Well! Lots of going out! Gus is getting a taste for outdoors am happy to say. With me for company still. Up trees, giving the bark a good long scratch, balancing along tops of fences, exploring roof tops. He also climbed up gate post staring up at tree with bird's nest in it. People and a van drove by and he stayed put, alert but not scampering. So definitely gaining confidence.
He ran to the front door which was closed. Borderline spook but I approached in a slow zig zag and he stayed and let me stroke and pick him up. Time to get serious about cat flap. I thought with the door closed he'd not think twice, or if he did think twice he would go through, but he didn't. He was relaxed and quite floppy so I pushed his head in cat flap tunnel but he wasn't getting the idea. And with his paws up he was resisting going through. So I held him in such a way that his front paws were held down against his body and I could push him through head first. This worked! I should note that he wasn't really fighting me and resisting as in earlier days, a gentle token resistance, he was not scared. I opened the door and met him on the inside, perfectly happy.
I really need him to have the confidence and know-how to get in through cat flap. I don't mind letting him out but I want him to run in home through it if something frightens him or he gets out and wants to come in. Freaking because front door is closed is not a plan when cat flap is there working perfectly! Home is always open is the message I want to convey.
So, work in progress. More pushing him through, only from outside in, as he grows in confidence and trust in me. I am thrilled at the progress Gus is showing. And he is so loving going out.
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