The Great Outdoors

I admit that, over the last few years, poor Allan has been lost in the shuffle on this blog.  I promise he still gets attention in real life but his antics can't compare to the other fascinating things going on around here such as Tessa drooling alot and Ben getting new shoes.   So here is a post just for Allan, just like in the old days between October of 2009 and March of 2012! 

As I have mentioned before, Allan was born at the Humane Society and was adopted by us when he was four months old.  Our old house was on a busy emergency route street so we never let him go outside.  I don't know what indoor cats think about what they are gazing at out the window for ten hours a day but I do know that he loved sitting by open windows and smelling the fresh air. 

Now that we don't live on a busy street and we have a quiet deck and backyard right off the kitchen I started to entertain the idea of introducing Al to the great outdoors.  I just hated the thought of him living his whole life without being outside even though he has a very happy life as it is.  It is worrisome because who knows if he has any of the cat instincts that I regularly observed in the many farm cats we had when I was growing up.  By that I mean I wonder if he could find his way back to our house if he wandered too far, if he could climb a tree (he does still have his claws) and if he would find shelter from bad weather.  I don't want to imagine what would happen if he ate a bird or rodent based on the displays of stomach weakness that happen on a weekly basis around here. 

A few weeks ago Justin returned from a trip to Runnings Farm and Fleet with a leash and harness.  So, we are now "those" people:  The people with a cat on a leash.  At first the harness made him very uncomfortable and it made me a bit uncomfortable too, since he looks like some sort of deviant in it. 

 

The first two times we took him out he got scared and spent the whole time slinking around looking nervous.  One time he got scared of the UPS truck and ran to the door (at least he ran to the right place!).  On Monday took him out a third time and he was much more adventurous and comfortable and wanted to explore.  My hope is that he will become used to it and maybe we can let him out to lounge around the deck when it is nice out. 

 

And...since he is already embarrassed about the harness photos...here is another unflattering angle!