Well that was a rude awakening at 5.30 this morning I heard a commotion involving Yoji With the warm nights my hubby decided to leave some windows open and a cat had let itself in. I managed to separate the 2 trapping the cat in a bedroom, enticed Yoji away with his brekkie, whilst he was distracted I grabbed the cat and let it out once I managed to get it’s claws out of the window frame where it was dangling looking for a way to escape. The cat doesn’t realise how lucky it was, fancy choosing the house where an Akita lives Hubby slept blissfully through it all !
The heat must be difficult for people not used to it. I cannot understand why the Met Office in the UK instruct that all windows should be closed, all curtains should be closed - people would smother like that. How would they get any air? Fair enough I have small wall air-conditioning units now in each room - not all on all the time - but my windows are rarely closed, year round. Shutters? Yes. And screens also. But I lived for years without even a fan. I feel safe now leaving all windows ans I had fitted ornamental bars to all the back and side windows after my then neighbour had her place broken into from one of her back windows - the only front windows that have no bars are my front bedroom and salon windows which are my only emergency get outs. And both are fully lighten at night and fully visible from the road. So I reckon they are safe enough, although if I hear of one more break-in I will get Nir to get and fix an alarm.
Well done on handling the situation Philippa. Nothing quite as wild as a panicking cat! I have never heard about keeping windows closed - would that be for security, or to exclude animal life? All my top lights are open, but flies are a such a nuisance. If we had more hot weather, I would have to fit mesh. Eddie spends hours on the alert, tracking them. He isn't too bad until the evening, but last night he didn't even sleep properly. It seems to be when he thinks they may be on the floor. I don't remember him doing it when he was younger, I hope it isn't related to his age.
Oh gosh that was one lucky cat. My Akitas were great with our cat, but would chase ones outside if given the chance. I was visiting a friend, next thing there was a commotion, the cat had appeared, Heiko chased it don’t ask me how but it ended up clinging onto the beams on the ceiling. They reckon you should keep windows shut in daytime to stop hot air circulating and curtains shut to block out the sun.
According to the Met Office it is to keep the heat out. [QUOTE="GsdSlave, post: 218898, member: 38259"...[snip]... They reckon you should keep windows shut in daytime to stop hot air circulating and curtains shut to block out the sun.[/QUOTE] Do not forget that "they" tell you to stay indoors. And suffocate because there is no air moving in your home. Fans will only blow hot air around and you will be at risk of all air-born nasties. Yes I know I now have small wall air-conditioners but I lived here for years before I even had a fan, and our summer is a lot hotter and lasts for months, so we have to cope. And keeping windows closed and curtains drawn is not the answer. I fully appreciate that in the UK this is an unusual summer, but keeping windows shut and curtains closed... where are you going to get any fresh air to breathe?
I think I prefer the windows, and the door, open. The back of the house faces South - poor scorched garden - so half of the house is usually in shade. Not too bad as long as you don't have manual work to do.
I need to have moving air indoors, which even closed trissim [louvres] will allow even when the windows are open. And the only curtains I have are nets [a bag full that had been dumped outside someone's home and I "salvaged"]. To have to close all the windows as well would just not let me breathe. This is not a normal summer as the tragedy in Greece shows... although there are always been summer firescapes [is that the correct word?] and now also in Sweden? The fires here are deliberate - fire kites and fire balloons... ...but even if I closed all my windows, either the lack of air or the smell of burning would kill me, so it is takes your money and takes your choice. Yes it worries me about the feral cats, and the dumped and loose dogs, but as much as I need to look after myself, Tikva has to come first.
We have metalwork/bars on our windows, perfect for air circulation, not so perfect, as you know for cats prowling at night !
Ah - but when you have bars... and trissim [louvres] ... and screens... cats no can get in. But how come a feral cat once got under the side of The Shack to give birth on on what I think it was Bronco's seat?
