What To Do When Your Feline Is Not Content With Being An Indoor Cat
March 30, 2021
What do you do when your cat keeps making a run for it every time you open the front door? One cat owner from Calgary decided to explore how far their cat was willing to step outside their front door.
After several escape attempts, it was obvious to James Eastham that his newly acquired kitten was more than eager to explore the great outdoors. After rescuing the adorable grey and white fluffy feline, it seemed unfair to sentence this cat to a life indoors. This was a cat who hankered for the great outdoors and any other life would not be as satisfying for him.
But Eastham was wary of taking his new cat Gary outside. The whole point of having an indoor cat is to keep them safe and away from danger and harm. We keep indoor cats so that they will live long and luxurious lives. So Eastham started slowly with Gary, taking him outside his apartment for a few minutes a day. He made sure to buy him a secure harness and this too took time for Gary to get used to.
There was a lot going on outside and a lot to take in, so Gary was content at first to just spend a few minutes out on the front lawn. But as he got more adventurous and more used to the harness, Gary wanted to explore farther afield, and so Eastham started with short walks around his apartment building.
Eventually those walks turned into hikes and the hikes turned into mountaineering trips in all kinds of weather. Gary was even content to wrap himself around Eastham’s shoulders while he made his way at a comfortable pace downhill on skis. Yes, Gary goes skiing with Eastham and seems to enjoy it, as long as they don’t go too fast.
But clearly, judging from the pictures, the most pleasurable outings that Gary enjoys with owner Eastham involve kayaking. There’s nothing like sitting on the bow of a kayak, gently rocking to the motion of the water, to lull you off into a dreamstate. Serious naptime happens in Gary’s favourite knapsack, where he tucks himself in at the end of a long day and dreams of his many adventures.
The point to this story is that cats, like dogs, love the great outdoors. So if you’re an outdoorsy kind of cat lover, you no longer have to leave your beloved felines at home. With the right training and a lot of patience, you can train your cat to love harnessing up and venturing outdoors. Just think of all the fun you could have together and how much more content these cool cats will be for the experience.
You can follow Gary and Eastham’s adventures on Instagram and Facebook.