Buster wants "in"...but on his own terms

This was a cute moment this morning. I had moved the garbage can I keep kindling in around while trimming near the house and Buster-the-feral discovered he could request breakfast in person now. My bed is right next to the bow window, and I woke to an unfamiliar meow.



How sweet!

This was not so sweet. In fact, this ripped screen in the front room nearly gave me a heart attack as I frantically counted cats. Luckily they had all gathered for breakfast so it only took a moment to discover everyone was accounted for:

I can only guess that one of the cats was inside sitting on the cat window seat I have there, and Buster leaped up from the ground and the screen disintegrated under his claws as he fell back to the ground. My indoor cats apparently respect screens enough that they did not think to test this new gap.

I've been meaning to replace the nylon screens with aluminum one by one, but it was low on the financial priority list. Upstairs I have a second aluminum screen in each of the three windows that are open for double protection. I guess I'll need to pick up a few for the downstairs windows as well. Right now, they are closed, because I worry Buster will have a "go" at the other window as well.

I'd like to curse the material but, let's face it. These windows and the screen are probably 25 to 30 years old. With the sun beating on them in the summer evenings, it's no wonder they are weak.

So, disaster averted by merest luck!

I'd love to have Buster come inside nights, but he won't come near the door, and I can't leave it open. I may try shutting the other cats up in the great room when I feed them breakfast and start coaxing Buster closer and closer to the open front door with his morning wet food.