We have 6' concrete block walls around our property. No, we're not worried about marauding hordes - this is very common in planned housing developments here in the Valley of the Sun.
Thanks to those walls, we have let Murphy be outside, under our watchful eyes, without being leashed. I said, "That might have to change if he ever jumps to the top of the wall. This morning, he made that leap. Not over the wall, but to the top of it. I approached him slowly, so it wouldn't spook him, then picked him up and carried him back inside.
No point in scolding him, because he is naturally curious - it's part of being a cat. But, if he goes over the wall from Steph and Dan's yard, he could wind up in the yard of a neighbor... and me scaling the wall (and trespassing) would be the only way to bring him home. I don't know that he would have the foresight to jump back to the top of the wall to come home.
And if he went over the wall from our yard, he could become coyote food.
While I was in the shower, Joan took him outside in his harness and on a leash. He wasn't sure how to act... we only use the leash when away from the house, and I am the one at the other end of that leash.
After running some errands and having lunch out, I decided to let him be outside. Unleashed. And being watched VERY closely. He isn't sure about that, either, but that's how this is going to go for a while.
"Why are you so close, Dad?" He made no sudden moves, but I still stayed close. The boy can be fast... faster than any of our other cats. And stealthy. That can be a sneaky combination. Not casting any dispersions. Just the facts, ma'am.
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Apparently, today is National Love Your Pet Day. I read that on the internet, so it must be true. We have another similar celebration, called... every day.
2 comments:
In Anchorage our Siamese always wanted to go out. There were bald eagles all over the neighborhood, a busy street, plus a couple of gardening neighbors that really did not like roaming cats using their garden as a litter box. We had six foot high cedar fence, and I stapled on about 12" of chicken wire near the top. Leaned in at about a 45° angle it could not be seen beyond our yard but kept her from climbing over the wood fence. Don't know how that would work with your concrete block fence, but it helped us.. Side effect: it also kept the moose from coming over the fence into our backyard to eat the shrubs. I had to rake up far fewer moose nuggets every spring.
Moose nuggets - I think those are on the menu at the Mangy Moose bar and grill in Jackson, WY. ;-) Joan took Murph out on a leash and he did fine. I took him out sans-leash and stayed RIGHT by him. We'll play it by ear, but I think him on a leash will go over better than putting chicken wire on the wall... don't want to mess with that peaceful vibe that goes with our view of South Mountain.
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