Part of being involved in a small independent cat rescue is putting our heart and soul into everything we do.  Our cats are the first thing we think about when we wake up in the morning, and the last thing on our minds before we sleep.  Rescue takes a toll on us physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Social media is a double edged sword, in that it lets us reach a wider group of people than we would otherwise be able to via word of mouth, but it also allows anyone with an option (including the ill informed) a platform.  

Recently, a person we shall refer to as A, made an inflammatory post accusing the rescue of neglect.  This post was shared hundreds of times, garnering ill will towards the rescue, and leading to active harrassment of staff at an adoption site.  This person made no effort to reach out to the rescue; they just posted their opinions as undisputable.
Because so many people got so upset by a non-existent issue, and the level of harassment endangered the ability to continue adoptions at that location, we're going to lay some nonsense to rest.

A: Julep has been locked in a cage for three months, and the rescue doesn't care about his living situation. 
BCR: Julep went from his foster home to the Alley Cat Cafe, where his exuberant play style turned from play into bullying.  Because he's mouthy/grabby, he couldn't be in the room that is inclusive for children under 8.  After a month at the cafe with no adoption interest, we decided to find a better fit for him.  Many of the cats BCR takes in are magnificent with other cats, but for those who would prefer to be solo cat, the Agway adoption space is a blessing.  
We have a fantastic cat condo for our adoptive cats spending time at Agway.  
It is over six feet tall, has four levels, and is far larger than your standard shelter living space.
Also, because the folks at Agway are awesome pet lovers, Julep is often out being snuggled or played with.  It's a really good living situation for a cat waiting for a forever home.  ​

A: Julep is so sad, and stress eating...his existence is horrible. 
BCR: Julep is a contented cat who's a bit bored of living in a condo when he had free run of his foster home. The Agway staff loves him, and works really hard to make sure he gets social interactions every day.  He's checked in on by various BCR volunteers to make sure all is well with his world.

A: The SPCA apparently came and picked him up.
BCR: Agway received a horrifying amount of harassment from A's post.  It made them wonder if helping get cats adopted was worth the trouble.  
The SPCA was contacted about Julep's "miserable" existence, and they came to check it out...and wondered what all the fuss was about.   They told the Agway staff that he had an amazing setup, and there was no cruelty or neglect happening.  This didn't stop A from continuing the narrative that Julep was a tragic story that required intervention.  


What's the moral of this story?
If you're concerned about the wellbeing of an animal you see on a social media post, reach out to the rescue.  Use their social media to ask what people's experiences are.  Do not light your torches and endanger the well being of the animals who quite literally owe their lives to the rescue you are willing to destroy.    

If you really want to help, volunteer, and if you can't volunteer, donate!

​https://www.gofundme.com/f/covid-times-kitten-season-support

Browncoat Cat Rescue focuses on feral and discarded cats.  Discarded.  To discard: get rid of (someone or something) as no longer useful or desirable. 
This Waterloo house was abandoned, and along with it the seven cats who lived in it.  The blind tabby found a home with the neighbors; the people decent enough to keep feeding them after their person left.
Two went missing; either deceased in the house, or out into the world. 
Four joined BCR's crew, and got medical attention for the second time in their lives.  (Unlike many of the discarded cats we take in, all the boys were fixed!)
We took in Nixie, dilute torti, and wonderful mother of grey boy Owl.  She's about three, and he's two.  They are strongly bonded, and are fostered together.  Owl is gorgeous, and the healthiest of the bunch.  Nixie's skin is more scab than anything else, but she's so grateful to have someone to rub her ears.

The neighbors hit dead end after dead end trying to help these cats, until they reached out to Browncoat Cat Rescue.  And our amazing community of cat lovers rallied, and donated to their care so we could get them inside and get the care they so desperately needed.  As any pet parent can tell you, dental work isn't cheap! 
The neighbor who had been feeding them brought them to BCR, and our amazing vet saw them in her home, so they could come inside asap.  Everyone was super well behaved at the vet, just solidifying our desire to see these cats treated as well as they deserve!  Nixie and Owl are in a foster home, adjusting to being cared for again.
Hiccup and Toothless will stay at BCR headquarters until they are out of the woods. 

It would be easy to rail against the unfairness of these wonderful cats being abandoned; left behind like a smoldering cigarette butt that has no value to anyone.

It would have been easy to bring them to a shelter who would have euthanized them because they were distraught, and unwell, and a really expensive fix.

Luckily for them, people are decent. 
They were brought to a rescue that brims with love, and fights for their cats until the bitter end.
Amazing people in our community gave what they could, to see them safely inside and cared for.
They were given the care they so desperately needed.

And now the next chapter of their lives can begin.
A chapter of love, and gratitude.

We are so thankful to everyone who helped these cats, and continues to be a brilliant ray of sunshine on an otherwise grey day.  We love you.  

For the entirety of its existence, Browncoat Cat Rescue has operated as a series of foster homes.  All of our cats and kittens are raised as beloved members of their foster families.  As the years have passed, we have trapped in more locations, and taken in more unwanted cats and kittens.
The need has always been higher than our ability; one person cannot remedy all the wrongs of the world.  Even with our wonderful community of caregivers, there's always more that can be done.
And so, the Alley Cat Cafe was conceived.  We wanted a place that could serve both as an adoption center for a number of our adoptable crew members, and also as a community hub.  A safe space for rescued cats and people needing a little rescuing alike. 
Our purristas love to feed people, and the urge to nurture everything is strong! 
So we have the cafe, where people can get fair trade, organic coffee, or tea from a family run business.  We feed the body, with food both savory and sweet.  And we feed the soul, with visitable cats who are also available for adoption.  Our community is a diverse and wonderful organism, with some connection issues.  We help people connect to cats, each other, and themselves.  The simple joy of watching kittens play, or the comfort of a cat choosing your lap to sleep in cannot be underestimated.  There's no pressure to adopt; we want everyone to make responsible decisions with their lives.  We've found fantastic foster families through the cafe, which allows us to save the lives of even more cats and kittens. 
Browncoat Cat Rescue strives to provide a safe and loving environment for all our crew members, and we are utterly delighted to have expanded that territory to include cat loving humans! 

If you've adopted (or considered adopting) from BCR, you know that a home visit comes with the territory.  One of the things we look for are houseplants, and how toxic they may be. 
Here's a short list of common plants we find inhabiting houses near us. 

Aloe Vera
A great plant to have in the house in the event of sunburn, Aloe is a reasonably pet safe plant.  The gel doesn't hurt cats, but the "sap" (which is white, instead of greenish or clear) can cause vomiting and diarrhea.  I had a pair of foster kittens eat a 5 year old Aloe plant to the dirt with no ill effects.  So, be aware, but don't worry ~too~ much about having this plant in your house.

Jade Plant
We run into a ton of Jade plants.  They live forever, are hard to kill, and don't require a lot of upkeep.
Jade plants are toxic for cats, and can cause vomiting and heart issues.  If left untreated, ingesting Jade plants can be fatal to cats.
However, they have a waxy and bitter leaf, and most cats are smart enough to leave them alone. 
Kittens who have yet to receive their brains in the mail shouldn't be left alone with a Jade plant.

Peace Lily
Declare war on the Peace Lily, and chuck it.
The Peace Lily, or Peace Plant, is very toxic to cats.
Immediately after ingesting the leaves of the lily, you can see drooling, foaming at the mouth, and vomiting. Your cats lips and throat can also swell, impeding swallowing and breathing. 
This can abate, or it can result in death. 
No lilies are really safe for cats, and Easter, Day, Asiatic and Tiger lilies can cause fatal kidney failure in cats. 
There may be a reason we link lilies with funerals...

Ivy
While Ivy is another easy low maintenance plant, it is also toxic to cats.
The leaves are more toxic than the berries, and if your cats chews in it, expect vomiting, abdominal pain, (can be identified by crying and/or hunching walk) diarrhea, and excessive drooling. 
Buy a strand of the fake stuff at JoAnn's, and save everyone some stress.

Christmas Cactus
Safe! 
These plants don't require a lot of water, and they won't kill your cats.  Awesome. 
Buy two.

Bamboo
Also known as Lucky Bamboo, this is a gigantic grass that is completely safe for pets. 

Poinsettias
Its the plant that everyone knows is bad for pets!
...Poinsettias can cause vomiting and diarrhea in cats, but they are only mildly toxic, and after your cat performs its own system cleanse, they'll be fine.  Sometimes they don't have any signs at all! 

Parlor Palm
These Palms are non-toxic to cats!  Hooray!
Most palms are reasonably safe for cats, although chewing on their tough leaves can cause stomach irritation that results in vomiting, even without any toxicity. 
If you're looking to buy a palm to make a miniature jungle for your miniature panther, when in doubt, google it out!

Spider Plant
This is a non-toxic plant, but your cat will probably want to murder it!
One: It has so many little dangly bits.  Those spider plant babies are just asking to be torn off and batted around.
Two: Some studies show that spider plants might help your cat mellow/tweak out, just like with catnip. 
Garden responsibly...

Philodendron
Toxic!
Be prepared for drooling, swelling of the mouth, and vomiting. 
Rarely fatal, but certainly misery inducing.

Boston Ferns
If you are fighting the depression that comes from too much darkness, and not enough cat, Boston Ferns are the way to go.  They do well in dark spaces, and are non-toxic to cats!

African Violets
Another easy keeper that won't hurt your cats.
Non-toxic!

Orchids
Did you get your Orchid at Wegmans?   Odds are it's a Phalaenopsis Orchid, and thus safe for your cats!
Most orchids are considered safe for cats, but if you are a creative sort, with rare flowers, double check before putting them in the same windowsill as your feline friend.

That sums it up for now!  As we wander about and meet more exciting plant species, we'll add to our list.  But this is a pretty basic catch-all for what we tend to run into. 

What happens when BCR gets the call that there are crew members out there in need of rescue?
While the details may vary based on individual cats' needs, our routine tends to stick to these basics.  Peek inside the magical world of cat intake!  We're using the kittens we rescued from dumpster life as our example here. 
One of our foster moms let us know that there was a mom and her five kittens living under a dumpster.  Mom would range around, and scrounge in the dumpster, and the babies mostly hid underneath it.  That's no way for kittens to grow up!

You can't rescue cats if you can't get them!  These babies are about 6 weeks old, but they are already very wary of humans.  They would dart back under the dumpster at the slightest provocation.  And while we were trying to trap, there were cars and trucks going by, people slamming doors, and trash being chucked in above their heads.  As we caught the kittens, we put them in a carrier behind the trap, to encourage the remaining members of the litter to enter the trap as well.  Three and half hours later, we had the whole litter!  (And an hour after that, we got mama as well.)

Once we have our newest crew members, we snap a quick photo, so we can fondly remember how weird they once were.  Aww.  Then, we're off to the vet, to make sure that none of our new babies have Feline Leukemia, or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus.  (FeLV/FIV)  While FIV is manageable, FeLV is highly contagious, and bars these kittens from being fostered with other cats.  Luckily, everyone tested negative!  These kittens all have flea anemia; the blood drawn for their tests was watery and pale.  We'll help them strengthen up with an iron supplement.  They also get an intake exam to listen to their hearts, and make sure there isn't anything glaringly wrong with them.  (So far, so good!)
Once we know they aren't carrying FeLV, all new crew members come to BCR headquarters for their official intake.

First, we deal with the most pressing need...NO MORE FLEAS.
The kittens are given a portion of a CapStar right off the bat.  That is a small pill that kills fleas within 30 minute.  It's amazing!  Because they were living under a dumpster, and infested with fleas, these kittens were in desperate need of a bath.  Most of our kittens get their introduction to civilization with a nice warm bath.  4/5 kittens found bathtime calming.  ...Eventually...

After everyone is dry and cozy, we continue the war on parasites.  These kittens had fleas, ear mites, and big roundworm bellies.  Because they are only 6 weeks old, we don't want to overwhelm their tiny systems, so we do smaller doses of everything.  They get single drop of Revolution each.  Revolution kills fleas, and ear mites.  Since fleas in this area haven't build up a resistance to it, it actually works!  We kind of adore it.  Which is a weird thing to say about poison...
Because of their age, and the mild amount of ear mites they have, we decided against yet another treatment.  In two weeks, they will be treated for ear mites with Ivermectin.  With the exception of one kitten, everyone has clear eyes and noses!  Because they were being fed by staff members, and their mama was taking good care of them, these kittens have nice strong immune systems.  Many kittens born outdoors or in neglectful situations have upper respiratory infections.  If these kittens were goopy of eye and nose, we would give them a couple of days on Lysine and colloidal silver, to see if that gave their immune systems the boost they needed...and if not, we would utilize antibiotics.  Luckily, these kittens are gorgeous! 
Once the basic "get you clean and not sharing your friends" parts of intake are taken care of, the kittens are entered into our intake sheet.  We record where they were found, any health issues they might have, and what treatments they received when. 
We'll continue to support their health with nutritious food, regular de-wormings, and lots and lots of love! 
Now all we have to do is figure out what their names are going to be...

Whoo boy.  BCR's Captain has had quite the week...month...fuzzy timeline.  We are currently on round three of kittens for this kitten season, and have run into some really lousy situations. 
There are two ways we can look at this...examples below.

(1) Why did I take in a pregnant cat!?  I don't have space for more mystery butts!  Mama is kind of weird too...am I going to have to bring her back to her barn, or will she warm up enough to humankind to be adopted?  Oh look, she shat in her birthing box.  Twice.
(2) I don't even know where that town is!/Over 1,000 miles on my car in one week!?  With a teething toddler...what's wrong with my brain?
(3) I only budgeted for 30 feral cats being TNR'd this year, where the hell am I going to get more money for an additional 30?
(4) Death death misery and despair...
(5) Another project?  Really?  What hours in the day can we use for this, oh fearless leader...


                                                                      VS

(1) This is the last cat from a barn with 15.  After she has these babies, the population there is completely done.  And since her last litter was so very ill, its fantastic that these kittens will be born inside, where we can monitor their health from day one.  Mama was pretty wild on the farm, and it might just be the hormones talking, but she's got a really sweet disposition.  We can make this work.
(2) Word of Browncoat Cat Rescue is spreading further and further...that's more lives we can save! /Wow, productivity!  Getting home visits, foster parent support, and feral cat networking taken care of!  Now that our summer of rain is done with, its beautiful driving weather.  Good thing my kiddo likes meeting new people, cats, and dogs...
(3) Can I really complain that people want to improve the quality of feral cats' lives?  Hell no!  If they are willing to take that first step, I can scrounge up the funds to make it happen. 
(4) While it is devastating losing cats and kittens that we've fought to save, at least their final moments were warm, and loved.  We do what we can. 
(5) No really, this is a good thing.  There will be six months of chaos and stress, and then five plus years of awesomeness.  You live in a beautiful and caring community; this is going to be great.

This post is a bit of a rambler...bear with me!
I've been thinking a lot about age lately.  About the stages of life that we go through. 
Kitten, cat, senior; Maiden, Matron, Crone.
I started bringing home unwanted kittens around the age of four or so. 
While volunteering at the local animal shelter in college, the older women would ask me why I wasn't spending my time and money on underwear, nails, and partying.  (I never understood why they bemoaned the lack of help and awareness in from "the youth" but kept up a steady stream of encouragement for me to be more shallow and self centered.)
I have dedicated the last 17 years of my life to bettering the lives of feral and unwanted cats; those who slip through the cracks unnoticed and unloved.  That's an entire life stage! 
The vast majority of the women who do what I do (and the few men that I've met) are all over 60.  They are officially crone aged,  fitting into the crazy cat folk box quite neatly.
Often people are surprised when they meet me, that I am rather young to have done as much as I have.  They expect the silver hair to reflect the decades of dedication.
My maiden stage is behind me, though the wind still tangles my hair.
I have played mother to so many over the years, and have embraced the matron part of my life with open arms!
My daughter is my world, and luckily, she adores cats as well. 
But this year, I have realized why we expect crones to do the cat rescue parts of life.
I drive hundreds of miles a week to dispense food to those that need it, to trap cats and improve their quality of life.  I do home visits, and behavioral consults.  I drive down lonely stretches of highway, looking for that cat you saw out of the corner of your eye.  And now, I do all that with a toddler.  The only reason I can write this blog right now, is because she's asleep!  Beating the laptop with a stick is something that kittens can't do. 
Feral kittens take lots of love and time, to learn to trust in people. 
Toddlers take time, cover it in peanut butter, crumple it up, put it in their mouths, and then ask you to eat it too. 
Crones can have grandbabies, and neighbor's children, but they don't have the constant companionship of their own wee one.  They can teach and embrace the younger generations, but at the end of the day, (or the hour) their time is exclusively theirs again.  
Such is not the case with motherhood.  This has been a bit of a rescue learning curve year!
I've learned that I need more maidens, matrons, and crones to be part of the BCR family and foster, adopt, and spread the good word.  Cat rescue has never been something I've done alone, and now more than ever, I need to find those wonderful members of our community who want to help!  Matrons are there to nurture their communities, whether there be blood ties or not. 
And I love my community!  The people I interact with are all striving to make the world a little bit better, in a variety of ways. 
Whether you are a student looking to volunteer at adoption events, a mother of three who wants to help fundraise with a bake sale, or an amazing retired opera singer who wants to foster a litter of grody barn kittens until they can find their forever homes, the BCR crew needs you!

Here at BCR, we get a lot of emails asking for advice.  And a very common thread is cats and pregnancy.  There's a lot of fear mongering out there, about the affects of toxoplasmosis on an unborn baby.  While I will never EVER tell anyone not to worry about the health of their child, I can tell you that you can have a cat (or 6) and still have a happy and healthy pregnancy, without the heartbreak of losing a family member.
Let's break it down!
How do pregnant women get toxoplasmosis from cats?
Answer: By eating poop.  Seriously.  You have to get particles of feces in your mouth to contract toxoplasmosis.  Most people I know are cautious enough while scooping the litter box on a regular day, that they aren't flinging poop into their mouths, or eating a sandwich directly after.
The first trimester of my pregnancy, I wore a bandana over my face while scooping to ensure that I wouldn't accidentally ingest the smallest dust particle with a toxic dingleberry clinger.
Because pregnancy brings a little bit of paranoia!  Small amounts are healthy right?
During my second and third trimesters, my partner scooped for me.
There were are few factors that decided this.
1: I was getting more and more full of baby.  Bending was less and less fun.
2: Some studies have found that your likelihood of contracting toxoplasmosis increases as your pregnancy progresses. 
3: Why the heck wouldn't I use the perfect excuse to not scoop poop!?

Let's say that you are a single mom, or  your significant other is being a significant jerk about scooping poop for your majestically awesome life creating self. 
What can you do?

1: Keep your cat inside.  Cats get toxo from rodents.  If your cat isn't hunting and eating mice, you have nothing to worry about. 
2: Scoop the box every day.
As someone with multiple cats, scooping the box on a weekly schedule, rather than a daily one is a foreign concept to me.  However, I know that with only one butt, the litter box can be ignored a little bit longer.  Don't do it!  The oocysts that cause toxo need 3 days to sporulate.  If you scoop the litter boxes every day, or even promptly after a poop, the life cycle is broken, and there is nothing for you to catch. 
3: Cover your mouth and hands while scooping the box.
You can use a bandana, or a dust filtering mask.  You can use disposable latex gloves, or shmexy purple dishwashing gloves that make you feel like a 50's housewife.  If your hands and face don't come into any contact with poop, you're safe.  Also, wash your hands.  Its just good manners.
4: Bathe/wipe your cat. 
Those adorable little bean feet walk in the litter box.  You can always wipe down their feet, or go full on spa day, to really feel safe!  Granted, unless your cat is leaving chocolate footprints on your pillow, this might be more than you need to do. 

Still nervous?
Use science!
There is a blood test that your vet can do to see if your cat is carrying toxoplasmosis.  Its in the ballpark of $40.  Instant peace of mind!

Moral of the story?
30 years ago, we didn't know what we do now.
Some doctors are giving very outdated advice: Cat, or baby.
This is ...poop.
BCR's Captain had 12-18 cats and kittens running amuck during her pregnancy, and used common sense, and basic hygiene.  All was well with the world.
Don't let anyone bully you into breaking up your family.
Do you really want the first thing you do for your baby to be an act of cruelty?
Or do you want to welcome them into a world filled with love and purrs?

What sort of cat rescue blog would this be, without a blog post about the benefits of the indoor cat lifestyle?  Here we go!  
Browncoat does cat rescue.
That means we take cats from unsafe environments, and move them to a safe and loving environment where all their needs can be met...sometimes for the first time in their lives.   
Why should their forever home be less safe?  It shouldn't!
Cats are not safe outside. 
The main cause of death in the US for cats is euthanasia for abandoned/stray/unwanted cats.
​*cough cough people cough*
After that, the highest cause of death is being hit by a car/trauma, followed by Feline Leukemia.  
The world is full of natural dangers, such as hawks, coyotes, and other cats and wildlife that carry disease.  If your cat stays indoors, they aren't going to get infected wounds, blood borne illnesses, and a high parasite load.   They also won't get hit by a car, or poisoned, shot, hung, or lit on fire by your crackpot neighbor.   
For example...
My friend's neighbor had a massive orange cat who she would let out when she went to work, and let back in when she got home.  He vanished for three days, and came home on three legs. 
Evidently he had been staking out a birdfeeder a few blocks over, and the birder decided to set a beaver trap under the feeder.  That cat was in agony for days, crying for help, until he took matters into his own paws.  This was a nice neighborhood, that happened to have someone that prioritized watching songbirds over the life of someone else's family member.  Many people see cats as less deserving of basic kindness because... they aren't dogs?  After nearly two decades of cat rescue, I could probably talk for an entire twenty-four hour day about the pain and cruelty I've encountered.  So much of it can be averted by keeping your cat inside, where you are their world.  
Being inside keeps them safe from the dangers of the outside world, and also keeps the local wildlife safe from your cat!  Cats are not indigenous to the US; we brought them here.  We are responsible for them being here, and so are responsible for their actions.  It's much better to have their actions be cuddling in your lap and killing the stick toy, rather than overpopulating the neighborhood, and messing with the native fauna. 

Speaking of the native fauna...Who doesn't love a litter box?
I know it might seem like a dream to not have to scoop a litter box...but poop is important!  Knowing what is going in and out of your cat tells you a ton about their overall health, even if it seems like poo drudgery.  Cats that live inside are also less likely to have disgustingly high worm loads from eating rodents...and their chances of eating a poisoned rodent in someone else's yard and coming home to die drop to nil!  If you have a male cat, it is especially important to monitor their lower urinary tract function, since they are more prone to getting blockages.  If you can see a change in your cats bathroom habits, because of that wonderful litter box, you can avert spending ALL of your money at the vet to get your beloved boy back on track.  
One of my favorite things about cats is the entertainment value!  We play fetch, we play tag, they tackle their toys and each other... 
There are trillions of things you can do to keep your cat from getting bored!  
Having skitter toys, cat trees of various heights and window perches are great ways for your cat to stay entertained when you aren't home. There are motion activated toys, food dispensing toys,and toys that light up and squeak. There's even cat TV!  When you are home, you can play games with toys on sticks, with treats, (I like playing hide the treat, to make my cats "hunt" their own food) and with boxes.  Nothing is cheaper and easier than a cardboard box castle or maze.  Keep it for as long as your cat is interested in it, and then recycle!  Cats love stability, but changing up their playspace keeps them from getting too bored and sedentary.  (As a shameless adoption plug, two cats are often much happier and entertained than solo cats.  Just putting it out there.)  You can even teach your cat some basic tricks, and try for internet fame. 

What if your cat ~really~ wants to go outside?
There are options that are safer than free ranging. 

Option one:
A harness.  

Harnesses come in a variety of styles, and colors!  I like the mesh "puppy" harnesses for kittens, since they are longer, wider, and much harder to sneak elbows out of.  Premier also makes the "Come with Me Kitty" harness, which adjusts really nicely to your cats body shape.  
Start training indoors, with short and treat filled moments with the harness.  
When going outdoors, always pick your cat up and take them out with you...that becomes part of the going outside routine, and makes your cat less likely to develop dangerous door darting behavior.  Some cats love the harness, others despise it.  Keep all your harness sessions positive, and see if its a good fit for your cat.  If the harness doesn't work for you, they do make cat strollers!
My Etta girl is harness trained, and we incorporated a safe word into our walks. ​ Walking in the fields and the woods was safe, we were alone, and could enjoy scoping out the birds and chipmunks together without worry.  When we were in town, there was always the potential for a stoopid dog with an oblivious human.  So Etta learned the phrase "up up."  When she heard that, she would leap from the ground, to the soft sided carrier I was carrying, safe out of harms way.  We instigated the safe word after I went to scoop her up to get her away from an unwanted situation, and she vented her feelings on my arm.  Understandable, but not enjoyable.  With the harness and the carrier, we were unstoppable!  Bringing a carrier along for town walks also gave her a safe place to recharge if she got overwhelmed.  I'm a big fan of harness training cats, if they have the inclination for it!  
​Option 2:
A Catio.

Create a safe and contained outdoor space for your cat!  BCR has a massive dog kennel outside a window.  The cats can go in and out as they please, and the kennel has a roof to keep them in and the sun and rain out.  There are a variety of shelves, and milkcrates for climbing and relaxing on.

Winter and Wullie (pictured in both catios, a year apart) also access their catio through a cat door in their family's window.  This way they can go in and out as they please.  However, if you don't have the ability to do so, you can always create a catio near the house, and walk your cat out there yourself.  There is also a mesh tunnel that you can mount to your house!  The internet is chock full of amazing things.  You know your feline family best, and can figure out what's going to work for you!  
Option 3: 
Cat proof fencing
There are a few different websites out there selling cat proof fencing.  While I know some wonderful women who have fenced in their yards for their cats, we have a pair of red tailed hawks that live nearby, so this wouldn't be the best fit for BCR headquarters.  The premise is simple.  If you have an existing fence, you add the cat proofing to the top of it, and keep them in.  This way, your cat can free roam in your yard, and ~only~ your yard.  Other cats can't get in, your cat can't get into fights, or get killed in the road.   

The moral of the story?
Keep your cat safe.  If you want to create a jungle for your tiny tiger, do it!  There are so many options, and all of them are fun!  You may find yourself feeling even closer to your cat, since you'll have more time to bond, and less time to worry.  Its a win win. 
Your responsibility as a pet parent is to be the best person you can be, so your cat can live the best life they can.  They were once worshipped as gods.  They deserve it.  
​
 The number of cats killed on the roads in the US every year is an approximation of 5.4 million!!!!

There is nothing more devastating than an avoidable death.  We can't control everything we might want about our cats, like where they throw up, and what interesting little quirks their livers might decide to develop, but we can keep them safe, and entertained, and completely and utterly adored!