THE TURKEY FINGER

ONE OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED ABOUT CATS WITH SUSIE IS, THAT THEY JUST DON’T CHANGE MUCH AFTER THEY ARE SIX MONTHS OLD.  IT’S HARD TO TEACH THEM ANYTHING NEW.

SINCE “AZ” WAS FIVE MONTHS OLD WHEN WE GOT HIM, WE IMMEDIATLY WENT TO WORK TO TRY AND TEACH HIM THE THINGS WE WANTED HIM TO LEARN.

FIRST WAS TO RIDE IN THE CAR WITHOUT DIVING UNDER THE SEAT AND STAYING THERE UNTIL PRYED OUT WITH A CROW BAR.  AFTER THE FIRST 50 MILES WE LET HIM OUT OF THE CAGE AND HE WAS FREE TO WALK AROUND AND CHECKOUT THE INSIDE OF THE CAR.  HE HAD 2,000 MILES OF PRACTICE AND HE GOT THIS DOWN, REAL GOOD.

SECOND WE WANTED TO EXPOSE “AZ” TO NEW PLACES, PEOPLE, AND THINGS SO HE WOULD BE MORE SOCIAL AND NOT JUST A SCARDY CAT LIKE SUSIE IS.  AGAIN ON THE ROAD TRIP “AZ” HAD LOT’S OF PRACTICE.

THIRD I WANTED TO TEACH “AZ” TO WALK ON A LEASH OUTSIDE.  HIS PURPLE WALKING JACKET CAME IN THE MAIL TO GREEN BAY THE SAME DAY WE PICKED HIM UP AND HE’S HAD IT ON ALMOST EVERYDAY SINCE.

WE’VE HAD A LEASH ON HIM TO DRAG AROUND, AND EVEN TIED HIM TO SOMETHING OUTSIDE.  IT ALL WENT WELL, UNTIL HE JUMPED OFF THE DECK AT TODD’S HOUSE AND TRIED TO HANG HIMSELF.

NOW GETTING THE CAT TO WALK ALONG WITH YOU OUTSIDE IS THE NEXT STEP.  I’M USING “AZ’S” ONE WEAKNESS, HIS NOSE AND LOVE OF FOOD. I SMEAR TURKEY BABYFOOD ON MY FINGER AND LET HIM LICK IT OFF.

  OF COURSE HE FOLLOWS THE TURKEY FINGER WHEREVER I GO.  SEEMS TO BE WORKING, BUT IT’S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME AND A LOT OF PATIENCE ON MY PART.

IT TOOK ABOUT 15 MINUTES TO WALK HALF WAY  UP TO THE LAUNDRY ROOM, AND THEN I HAD TO CARRY HIM THE REST OF THE WAY.  OF COUSE WHILE I WAS FOLDING MY LAUNDRY HE WALKED BEHIND A ROW OF 12 WASHING MACHINES AND GOT THE LEASH ALL TANGLED UP IN THE HOSES, CORDS AND DUST BUNNIES. NO PROBLEM, I HAD THE BABYFOOD IN MY POCKET AND HE UNTANGLED HIS WAY OUT TO LICK THE TURKEY FINGER.

WISH ME LUCK…..