Fish & Chips With Smudge
Smudge & I went on an adventure today!
🌤️😊😻🚗💨
I installed his new, pink car seat, threw the stroller in the car, packed some snacks and water in Smudge’s travel bag, then we hit the road!
Our goal? Fish & chips on the waterfront in Penetanguishene, about a 25 minute drive away. 🐟🍽️ Google (*andcoughClaudecough*) told me they were open today, that they had outdoor seating and a takeout window, so I wouldn’t have to bring Smudge inside the restaurant to be served.
I was nervous about driving like I always am, but mostly I was worried about being out in the world with Smudge so far from home. I was afraid he’d be scared out in the world, that the outing would traumatize him, and that adventuring together really is the bad idea people assume it is with cats. I really wanted this to work out, I’d spent so much time, money and effort preparing. 🙏🥺
I was so worried about all of that, that there was little room for my usual agoraphobic anxiety of just being outside my house by myself, which was sort of the point!
Before we went, I packed a bottle of water, collapsible pet bowl, crunchy treats, Churu treats, pet wipes, Smudge’s pink hoodie in case it was cool or windy by the water, and his sunglasses in his travel bag. He went potty before we left & we’d only be gone a couple of hours, so I didn’t bring his travel litter box, but I did bring poop bags in case of emergency. Yes, they’re pink! 🌸
He was better than I expected him to be in the car! He meowed a bit during the last 10 minutes in the car on the way there, but other than that, he laid in his car seat & just chilled. We pulled over halfway to our destination for a Churu treat and honestly I think his meowing was bugging me for another one more than complaining about the car. 🤦🏼♀️
When we got to Penetang, I found the restaurant easily enough, parked, got the stroller out of the trunk, clipped him into it & put the dome down so he’d feel protected in this new place.
We went to the takeout window, but it was closed. I almost turned around and went home at this obstacle, disappointed, thinking maybe just driving there was enough immersion therapy for today. But then I thought, no I went through a lot of trouble to do this, Smudge is being really good, we’ll go inside & order. The worst they could do is not serve us or tell us to leave, which wouldn’t be the end of the world – it would be understandable. Then we would just go home.
I awkwardly manoeuvred the stroller through the front vestibule of the restaurant, wheeled our way to the front takeout counter, and waited our turn in line. There were two other orders ahead of us, two women who were likely mother and daughter, and an elderly heterosexual couple.
Smudge meowed softly a few times while we were in line but the fans over the deep fryers and the deep fryers themselves, were loud enough that he could have easily been mistaken for a meowing kid or baby. The counter was higher than the stroller, so the staff couldn’t see inside, just that I was pushing one.
I placed my order of halibut & chips, paid $27 for it (ouch) and the lady said it would take about 10 minutes to be ready.
Smudge meowed a couple of times while I was giving my order and when she said I had to wait 10 minutes, I thought great, I hope I can keep Smudge entertained and not meowing or scratching from inside the stroller with the dome on for the next 10 minutes. I could hear an inner game show timer start up in the back of my brain. Game on!
I crouched down to Smudge’s level and just talked to him, while dropping crunchy treats onto his blanket through an opening in the stroller. I basically just kept doling out treats the whole time our food was cooking.
Luckily, the restaurant was dim so he couldn’t see where they were landing, and it took him 30 seconds to a minute to find and cronch each one. He meowed in response to me talking to him because he’s verbal that way, but mostly he stayed quiet until our order was ready.
Behind us, I could hear the elderly couple talking about him, how beautiful he was, how they’d never thought to put a cat in a stroller and how they’d now seen it all.
I guess that means we’re remarkable! 🤷🏼♀️😂
When our food was ready, I slid it under the stroller and into the basket beneath, manoeuvred my way back out the front vestibule, then I wheeled us to some big rocks by the lake.
When we got to where we’d be sitting, I put the stroller’s dome up so Smudge could fully see where we were without obstruction, and feel the warm breeze on his whiskers. He was still clipped in by his pink unicorn harness so he couldn’t go anywhere, but he honestly didn’t seem to want to. He was good to just be chill and enjoy another Churu treat by the lake.
I put a little water in his bowl since he’d had so many treats and might have been thirsty. He was like “nope, that’s not my fountain, not desperate enough” and had no interest. 🤷🏼♀️
I offered him some halibut without batter figuring he’s a cat, it’s fish, cats like fish, I was taking him out for fish & chips, but he wasn’t in the mood for experimentation with so much going on and ignored it.
Instead, I gave him some more crunchy treats while I ate, which he eagerly accepted. I can always tell how freaked out or relaxed he is by if he’s interested in treats or not. Sometimes it takes him a minute to settle after opening the stroller’s hood and I can’t get him to focus on me long enough to realize I have treats.
Smudge was content to watch seagulls, geese, people, and boats while I ate, and only meowed when spoken to. I could tell he liked it. He usually does.
When two boys with fishing rods walked towards us, Smudge crouched down in the stroller and tried not to be seen, which I’ve only seen him do once before, recently with a different kid. I’m not sure if he recognized them as kids and he really just doesn’t like kids, or if their fishing rods scared him.
He didn’t do it with the adult men working on boats who walked past us, even the one who reached over and scritched his ears.
He wasn’t super friendly with anyone like he is with strangers in our house, but he wasn’t afraid of anyone but the kids either. He did SO good!
After we were finished eating, Smudge just sat in his stroller, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the harbour.
We stayed for about 30 more minutes, snapped some pics, then went back to the hot car and blasted the AC while we waited outside for it to cool off and had a few more treats. Then I clipped him into his nice, plush, pink car seat and started the 25 minute drive home.
Even before we left the parking lot, Smudge decided that laying on the hard armrest was preferable to his car seat because it was shadier and his seatbelt reached. He didn’t make a peep on the way home, though and fell asleep about 10 minutes into the journey.
Now he’s completely crashed out, curled in a ball with his legs all crisscrossed, and literally snoring in his pineapple bed beside me.
I’m really proud of both of us. 🥹🌅
