What are the kitties thinking when they peer out at the rain?
I know my Mimi would love to be outdoors, but I won’t let her wander. It’s too dangerous outside the confines of my home, with a wooded ravine in the back and a very busy street directly in front.
I house-sat last year, and hauled the cats over to this pretty place on the lake, with woods and the brush all around. No way in heaven or earth I was going to let them run free. Not only would they likely get lost, whoever did find them (probably a coyote) would discover them covered in ticks and fleas and whatever other grunge lies out there.
I know, there’s medicine for that. They can also stay inside.
Inside is pretty appealing these days, with lots of places to climb and hide. My latest creation? It happened quite by accident when I decided to protect the desk chair at the aforementioned house.
The cats had turned my own desk chair into a fine scratching post, despite having two such already, and I didn’t want to have to spend everything I made housesitting replacing my friend’s desk chair. So I covered it with a sleeping bag. Turns out this makes a great tent for cats. They spent hours under there, huddled together in one furry mass.
At our own home, I cover my desk chair with a blanket when I’m not using it. I should make one thing clear. My laptop is at a different desk, with a different (rather uncomfortable yet decor-appropriate) “desk chair.”
When they’re giving the world that faraway stare, are they sometimes thinking, what’s wrong with our mama? She isn’t happy today. I wish I could make her feel better. You do, babies. When I’m feeling sad, you always seem to know it, and you comfort me.
Do they dream of the big hunt? Right now there’s the occasional bug to stalk, but I usually reach my limit watching that game after a time and kill the thing myself. They tend to let it go otherwise. Unless it’s a flying bug. Walter is adept at catching bugs in flight, and has no compunction eating his capture.
I want my kitties to be happy, so I worry sometimes at their pensive look. But then they’ll crawl into my lap and purr themselves to sleep while I sing their favorite songs. All is well.
We have each other.
My World With Words 
Parker likes to torment bugs. Paws them, peeks. Paw them, again, Peek. I squash ’em. End of game. Mine are indoor cats, too. I would be a wreck that they would never return. Me and my babies! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I get terrified thinking of losing them. In my last apartment, Mimi loved to run outside. It was a game for her. I’d “capture” her and she’d snuggle in and purr. So frustrating!! I didn’t know how to tell her how dangerous it was outside. Oh well. We’re in a new place now, and while she’s curious, she doesn’t dash.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank heaven for that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You have given your kitties a safe and wonderful life. As much as the outdoors sounds like freedom, the life expectancy of an indoor cat is far longer than an outdoor on. An outdoor cat’s life expectancy is around 5 years and an indoor cat can live 20 years. That’s a big difference for freedom. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, the trick is telling them that! Oh well, they’re used to the indoors now. I think!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It sounds like you provide a safe and stimulating environment for your kitties. I keep my cat inside too, she’s a rescue so I don’t know for sure but I think she’s always been an indoor cat and I’d be worried about her getting into fights with other cats or getting hit by a car if we let her out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, my kitties were rescue cats, and they had been outdoors, but one of them didn’t like that at all and the other wasn’t particularly smart about things like traffic. Now they’ve been inside too long for me to believe they’d survive outside — or even have the foggiest idea how to find their way back home. I try to keep indoors fun for them, and they have each other, so indoors it is and always will be!!
LikeLiked by 1 person