Tuesday, March 1, 2016

My Own Little David Thompson

Since we moved into the new apartment, Josie has been yearning to pass beyond its front door to see what lies beyond. She and the other cats hear sounds from without, people talking and walking. This is odd to them, no doubt. They were accustomed to the house and its straightforward frontiers. There were walls, windows and doors. Behind them was a wider world, the Outside. There was grass; there were birds and strange cats; smells and noises that they could relate to what they could see. Not so in the apartment.

My Chubs has been fascinated with getting beyond the new home’s confines. One evening on the weekend, as I returned from putting out the rubbish, I opened the apartment door to find Josie right there, as usual. I decided to let her out. Though I have no doubts concerning her ability to run - she is probably like a cheetah, able to cover a short (very very short) distance rapidly - I also know her mind, and knew she would not bolt. Even so, I closed the door (I am not so complacent about the other beasts) and kept my hands on Josie’s ample form, just in case.


A couple of my neighbours were conversing, and of course talked to Josie. The Great White, normally my principal greeter of visitors, became rather flustered. She looked about her. This was not the Outside. She saw the Outside through the windows, yet the front door led to more Inside. What wizardry was this? There were walls and carpet, just like her home, but it was different; clearly not a real room, but not the wide world, either. Josie found herself in a bizarre world-between-worlds, a dimension not part of anything familiar. She wanted back Inside.

Once safely in the apartment again, my Chubs rubbed up against everything she could find, furniture, walls, cat-trees, me. This was home, this was familiar. It was a close call she had experienced, nearly trapped in an alternate reality she couldn’t comprehend. Since then, she has expressed no wish to go beyond the door, and waits farther inside the vestibule to meet me when I come home. The spirit of exploration had vanished.

This chastised attitude may not last. She may again wish to venture beyond the door. After all, that enigmatic corridor beyond the apartment surely can’t always be there, right?

23 comments:

  1. Would any of your cats learn to take to a harness? Just curious.

    Josie, quite often the grass just *seems* greener on the other side!

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    1. I've considered a harness before, but worry that once outside, they would always want to go out. But I could try it come spring.

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    2. I've thought about putting Dublin in a harness too. But I too have worries about taking him outside...fleas, encountering other cats or dogs, and as you mention, wanting to go outside to the point he makes a break for it. For now, he and Pepper appear content to bird and squirrel watch from the comfort of our apartment. Doors to the outside seem to hold no appeal to them. I'm leaning towards sticking with the status quo!

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  2. when mom first moved out, she had two cats...the large orange fuzzy boy would come out of her apartment into the hall and just wander a bit and lounge. mom got to the point where she would sit in the hall and read a book...he never went near the stairs and never seemed to want to leave the hall during their time out there....just seemed to want to do a daily patrol :)

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    1. I know cats here in the building have done that before. I would worry too much about mine.

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  3. She has satisfied her curiosity as to what lay beyond the door and it was not as she expected.

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    1. I've been trying to find the Wood Between the Worlds myself...

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  5. Great post! Both of our cats liked to explore beyond the front door too. Nice photos too.

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  6. Josie....onlee.... in de twi light zone ~~~~~ ♫♫♫♪♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪
    ♥♥♥

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  7. I think poor Josie may have had her fill of the great outdoors, and you may not have to worry about her wanting to go out again. My cats are all indoor only cats, and they have no desire to go out even though some of them were outdoor cats before I rescued them. After all, why should they want to roam? They have staff, (aka me!) attending to their every need. :-) I pay the rent, they own my apartment!

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  8. One of my lots, Bibi, boasts the nickname "Houbibi" because of his escapes. Once outside, he becomes feral in a matter of seconds, and it is very frightening. So, I had to have a double door system put in so that even if he bolts out of the front door, he can get no further than the porch.

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    1. I would have loved that in my house. Now, the corridor of the building serves that purpose - though I don't intend to let any of them get that far again. Their world will remain small.

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  9. I am hesitant to open the front door and today I had workers here and came out the front door and while trying to quickly talk to one of the men, Jinx appeared in the doorway. I am always worried about them getting out and he nearly did. OUt is not something I want them to want.

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    1. If one of mine got out, I wouldn't be able to do anything but search for her. I think Josie's one adventure was enough for them all.

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  10. I hope Josie now believes that all outsides are as dull as the hallway. Jessica only once got out into the hallway - she snuck out while I dashed back in to grab something and I spotted her coming around the hallway corner. She did not look impressed with the hallway adventure.

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    1. I think she likes viewing from the inside now. In any case, that's where she'll stay.

      I hope Holly is doing well in her new home.

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  11. Oh I wish I had that luxury with the boys *sigh* Ralphie loves the great outdoors way to much and is constantly trying to sneak out and I am constantly chasing him. Thank goodness my yard is fenced!

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  12. It would scare me like anything to allow one of my cats out. I had one escape once and she became a totally different cat. I was completely shocked. I couldn't imagine the change of personality. She was outside for two days. She took several days to return to normal once I managed to catch her and bring her inside again.

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    1. I'm glad you were able to rescue her again. I don't intend to let any of mine out. Josie's little adventure was it.

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