outdoor cat update

it has been a little over a week since ben franklin became an indoor/outdoor cat.  the experiment has been a resounding success.  ben loves going outside.  some days he's gone for over 8 hours, but usually he checks in with us every couple hours.  as far as we can tell, he ventures a max distance of 3-4 houses away and doesn't cross the street, although this could be a gross underestimate.  when he wants to come in, he waits by the door until someone shows up.  then he'll grab a bite to eat, let us pet him a bit, and then beg to go back outside.  when evening comes, he's content to be inside.  there has been very little downside to the new arrangement.  it has also completely cured him of his recent, unfortunate habit of peeing in unacceptable locations (not one incident since we first let him out).  we're also pretty sure he has lost some weight.  everybody wins (except the mice, chipmunks, songbirds, and neighborhood cats who used to inhabit our yard and our neightbors' yards; they probably aren't so happy).

in other news, on the second day that ben was outside, it became so difficult to keep aretha in the house that she too is living the outdoor life.  she doesn't venture as far as ben, or stay out for as long of stretches, but that is just fine with us.  she's been very happy with the new arrangement too.