Cats!

I am still trying to get my cat to use the cat door I installed. He is using it consistently now to get into the house, but has yet to use it to go outside. He asks out the door when I am awake, and when I am sleeping, he licks my face with his rasp of a tongue until I get up and throw him out.

I was telling FdM about it last night, and he theorized that the cat thinks I am really stupid for having a door that he can only use to come in. He is waiting for me to put in another door so he can get out, too.

I came up with an idea: Put his food outside on the perch. Then he will have to use the door to get out.

This morning, I did just that.

As the cat watched, I filled his food dish, reached out through the cat door, and set it down outside.

What did the cat do?

He sat at the window, looking at his food, and meowed! Several times, he pawed at the window -- right beside the cat door! Once he looked at his food through the cat door (it is clear plastic), and I thought he was going to figure it out... but he didn't. He went back to pawing at the window and meowing.

I pushed the cat door open, and held it for him, hoping he would go through. He approached the cat door, and actually stuck his head outside. He lifted his right forepaw, and was about to step through the door, when he changed his mind and came back in.

Then he started meowing again.

So I left him.

When I was ready to go out for the day, I brought his food inside. I was expecting rain, and didn't want his food out in the weather. I put the cat outside, and off I went.

When I returned home, the cat was inside.

It's nice to know the door works in at least one direction.