Where I live (in a new development) we have a circular green in front of the house (about a 10/15 minute walk for an adult to complete). When I saw my neighbour walking her two cats around the green I decided to try it with my two.
They all took to walking like ducks to water (maybe the wrong analogy there). No leads, no training, just follow me everywhere. There is plenty of cover with shrubs, trees and a little stream. My neighbour also has a little dog, so sometimes we have four cats and a dog on our little walks!
Is this unusual as I haven't met any other catwalkers?
This, I would say, is indeed quite unusual. but it's the humans that are unusual - not the cats!
I have heard many, many anecdotes from people whose cat followed them up the road, or had a friend with such a cat! Roads are scary places for cats, no cover and lots of noise: no sensible cat is going to go very far in such a place! Now if you like in the country, by a wood or some such - your cats will probably follow you a long way.
Once when waking one of our cats I met the local farmer. He expressed surprise that I should take a cat for a walk.
"Don't you have cats on the farm?" I asked.
"Yes." he replied.
"Don't your cats follow you around the farm?"
"Yes, they do. All over the farm."
In a follow-up email Cathy said:
Also often the male will only walk on the white painted stripe of the cycle path and even when there is busy traffic (there is a school at the end of the green) they will follow me.At this stage I can't even open the hall door without them thinking we're off for walkies.
Clearly these two cats now consider this particular green to be their own home territory!
© 2012 Richard Torrens
Page first published Friday the 2nd of March, 2012
Last modified: Mon, 27 Nov 2017 16:36:09 GMT
Document URI: www.torrens.org/Cats/Stories/cathys.html