Thanks for comments on cat (Marmalade), think he might of been in a bt of a scrap, little nick on his ear and it has been wet. Naughty thing though has pooped on my bathroom mat, usually such an outdoor cat, out all night, sleeps all day. The flap is set in a recess doorway and I moved a plant nearby for camoflage (Bekkie's idea). Worst thing is we go away on Monday and I am worried about poor lady coming in to feed him walking into cat mess, not a welcome sight (or smell).
On a positive note bought the rose from Lidl yesterday, going to sort it and a home for it out today. May well go back for the clematis, just where I want it is not ready yet, have a mountain of rockery stone to shift to other side of garden.
“Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
Beautiful day here too. Very frustrating, want to work in the garden, but also want to watch the cricket - S.A. playing West Indies. Still, have taped the cricket, so if I avoid all mention of the game I can play first in the garden and watch later, can't I? Am I brave enough?
DD, my old cat stopped going out at night, & it turned out there was a neighbouring tom cat who was picking on her, and who started coming in the house to eat her food. In the end we had to provide a litter tray and a very calm environment, lock the cat flap at night and any time we weren't around, and eventually she settled down. My guess (from the ear damage) is that Marmalade has had a scuffle with a neighbouring cat, and that this, maybe combined with Shadow changing the "animal dynamics" in the house, has unsettled him. Have you tried a Feliway diffuser? I've never used one myself, but I know some people swear by them. They give off "cat calming pheromones" or something.
Sun's shining here, and I feel the call of my unpruned shrubs...
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Morning all - lovely day - off into the garden soon.
DD - certainly sounds as though 'something' has happened to make your cat nervous of going outside. I agree with some of the previous posters to keep him in at night with a litter tray and with the flap locked. I highly recommend using a Feliway diffuser close to the cat flap and where he sleeps. I would also clean the door and the cat flap with diluted biological washing powder solution then rinse off and spray the door and flap with Feliway in case another cat has been nosing around there. Hope you can buy Feliway in France!
When I helped run a cattery we sometimes had cats who were reluctant to use a litter tray. We found that a covering of soil from the garden sometimes helped encourage them.
If the problem persists a trip to the vets to make sure there is no underlying medical problem might be on the cards.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Thank you all for cat advice. Update this morning - he has been out in sunshine all morning, albeit on the roof, accessed from bedroom window, has come in now through cat flap, which I have checked and is working properly both ways. He has turned his nose up at cat food, as per usual, but eaten it sulkily as I have nothing else to offer (no incentive there I'm afraid).
As it happens I have some Feliway left over from the journey here, had forgotten all about it, so will give it a go with that. Throw in some TLC and see what happens. Thanks again and apologies to those of you who are not so keen on cats, I can promise he goes nowhere near anyone's beautiful garden, our neighbours have only 'functional' gardens so there is no damage to be done.
More garden tidying up this afternoon with my little 'helper', Charlie in tow.
Least sun has come out now and wind dropped a bit.
“Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
DD, I don't see any boundary, how big is your garden?? At least Charlie can have secret hideouts and lots of activity
hope your washing machine isn't an expensive fix punkdoc
Well, busy day for me here. Was out in the garden at the crack of dawn -nearly- to wire in some pyracantha for training against the fence, but I didn't have the right tools so I got on with moving my Clematis I planted yesterday since I decided last night that it would be better off on the opposite side. That's what I get for remaining undecided about digging it up for a whole year and then doing it on the spur of the moment!
I ran out of compost and thought no more planting for me but I had to bag up my compost bins anyways so we can crack on with landscaping that area and I sneaked all the lovely stuff at the bottom.
Armed with my bucket of black gold, I decided to get another large clematis in the ground but when I dug down at the spot I have chosen, I hit a massive concrete slab because my garden is builder's rubble . OH suggested a pot instead which is a good idea except my spending list just keeps growing
Anyways, it will look lovely and we have no choice. Since, I didn't plant the clematis, I used the bucket to mulch two of my most desperate climbing roses. One sits in full sun and bakes whilst the other was planted in poor soil.
Whilst digging for the clematis, I also noticed another job that will have to be done with part of the inner fencing. The soil on our side is much higher than my neighbours which dips significantly so our soil is sitting about 10 inches above the post hole and covers the gravel boards, so I will have to dig out around two posts and the panel between, fit boards and back fill with gravel to keep the wet off.
After that, I planted a pittosporum successfully then my dad turned up with a car full of compost bags and Flynn's brother so we let them play a bit while we had a cuppa
I pooped now but happy with progress in the garden, at least I'm not leaving it all until the middle of April like usual.
Posts
Thanks for comments on cat (Marmalade), think he might of been in a bt of a scrap, little nick on his ear and it has been wet. Naughty thing though has pooped on my bathroom mat, usually such an outdoor cat, out all night, sleeps all day.
The flap is set in a recess doorway and I moved a plant nearby for camoflage (Bekkie's idea). Worst thing is we go away on Monday and I am worried about poor lady coming in to feed him walking into cat mess, not a welcome sight (or smell).
On a positive note bought the rose from Lidl yesterday, going to sort it and a home for it out today.
May well go back for the clematis, just where I want it is not ready yet, have a mountain of rockery stone to shift to other side of garden. 
Beautiful day here too. Very frustrating, want to work in the garden, but also want to watch the cricket - S.A. playing West Indies. Still, have taped the cricket, so if I avoid all mention of the game I can play first in the garden and watch later, can't I? Am I brave enough?
DD have you tried putting cat food other side of cat flap? Also, know it sound obvious but have you checked flap working both ways?
try getting young Charlie to get down to cat level and see what's different, is there a new plant with a smell?
A A Milne
Oneofseven don't worry you'll not hear the results from me!
To do list is getting scary!
Gorgeous day here. Guess where I'll be all day
DD, my old cat stopped going out at night, & it turned out there was a neighbouring tom cat who was picking on her, and who started coming in the house to eat her food. In the end we had to provide a litter tray and a very calm environment, lock the cat flap at night and any time we weren't around, and eventually she settled down. My guess (from the ear damage) is that Marmalade has had a scuffle with a neighbouring cat, and that this, maybe combined with Shadow changing the "animal dynamics" in the house, has unsettled him. Have you tried a Feliway diffuser? I've never used one myself, but I know some people swear by them. They give off "cat calming pheromones" or something.
Sun's shining here, and I feel the call of my unpruned shrubs...
DD - certainly sounds as though 'something' has happened to make your cat nervous of going outside. I agree with some of the previous posters to keep him in at night with a litter tray and with the flap locked. I highly recommend using a Feliway diffuser close to the cat flap and where he sleeps. I would also clean the door and the cat flap with diluted biological washing powder solution then rinse off and spray the door and flap with Feliway in case another cat has been nosing around there. Hope you can buy Feliway in France!
When I helped run a cattery we sometimes had cats who were reluctant to use a litter tray. We found that a covering of soil from the garden sometimes helped encourage them.
If the problem persists a trip to the vets to make sure there is no underlying medical problem might be on the cards.
Thank you all for cat advice. Update this morning - he has been out in sunshine all morning, albeit on the roof, accessed from bedroom window, has come in now through cat flap, which I have checked and is working properly both ways. He has turned his nose up at cat food, as per usual, but eaten it sulkily as I have nothing else to offer (no incentive there I'm afraid).
As it happens I have some Feliway left over from the journey here, had forgotten all about it, so will give it a go with that. Throw in some TLC and see what happens. Thanks again and apologies to those of you who are not so keen on cats, I can promise he goes nowhere near anyone's beautiful garden, our neighbours have only 'functional' gardens so there is no damage to be done.
More garden tidying up this afternoon with my little 'helper', Charlie in tow.
Least sun has come out now and wind dropped a bit.
DD, I don't see any boundary, how big is your garden??
At least Charlie can have secret hideouts and lots of activity
hope your washing machine isn't an expensive fix punkdoc
Well, busy day for me here. Was out in the garden at the crack of dawn -nearly- to wire in some pyracantha for training against the fence, but I didn't have the right tools so I got on with moving my Clematis I planted yesterday since I decided last night that it would be better off on the opposite side. That's what I get for remaining undecided about digging it up for a whole year and then doing it on the spur of the moment!
I ran out of compost and thought no more planting for me but I had to bag up my compost bins anyways so we can crack on with landscaping that area and I sneaked all the lovely stuff at the bottom.
Armed with my bucket of black gold, I decided to get another large clematis in the ground but when I dug down at the spot I have chosen, I hit a massive concrete slab
because my garden is builder's rubble 
. OH suggested a pot instead which is a good idea except my spending list just keeps growing
Anyways, it will look lovely and we have no choice. Since, I didn't plant the clematis, I used the bucket to mulch two of my most desperate climbing roses. One sits in full sun and bakes whilst the other was planted in poor soil.
Whilst digging for the clematis, I also noticed another job that will have to be done with part of the inner fencing. The soil on our side is much higher than my neighbours which dips significantly so our soil is sitting about 10 inches above the post hole and covers the gravel boards, so I will have to dig out around two posts and the panel between, fit boards and back fill with gravel to keep the wet off.
After that, I planted a pittosporum successfully
then my dad turned up with a car full of compost bags and Flynn's brother so we let them play a bit while we had a cuppa
I pooped now
but happy with progress in the garden, at least I'm not leaving it all until the middle of April like usual.