Married to the Empire

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Attempting video

Discussion at a party this weekend led to someone saying that no one puts cats on leashes. Well, we do. Calvin runs away to seek adventure on his own if we let him out. So, if he's to enjoy the great outdoors from anywhere other than my arms, he has to wear a leash.

Doogie is fortunate in that he can be trusted outside. He's too much of a scaredy-cat to run off anywhere, so I can let him out sans leash when I get the mail. Once, I decided to put the harness and leash on him just to see what he'd do. It confused and upset him, so he just flopped over on his side and laid there pathetically. I tried to capture that reaction on video this weekend. (Please excuse the sorry state of my front porch. The previous owners painted the patio portion, and now it's peeling and looks terrible.)

5 comments:

Cathy VanPatten said...

LOL!

We don't dare let Shelly out--first of all, we live on a very busy street in Chicago, and she's very definitely an indoor cat. Second, she is not all that bright to begin with. But years ago when she was a youngster, she used to look out the window so longingly...

I thought "Why not get a harness and a leash and see if she likes the outside?"

Well, we got the harness and the leash... and then I tried to get the harness on her. She managed to get away from me as I was trying to fasten it, and I swear that she bounced off of every wall in our apartment, clanking the buckle on the harness as she went. She was SOOOOO mad.

And so we never got to find out if she likes the outdoors... but now that we have a balcony, she will not even come out there with me...

'Fraidy cat.

Anne Marie@Married to the Empire said...

Doogie isn't our bright kitty, either. And he used to be terrified of the great outdoors, but he got over it as he watched Calvin's glee at going out. He used to just hang by the door, then he gradually ventured out a few inches at a time. Now he's downright brave. He doesn't even have to keep an eye on me when I head to the mailbox. It used to be that if I went out of his sight, he'd panic and bash his head into the door to try to get back inside.

But as you can see, the harness scared him, and he tried to go back in.

Calvin walks pretty well on the leash. Actually, he still attempts to bolt, but he can only go so far, hence the purpose of the leash. *grin* Leading him on a leash is a whole different thing, though.

AnneK said...

That was so cute!!! Poor Doogie, he does not look happy to be on a leash. And look at him trying to get back inside. :D Seems like there is a neighborhood dog. Is he scared of him/her? Our dog used to be scared of our neighbor cat. But then that cat is a bully and our dog was a small pup at the time.

Anne Marie@Married to the Empire said...

I had to watch it again to see what you were talking about, as I hadn't even noticed the barking dog. Several of our neighbors have dogs, but none of them were out in their yards. Fenced-in backyards, yes, but not out where kitties could see them.

Doogie's scared of most things, but I don't think the barking dog was it. He just doesn't like new things he doesn't understand, like leashes! I let him out a few minutes later (with Calvin on the leash that time), and he ran around the garden with no fear.

Ann said...

That is so cute seeing a kitty on a leash! I hope Doogie has left your Valentine roses alone :)