feline drama

my cats don't go outside. i've just never let my cats go out... ever since i had my first cat, Nikko, in Pittsburgh, I haven't let them out. That was partly the result of living on the 3rd floor in an apartment building with no balcony or direct outdoor access... and partly the result of my personal feeling that there's less chance of accident and disease if they are strictly indoor.

My parents used to let their cats out, until they moved to Gig Harbor, and lost several to the local wildlife. At that point my parents' cats became indoor cats as well.

And, so Masaaki and Akira have never been allowed to go outside. I did have a balcony in my apartment in Tacoma, and even direct outdoor access through my front door. But I've always felt it was just easier and safer to keep them indoors and that's that. I got Masaaki when I was in Chicago. It was the same story at that apartment. I didn't have direct outdoor access, nor did I want him going outside. Masaaki was more than cool with that arrangement. In fact, every time the door opened, he would run and hide - so Masaaki and I have pretty much always been on the same page about that decision.

Akira, on the other hand, is not a big fat weenie like his buddy, Masaaki. I got Akira while living in my apartment in Tacoma, and that cat is a real sneak. I caught him several times trying to sneak out the front door in Tacoma. Since we moved to the house in Kent, he has actually made it out about 3 or 4 times. When we're lucky we catch him on his way out, scold him, and he runs immediately back in. At least twice he got out and hid under the deck, and it was a real nightmare to get him back in. Once he's stuck out there, he's really not as brave as he seems to think he is when he's on his way out the door.

About two days ago, Mike and I both discovered that our front door is not closing as well as it should be. We both thought sure we had closed it, and both times we found it open later. Mike says something about the door frame needs fixing, and he swears he's going to look at it tonight. The first time it happened, we found Akira still wandering around the living room... the second time he must have snuck out before we noticed.

Masaai threw a big fit yesterday. It's normal for him to howl and carry on... so we thought nothing of it... until this morning when he started following me around like a shadow, and i realized that i hadn't seen Akira recently. (usually the two of them make appearances first thing in the morning, so it's odd to just see one). Masaaki followed me downstairs (even braving walking right past the dog to howl at me). Poor little guy missed his feline friend. Masaaki always notices Akira's absences first.

I mentioned the whole disappearing act to Mike when he got up, and asked him to look for Akira if he had the time... well just as I was getting ready to leave for work, Mike opened the door, and there was Akira (terrified, wet, and kind of dusty looking) at the door. If we were happy to see him, Masaaki was doubly excited to see him. They exchanged the cutest kitty greeting, and then spent the rest of the morning following each other around. They are such polar opposites, but apparently they're also the best of friends. they're just so sweet.