George is traumatised!

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Mother decided to finally let George out yesterday. She didn't make a big thing of it, just left the back door open so he could get in and out as he pleased.

Unfortunately it didn't go to plan. George walked past the door, sideways and in slow motion, four times. He then plucked up the courage to sit and look out - until a pigeon landed outside and then he ran upstairs and stayed there for few hours!

Today was even worse - as soon as mother opened the door he ran upstairs and wouldn't come down...

This isn't going to be easy! I think he's got too used to being warm and cosy indoors.

Is there a reason he has to go out? Sounds as if he prefers his home comforts!

Oh, bless him, being scared of a pigeon. Saying that, I used to have a cat that was terrified of a blackbird. It would sit on the wall and just shout at the cat all day. She tried stalking it a couple of times, then lost her nerve and ran into the house.

Maybe he'll be happy to be a house cat. Has he been outside before in his previous home?

Not really, we just thought it would be nice for him to get a bit of fresh air and go for a wander. Obviously he has other ideas!

I have to say that, as lovely as he is, I don't think I could live with the neurotic little beastie!

Cross post Rubbish.

He was found as a stray so had obviously been out at some point but we don't know anything else about him as his previous bastard owner told Battersea they'd 'given him away and didn't want anything else to do it with it'. I don't think the poor little chap had the best start in life.

I think my mother was planning on him going out to cut the cat litter bill!

One day many moons ago, my father caught a loose canary/budgie (whichever one is yellow) in our cabbage patch. He took it inside prior to phoning round to find the owner - which we eventually did with the vet's help - and in a fit of madness showed it to FirstCat who was sauntering down the stairs.

FirstCat - an abject coward - took one look at this horrible squawking, so yellow it was almost fluorescent, bird, swollen with cabbage to the size of a grapferuit, and ran for upstairs with a commendable turn of speed.

We didn't see him again all day.

George is not alone.

That's brilliant Cozie! H isn't the bravest cat in the world (he waits until his prey has flown off before stalking) and I'm sure the birds throw things at him when he sits under the tree in our garden as he seems to be covered in twigs and moss half the time!

Oh, poor George. People can be bastards can't they.

When I began reading your post Cozie, I thought for a mad minute that your dad had fed the budgie to FirstCat. Cabbage stuffed budgie. Meat and veg all in one.

Not a chance. I had thought my father was being exceptionally rash but he had a better understanding of the dynamics of the situation than us. That budgie was not only stuffed with greens but absolutely LIVID about being caught - he wasn't taking any prisoners and Firstcat got the message loud and very clear: we didn't see him for dust.

Shuffling off topic a bit, but we used to have a budgie that never flew, just ran about on the floor. He liked the wishbone from the Sunday chicken.

He'd flick poos at you once he was locked in his cage of an evening.