Mr. Vagabond

Pong, one of our three Tonkinese, has become more and more of an outdoor cat. Although none of the three are allowed outside after dark, Pong is outside all day long, returning only briefly a few times during the day to grab a snack, then he's off again. The other two Tonks are much more home bodies. Pong has this really loud, annoying meow and is unrelenting when he wants to go out. Our job is to open the door. We have no idea where he spends all his time - at the neighbors, in the woods, patrolling the property. Who knows. He does take his moling duties very seriously.

First thing he does when he goes outside is to roll around on the patio. When he finally does come inside, he's all dusty and dirty, with flecks of grit and grime and debris on his fur. I'm not happy about that.

Until the past year or so of being outside as he pleases, Pong was an indoor cat. A real slug, eating and sleeping most of the day away, and that's about it. Normal kitty behavior. At 14 pounds, according to the vet, he was on the verge of obesity. Now he's slimmed down, no more paunch, and looks fit and trim.

I wonder if he naps outside, and if so, where does he sleep? Occasionally we see him stretched out on a lounge chair on the porch of Le Shed, but not too often. I somehow can't imagine him curling up for a snooze on a bed of leaves.

Jim thinks maybe he has a girlfriend. He's been "fixed" since he was a few months old, so we don't worry that he's increasing the feline population of the county. So if he is fooling around, he's just shooting blanks.

I don't have the heart to tell him.