Monday, November 12, 2018

In My Footsteps

This weekend was Parker’s first foray outside after it had snowed a substantial amount. He had sniffed at snow previously, and had even tried tasting it, I think, but it was in small quantities then. We had a heavy but, fortunately, not long fall of it on Friday, and again on Saturday.


Saturday found the sturdy-boy intrigued by the precipitation. It did not bother him a great deal because the sidewalks were mostly clear, and the streets and alleys had been driven upon, flattening and hardening the snow.


I did notice some intriguing behaviour. Parker saw some cat-tracks in the deeper snow and followed them for a short distance. When he did, he was careful to step inside the already-dinted snow. I thought this might be partly instinctive and partly deliberate: in the wild, such an action would disguise his passage, showing only the first cat’s. As well, if the orange boy disliked walking in the snow, which he seemed to, this would reduce the annoyance caused by sinking his paws into it.


Sunday afternoon, I took Parker for another walk. More snow had descended the evening before, and even the sidewalks were covered. This did not suit my foster-cat at all. He was displeased, and our walk was the shortest yet, except for when I took him out one day – at his insistence – in the rain. This time, Parker initially walked off the sidewalks; he often does that to smell the vegetation. But the vegetation was covered (and dead, anyway), so he reverted to the sidewalks. There was no relief there, however, and he decided to terminate the excursion.


Interestingly, on our way back to the apartment building, Parker made sure to walk in the footprints I had already made. The snow there was flat and hard, and it must have been no worse than walking on damp concrete. He is no fool.


At last, we made it back home. I cleaned off Parker’s paws, which he protested vigorously; immediately afterward, though, he had a mid-day snack and retired to the bed for a snooze. I suspect, while glad to be inside and warm, he then dreamed of warm breezes, fresh grass and a bright, vernal sun.

11 comments:

  1. Parker needs little snow boots. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. All of a sudden I have "Good King Wenceslas" running through my head:

    "...Mark my footsteps, my good page
    Tread thou in them boldly
    Thou shalt find the winter's rage
    Freeze thy blood less coldly."

    "In his master's steps he trod
    Where the snow lay dinted
    Heat was in the very sod
    Which the Saint had printed..."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha! I hadn't thought of that, but you're right - though there may be some dispute between Parker and me over who is the king. (I can tell you firmly who is not a saint!)

      Delete
  3. Chuck disliked wet ground to walk on, and wet grass was the worst! The way he'd jump and high-step his paws...aww, that image will stay with me forever.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your observations of Parker certainly made me smile. It proves that animals are quite smart. (Smarter than we are at any rate.) We're the ones getting our feet wet walking in the rain and snow, while Parker has figured out how to keep his paws dry.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Walking in the previous footprints the snow was probably firmer and didn't get between his toes like the fresher snow would. Eric and Flynn would go out in the snow but would try to walk under the hedge and close to the fence where there wasn't as much snow.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm with Parker and his dreams!! Dislike cold and snow. Bring on summer!

    ReplyDelete
  7. It's great to read that Parker walked in the other kitties footprints. Looks like he have a great time with everything outside. That snack and nap was the best thing after the walk. Thanks for the share. Have a wonderful day.
    World of Animals

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sorry Parker, what you saw that day is going to keep to coming and coming and coming...at least that's what the mom bean says.

    We hope you get a few more walks in though before it gets too bad.

    ReplyDelete