Minnie on the Move

 

Minnie looking out window

I put a chair near the window so Minnie could look out, but she soon got bored with that.  Because Minnie’s so affectionate and loves to cuddle, I always thought she’d make a good indoor cat.  But yesterday, I saw how much I don’t know about Minnie.  I only know what I see, what she shows me.  Like most of the animals on the farm (except the dogs)  Minnie has a whole other side to her, a whole other life that doesn’t include me. And for all I know, that part of her life, the part I don’t know about, is who she really is.

When I put Minnie on the chair to gaze out the window, as I’ve seen many other indoor cats do,  I thought she would be content.  But she didn’t sit there for long.  When she realized she couldn’t get out the window, she jumped off the chair and hobbled to the door.  There she sat butting her coned head against the door trying to get out.  What could I do, I opened the door.  She took off before I could get my shoes on.  I chased her around the studio where I caught her just before she tried to crawl into the hole under my studio. ( The one where there woodchuck used to live until Frieda found it).  She wouldn’t have made it into the hole, not with her cone on, but I was surprised that she even knew about it.  It’s obviously a safe place for her, one of her hiding spots.

I brought her back into the studio and before I knew it she was climbing out the window. Minnieclimbingout window

She got up on the sill before I plucked her off.  After that, I put the screen in  and put Minnie  back on the cushy pink chair, where she fell asleep, tired from all her adventures.

That’s when I realized that Minnie is not an indoor cat.  She may like to snuggle in my lap or on the couch once in a while, but Minnie, born feral, prefers to be outside. Maybe not on snowy winter nights, or when she’s in the mood for some loving, but in general, Minnie is an independent cat, living her own life, making her own decisions (except when we humans intervene that is).  And I have to say, that’s one of the things I love about Minnie and Flo and all outdoor cats.  That I can’t really know them, that they are mysterious and self-sufficient.  That they live their own lives and I am just a part of it.  The part where we come together.  And most of the time, it’s more up to them when this happens than me.

6 thoughts on “Minnie on the Move

  1. Very insightful, Maria. I would have thought Minnie would want to be an indoor cat after her misadventure. Obviously not! I wish Minnie safe adventures when she returns to her outside life.

  2. Maria, I too say her independent side, from that one picture of her looking out the window the other day. Yes, indeed, she IS a true outdoor cat. But, one that also like some loving upon occasion too. 🙂

    I’m sure she can’t wait to get outside again. Wishing the best for her. She is what she is, and
    “it is what it is”… we have to adapt to their lives as they know them. 🙂 Love you both…

  3. Minnie will forever now be an indoor/outdoor cat. She knows there are 2 worlds to have the best of now and they never forget that! She’s too fun to talk with and cuddle to not have her travel both worlds!

  4. I’m smiling and thinking of our once feral cat, Cassie, now after 7 years a rather podgy, snow-white matron. We trapped her when her newborn kittens were discovered underneath our neighbor’s boat. She lived in a big dog cage on our back porch until kittens were weaned and she got her shots and spaying out of the way. She was terrified of us–hissed, scratched, hunched up = the picture of perfect hate. We kept one kitten who took to indoor life immediately. Then we took her inside also. It took her months to decide that we were good sorts after all. Now, when we open a door to the outside she crouches in the interior of the house–God forbid that we should put her out! She suddens out urgent messages “Are you crazy? it might rain! I might get lost!” So funny.

    Very very different to Minnie I can see.

  5. Anyone living in close proximity to cats soon realizes that, to them, we are just support staff for their agendas. Minnie doesn’t plan on a lengthy rehabilitation, apparently. Hehehehehee!

  6. Love the bottom pic of Minnie in action!:)Glad you’re all well.

    We have 4 house cats (& the 2 dogs & lizard), but I had lots of barn cats growing up. We’re going to take care of our neighbors’ indoor/outdoor cats for the next 2 weeks while they go to pick up/adopt their son (yay, finally! It’s been a long process). It wouldn’t be fair to keep their 3 cats cooped up for that long, they were grouchy being in for only 2 days when our friends went to meet the birth mother.

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