Toad strolling along with his dog, Geraldine.

Did you ever ditch someone when you were a kid? Way back when you were a callous and callow youth? There was at least one kid that wanted to hang around with you and sometimes you just didn’t want them around.  The challenge then became how to ditch them, shake them loose from your tail without having to outright tell them to get lost.  Or you might have experienced this as the ditchee, rather than as the ditcher. I feel your pain.

Geraldine (that’s my dog) and I are having this problem lately. Toad (that’s one of my cats) is accompanying us every time we step outside. Now, we’re accustomed to him being somewhere nearby in the morning, taking care of his business while I blow bubbles and wait for Geraldine to take care of hers.

In the afternoon, Geraldine and I prefer to leave the confines of the condo complex and venture out into the neighborhood for a nice long walk. For the past week  we haven’t been able to do that because Toad is right on our heels. This is a problem because I do not want the cat thinking it’s OK for him to go out in the street.

For the first couple of days after this started we were able to elude him using speed, stealth and alternate gates to get out of the complex. We would dodge around the corner, speed down to a lower level, and try to get around another building before he could find us. I could hear him calling us from a distance but we’d escaped and could proceed on our journey without threat of feline accompaniment.

That doesn’t work anymore.  As soon as Toad sees us getting ready; getting my shoes on, grabbing my keys and a poop bag, and taking down the leash he’s out the cat door, over the patio fence and waiting outside the front door.

This means Geraldine gets cheated out of a decent walk (me too.) We wander around inside the complex, the dog sniffing for new messages and adding her own. The cat either weaving around our various legs or strolling along side, tail high, happy that he’s with his dog.

Yesterday we managed to escape. Toad was lagging a bit and we’d managed to get down to the kids’ play area before he came into view at the top of the stairs. He was hollering “Wait up!” (I assume) and that caught the attention of one of the little girls climbing on the play structure. She shrieked “Oh! Kitty!” and kitty beat a rapid retreat. 

All 3 of the girls jumped down and headed for the stairs in hopes of finding and petting the kitty (no way that was going to happen.) Geraldine and I took that opportunity to run for the gate and we were free.

He was waiting for us on the welcome mat when we got home.

I wonder how we’re going to get away today?