Escapees

[Tina B and crew]

I knew that it was only a matter of time before this started happening more frequently. Back in May it happened twice but we've been good since then. It happened again today. I came home and Lucy was outside. My mom had went out and didn't even notice she walked out the door with her. In January we went off for a few days and my mom was home for a few hours after we left before my brother picked her up. I didn't have my neighbor come up that night to feed the cats because we left late in the day. Well, when she came up the next morning apparently my mom had left the back sliding glass door open. It had been open all night. The cats were inside, thank goodness, but who knows what adventures they had! They got it twice in May - Lucy and Doc. It was just Lucy today. Thank goodness I actually came home sooner than I had planned! Short of confining them to our bedroom when we leave I'm not sure what else to do. I may just end up putting a sign on the door right in her line of vision "WATCH FOR CATS!!" but the truth is she probably wouldn't see it. I'm not being flippant. I keep a whiteboard on the refrigerator with a list of her meals written on it, right in her line of vision. She never notices it.

Maybe neon?

[Traci]

How long are you gone during a day? Can YOU put them in a closed room before you leave?

Are they microchipped?

[Tina B and crew]

We both work full time. Some days if I have errands to run I'm gone 10 hours or more. They would be closed up for a fairly long duration. Since out schedules aren't the same Tim sometimes goes to work after me or gets home before me or is off when I'm working. But most days when both of us work we are gone a minimum of about 6 hours. I hate to think of them being confined for that much time but if it's what I have to do to keep them safe it's what I'll do.

No, they aren't microchipped.

[Traci]

Six hours isn't that long, particularly since cats sleep most of the day If that is typically the longest time both of you are gone, it would be better that way than to escape from an open door. Just make the room comfortable for them. Hopefully mom won't open THAT door?