Cats have a funny way of keeping to themselves sometimes, don't they?I'm only saying that because our cat, Soccer, has been missing since Monday. Yet, I only realized it Tuesday evening.
I have this horrible, sick feeling in my gut. This is wrong, so very wrong. Soccer never usually leaves the property. He would love to spend a warm afternoon in the sun, and it was always just outside the back door. Soccer saved his adventurous moments for hunting gophers in the yard and his sneak-attacks on anyone who dared to leave a cup of liquid unattended on the kitchen table. He hunted cups of milk and loaves of bread, mostly. Part of me was thinking (hoping, praying) that he would never find himself in harm's way.
I've checking all the sheds and places he could have been locked in. Stupid cat used to always follow me out to the shop in the back and sneak in while I was getting something. He was locked in there almost a full day one time. Now, as soon as we can't find him, we look in the shop.
He's not in the shop.
We have a shed that is sort of converted into a playhouse. He's been closed in there a couple of times too.
He's not in the shed.
The kids don't know he's gone. So much of his day was spent napping quietly in a chair at my desk or on the top of one of the bunk beds. I think that's why it took me a day and a half to realize that he wasn't around. I know we had him Sunday. Monday was full of distractions and we ended up being gone until after 7 that evening. I was more than halfway through Tuesday before it occured to me that I hadn't once had to chase him off of my chair or sit on the edge and share it with him.
I miss arguing with the cat over who gets my chair.
Lily has even been acting strange this week. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I just assumed that it was because we'd been gone so long on Monday. Now, I think she knew he was missing too. Once I thought about it, I realized that he wasn't with Lily Monday morning when I was making the lunches. Normally, the dog and cat are joined at the hip then, hoping I drop something. I might have noticed had 6YO not woken up with a headache that made me keep her home from school and get her into the doctor.
She has a sinus infection AND an ear infection. 12YO had a dentist appointment and an awards ceremony the same day. After our library trip, of course.
Like I said, we were pretty busy on Monday. Nothing was normal about that day.
Every time I hear the cat door flap open and click closed, I run to see if Soccer is here. No, it's just Lily, coming and going like usual. I almost don't hear the cat door most of the time, now I hear it every time. That dog comes and goes a LOT.
I see a silhouette of a four-legged creature walk past our back door. It's Lily. I hope the poor dog doesn't sense my disappointment in her presence. It's not personal, it's just that I'm used to having BOTH of my critter-friends here with me.
For now, a cup with milk in it sits on the kitchen table and nobody is knocking it over.
And I'm getting increasingly disappointed that there isn't another mess to clean up or a cat to yell at...
6 comments:
I sure hope Soccer turns up soon. I hate that lost pet feeling. Now I keep having that strange the dog's here sensation. Not quite as bad as a pet that's missing, but Terry, on my page, she lost her cat for a few days, but the cat was just being a cat. I hope Soccer is being the same way. have you noticed if the food is being eaten??
Nope...food is not touched! Besides, the cat usually eats the dog's food anyhow!
Thanks. I remember that, after we had our Boxer put down, I could SWEAR that I was still hearing the sound of his ears flapping against his head as he shook it. His ears were never clipped and you could always hear him wake up in the morning!
It gets easier.
I still keep checking my chair, just in case Soccer snuck back in. I just hope he will again.
Wow, I hope he's okay. Some of my sister's cats will go missing for days, even weeks at a time, then come stumbling back with cuts and clumps of hair missing. Is Soccer fixed? He might just be out getting the sex, you know?
Jessie, my other cat used to do that. He would leave for a few days at a time and he always came back. In fact, I'm not sure if he ate a poisoned mouse or what, but he died on our property.
Soccer has been fixed since WAY before he'd know what to do with his junk. I'm sure there weren't any 'sexcapades' on his agenda. I still feel like he's been locked somewhere, but I've checked all the cars and buildings I can think of.
You know, I think it was actually easier to deal with my other cat actually dying. At least then I knew he was dead and there was nothing I could do. I was sad, but such is life! Now, I feel like I should be doing SOMETHING, but I don't know what. I hate it.
Hope you find your cat soon, they really do become like part of the family!
I do hope your little furry friend is okay and returns home soon.
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