I think I told everyone a few months ago that my little sister was off to Africa to save the world. She’s been working for the UN in Ethiopia since June, and a few weeks ago, I got a call from the person who had adopted her cat, Pounce.

I suppose you can guess what the call was about: Pounce’s adoptive parent didn’t want him anymore. He didn’t get along with their cats. He doesn’t get along with my cats either, but what could I say? Pounce was about to be homeless.

So I brought Pounce to my house, but since he doesn’t get along with my cats, I decided he would have to live outside. This cat is 14, has no claws, and has never lived outside. So it wouldn’t be right for me to dump him in the backyard. I decided to let him live in the garage at night and on our patio in the day time. It gets too hot during the day for him to stay in the garage (even with 3 fans).

But since I wanted him to be safe and protected on the patio, I decided to buy him an enclosure. That way he can be outside and watch the birds and squirrels, but he can’t wander away or get hurt by all the traffic.

Here’s the enclosure I bought (actually my sister bought it). Needless to say, it was a little pricey.

Since Pounce likes to hide, I put towels on the side and a soft mat under one of the ledges. Then, a few days after Pounce arrived, he started losing some of the hair on his head. The vet said it was ringworm, but I think it was stress. Here’s a picture of Pounce in his enclosure. If you look closely, you can see the bald patches. They’ve just about grown back now.

It’s a lot of work taking care of 3 cats, especially when one has to move locations all the time, so I was so glad when my mom—who has no cats—offered to take Pounce when she gets back from vacation in mid-September.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever bought for your pet?