Y’ know there’s a saying that goes, “No good deed goes unpunished.”–mostly meant in fun when things seem to go wrong, but sometimes more true than we’d like to believe.
I decided to try giving the kittens, Rusty and Nipper, (more like CATS now, they’ve been growing) a little treat by letting them come outside with me. They’ve been hanging around the door every time that I go out or come in, and acting as though their dearest wish is just to come out and enjoy the great outdoors–staying with me all of the time, of course, and being instantly ready to come in whenever called.
Yeah, right.
Each of them has his/her very own little harness, complete with a leash six feet or so long. These, as it turns out, are unacceptable restraints on their God-given “catliness”and wish to go wherever they darn-well please, when they please at top speed or after sitting still until they resemble cat statues. Each of them managed to get out of the harness (black for him, pale green for her) at least once and they several times took off trailing the leashes. Rusty investigated the climbing opportunities of a number of trees; Nipper checked out various possibilities for concealment under and inside the winter leftovers next to the house. Neither of them had a clue about going after the birds that were coming and going to the birdfeeders lined up across the driveway. The birds apparently scoped out the fact that these cats were not apex predators so they just kept coming for snacks–cats or no cats.
This was all in aid of my intention to, at some point, be able to take the two of them( the senior adopted cats don’t seem to be all that interested) on walks around the neighborhood just to get some air and some exercise, as when we went to yoga sessions earlier this year( They wore out their welcome, apparently, by getting too comfy with the mats and inclined to investigate toes and such.). They also attempted to climb up the (fake) potted plants but their favorite thing was to play with the cords of the shades and walk on the sills while watching out for birds in the trees and kids coming and going below. I’m not even counting the races back-and-forth the full length of the room or the stash of toys under some locations which they had discovered.
I’m waiting until the Big Community Yard Sale to search for a kids’ wagon to put them in to get around town ( Maybe I can put them in the cargo rumbleseat on my tricycle to take them around town or up to the Y. Carrying them is a real load, now that they are approaching full “cathood”. Just like “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”, “Cuteness has its limits with poundage”…at least for kittens.
Don’t forget to vote YES for the EMS levy. Early voting is open now.
