Indoor cat, outdoor cat
This year my 14-year-old calico Patches (see icon) has been showing her age. She is now close to completely deaf. This means that she meows really LOUD because she can't hear herself. It's kind of funny, and a little sad, and can be startling if you aren't expecting it.
She's sleeping much more than she used to, as well. She sleeps almost all the time now. I even have to go wake her for breakfast. This results in a daily early morning search for Patches, as she has about four different favorite sleeping spots, and can't hear me call. Occasionally she has to be convinced that food really is worth leaving her comfy sleeping spot, but when she does get up she waddles on over to the feeding dish and waits for me, meowing at high volume. She still is a cute, sweet old thing.
Outside, Barney, the full-time outdoor cat, has started angling to be let in. My youngest cat, Ki, has been indoor-outdoor for the past year, and now Barney can't understand why he isn't allowed to come inside, too. He has even started mimicking some of Ki's behavior in the hopes that I will let him inside: If I do somersaults on the ground in front of you, you'll think I'm cute like Ki and let me in, right?
The people I bought the house from told me that he sprays to mark territory if he ever manages to get inside, so I have been hesitant to let him in. On the couple of occasions recently when he has slipped past me I have followed him, watching, but so far he hasn't done any marking. He hasn't stayed indoors for long, either. As soon as he meets up with one of the two indoor cats he decides he's had enough, and hightails it out of there. But I suspect it is just a matter of time before I have two indoor-outdoor cats.
She's sleeping much more than she used to, as well. She sleeps almost all the time now. I even have to go wake her for breakfast. This results in a daily early morning search for Patches, as she has about four different favorite sleeping spots, and can't hear me call. Occasionally she has to be convinced that food really is worth leaving her comfy sleeping spot, but when she does get up she waddles on over to the feeding dish and waits for me, meowing at high volume. She still is a cute, sweet old thing.
Outside, Barney, the full-time outdoor cat, has started angling to be let in. My youngest cat, Ki, has been indoor-outdoor for the past year, and now Barney can't understand why he isn't allowed to come inside, too. He has even started mimicking some of Ki's behavior in the hopes that I will let him inside: If I do somersaults on the ground in front of you, you'll think I'm cute like Ki and let me in, right?
The people I bought the house from told me that he sprays to mark territory if he ever manages to get inside, so I have been hesitant to let him in. On the couple of occasions recently when he has slipped past me I have followed him, watching, but so far he hasn't done any marking. He hasn't stayed indoors for long, either. As soon as he meets up with one of the two indoor cats he decides he's had enough, and hightails it out of there. But I suspect it is just a matter of time before I have two indoor-outdoor cats.