Stepping Out With Wylla Stout: Cannon Beach, Oregon

This weekend, Craig, the Folks, Wylla and I headed to the coast and spent a lovely couple of days in Cannon Beach, Oregon, one of the most beautiful places in the Northwest.  It was Wylla's biggest adventure and longest ride in the car.  With lunch, coffee, bathroom breaks and a couple of stops for scenic overlooks, the trip took about five hours.  As we expected, our seasoned traveler did remarkably well.  It was an easy, uneventful, stress-free ride for all of us.

She travels easy, but she doesn't travel light. Her carrier, bed, blankets, food, food dish, blender, water dish, litter, litter box, scoop, towels, paper towels, rug cleaner (just in case her dinner comes back up), brush, harness, leash, favorite mouse and treats took up half the space in the back of the Subaru.

Cannon Beach is a pretty pet-friendly town, so it wasn't too hard finding a place to stay.  

And by pet-friendly, they really do mean dog-friendly, don't they Wylla? That's OK, even if they had kitty treats in the welcome basket, she couldn't eat them, anyway.  We tried playing frisbee - it really isn't much fun for a kitten.

Wylla made herself right at home in our hotel room, had a snack, and started exploring under the beds,  on the shelves and in the bathroom cupboards.  She even made her way up to the fireplace mantle.  She was curious about the scents left by previous pet guests,  and needed to examine each and every one.  

After a little relaxing and unpacking, we got Wylla suited up in her harness, and we all headed out to the ocean.    

When we hit the sand, I held her close and she peered over my shoulder. With wide eyes, pivoting ears and flared nostrils, Wylla took in the sights, sounds and smells of the beach - not nervous at all, just calm and quiet. 

We overheard many "Is that a cat???" and were stopped by several people wishing to say hello. Wylla gladly accepted pets and even a few kisses on the head from the strangers on the beach.  Some even took photographs of our oceanside oddity.  She triggered many smiles and pointing fingers.  

We walked along the beach and Wylla took turns riding on our shoulders. Once she seemed acclimated,  I put her down in the sand so she could explore.  She stayed close with her nose to the ground, never walking far enough to tighten the slack in her leash.  

After an afternoon of exploration, we headed back to the hotel and all took naps. Wylla was a wee bit tired after such a full day, and so were we. 

The next morning, we ventured off to the ocean again.  While Mom and Dad explored the tide pools,   Craig sat down and painted a watercolor of the beautiful scenery.  Thanks to a soccer injury, he's on crutches which made it difficult for him to walk too far in the sand, so he stayed near the edge of the beach. 

I walked with Wylla along the water's edge. It was blustery enough to part her fur and bend whiskers.  She enjoyed watching leaves and bits skip around in the sand and when I set her down,  she pounced and played.  Eventually we joined Craig, and Wylla sat on his lap while he finished his painting and we waited for my parents to return.

Later that afternoon, we dropped Craig at the coffee house, and the rest of us did a little shopping in town. Wylla perched on my shoulders while we walked around, and when we into the shops, Dad sat on a bench and watched Wylla and held purchases.     

The trip back home was another easy ride. When we returned, Charlene was very happy to see us, and very eager to smell her sister.  I wish Bean could have come along,  but I know she was much happier staying home and having her BFF Sarah come over for visits.  Charlene doesn't care much for the car, and putting a harness on her, I'm sure, would require a pair of falcon handling gloves and possibly some Neosporin and Bandaids.

It really was fun taking Wylla along on vacation.  She was SO GOOD the whole time, never stressed at all. She truly is an unflappable cat, and seems to enjoy the freedom she has.  

It's funny to think that when we first started talking about adopting Wylla, we thought of how it might be restrictive having a special-needs cat.   As it turns out, it's quite the opposite!

We look forward to more adventures to come!  And I think Wylla does too!