Here Comes The Sun
Welcome to our first post of 2012! It’s a new year and we capped off 2011 with over 50,000 views! We’re happy to create even better content in the coming year, but I’ll let my cats share their secret to happiness: They know how to relax. Yes, the days are getting longer. Here comes the sun. This will bring a sunny start to the week. Here Come the Sun by The Beatles
Yesterday on new year’s day our cat daddy and I enjoyed coffee on the sunny porch joked about the almost Florida-like weather. Domino, who successfully made the transition to house cat, soaked up the outdoor sun for the first time in weeks. At first we wondered whether would he resort to his old feral ways. He checked all his favorite sunning spots and demonstrated the old adage: make hay while the sun shines, since we’ll be in a deep freeze by Wednesday. He needed extra coaxing to come in that night but hunger always over-rides his fear. I suspect when the temperature dips below freezing, he’ll snuggling under the covers. Indoors. Happy.
With his wild wandering days over and sleeping beside his daddy most nights, I doubt Domino will revert back to his feral lifestyle and will enjoy the best of both worlds. Seeing him outdoors again, playing and blissfully soaking up nature, confirmed why all our cats are indoor/outdoor. We’re lucky to have a relatively safe and supervised environment and while not 100% risk-free (no environment is 100% safe), it’s a risk we’re willing to take. Domino wasted no time relishing the sun-warmed straw, tree roots and a favorite birch log all within a hop and jump from the front door.
And Odin burned off his usual excess energy tearing across lawns, through bushes, up and down trees, pouncing on anyone and everyone but always returning for comforting pats and rewards of praise from me or his daddy. I’ve never used clicker training and at this point rarely need to use treats as a motivation or reward. All cats can be trained but not every cat excels at it like Odin. It comes down to knowing your cat and respecting their limits. Gris Gris is polar opposite to Odin in temperament and we have a different agreement. He doesn’t wander, climb trees or play with cats he doesn’t know. The only thing they all agree on is their love of sunbathing.
12 Comments
Carolyn
Well we have the sun, but it’s freezing cold here and there is a storm brewing! So lovely that your cats have a safe environment and yes it looks like Domino has dinally made up his mind. Wise boy 🙂 x
caren gittleman
How lucky you are to live in a “relatively safe” environment with LAND….
For those like myself who have a main road just outside their condo complex an indoor/outdoor lifestyle for a cat is something I would NEVER recommend.
If I had land like you absolutely! Where we live? NEVER.
How unusual is it to have all of that sunshine this time of year? It isn’t normal, I actually want snow!!!!
Abby
They so enjoy being outdoors. I am glad you have such a safe environment where they can get out.
purrs
>^,,^<
♥Abby♥Boo♥Ping♥Jinx♥Grace♥
Katnip Lounge
You are so lucky to have a safe environment for your furries. When we lived in Illinois we had two barn cats that were a JOY to watch, gamboling about outdoors, before they went through the cat flap in the barn to sleep by the wood burner! Spoiled.
Cheysuli
I am just a little bit jealous of your sunshine.
boomermuse
Sunshine yes, but it it turned bitterly cold over night.
@Katnip Lounge, it’s pure joy watching them free.
@Abby, it as good as it as it gets.
@Caren,we’re lucky. If we live somewhere else I’d take them out on a leash (if they agreed).
Carolyn, he took one whiff of the frosty air and dashed in. He’s seen the light!
@Jo, see you then. Thanks for tuning in.
Kathryn, no jewels left any of the boys, ahem, except for the stones on Merlin’s healing collar.
Milo and Alfie
It’s good to see everyone enjoying the sunbeams.
Happy New Year dear friends. Hoping 2012 brings you peace, health and joy and in abundance. xx
Kitcaboodles
I love that picture of Domino sitting on the tree, it’s gorgeous! Happy new year to you all 🙂
Ingrid King
What a lovely update to start the year with. I’m always happy to see Domino so relaxed. Even though Ruby and Allegra don’t go outside, they, too, vote four paws up on the mild weather, because it means our windows are open for more than just a few minutes at a time!
boomermuse
Ingrid, Domino has never been happier. Enjoy the warm weather and window whiffies 🙂
@Kitcaboodles, thanks. He loves that tree.
@Rumpy, peaceful until they stalk prey 😉
@FuzzyTales, ooh that’s a lot of snow.
@Caren, more about her tomorrow!
@Milo & Alfie, thank-you. We’re dashing over.
@Julia, thanks so much!
RumpyDog!
Watching cats enjoying the sunny outdoors can be so peaceful. Happy New Year!
Fuzzy Tales
We’re going to teleport over and enjoy your sunshine, since we haven’t much up here. And now we’re slated for 10 to 15 cms of snow later this week (hope that changes), our first real snow of the winter. Brrr. We want your sunpuddles!