We arrived yesterday on some BLM land just South of Joshua Tree National Park. This is our first time on BLM land and we are planning on staying for 4 days. Last night, we decided to not have a fire, and just sit outside in total darkness and enjoy the stars.
Around 11pm we heard something. So we sat in total darkness and just listened when we hard a “growl/hiss/whatever” so I got up to walk to Ackbar and I saw a dark shadow run past Ackbar’s door to the Jeep, at first I thought it was a feral cat.
Then I saw the screen door was open.
Drew got out.
Once we realized it was Drew, we both freaked out once more and started turning lights on. I tried to go after Drew, but he kept running from one end of Ackbar to the other, back to the other, so Im running back and forth as well when I realized what he was trying to do.
He was trying to find the door back into Ackbar.
So I had Pauline open the door and kneel down in front, as I went for Drew, he was near the Jeep all freaked, howling like mad, when he finally turned around and saw me, he let me walk to him and pick him up.
We took him inside, he was trembling so I held him for a min or so until he started to purr.
We needed to get a door mat for outside anyway, so we will today, and we will have it outside and leash the cats to the door so they can go in and out, but only on the mat. Once we think they are comfortable with the mat, we will bring them further out. The key being, they associate the mat with the door.
I hate cats.
Totally ruined our perfect night.