Freedom is an exciting thing. To be allowed to independently explore new territory is thrilling and adventurous. It can be a bit scary not knowing what is around the next corner. No worries, safety precautions are in place. Toilet lids are closed and doors to the laundry room, master bedroom closet and the upstairs attic are all tightly shut.  The baby gate is up, keeping the eager to play large aussiedoodle puppies at bay. For an indoor-only cat, Sansa is FREE! She can pitter patter around, smell everything, jump up on chairs and beds. Nearby, I can hear the jingle jingle of her bell.

We granted Sansa this newly expanded boundary perimeter under the condition that she wear a tiny kitten collar with a bell. The collar has a safely breakaway clasp with a little silver bell. Our cat wore one of these for a long time in her life. It helped us know where Kitty was. Sansa can explore around the house and when I want to find her I just call her name and listen for the jingle bells.  The collar with the bell took her a few minutes to get used to, then she acted like she forgot it was there.

Koda and Summer make their presence known when they are in a room, but Sansa can be hiding under a bed or slinking out of sight; her presence undetected were it not for the bell. Here is the funny thing, she follows me around. I gave her the wide world of our house to check out and she finds me at my desk and crawls up to my lap to sit. Now instead of the jingle of a bell, it is her rhythmic purring I hear.