These days, Frankie has proved to be more of a pain-in-the-butt than Chris. Both of the cats are very eager to get outside so coming and going can be a daunting task. What makes Frankie a bigger pain is he will run away while Chris stays close to home.
I had the day off from work on Thursday and needed to get something out of the car for Rose that morning when Chris came out of nowhere and ran out the door. While I was distracted with trying to stop Chris, Frankie ran out the door behind him. Chris usually just rolls around on the driveway or walks to the edge to eat grass so I wasn’t worried about him, but I was worried about chasing Frankie around the neighborhood with my bare feet so I had to run back inside to get shoes.
Chris is content eating grass.
When I returned Frankie was nowhere in sight so I walked around looking for him. I walked around the house and around several nearby houses and finally decided to go home and hope he returned. When I got there, Frankie and Chris were standing in the driveway smelling each other. I took that opportunity to grab Frankie and put him inside.
A short time later Frankie slipped past me again. This time I was able to grab him relatively quickly. It was almost like he wanted to be caught.
Later that day I came home with groceries. Getting in the house while loaded down with bags is always a challenge. I usually open the door quickly and shove the bags in the doorway with hopes that will block someone from escaping. It doesn’t always work and this time Frankie slipped past me and was off. I dumped the bags in the house and took off after him. Fortunately I had my shoes on this time.
This is an older picture of Frankie evading capture because I was not able to get a picture of him this time.
He led me on a good chase and then I lost him. I looked for him for about ten minutes but he was nowhere in sight. Suddenly, I heard a meow and he was standing right behind me, taunting me. I tried to pick him up but he ran and I lost him again. This time he disappeared for a long time. I decided to go in for a few minutes and I opened up a can of wet food and put it in three dishes, even though I only had two cats in the house.
I then went back outside and looked for him again with no luck. I got on my bike and rode around the neighborhood but saw no sign of him. I finally decided I was going to give up for a while and give him time to come home but the sun was starting to get low and I didn’t want him outside in the dark so I took one more walk around to look for him.
This time I saw him about two houses down and walked towards him. When I got close, I could see he was tired and panting and thought it would be easy to catch him but he was not ready to come in. He didn’t run away but he walked very fast. I walked fast too. I didn’t want to run and scare him. Finally after several minutes, he gave up and l picked him up and carried him home. He hissed at me but was happy when we got home because there was food in the bowl waiting for him.
When we can afford it, we want to have a screened area put in at the side door as a buffer zone. Hopefully I won’t lose Frankie before that happens.
Bad Cat Chris 
Oh those bad cats! Thank gawdess they are not actual human beings AKA children! Then what?! Then you would have “real” problems. Frankie is playing games with you my friend … you only think he’s bad … but it’s his ploy to get you to exercise … so in reality, he’s a good-for-your-heart-and-health cat … you went running, biking and walking! Almost nothing can get me to do those things … except for a “bad” cat. Thank gawdess I don’t have children … I’d probably just let them run away … but cats NOOOOOOO! They are far too precious … just sayin’. 😉
I have my own personal trainer and didn’t even know it. And he works for less than minimum wage too. Please don’t tell the government. 🙂
Frankie is a naughty boy. You are going to have to change the name of the blog to Bad Cats Frankie and Chris. 🙂
I thought about that, or give him his own blog.
That Frankie is really a PITA! We don’t do anything like that here. Although Binga has had her moments where she’s scooted out. But she’s always been easy to catch or “encourage” to come back in (usually with a hose pointed in her direction!).
Maybe Frankie needs his own Bad Cat book!
Frankie is sure like a Chris apprentice. It sometimes seems like Chris is ready to retire and turn over the reins and then I see him on top of the fridge trying to get into the cabinet, like ten minutes ago.
Frustrating for sure! And to them, it’s all a BIG GAME……..Sam had his moments when he was very young but he has no interest in wandering these days. They are so fast and once out, they seem to enjoy their freedom but also the “catch me if you can” thing. They don’t realize what a dangerous place the world can be and how we try to keep them safe.
Pam
It is very dangerous. We recently got a supply of food and treats (for my strays at work and my sister-in-law). It came from a woman who’s cat sitter accidentally let out the cat and it got hit by a car. 😦
I used to worry about that too but we’re up on a hill with a rather large front yard down to the community’s main road so I was always able to “get to” Sam if he got out before he could run too far….he did disappear in our woods once as a baby and was too small and fast for me to get to him through the brush. I just sat in a chair and WAITED….knowing he would return……and he did. Thankfully!
Pam
That’s what I have to do with Frankie. I wait and hope he returns.
That’s why I don’t get to go outside without a harness and leash…the mom doesn’t wanna chase me around the neighborhood. ~Wally
What is up with you gold cats?
Frankie, naughty boy ! Don’t play with your humans like this : they have the key of the food cabinet ! Purrs
That’s right. He should not annoy the hand that feeds him.
Just new here but oh my, please oh please, use a cat leash or cat-proof the house with mesh wires. You’ll never know what might happen to them outside. I love my cats to death and I kinda feel they care about me too (I’m hoping!) but I know the minute they’ve managed to escape, they would totally forget about me, probably be scared of me. 😦
You’re lucky your cats seems to just playing with you and still knows how to return to your home.
I sometimes take Frankie for a walk with a harness and leash. I started doing that when we moved partially to make sure he knew how to get home when he escaped.
Please get Frankie as well as the others, collars with an I.D. tag. Even if they have microchips this is a must. And add a bell. This often helps when you can’t find them as you may hear the bell. I have had Misty May and Lily Olivia come up and stand behind me when I have been screaming my lungs out forever looking for them. You just know they are laughing at you. I don’t know if this will work, but when you are coming home with your arms full, ring the door bell before trying to enter. I know this sends my gang scattering. Good luck controlling Frankie’s mischievousness. Hope you can get your screened area very soon. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
Thanks. We wanted to get him micro-chipped when he was at the vet but she felt like it would be better to wait until he was feeling better.
Reblogged this on Bad Cat Chris and commented:
Here is a post from February 2016 for Throwback Thursday. Frankie has not changed much in seven years.
Happily Ted has learned where his limits are outside – we had to be with him every time he went out in order to train him to know his boundaries though. Even though he knows now – we don’t let him out on his own in the great outdoors – too many things can go BADLY for animals on the loose with traffic and predators.
Hugs, Pam