We took Daisy to the vet on Friday (routine check-up) and had a long discussion with her about letting Daisy be an outdoor kitty. After some deliberation at home Eve decided that we should let Daisy explore the great outdoors. With great trepidation (on my part!) we opened the door today and let her go!

Away she goes!

She spent awhile sniffing around our house, learning our house so she could find her way home again. That’s how Alan explained it anyway and it sounded reasonable.

Exploring the back of the house

Exploring the front of the house

Then she decided to explore the rest of the neighborhood! We were all outside playing and doing some spring yard work (the joys of homeownership!) and watching Daisy explore. When she left the yard Eve and I had to remind ourselves and each other that it’s ok and (hopefully) she would be back. I was happy to see that each time something loud startled her she ran right back to our house. That was a good sign.

Away she goes, exploring the neighborhood!

Fun with the bow and arrow. I think Eve needs some new summer clothes. Everything she puts on is too short!

Queen of the mountain!

She wandered around the neighborhood and came back home a few times. Once Eve and I took a walk down the cul-de-sac to find her. She was three houses down, exploring their garden. She ran when we saw us. A few times she came to the mudroom door and meowed, but we wanted her to come to the front door instead. Once she came to the front door, but when Alan opened it she ran away. After about two hours she was ready to come home. Lex propped the door open a bit when she was near the front porch and she slipped right inside! Yay! She headed right for her food bowl, ate a bit, then went right back to the screen door and meowed to go out. Alan let her out and she has repeated the process three times now! Out, explore, home, eat, out again. She is training us well. Silly kitty.

It’s good to know that she will come home again, but it makes my chest a little tight when she goes out. After some deep consideration (what else is there to do when raking the lawn?!) I realized that Daisy being out is just one more thing for my mothering heart to think about. One more thing to keep track of and one more thing to add to the ongoing risk analysis that my brain is always running. But she seems happy and the kids aren’t worried, so I guess all is well.

(Now we are one of those people I always complain about, with their pets outside, pooping on other people’s lawns! Now when I find cat poop in the backyard I can no longer blame it on the neighbor cats… though I’m sure it will still be their fault. My lovely kitty is well loved and cared for and would only use her proper litter box. She’s a very polite kitty. Right?!)