Funny/Scary cat story...

[thom1102]

I have two indoor guys, Calvin and Tucker (Tucker joined us after Calvin's brother, Hobbes dies last year). We live off two very busy streets, and I couldn't bear to come home and find one of them splattered, so they live a very pampered life in the comforts of our home. Well, it is a simply gorgeous night here in Southern New England, with strong winds, I assume from the cusp of Isabel, we have the large window to our glass enclosed front porch open and the porch windows open (screens in), but the porch door latch sometimes sticks, and the door can swing open. So I am in the other side of the house doing laundry, I go in to the bedroom to say good night to my partner and I hear what sounds like either a cat or our neighbor's infant (our houses are VERY close together) crying, I assumed it was the child, because neighborhood cats avoid our house because of Calvin and Tucker. I look out the window, and what do I see on the driveway...Calvin looking up at me like "Hey, daddy, look what I did!" I run out there and I see he has one of the neighborhood cats cornered. I provide the distraction the other cat needs to escape. He runs up the driveway and in front of the neighbors house, only to make a quick 180 and runs right into my front yard... with Tucker hot on his trail. I pick up Calvin (who offers no resistance) and put him back in the house, then I turn to Tucker who has run the other cat off. Tucker is the cat with attitude. He thinks he is a tough guy. I start walking over to him, talking really nicey nicey to him, trying not to scare him. He walks right up to me and I scoop him up and put him back in the house.

Now here is the scary part. They both have a history of running off if they get outside. I was terrified I would have to scour the neighborhood in the dead of night looking for these guys. Anyone who has no kids, but only pets, knows these guys are you kids. I can't believe how much I cried when Hobbes died last year. Anyhoo, Thanks for listening.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

1. I know what that worry is too

and I'm sorry for your loss (my first kitty Lulu died in 2000). I have two boys too and I'm sure if they got out they would be out carousing in the neighborhood.

I know how you feel-they are your babies!

:hi:

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

2. I know, I am going through it right now.

Even though we have another cat, a dog, rats and fish my girls cried themselves to sleep tonight over the missing cat.

[Ohio Dem]

3. I've seen cats like that. They want to "escape."

I'm very very lucky. Goldie is too scared to want to go outside. For some reason, she's scared of everything. Splotchy isn't afraid of anything but seems to have no desire to go outside. The garage is a different story, because she sees it as a room she hasn't explored yet But even when she runs through the door into the garage when I open it, she doesn't go outside even if the garage doors are open. Just no desire to go out there.

I don't know if it's because they're both females, but I doubt it. My sister's cats all want to get outside, regardless of danger.

Anyway, I'm glad you recovered your cats and hope they don't get out again. I know what it's like to live on a busy road.

[NJCher]

4. cats are escape artists

And they cannot be trusted, not one little bit. They can only be trusted to operate in their own best interest. Which is why I love them so much, LOL.

Anyway, I am happy your story has a happy ending. That was a close call.


Cher

[davsand]

5. Pets really DO take over your heart.

Year ago, I came home from work one night to find my house pitch black and the front door hanging open. I went to the neighbors and called the police. They came and went all thru the house and it was evident that I'd been burglarized. My electronics were gone, cash was gone--you name it and if it had value it was gone.

I didn't care about any of that because the cat was gone. The police were very nice about it, but I was carrying on about the cat so much I couldn't even begin to think about what all was missing. I'll be darned if the officers that responded and the backup both didn't go out with flashlights and look for the cat!

There I was giving a description of the cat to police officers so they could hunt for her!

They found her out in back of the garage hiding. When the officer went to pick her up to bring her indoors, she got really pissed off and bit him and scratched him. Poor guy looks at me as he carries her in--at armns length and still scratching him--and says, "I guess she didn't want to come in just yet..."

I didn't have the heart to tell him she was always a foul tempered animal!

Laura