Mr. B. and I spent most of last night worrying about Garfield/Pumpkin’s safety as he spent a cold night outside. He wanted out so bad at 6 p.m. Friday that, despite having kept him inside nights since Monday, I reluctantly obliged.
Mr. B. kept asking on the hour whether he was back yet. When he still hadn’t returned by 2 a.m. Saturday, despite leaving the patio door open several inches so he could shoulder his way back in, we both found it hard to sleep.
I was worrying a raccoon would get him, a car run over him, or a stray dog chase him up a tree, etc. But when I got up at 9:30, there was Senor Gato snoozing on the couch in the family room. A little distant as he usually is after one of these all-night events, however.
It’s going to be the last one, I’ve decided. I know he’s transitioning from an outdoor to an indoor life, and that’s a hard row to hoe, so we’ll compromise for a while. I will let him out in the morning, but no more all-nighters.
Outdoor cats live an average of 2 to 5 years, it says on WebMD. Up to 20 years of life for an indoor one. Not to mention the years his being out all night subtract from mine.
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 