on torturing pets

Walter the girl is a very famous cat if you hang around me. She is also getting pretty fat. She hates the cold, but really really really badly wants to go out in the evenings, so she goes out and in over and over. Makes me crazy.

Being away overnight I decided I would let her stay inside. There is a seldom used litter box, and she will be fine. My only concern is that after a few hours inside she gets crazy and I see signs of her having raced around, knocking stuff over, biting and chewing and causing general destruction.

Having left, I forgot my phone, and had to return. Walter greeted me and insisted on going out. She did not want to come back in. So I left her out. In the 20 degree weather, overnight. I threw a quilt onto the back deck chair.

I think she will make it. My only fear is that her ears will freeze and fall off. I saw a cat like that when I was a kid.

REPORT: I arrived home and flipped on the back porch light, and instead of Walter there at the door eating cat food was a fluffy big ol skunk. Walter immediately jumped out of the quilt on the chair and ran to the door, ignoring the skunk. I had to actually use my foot to prevent the skunk from coming in when I opened the door for Walter ... and after I shut the door again the skunk leisurely ate up the rest of the food and sauntered off. Walter, on the other hand, came in warm as toast and not at all put out.
Apparently cats and skunks get along fine.