Minnie spent her second morning out in the barn and the pasture, she seems very comfortable in the barn, she hangs out by the hole in the back and gazes out at her territory, she can jump down, but she can’t jump up yet, she digs her front claws into the wood and pulls herself up, we would not be comfortable leaving her outside at night yet, maybe not for weeks. She is no trouble inside now, the dogs are used to her, Frieda sometimes stares at her incredulously, as if she can’t quite believe Minnie’s gall at standing in front of her and meeowing., but I believe Frieda is grasping that Minnie lives here, and soon she will protect her, as she protects everything else here.

Minnie is determined, she is getting around, she can only learn these things outside of the house, not hanging around inside. When I went out to get her this afternoon, she was sitting on a sheepskin (Maria, no doubt) and was happy to be picked up and brought inside. We don’t need to confine her in a crate at night, she sleeps on the dog beds, often next to one of the dogs. We will continue this pattern for the next week or so and see if she gets stronger or more agile. The dogs have really been great with Minnie, Frieda is curious about her, Lenore loves to nap next to her, Red mostly completely ignores her but is willing to sit down next to her.

Minnie’s stump is healing, but she has a good ways to go before she can really maneuver well, and she is exhausted from her morning walk-a-rounds. In the meantime, the hole in the barn is her headquarters, her vantage point, her safe spot. Like most cats, Minnie is good at finding a safe spot.