My wife runs several apartment communities. During covid, they started unlocking available units so people could look at them without the staff present. The called them “self-tours” and they still sometimes do that on the weekends when the office is closed.
Now, whenever Frankie escapes, we say he is on a self-tour of the neighborhood. He took one of those self-tours this morning at around 5:15. My wife was going to one of her properties fifty miles away and realized she forgot to plug her car in last night so she asked if I would plug it in for her. Even though she had 200 miles left on her battery, she still felt like she needed more. That’s because she drives 357 miles per hour, which drains the battery faster.
I had just fed the cats and Frankie was busy eating so I thought it would be easy getting out the door. I thought wrong. As soon as the door opened six inches I noticed a tan flash zip out the door. I tried to get him before he got too far but he quickly ran under a car where he knows I can’t reach him. I went back inside, put my shoes on, and returned to where Frankie was last but he was gone. I looked for a while, but it was dark except for the nearby streetlight.
Rose and I opened the door every five minutes or so to see if he had returned. After forty-five minutes, I opened the door and saw him on the street. He ran to the house and climbed the steps. He was met by Floki at the door. I certainly didn’t want Floki to get out because he is a big freaker-outer so I pushed him back to give Frankie room to come in. Frankie just stood there sniffing. Then Floki walked around me and showed up at the door on the other side. Again, I held him back, but Frankie had made up his mind. He wasn’t ready to come in. He turned around and headed away from the house.
Fifteen minutes later I opened the door and called Frankie’s name. I waited several seconds but didn’t see him so I started to close the door. When I did I felt resistance and looked down to see Frankie coming inside.
After his return, Rose said, “You are NOT taking Frankie for a walk today. You shouldn’t reward his bad behavior.” I happen to have today off, and Frankie is relentless about asking to go outside. The weather is bad. It is very windy, and rain is expected soon, but Frankie cares about none of that.
I didn’t get a picture of Frankie today but here he is on another self-tour.
Bad Cat Chris 
Frankie–you are a rascal! When it is time for a vet visit, our cats hide under the bed–where they know we cannot reach them. Cats are so clever.
Oh, yes. Floki knows when we want to put him in his carrier and hides under the bed, even though we try to be very sly about it.
Well now self-tours CAN turn into self-trouble Frankie so you’d better mind your Dad and come in when he calls you! Better to be SAFE than sorry! (yes I know Frankie will ignore this message but I felt compelled to tell it anyway).
Hugs, Pam
Thanks. I told him what you said but he left the room.
That’s Teddy’s usual response too……
total lee awesum dood !! at that speed yur mom can qualifiez for de Indy 500 🙂 !!! ♥
It would be unfair to the other drivers.
Oh, Frankie!
🙂
What the heck, Frankie. Don’t you know that home is the best place to be??!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
He knows that an hour later.
Frankie is a naughty boy.
Yes, he is
Frankie! You cheeky kitty! 🤣🤣🤣 Do you have a back and a front garden? Does he escape both ways?
We have a side door that we use all the time. The front door has a litter box in front of it because we rarely use it
How good for you and Rose that Frankie comes back and asks to be let in. Kizmet and Cooper are like that if they sneak out. The others are unreliable! XOCK, angels Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta & Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth, Calista Jo, Cooper Murphy, Sawyer, Kizmet, Audrey & Raleigh
I believe that because I take Frankie for a walk almost every day he is very familiar with the neighborhood and knows how to get home even though he travels farther from home than most cats. I still worry though.
Those self tours can wear our nerves out!
That is so true.
Frankie, you’re gonna get yourself grounded!
He was grounded yesterday but I was the one who had to suffer by listening to his whining all day.
OMC Frankie, looks like we two have a lot in common…🙊although we haven’t been so far…yet…Double Pawkisses for a safe return… always🙏🐾😽💞
Thanks. 🙂
Frankie…he really is something else!
He sure is.
Frankie, that’s gonna end badly some day dude!
I hope not.
At least he came back fairly quickly. I would panic if one of the cats got out. None of them have lived outside for years, and I think they would end up more frightened than entertained. It’s only been two years for Sgt Stripes, and he shows no interest in going out.
I started taking Frankie for a walk partly because I wanted him to get used to the neighborhood. I knew he was an escape artist and I wanted him to know the neighborhood so he wouldn’t get lost I should do that with Floki but he would freak out if I tried to put a harness on him.
Sgt Stripes went nuts when we tried to put a harness on him. (We thought that since he had been living outdoors, he might like to try it.) He laid down and refused to move.
I think Floki would high tail it under the bed. My first attempt to walk a cat was with Chris when he was young but he was like Houdini and knew how to escape the harness.