Dusty's outdoor excursion

Dusty really likes to sit in front of the windows when they are open. He loves
all the backyard sounds and can stare outside for hours. Now he has been a
strictly indoor cat for 11 years. I thought I wonder if he would tolerate a
harness and leash so he could at least come out in the yard with us and play on
the grass. This time of year we spend a lot of time outside and he always looks
so sad sitting in the window watching. I am not at all comfortable with him
"roaming" on his own accord at this point in his life. It's just not safe at
all where I live for a pansy housecat to roam. We are having big mountain lion
issues in the area right now. (a topic I will discuss later)

I went to Petsmart and got a simple little harness and light leash. It said,
"will fit all cats". It did fit around his neck just fine but I had to let it
out all the way to accommodate his "girth". LOL. He just laid there on the
recliner while I adjusted and put it on and took it off. Very tolerant. I put
the leash on and walked around the house with him. He seemed fine and didn't
try to struggle at all. I sort of forced him to struggle a bit just so I could
see that he couldn't wiggle out of the harness. His wiggling days are clearly
over.

We went outside on the grass and he was having a great time. He chased some
little bugs that flew out of the grass. He then tugged really hard on the leash
and when I turned he was airborne trying to catch a white butterfly between his
paws. I haven't seen him move like that in months! He didn't get it but I of
course screamed as it flew in my face. I walked around with him and let him
explore. He rubbed his face in all the wildflowers. He ate a wildflower. Then
he got behind a little bush and got into pounce position and attacked the bush.
He didn't seem to like the pool. He sniffed and looked at it and turned the
other way. He finally laid down on the hard dirt behind a little bush near the
wrought iron fence with the sun beating down on him. He could see down into the
creek area. Lot's of sounds and stuff out there. He squirmed around in the
dirt on side and made little chatter noises. He was one happy camper. After
about 10 minutes I brought him back inside. He got a drink of water and then
curled up on his chair and went to sleep.

TJ and The Dust wrote:

He finally laid down on the hard dirt behind a little bush near the
wrought iron fence with the sun beating down on him. He could see
down into the creek area. Lot's of sounds and stuff out there. He
squirmed around in the dirt on side and made little chatter noises.
He was one happy camper. After about 10 minutes I brought him back
inside. He got a drink of water and then curled up on his chair and
went to sleep.

Awwww - a big day for Dusty! You made him one happy kitty.

Joyce

in article , TJ and The Dust at
wrote on 3/28/04 12:01 AM:

Dusty really likes to sit in front of the windows when they are open. He
loves
all the backyard sounds and can stare outside for hours. Now he has been a
strictly indoor cat for 11 years. I thought I wonder if he would tolerate a
harness and leash so he could at least come out in the yard with us and play
on
the grass. This time of year we spend a lot of time outside and he always
looks
so sad sitting in the window watching. I am not at all comfortable with him
"roaming" on his own accord at this point in his life. It's just not safe at
all where I live for a pansy housecat to roam. We are having big mountain
lion
issues in the area right now. (a topic I will discuss later)

I went to Petsmart and got a simple little harness and light leash. It said,
"will fit all cats". It did fit around his neck just fine but I had to let it
out all the way to accommodate his "girth". LOL. He just laid there on the
recliner while I adjusted and put it on and took it off. Very tolerant. I
put
the leash on and walked around the house with him. He seemed fine and didn't
try to struggle at all. I sort of forced him to struggle a bit just so I
could
see that he couldn't wiggle out of the harness. His wiggling days are clearly
over.

We went outside on the grass and he was having a great time. He chased some
little bugs that flew out of the grass. He then tugged really hard on the
leash
and when I turned he was airborne trying to catch a white butterfly between
his
paws. I haven't seen him move like that in months! He didn't get it but I of
course screamed as it flew in my face. I walked around with him and let him
explore. He rubbed his face in all the wildflowers. He ate a wildflower.
Then
he got behind a little bush and got into pounce position and attacked the
bush.
He didn't seem to like the pool. He sniffed and looked at it and turned the
other way. He finally laid down on the hard dirt behind a little bush near
the
wrought iron fence with the sun beating down on him. He could see down into
the
creek area. Lot's of sounds and stuff out there. He squirmed around in the
dirt on side and made little chatter noises. He was one happy camper. After
about 10 minutes I brought him back inside. He got a drink of water and then
curled up on his chair and went to sleep.




Wow. What a great first outside trip! Go Dusty!

Karen

"TJ and The Dust" wrote
Dusty really likes to sit in front of the windows when they are open. He
loves
all the backyard sounds and can stare outside for hours. Now he has been
a
strictly indoor cat for 11 years. I thought I wonder if he would tolerate
a
harness and leash so he could at least come out in the yard with us and
play on
the grass. This time of year we spend a lot of time outside and he always
looks
so sad sitting in the window watching. I am not at all comfortable with
him
"roaming" on his own accord at this point in his life. It's just not safe
at
all where I live for a pansy housecat to roam. We are having big mountain
lion
issues in the area right now. (a topic I will discuss later)

I went to Petsmart and got a simple little harness and light leash. It
said,
"will fit all cats". It did fit around his neck just fine but I had to
let it
out all the way to accommodate his "girth". LOL. He just laid there on
the
recliner while I adjusted and put it on and took it off. Very tolerant.
I put
the leash on and walked around the house with him. He seemed fine and
didn't
try to struggle at all. I sort of forced him to struggle a bit just so I
could
see that he couldn't wiggle out of the harness. His wiggling days are
clearly
over.

We went outside on the grass and he was having a great time. He chased
some
little bugs that flew out of the grass. He then tugged really hard on the
leash
and when I turned he was airborne trying to catch a white butterfly
between his
paws. I haven't seen him move like that in months! He didn't get it but I
of
course screamed as it flew in my face. I walked around with him and let
him
explore. He rubbed his face in all the wildflowers. He ate a wildflower.
Then
he got behind a little bush and got into pounce position and attacked the
bush.
He didn't seem to like the pool. He sniffed and looked at it and turned
the
other way. He finally laid down on the hard dirt behind a little bush
near the
wrought iron fence with the sun beating down on him. He could see down
into the
creek area. Lot's of sounds and stuff out there. He squirmed around in
the
dirt on side and made little chatter noises. He was one happy camper.
After
about 10 minutes I brought him back inside. He got a drink of water and
then
curled up on his chair and went to sleep.

Aww, what a wonderful present for Dusty. Glad to hear he has regained his
girth. I took Nikki out yesterday, but she got confused with all the changes
that are happening around here all the time (rapid development of the whole
area), and she coulödn't find her favourite haunts as they've been asphalted
over. Can't wait til we get back to the island.

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki

Awww... what a good Dusty!

--
Victor Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

What a happy, busy day for the old Dusty. What a good mama you are for
taking him outside to have fun.
Jazz & his mama

--

Irulan
from the stars we came, to the stars we return
from now until the end of time


"TJ and The Dust" wrote in message
...
Dusty really likes to sit in front of the windows when they are open. He
loves
all the backyard sounds and can stare outside for hours. Now he has been
a
strictly indoor cat for 11 years. I thought I wonder if he would tolerate
a
harness and leash so he could at least come out in the yard with us and
play on
the grass. This time of year we spend a lot of time outside and he always
looks
so sad sitting in the window watching. I am not at all comfortable with
him
"roaming" on his own accord at this point in his life. It's just not safe
at
all where I live for a pansy housecat to roam. We are having big mountain
lion
issues in the area right now. (a topic I will discuss later)

I went to Petsmart and got a simple little harness and light leash. It
said,
"will fit all cats". It did fit around his neck just fine but I had to
let it
out all the way to accommodate his "girth". LOL. He just laid there on
the
recliner while I adjusted and put it on and took it off. Very tolerant.
I put
the leash on and walked around the house with him. He seemed fine and
didn't
try to struggle at all. I sort of forced him to struggle a bit just so I
could
see that he couldn't wiggle out of the harness. His wiggling days are
clearly
over.

We went outside on the grass and he was having a great time. He chased
some
little bugs that flew out of the grass. He then tugged really hard on the
leash
and when I turned he was airborne trying to catch a white butterfly
between his
paws. I haven't seen him move like that in months! He didn't get it but I
of
course screamed as it flew in my face. I walked around with him and let
him
explore. He rubbed his face in all the wildflowers. He ate a wildflower.
Then
he got behind a little bush and got into pounce position and attacked the
bush.
He didn't seem to like the pool. He sniffed and looked at it and turned
the
other way. He finally laid down on the hard dirt behind a little bush
near the
wrought iron fence with the sun beating down on him. He could see down
into the
creek area. Lot's of sounds and stuff out there. He squirmed around in
the
dirt on side and made little chatter noises. He was one happy camper.
After
about 10 minutes I brought him back inside. He got a drink of water and
then
curled up on his chair and went to sleep.

On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 23:01:59 -0700, "TJ and The Dust"
yodeled:

Dusty really likes to sit in front of the windows when they are open. He loves
all the backyard sounds and can stare outside for hours. Now he has been a
strictly indoor cat for 11 years. I thought I wonder if he would tolerate a
harness and leash so he could at least come out in the yard with us and play on
the grass. This time of year we spend a lot of time outside and he always looks
so sad sitting in the window watching. I am not at all comfortable with him
"roaming" on his own accord at this point in his life. It's just not safe at
all where I live for a pansy housecat to roam. We are having big mountain lion
issues in the area right now. (a topic I will discuss later)


(snip)

That was an adorable story. "Pansy housecat," I love it-- that' s
Stinky, too. I call him "Little Lord Fauntleroy." I try to take him
out on the leash a few times, too-- because he always looks like he
really *wants* to go out-- but he gets really scared at first, and it
takes him awhile to unfreeze. We also have little kids on the block
who come running when they see him, and scare him again, so I have to
do it early in the morning. Funny, when he's at home, a bomb
exploding wouldn't bother him.



Theresa
alt.tv.frasier FAQ: http://www.im-listening.net/FAQ/

Single-mindedness is all very well in cows or baboons; in an animal
claiming to belong to the same species as Shakespeare it is simply disgraceful.
(Aldous Huxley)

TJ and The Dust wrote:


We went outside on the grass and he was having a great time. He chased some
little bugs that flew out of the grass. He then tugged really hard on the leash
and when I turned he was airborne trying to catch a white butterfly between his
paws. I haven't seen him move like that in months! He didn't get it but I of
course screamed as it flew in my face. I walked around with him and let him
explore. He rubbed his face in all the wildflowers. He ate a wildflower. Then
he got behind a little bush and got into pounce position and attacked the bush.
He didn't seem to like the pool. He sniffed and looked at it and turned the
other way. He finally laid down on the hard dirt behind a little bush near the
wrought iron fence with the sun beating down on him. He could see down into the
creek area. Lot's of sounds and stuff out there. He squirmed around in the
dirt on side and made little chatter noises. He was one happy camper. After
about 10 minutes I brought him back inside. He got a drink of water and then
curled up on his chair and went to sleep.



Dusty had a grand time, didn't he? How lucky he is that you thought of
getting him a leash and harness and took him out. You're such a good
meomie and Dusty is one very happy cat.

Pam S.

In article , "TJ and The Dust"
wrote:

After
about 10 minutes I brought him back inside. He got a drink of water and
then
curled up on his chair and went to sleep.

Sounds like the Dust had a wonderful adventure. Give the Flabulous one a
scritch from me.
Suz
Macmoosette
Thank Heavens There's Only One
=^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^=



Waiting for inspiration. Please hold while I contemplate my navel.

|\__/|
(=':'=)
(")_(")

On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 23:01:59 -0700, "TJ and The Dust"
wrote:

Dusty really likes to sit in front of the windows when they are open. He loves
all the backyard sounds and can stare outside for hours. Now he has been a
strictly indoor cat for 11 years. I thought I wonder if he would tolerate a
harness and leash so he could at least come out in the yard with us and play on
the grass. This time of year we spend a lot of time outside and he always looks
so sad sitting in the window watching. I am not at all comfortable with him
"roaming" on his own accord at this point in his life. It's just not safe at
all where I live for a pansy housecat to roam. We are having big mountain lion
issues in the area right now. (a topic I will discuss later)

I went to Petsmart and got a simple little harness and light leash. It said,
"will fit all cats". It did fit around his neck just fine but I had to let it
out all the way to accommodate his "girth". LOL. He just laid there on the
recliner while I adjusted and put it on and took it off. Very tolerant. I put
the leash on and walked around the house with him. He seemed fine and didn't
try to struggle at all. I sort of forced him to struggle a bit just so I could
see that he couldn't wiggle out of the harness. His wiggling days are clearly
over.

We went outside on the grass and he was having a great time. He chased some
little bugs that flew out of the grass. He then tugged really hard on the leash
and when I turned he was airborne trying to catch a white butterfly between his
paws. I haven't seen him move like that in months! He didn't get it but I of
course screamed as it flew in my face. I walked around with him and let him
explore. He rubbed his face in all the wildflowers. He ate a wildflower. Then
he got behind a little bush and got into pounce position and attacked the bush.
He didn't seem to like the pool. He sniffed and looked at it and turned the
other way. He finally laid down on the hard dirt behind a little bush near the
wrought iron fence with the sun beating down on him. He could see down into the
creek area. Lot's of sounds and stuff out there. He squirmed around in the
dirt on side and made little chatter noises. He was one happy camper. After
about 10 minutes I brought him back inside. He got a drink of water and then
curled up on his chair and went to sleep.

Glad he had such a good time.

I consider my girls indoor only cats, but they go out, supervised,
every day, weather permitting. I feel sorry for the indoor only cats
who are terrified of being outside. I remember a customer bringing out
his indoor only cat, and she was so terrified that she ran up and door
the street trying to hide, and finally grawled under a vacant house
and wouldn't come out. Mr Jennings, the customer, sat for about half
an hour trying to call her out, but the poor thing was terrified.
Finally, he called his wife at work, and she came home for lunch and
was able to coax the cat out.
--
Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Rocky

[remove Junk for email]
Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html
Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html