable variety of napping spots so that they wouldn't be fought over, all the while keeping the profile narrow so that we human's would still have use of our room.

Happy cats decorate my bedroom best of all!  I love my cat's company, and was sad when they first started carving our house into separate territories a few months ago.  And the improved situation between our cats is much better than I even imagined.

What we ended up with after a long day of drilling holes in the wall and cutting boards to fit has worked beyond my wildest dreams.  Haku is quite comfortable with the short climb to get to his new favorite cushy window perch, and ShiShi seems to have no problem with simply choosing another spot if he is busy claiming wherever she last slept (common territorial behavior for Haku). 

The reason that I say things are improved beyond my wildest dreams, though, is that the change in both cats' behavior over these last few weeks since that cat wall was built has been nothing short of remarkable.  With Haku's eating spot already moved to another room a while back, and with the addition of several prime new napping/perching spots in the bedroom, ShiShi's level of confidence around Haku has somehow soared.  And in wonderful synchronicity, he seems to be feeling less of his usual need to dominate her at the same time.

ShiShi is also obviously feeling extra loved and secure, because she has begun asking for cuddles much, much more frequently.  And over the last week especially, I've seen her frisking and chasing Haku when she wants to play!  The tables are dramatically turned there, because chase-time up until now has meant Haku chasing poor ShiShi until she was yowling for help from underneath the most convenient hiding spot.  Needless to say, Haku seems a bit befuddled by ShiShi chasing him instead and the invitations to play, but he's also still his same happy-go-lucky, cuddlebear self.  Just definitely less troublesome in his behavior with ShiShi. 

And in case anyone is wondering, ShiShi and Haku can still be found together like the Wonder Twins whenever there is any kind of mischief to get into!  If anything, it happens more than ever now.

It turns out that I have been nurturing a Houdini-inspired escape artist in my house, and her name is ShiShi.  I adore my dear cat with all my heart, but she has given our family several nasty panic attacks in recent weeks especially.  All but one resolved within a few minutes, but Tuesday night's ordeal will be living in our memories for a long time.  

Miss ShiShi has become frighteningly adept at hiding by the very edge of the front door (usually after dark) and then sneaking out in the shadows as we open the door to come inside.  She also keeps a close eye out for new openings in the aging screen that cages in our screened patio, and has snuck out while chasing lizards several times.

On Tuesday night she was missing for a horrific and terrifying 45 minutes before we finally located her - spotted mid-pounce on a lizard (of course!)  I'm all about learning from experiences like this to mitigate or prevent them in the future, and there are definitely a few improvements that we will be making in our cat security measures from now on.

I honestly believe that there is a good chance that we might not have found ShiShi this time if she hadn't had so much prior harness training around the perimeter of our house.   This belief stems partly from our own experiences with our last cat, Max.  Also, very sadly, from the many 'lost indoor cat' notices that I see posted throughout the year on lampposts, at the vet's office, and at the cat rescue I volunteer at.

When we moved to our current house with Max, we almost lost him just a week later.  He managed to slip outside and, even though we went looking very quickly, he had already roamed five houses up the street and was hiding in bushes, a silent shadow when we called to him from only a few feet away.  To this day, I bless my oldest son's profound determination and intuition in finding Max that night.  It almost didn't happen.

Max was already 12 years old at the time, and I wasn't even aware of harness training for cats.  (If only I had been...)  After that horrible night, we did our best to give him very short (minutes!) of supervised mini-escapes around our back yard/ sides of the house so that he would know where he was if he ever got out on his own again.  It appeared to work - when he broke through porch screens chasing a lizard, we found him waiting to be let in through the door.