We went to the Dollar Store outside of town today, looking for some toys Minnie might play with so she could get some exercise. Maria and I have begun a discussion about when and whether Minnie ought to return outside. The vets would all like her to stay inside for a week or so, they argue that she isn’t agile enough yet to protect herself from predators, she might not be able to climb high or run quickly. Maria agrees. I am not so sure.

It seems to me that stuck inside the house, Minnie isn’t really getting the opportunity to use her muscles, increase her agility, figure out how to live. Her stitches are out, she has to face her life in the barn sooner or later.. As with humans recovering from surgery, the best advice seems to be to get up and get moving as quickly as possible, why wouldn’t this apply to cats?

I am thinking she needs to get outside, get moving, find her hiding spots, exercise her muscles in the new way, find her balance. She is a smart barn cat, she has survived on her own for years, I think she needs to back to her life. Her stitches are out, her wound has healed, I think she will heal quickly outside, inside she is gaining wait and getting slugging.

Our farm is pretty secure, things can always happen, but the barn is close to the house and the donkeys discourage most predator attacks. Nothing can really keep out a nasty tomcat or a raccoon or possum, a barn cat’s life has risks. As you know, I am not seeking advice, I would be interesting in reading your thoughts about Minnie, they can be posted on my Facebook page. I always learn something from these discussions, even if I don’t always do what people tell me.

I think it’s time for Minnie to go outside, at least in the daytime. Maria and I are talking about it. She’d like to wait a day or so, and I will defer to her.

This afternoon we went to the Dollar Store to get Minnie some toys to play with, it was my first time in a dollar store, I was not impressed. The prices were low, the atmosphere dingy and dispiriting. I understand the importance of low prices, but places like this grind down the soul, all of my decisions in life can’t be based on the as absolute lowest prices. We are living in a Wal-Mart world and it is cheap and de-humanizing.