We brought our next-door neighbor to the airport Saturday morning. She flew to Phoenix to visit family. While there, she even arranged to visit my mom. That is sweet of her, but it makes me look like a terrible son because I haven’t been to Arizona since before she moved there. Getting there has always been complicated and expensive, but I guess I need to stop relying on her to visit me and get out there, but I digress.
I offered to take care of her cat. You may remember her as the female Frankie. My concern was that Frankie didn’t like me, or pretty much anyone for that matter, and I would have a hard time getting her to come inside the house. Frankie is a mostly outside kitty. She comes in to eat and she comes in at night, but even the latter is not all the time.
Since I couldn’t get the girl Frankie to come inside, I decided to take my Blink camera from my office, which doubles as the cat’s room, and set it on the sidewalk near our neighbor’s back door. It records when it detects motion. That let me make sure Frankie was eating the food I put out. Frankie’s mom made a box (you can see it on the right) with a cat bed inside and put one at the front and back doors, but I don’t think Frankie has used either one so far.
I found Frankie in the front yard and tried to get her to come in for dinner but she wasn’t having it.
That night, or early the next morning, she discovered the camera. In the video, it seemed to surprise her, probably because a blue light turns on during the recording.
It got quite cold for our area Sunday night but she refused to come inside. I went over there early Monday morning. I called her name from the back door but didn’t see her. I then called her from the front door with no response. As I returned to the back area, she was waiting by the door and came inside. I didn’t have my phone so I have no photos of that.
She ate her breakfast, and when I returned for lunch, she begged me to let her outside. I didn’t have the heart to keep her locked inside the house, so I let her outside.
That evening she didn’t come for dinner, so I left the food for her outside. Later, I returned to find the food was not eaten so I cleaned it up and came back again around 8:30. The temperature had dropped and this time she was willing to come in.
I gave her breakfast this morning, but left her inside because it was still cold outside.
I returned at 9:30 to give her the second half of the can of cat food, but she wasn’t interested. She only wanted to go outside, so I let her out. Hopefully, she is starting to trust me, and I won’t have a hard time getting her inside tonight.
Bad Cat Chris 
Seems (No. 1) Frankie-Girl has a mind of her own (as many girls do!) … and the will to act upon it. Seems (No. 2) you can only do what you can only do … and maybe cold and hunger will be driving aid you along the way. You do get a Good Neighbor Award!
Thanks. I thought she was getting used to me but she would not come when I called her to come in tonight at 8:30. I saw her on camera at 8:40 and went back at 8:50 but she was gone again.
bee good frankie…if dad two frankie tellz yur mom ewe haz been a good gurl while shez been a way, may bee yur mom will bring ewe home sum treetz 🐾😸‼️🖤🤍🤍🖤
I hope that works. Couldn’t get her inside tonight.
That has to be pretty scary sitting for an outside kitty. She is pretty!
I feel bad that she wouldn’t come in tonight.
Taking care of an outside cat sounds like a full-time job. I don’t think my nerves could take not knowing where she is for huge parts of the day and night. Yikes.
She wouldn’t come in tonight and I worry it will get cold. Fortunately it’s Florida but it is still chilly.
I would have made her stay in the whole time. I would be too worried.
I thought about it but she was so insistent that I felt bad because she is not used to being stuck inside.
You know you’ll never get a cat to do something they don’t want to. It looks like her human knew you might not be able to get her to go in.
She is more okay with the situation than I am
I’ve noticed when catsitting for Ms. GA, the longer I am the one on duty, the more the cats come to trust me, at least for that round, and in subsequent rounds, the trust comes faster. By now, even Oliver Twist and Little Orphan Annie will eat while I’m in the room, something they wouldn’t have done when I first cared for them.
I was hoping she would trust me enough to come in tonight but apparently not.
That would make me very nervous all the in and out if I was caring for Frankie. When our Lily Olivia was still alive and our kitties were inside/outside, she would do this to our friend Louann, who was their kitty caregiver back then. Some kitties just have their own idea of what they should be allowed to do. XOCK, angels Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid & Sawyer, Lisbeth, Calista Jo, Cooper Murphy, Kizmet, Audrey, Raleigh, Gibbs & Tali
Yes, and I am in no position to change her routine.
we hope she will see a friend in you soon and she is always there
Thanks. I hope so too.
Good for you – “slow and easy” and she already knows she can trust you. I imagine it’s tough to be “in tune” with a cat you are just learning how to babysit. Different habits, personality, etc. Sounds like you’ve done it though!
Hugs, Pam
I managed to get her in the house this morning. She even let me pet her very gently on the head before hissing and whacking me.
LOL……sounds like she’s one of those cats where you have to take “baby steps” with but she let you pet her and that’s a step alright!
Hugs, Pam
I’ll take what I can get.
Nice of you to take care of Frankie even though she may not like you much. Some cats are just wary of strangers, especially cats that are outside most of the time.
I need to give up trying to pet her. She let me pet her three times this morning. The fourth pet she dug her claws into my hand.