Freek had dissolvable stitches. Knots were taken out friday. The vets intended a Y-shaped scar, but while stitching it became more like a mirrored C-shape. The center of the intended Y was a little bit infected and not fully closed. 

I'm trying to keep him indoors or only in a bench outside, but we've warm weather here and I was gardening, so forgetting to fully shut the door is easy...

I'll try to insert the foto's of Facebook of this evening....

I  guess there's no way Freek would consent to a harness with a really long lead when you do start letting him go outdoors?  

Nope, tried that 2,5 years ago, when he had paralyzed his paw... great disaster.

Tried last week with a short lead. It seemed to be okay, until he got overstimulated and stressed out because of a nearing neighbour: escaped, been captured, protested, scratched and bit his human very hard. Result: human could go to the emergency pharmacy for preventive antibiotics. 

Freek is really a sweet cat, just acting out frustration and redirected agression... 

mommatux said
I know everyone and every cat is different, but ... After my outdoor cat Tuxedo became a tripawd (rear leg amputation), I never deliberately let him outdoors again.  I was just too worried about what could happen, esp since he became a tripawd due to being attacked by a dog while outside.  Though he certainly did succeed in getting out several times, being the super fast sneaky boy, despite his missing leg.  A case of easier said than done with willful kitties I guess.

Incidentally, Tuxedo also had an infection in his incision.  It took around an extra six weeks to clear that.  Hopefully you will not have that long of a healing timeframe.  But my recommendation would be to if at all possible, keep him inside, esp while he still has an open wound and active infection.

Best wishes

-Dawna, Tuxedo, Lilly, and Angel Dazzle 

  

Thanks Dawna for your reply. I fully understand the choices you've made. But the staying indoors forever: Freek couldn't live with it.

Some copy-paste of my other topic about Freek (and changed it a little bit)

Freek came to me as a lonely stray, maybe feral, kitten at the age of five weeks. He was found in hayland, when my brother was mowing it. The rest of his litter is probably killed by the mower, my brother kept a meaningfull quiet when I asked him. Freek is domesticated and very chilled and sweet when he wishes, but is a real rascal, freebooter and bushranger. Was trying to escape and roaming outside at 10 weeks old I guess. He has an intense hunting drive, and lives outside in summer when he is not eating or sleeping indoors. Just keeping mice in my street under control, and occasionally a bird that flew against a window. Freek really would be very unhappy when he has to stay inside for the rest of his life, thats a no-go.

My living situation is quite safe for an outdour cat: lots of hiding places, no outdoor dogs and a no-carzone around my house. The only cars that come into my street are coming there to park, because it's a dead end. Freek wouldn't come near to them when the motor is running. In the Netherlands we have no natural predators that would fight with mature cats. Well, actually better to say we didn't, since a couple of years the wolves are back in our country and my city is located in the 'wolfzone', but they won't come nearby my street. Foxes stay outside of this city too, for as far as I know.

Freek lived the first five weeks of his life probably outdoors and he's really strong minded about letting him go outside. He starts vandalizing my house if I don't obey.... He has shred a lot of cardboard boxes allready... It is under the influence of gabapentin that my home is quite safe now. So transitioning him to an indoor cat: won't gonna happen. If the vet had told me he had to stay inside the rest of his life, I think I would choose to euthanize him instead of amputate, how harsh that may sound. Just because I know he really would be depressed staying inside for the rest of his life.

Seeing Freek moving around yesterday, does give me trust he will be allright outside when he doesn't need any gabapentin anymore.

I understand your point of view about staying safe in a catio. But it is really not the same experience as going outdoors, the way Freeks goes out. Freek wouldn't be happy in a catio.

He has lived with 3 and a half paw the last 2,5 years living mainly outside in summer, he will manage with 3 legs. When fully healed, I would not worry more about him staying outside then I would one year ago. Freek is also young and very healthy

I know the pain of a cat never coming home, lived it through as a child very often (mom didn't want to spay and neuter our domesticated barn cats, but the farm was located at a busy road). But it would also hurt as hell seeing Freek withering because of being locked inside or in a catio.

It's hard to explain why I think locking in Freek is really not the way to go, but I'm sure of it. Maybe cultural differences and different living circumstances in the Netherlands play a part in this point of view too, that I'm less worried about it.