I spent 60 bucks on a heated orthopedic bed last winter and my cat ignored it for 3 months. Then my neighbor dropped off a delivery box from Amazon and the cat slept in that every single night. Has anyone else given up on fancy pet furniture and just let the box win?
I was about to give up and move it inside, but yesterday I saw her curled up on it during a sunny afternoon... she even ignored her usual spot on the old chair. Has anyone else's pet taken forever to warm up to something new on the porch?
I mean, my cat Pearl used to knock her bowl around every single morning and spill kibble all over the deck boards. Around three months ago I switched to this heavy ceramic dish I found at a garage sale for $4 and it has a rubber ring on the bottom so it doesn't slide. Has anyone else had to completely change their feeding setup because of a clumsy pet?
I set up this little hammock on my deck last week, figured my cat would love lounging in the afternoon sun. She walked right past it, gave me a look, and now she sleeps in the cardboard box the hammock came in. Has anyone else's pet totally reject a fancy bed you bought for them?
My partner Mark told me to just let our lab Duke hang out on the porch couch, said it would be fine with a quick wipe down. After one rainstorm last week, I spent 45 minutes scrubbing mud out of the cushions and they still smell like wet dog. Now I'm stuck arguing about whether we should get waterproof covers or just ban him from the furniture entirely. Anyone else have this fight with their family?
Last Saturday I finally got one of those heated outdoor pet pads for my porch because my cat Mittens loves sleeping out there even when it's chilly. I set it up on the south side where the afternoon sun hits, really thought I was doing something smart. Went inside to grab coffee and came back maybe 10 minutes later and she was absolutely not using it. Instead she was sprawled out on the cold concrete right next to it, looking at me like I offended her ancestors. I moved the pad to a different spot, tried putting her favorite blanket on top, even sprinkled some catnip on it. She just stared at me and eventually walked inside through the cat door. The neighbor's stray dog jumped the fence later and claimed the pad for himself, so at least someone appreciated it. Has anyone else's pet totally rejected something you bought specifically for them on your patio?
She said cats hate wet paws and after 3 days of that pool sitting there my tabby still prefers the porch couch cushion, so I guess stubborn beats logic every time, has anyone else tried something that just backfired?
Everyone on here says to stand porch cushions on their side to dry so they dont get moldy underneath. I did that for 3 years and my cushions still got musty. Then last summer at a BBQ at my buddy's house in Portland I saw he just leans his against the rail at a 45 degree angle facing the sun. Tried it and my cushions dried out completely in one afternoon. No more flipping them up and down like a fool. Has anyone else found the "stand them up" advice doesnt actually work?
I bought these thick 4 inch cushions from HomeGoods last spring and my dog can't even jump up on the porch couch anymore. She just stands there whining until I lift her up, and I'm not her personal stair lift. Has anyone else had to downgrade their outdoor furniture because their pet turned into a lazy lump?
I came home from work yesterday and found my orange tabby Milo just lounging on the deck like he owned the place. I knew I left him inside. Turns out he shoved the bottom of the screen door hard enough to pop the latch loose. Now I gotta figure out how to lock it from the inside without blocking the cat flap. Anyone else had a cat that learned to break out like that?
I tried dark gray paint on my deck last summer and my dog couldn't even lay on it by noon. Switched to a light tan this year and she naps out there for hours now. Anyone else deal with this?
My neighbor Dale stopped me last Wednesday on his way to grab his mail and told me his golden retriever pushed right through the screened porch door and chased a squirrel into the street. He said the clips on the bottom of his folding crate gave out after just three months of use. Has anyone else had a flimsy porch setup almost lead to a disaster like that?
So I have this stray that started hanging out on my deck like 6 months ago. Every time it drizzles he just sits there looking at the water. I thought he was just weird. Then last week I was looking up something about ear mites and stumbled on a vet article saying some cats actually like the sound of rain because it masks other noises that make them nervous. Blew my mind. Now I leave the screen door cracked so he can come in if he wants but he never does. Anybody else got a pet that does something weird in the rain?
Last Tuesday I was sitting on our front porch with my cat Jasper, just watching the rain. He was curled up on the swing cushion like he owns the place. Then I heard this crack and the whole right side of the swing dropped about 4 inches. One of the chain hooks had snapped clean through. Jasper launched off like a rocket and shot under the deck. Took me 20 minutes to coax him out with a can of tuna. The swing was only 3 years old from Lowes, cost me around $150 back then. I ended up replacing the hooks with heavy duty eye bolts from the hardware store, cost maybe $8 total. Has anyone else had a porch furniture failure that sent your pet into full panic mode?
She pointed out that the concrete was probably cold and hard for him, so I grabbed a $25 mat from Walmart last week and now he actually naps out there instead of just standing around. Has anyone else gotten random feedback that totally changed their pet's hangout spot?
Had 12 guests over and my Lab mix chewed through three cushions in under five minutes while I was flipping burgers, so now I store them in the garage before anyone comes over - does your pet have a favorite thing to destroy when you're not looking?
She was right, three months later none of them have touched the petunias, so I guess she wins this round, anyone else have a cheap fix that actually worked better than the fancy stuff?
I installed one of those magnetic flap cat doors on my back porch screen. Thought it would be great so he could come and go without me having to get up. First day, he just pawed at it and it scared him. Now he refuses to even touch it. He just sits on the mat and yowls until I open the door for him. He's watched the neighbor's cat use theirs before, so he knows it's possible. I've tried holding it open, I've tried luring him with treats. Nope. He's got me trained. Has anyone else had a pet that absolutely refuses to learn a simple trick like this?
My lab mix Milo learned he could push the screen door with his nose and let himself out onto the porch whenever he wanted. I tried those little hook and eye latches but he figured them out in about 3 days. Then I remembered an old trick from my dad who used to keep his shed closed with a simple spring loaded clip. I put one of those on the screen door frame at chest height where he can't reach it and it works perfectly. Cost me $2 at the hardware store and took 30 seconds to install. Has anyone else dealt with a pet that keeps escaping to the porch?