City cat/Country cat*

*as requested by Doug

No, this is not the tale of two cats. 

This is the tale of a city cat

turned country cat.

When Milo originally came to live with me, I lived in a house that was on the last block of South 14th Street in New Castle, IN

the last block in the city before South 14th Street became State Road 103.

This was great when it snowed.

As we lived on a street that was essentially a state road, it was a main thorough-fare

and they always kept it plowed.

Located kitty-corner from a shopping center,

we lived on a very busy road.

I never let Milo out of the house.

As you can see, he lived a pampered life and he was quite content.

After several years, both of my children were gone to school
and I was an empty-nester.
I was also finishing my bachelors of science.

Many a night, Milo and I sat together. 
I studied, and Milo kept me company.
Hunkered in, together,
we were quite content.

Milo slept on the comforter of my bed.
It was just he and I.
He was contented as could be.

Then we packed up a twenty-six foot truck
 and moved to the hills of southern Indiana.
To a house that was in the country. 
Bordered by woods.
Woods that are rumored to have cougars and bobcats. 
I've twice seen bobcats since I've lived here - one evening out on our road
the second time on our property in broad daylight.

Doug had a cat that went in and out. 
In fact, Doug's cat went in and out so much, 
Doug had a cat-door in a window near the front door of the house.
I was terrified that Milo would want to use the cat door, too,
so I asked Doug to remove it.
His cat had to use the door from that day on.
I was so afraid that someone would let Milo out
and I posted signs at every door of our house
(there are four)
orange cat does not go out!
Everyone that visited us would read my sign out loud and laugh. 
It made me feel better knowing I was doing all I could do to protect my little city kitty
from the wilds of the country.

Milo settled in and loved to lounge before the fire that winter
contentedly,
he baked himself in the warm heat.

The next spring  we bought a Welsh Pembroke Corgi.
She, too, went in and out.
Milo started to become curious.
He would watch the other cat and the dog go in and out.

Milo started to wonder what the fuss was all about.
Milo started to hang out around the doors.
He seemed to want to go out.

"Oh, let him go out" Doug said.
"what is the worst that can happen to him?"

I had all sorts of answers such as
"A cougar will eat him"
"A bobcat will eat him"
"He will go off in the woods and get lost"
"He will get out on the road and get hit by a car"
Oh, I had lots of answers.

But Doug continued to ask
and it truly did seem that Milo wanted to go outdoors.

At first, he would venture out and right back in.
It was interesting- but in short visits.

Then the visits became longer and longer.
Then he didn't come in one night.

Oh, I was so scared that he had been eaten or gotten himself lost in the wilds of the country.
But the next morning when it was time to eat- there was Milo- crying at the door.

Now he comes in the back door
and right back out the front door.
He literally walks through the house.
I think he just wants to be sure we are still here.

He loves to lounge in the sun on the front porch
and explore
and as a country cat
he is quite content.

Milo will be fourteen this fall. 
He has gotten old and skinny.
And if he shouldn't come home sometime
I will just tell myself that he was happy
and content.

A city cat turned country cat.