One thing that changed my life forever

I was thinking back to a day that changed my life forever, the day I went out for walkies for the very first time. Little did I know then how significant that day would be. From that day on my life changed forever. No longer was I an indoor kitty….I was an outdoor adventure cat.

Those first anxious steps – mummy’s not mine! I was straight out the door, whiskers forward in anticipation, off into the unknown, a big deep breath inhaling all the scents around me, it smelt so fresh, so interesting, so inviting. I could feel the grass and soil under my paws it was just natural for me and so off I went exploring. I think mummy was very happy but also slightly disappointed as I think she though I’d make a bigger deal of that first adventure. I guess I just had that spirit inside me, just waiting to be let out, waiting for that purrfect forever home, that purrfect mummy and daddy. Maybe fate brought us together, a secret adventure cat and a family who could recognise that hidden inner desire.

Mummy and I chat a lot when we’re outside, one day I asked mummy if she or daddy had ever taken any of their other cats for walkies, she said she had tried taking Peppar and Misty out once years ago but they didn’t like it at all. Mia used to go out exploring as a kitten and young cat but they moved house and there weren’t any gardens like here and Mia was very happy indoors. Mummy said “ Jenny, when we met you and you became part of our family, there was just something about you, a little something inside you shining out that made us think going out for walkies would be something that would be good for you and that you would enjoy.” But mummy most humans wouldn’t think of taking a blind cat outside. “Well, we’re not most humans Jen, you should know that by now. We see you for what you can do not what you can’t. You showed us your intelligence, confidence and your creativity when climbing indoors. You showed us that you like to be challenged and want to learn how to do things by yourself. I mean you taught yourself how to get down off the big scratching post, that was all you, not us. We knew you could handle it.”

Everyday that mummy is home working as it gets near to walkies time I climb up onto mummy’s desk and sit there impatiently waiting for her to finish. I walk across in front of her, I sit in front of her screen and help her finish off her work. I don’t want her to forget that it’s time to take me out. If mummy isn’t working at home then I’m there pacing at the front door waiting for her to come home. I can hear daddy telling me that she won’t be much longer and letting me know how close mummy is to getting home “but, but…it’s walkies time daddy and I’m ready and raring to go.” As soon as I hear mummy’s footsteps outside the door I’m right there nose right up to the door. As soon as it opens I’m right there “hi mummy, I missed you, are we going out now? No need to take your shoes off, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”

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To me being outside is freedom, it lets me be a cat, I can run around, climb, chase, hunt, explore and play. I can truly let go and be me, I can even have epic zoomies and get so excited I get big fuzzy tail. This isn’t something that I do indoors. Yes, I run and play and chase my sisfurs but the outdoors is big and open and exciting. Even when it’s past walkies time and I’m inside in the evening and getting wound up by anything then I go and sit out on the balcony and just chill and listen to the world, it’s my relaxing place, my calm, it always has been.

Walkies is my time, a time to just be with my best friend (mummy). This is our special time and I’m allowed to do pretty much whatever I want. If mummy’s been at work it’s her time to start to relax and wind down, she says she can’t be stressed, angry or worried when we’re out together, being outside with me takes her mind off anything. How can you be anything other than happy with me running around doing my thing and making you laugh?

For me, outside I get to challenge myself and I get to let loose, whilst I like being indoors and have plenty of things to do, climb and play with, for me there’s nothing better than being where I was born to be. Being blind doesn’t diminish my natural instincts. When I’m out I can practice my hunting technique (although mummy really does cramp my style), I can hone my other senses and keep my skills sharp. Above all though I can just have fun. It’s not all about exploring though, sometimes if it’s hot and sunny mummy and I just chill out together in the shade of a tree. I might stop to have a roll in the mud and have a good old scratch and tummy tickle and sometimes I just sit with mummy and listen to the world go by, if I’m in a climbing mood I go up a tree to listen and leave mummy at the bottom.

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That first walkies paved the way for so many other things, I never realised that it would lead to so much. I’ve adventured beyond our gardens and into other exciting places, which can be scary but with mummy by my side I know I’m safe. We’ve been to the park and a little way by the river. This is only very occasionally (normally when the weather is really bad and no one else wants to be out) as daddy is always worried that we might meet a dog that’s not on a lead, not many people expect to see a cat out on walkies. This is ok though as it takes me a while to get used to new places but it’s amazing how many new smells there are in places I haven’t been very often. Every time we go beyond the gardens it’s like exploring a whole new world.

I never realised how much going for walkies would affect other people too, I have so many friends (mostly little humans) who always say hello or want to stroke me when we’re outside. Sometime if they touch me they giggle or laugh and that makes me and mummy happy. I’ve met lots of other animals too, other cats and dogs as well as lots of birds including the Robins who torment me as they gang up and tease me, mice, foxes, squirrels, rats and even a bat, even I didn’t hear that one fly past mummy’s head!

I’ve been going for walkies every day for about 3 years now and I think I can pretty much count on one paw the number of times that mummy hasn’t taken me out at all (not including when they’ve gone away) she’s so dedicated to giving me the one thing that I love the most – outdoors, one on one time with my best friend.

Thank you mummy and daddy for believing in a little blind cat, for doing what most people wouldn’t even dream of doing with a purrfectly imperfect cat. Thank you for seeing me for what I am and not what I’m not.