Cat-proofing the last bastion....Ze Grille!

After all the heart-stopping episodes (my friend Cathy said her heart also stopped many times just reading my posts yesterday!) by Indy, Pole, Tabs and Cleo, we just had to do something to cat-proof the last bastion - the catgrille.

The catgrille was actually meant to curb Cow & Bunny from going out 'coz they spray. But so far, only Cow sprays now. Maybe (just maybe) calling the place "Bunny's Place" has had a good effect - Bunny doesn't spray anymore! Well, how can you spray in your own dwelling place, right?

Anyway, we weren't planning on confining the cats for good, but with all these escapades and especially with Indy running so far away last night, we've decided they have to be confined, at least for sometime.  Seems to us that they really enjoy escaping now. Maybe because is is an exciting new place for them?

Last night we decided against the glass door because closing it would block off ventilation into the room. I thought we might as well just add on to the existing grille, all the way up. Will it look like a jail then? Oh well, never mind. Better be jailed than be sorry, right?

So, this morning, I called our contractor, Ah Keong, and asked most humbly and almost apologetically if he would mind coming by to remove the grille and add on until the full length. The grille would have to be powder-coated again. I was lucky - Ah Keong said ok, and that he would come by tomorrow.

Oh, goody! Finally, a permanent solution once and for all.

So I got home and a surprise awaited me.

My husband told me to take a look and voila...he had done something else...for only RM13.

And he had tested it for the whole morning already. It's been Pole-Indy proof so far.

Here's the RM13 job:

 It's just netting fastened to the existing grille.

There was a problem in opening the latch, so husband cut a slit and tied a wire as an extended latch to the existing one and it worked.

I asked if it might be better and more permanent to just extend the grille up once and for all, and he said it would look like a jail. Well, that's true... Let's not have something so permanent yet. Maybe next time, we don't need this netting anymore.

Okay...at least it is working...so far.

All afternoon, Indy held a street protest at the grille, supported by Cleo and Tabs. They whined and complained till no end.

Pole?

Pole was quiet. She just sat and observed, and looked, and observed, and....did her calculations like she always does.

Not a sound from her.

My friends came by and they thought it was... Well, if it does the job, why not?

 By evening, Indy was all stoned from the street protest.

 Pole? You'll never quite know what is on her mind. She looked quite relaxed.

 Tabs? Well, the netting doesn't affect her at all, because her modus operandi is to zip out from the corner the moment anyone opens the grille, so who cares about the netting above?

I'm waiting for someone to come in or go out...anyone coming or going?

 Cleo was very stressed all day.

She must have enjoyed the trip out yesterday, so she was looking forward to another day out today, but hey, WHO put up that netting and why can't I go out!!!

She protested all day along with Indy.

But Cleo doesn't climb or jump out. She does the "zip" trick, like Tabs.

I had to pacify her all day with....food. I know it's bad, but only for today since she was so, so stressed and upset.

It was clearly a case of binging due to anxiety.

 Pole didn't mind the extra food since she figured she is also a victim in this fracas.

 Of course Tabs would never say no to food.

 I'm happy where I am. I'm not going anywhere.
(This is Tiger, not Tabs)

 I'm not going anywhere also. 
I just want to spray here and there.
I'm just marking my territory...why do these humans find that so objectionable? We cats do it all the time. 

 I don't mind the additional food either. 
After all, aren't I the boss around here? 

P.S. They are all eating Go! kibbles as treats. Today, for some reason, everyone was demanding for treats - I don't know why. It's almost like they know they have the right to demand for compensation after being deprived of their right to freedom @ escape!

 Still down and out....completely.

Street protest is HARD work, isn't it?

 Pole has been observing the gate and looking up at the netting.

As they say, "Still waters run deep". Never underestimate what Pole is capable of doing...

I can feel it in my bones - she is definitely planning something and she doesn't simply strike until she is very confident of success.

Just you wait...I'll find a way.

I always do, don't I?

 Meditate first....

Mind over matter...

Open sesame!!