Lulu Leaps on Back for Rides Outside

Yes, Lulu has figured out if he jumps on our backs, he will get a ride outside and be able to run around the back yard while we weed. We started out our morning with him on the deck. Then, CatDad went to weed. Lulu watched from the deck and thought it was pretty horrid he could not be down there with CatDad. Dad's next trip in he let the cat in from the deck. Next time at the front door, he had a cat on his back. We discussed this. He really wanted to go. I found the harness and leash and a dog cable and set CatDad up with the supplies.

CatDad pounded in the stake. Lulu began running around. CatDad left just enough cable for Lulu to get to the Cat Mint. Lulu went down there alright, but he did not stay there. He jumped. Yes, he jumped.

CatDad came to check on Lulu, just as he was making himself as thin as possible and slipping out of the harness. He had been hanging there and we don't know how long. Thankfully, he slipped out. Then, he was brought inside for our next analysis. He had had 20 minutes of fresh air by then.

I decided to go leashless and just accompany Lulu as his guard. Lulu did not know I had decided to take him out. He jumped on my back when I put my shoes on. I decided not to take him off my back. He surely expected me too. I opened the door partly bent over, down the stairs, with the cat adjusting here and there on my back (T-shirt only), and I told him, "Hang on!" Lulu began to get the hang of riding CatMom down the hill, and we just got near CatDad and the garden. Just six feet from the garden, Lulu jumped down. This was not exactly Avatar style, but we had fun. Lulu could hang on pretty good with his sharp claws. I did not really notice any scratches afterward.

I went out and we were out there for 2 hours. I ran Lulu up and down the hill 25-30 times. I put in a 1/4 to 1/2 kilometre following Lulu around. I used my voice plenty to voice command the little guy. He has "Stop" down pat. I can be halfway around the house, call stop and he stops. We covered the distance of three yards.

Word has it that CatDad coming for you is way scarier than CatMom. Lulu, as before, jumped the wall down to the swail, this time safely with no harness. He began to high-tail it down the swail, with CatMom following. High-tail here means that Lulu joyfully knew he could outdistance CatMom. His tail was in the air in happy cat question mark style. I told him to come back or CatDad was coming. He kept going. CatDad came and began down the swail. He called to Lulu and told him he was coming. CatDad walked about thirty feet. Well beyond CatDad 3 full yards, Lulu stopped, turned, and ran full speed back, past CatDad, and he jumped 7 feet from the wall. He flew through the air and landed on the top of the wall. He did not want to be retrieved by CatDad. Afterall, Thomas even listens to him. He's the most experienced boy cat around.

Once Lulu came back, we stopped chasing him so much and turned our attention to weeding. He had played himself out from all the running. So, thereafter, we weeded and looked up occasionally to find and call him. Mostly, I kept listening for cat paws rustling the ground. That next hour was pretty good. We made great gains in restoring the yard. Lulu jumped on my back one time I called him. He was ready for another CatMom ride. I was still weeding and he shocked me. No problem though. That lasted a minute or two and he was on the go again. When he came in, there was no struggling. He slipped into the Kurgo and fell into deep slumber where he continued chasing butterflies in his dreams.

Afternote: If I give my cat rides as a habit, I will have to try wearing a wetsuit. It would give him a nice and sticky surface to hang on to.