My Boring Life as a Cat Walker

2/7/2019

Who's Really Got the Leash?

This is one of those keeping-it-real posts. Because I try my best to stay real all the time on this blog, but it's also very easy to get into the habit of showing only the most 'interesting' or 'pretty' stuff instead of including the rest of it. And my biggest reason for doing this blog is to share my very real experiences with my cats. I hope that other people can also find the kind of nurturing and heartwarming experience with their own feline family as I have with mine. Really getting to know cats, and getting the very best out of a relationship with cats, can take a whole lot of human tolerance, imagination, patience, and sometimes sheer grit. It's very rarely the picture-purrfect romance that I think it will be - but every once in while, it's even magically better.

When I first started training ShiShi and Haku to walk on leash, I had this vision of exploring long forested trails with them, taking them on occasional day-trips , and even of (maybe) taking my fluffy companions on some outdoor restaurant expeditions during said trips. At this point, however, I've been pretty much disillusioned of all those ideas (although I still dream of them for the far future, after LOTS more training). What I have found, though, during our times outside together has been unexpectedly precious. Cats have none of a human's preconceptions about their environment, and my sweethearts often coax me into seeing beauty in places where I might have ignored it. They also teach me that slowing down and really being present can be the best part of my day.

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Benefits of Cat Walking

The benefits of getting out into the natural world, soaking in some sunshine, are innumerable - for cats as well as people. It's been shown to reduces stress and improve mood. And because stress inhibits the immune system, there can be further health benefits as well. But anyone who pictures going for a brisk afternoon stroll with their cat to improve their cardio is going to become quickly disillusioned.

Walking cats could possibly be said to be one of the slowest-paced activities on the planet - they often seem obliged to stop, sniff and explore each and every tiny object or hiding spot that they pass by in their explorations. In reality, it takes nothing more than a tiny backyard, or any 6 foot strip of grass, or even one tiny tree to make a grand adventure for a cat. They don't really care about spectacular views - they just want to be present in the moment and sniff absolutely everything they can get their noses near - no matter if it's just the same old 'boring' stuff that they already saw yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that.

And why am I telling you all of this? Because I honestly wish that I'd had a clearer idea of what I was really going to gain from all that harness and leash training effort back when I first started.  I was (and am) completely enamored of several totally gorgeous blogs and IG pages devoted to exciting cat adventures in the wilderness. The pictures are always amazing, and are often taken at some stunning location I can only dream of visiting for now, and my heart has been captured at the idea of taking my best furry buddies with me on similar adventures. But, as inspiring and beloved as those adventuring cats (and their humans) are to me, my own cat-walking experience has been wildly different, at least so far.

For now, I've come to the not-so-sad realization that for the most part, cat walking for me isn't going to be about hiking miles with my furry loves, visiting stunning settings or having exciting (to me) adventures with them. It is about the sheer happiness that ShiShi and Haku exhibit when they are exploring in the outdoors - and the peace and wonder that I find in seeing the natural world through their eyes.   Don't get me wrong - I absolutely love our occasional visits to parks, and I'm thrilled with the progress that they are making with longer walks around our suburban neighborhood as a sign of what I hope for in the future, but the bulk of our outdoor time is spent making circles around our quite tiny backyard. Is it boring? Sure! But we are also soaking in the sun and communing with nature - something that I simply wouldn't get around to doing nearly as often if it wasn't for the inspiration of my amazing cats.

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Cat Walking Tips For the Hoomanz

1. Be Patient. And, really, be patient.

2. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. ShiShi and Haku have taught me more about the natural beauty to be found in bugs, lizards, piles of sticks and stray blades of grass than I ever imagined. They enjoy inspecting those stick piles just as much as the flowers I would pay more attention to, and are just as likely to get cozy on a drain spout as choose the 'prettier' spot only a few feet away.

3. Take some time to breath and be peaceful - you might as well! Walking with a cat means LOTS of standing (or sitting) still in one place. Our modern world can be so fast paced - take advantage and slow down for just a little, wonderful while.

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Curious about what a real-life walk around our backyard looks like with ShiShi? Here's a short clip from this past week, made just after we arrived home from a neighborhood backpack/walking adventure. Poking her way around the familiar territory once she is home is her 'reward' for doing such a great job, and a great way to end on a happy, low-stress note.

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