If you found yourself nodding along to any of those bits, you’re definitely not alone.
Back in 2020, before Mia and I started exploring the great outdoors together, I used to scroll through photos of “adventure cats” on Instagram and think, HOW?!
I desperately wanted to learn how to take my cat outside on a leash—but I didn’t know where to start. None of my friends had tried it, and I felt unsure and a little overwhelmed.
Eventually, I decided to stop waiting and just give it a shot. First, we practiced slowly—just inside my building. Then, a little braver, we ventured around the neighborhood. Since then, Mia’s been my little adventure buddy ever since.
At the start, I had no guidebook. Most of my early decisions were based on what I could find about dogs, mixed with what I knew about cats—and especially about Mia. Honestly? I was winging it.
I read tons of books. I binge-watched every cat-training YouTube video I could find. I just wanted to understand how to connect with her and build trust.
But still... something always seemed off.
Mia wouldn’t follow cues. Sometimes she’d get spooked. Other times she’d act completely different at home. I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t working.
(Spoiler alert: If you don’t understand the root of a problem, it’s hard to fix it.)
Still, I loved going on adventures with her. I kept clicker training. Kept experimenting. Kept learning—awkwardly, but consistently. And little by little, things got better.
Mia was enjoying herself. I was figuring things out. And then something unexpected happened:
Friends—and even early followers online—started asking me the same thing I used to ask myself…
"HOW?!"