All of our cats are indoor kitties. Three are Ragdolls whose feet have never touched grass. One was a feral/stray who lived on his own for awhile and now enjoys all the comforts of home. They all get plenty of fresh air and exercise in the screened-in pool area. Even if they were to escape from the pool area by sneaking through a dog's legs when we open the screen door, there is a wall around the yard that would give three out of the four pause. I know without hesitation, Fancy could scale the wall, but he wouldn't be gone long. Besides, he has no reason to leave. I know it, he knows it - we all know life is better for him now.
I still worry about the other entrances, however. Finn is the one who likes to test the boundaries. He's run out the front door when company was leaving. Somebody happened to look down and ask if the cat was supposed to be out. A quick thinking guy caught him before he could get very far. Finn has also bolted into the garage. Scared the snot out of me, too, cause the garage door was coming down. I managed to grab him before he got smooshed under it. Fancy looks at an open door, then me with a look that says, "I don't have to leave now, do I?" I always tell him, "This is your forever home. Don't you ever leave me!" I honestly think I would lose the will to live if anything ever happened to him.
Every night we have the same routine. Andy and I sit down to watch TV and one or both falls asleep. Since there is no longer a test pattern to wake old folks up, one of us usually wakes first and gets the other one up. We look like two groundhogs yanked from a cozy slumber - all squinty eyed and groggy. Andy then lets the dogs out for one last potty break. Jack and Rooney, who are consummate couch potatoes do not want to go out, so he usually has to do some coaxing. Unfortunately, he sometimes leaves the door open while he's doing that. The cats know this routine so there is often a trickster waiting to escape. The three white cats get busted easily at night. Fancy is like a Ninja, and if he wants to escape unnoticed, he can.
So this was the scenario last night:
Me: (As Andy was bringing the dogs in and locking the back door.) "Did any cats get out?"
Andy: "No."
Me: "Are you sure?"
Andy: "Yea."
Me: (Counting cats.) "One's missing."
Andy: (Setting the alarm and going into the bedroom.) silence
Me: (Shaking the bag of treats Fancy can't resist) "Fancy. Fancy? Fancy!!"
Fancy: (Outside, peering in at me through the window by the locked cat door.) "Mom! Hey! I'm out here! He let me out! I can't get in!"
I had to undo the alarm first, before I could let him in. I was not happy. Andy was already in bed. He did not get to go peacefully back to sleep however, because I had to unload a huge piece of my mind. Also, I was worked up and now wide awake.
Fancy and I sat and talked for awhile. I told him that I knew he could take care of himself, but I can't. I need him to help me get through life. He looked at me with those wise green eyes, reached up and touched me with a paw and said, "I'm hungry."
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