2014 started with a disappearance.
If we leave town it's usually just for a couple of days and the beauty of a cat is their low maintenance. We leave out plenty of food and water for our cat, Sephy, and leave her to it for a few days (probably a treat for her since she doesn't seem to like it when Charlotte and I are around in the first place). When we get home, though, we have a very affectionate cat on our hands, at least for a few days until the novelty of our presence wears off once again.
When we went to Utah for Christmas we set up Sephy in the usual way- plenty of food, plenty of water, and plenty of peace and quiet for her too. When we got home a couple for days later though we didn't find her happily purring and meowing at the door like she usually did when we returned home. Actually, we eventually found her sitting quietly underneath our guest bed. She was only quiet until we got close to her, at that point she'd start growling. Clearly this time around she wasn't happy about being left behind.
Gradually she came around, eventually coming out from under the bed but careful to make sure our paths didn't cross with hers. A few days later Ryan and Charlotte were out playing on the patio with the door open. Ryan noticed Sephy quietly slip outside, not unusual for her; she'd often play around the patio for as long as the door was open, but the moment it closed she'd run right back and meow until we let her inside. She'd never go more than a few feet away.
As he and Charlotte came back inside Ryan gave a quick scout around for the cat and then closed the door, expecting her to appear at any moment, meowing as usual. Only this time it didn't go as usual, she never came and never meowed. We kept thinking that Sephy would show up at any moment but the next morning she still wasn't back. And the day after that she still wasn't back. Or the next day. We went out looking for her with a very concerned Charlotte but to no avail. No trace.
We eventually convinced Charlotte that Sephy had gone for a long walk and she just wasn't back yet, but I don't think we'll ever know what really happened. I'm fairly sure she left in a rage but what happened after that we have no idea. We do know she was de-clawed so even in a fight with a mouse she wouldn't stand much of a chance. We do know there are lots of hawks circling around the gravel pit by our house. And in a weird turn of events, the day we finally got rid of our cat litter box two of our neighbors had put out litter boxes with their rubbish too. Two more missing cats? Curiouser and curiouser.
Nearly four months later I think it's fair to say she isn't going to be coming back. While Ryan isn't going to pretend to be upset about it (even though he was her clear favorite) it makes me sad that we'll never know what happened to her. I hate to think of her not being able to defend herself since she was always an indoor cat. I'd like to think that some little old lady found her and took her in, or maybe she really is out there enjoying a lovely long walk...
When we went to Utah for Christmas we set up Sephy in the usual way- plenty of food, plenty of water, and plenty of peace and quiet for her too. When we got home a couple for days later though we didn't find her happily purring and meowing at the door like she usually did when we returned home. Actually, we eventually found her sitting quietly underneath our guest bed. She was only quiet until we got close to her, at that point she'd start growling. Clearly this time around she wasn't happy about being left behind.
Gradually she came around, eventually coming out from under the bed but careful to make sure our paths didn't cross with hers. A few days later Ryan and Charlotte were out playing on the patio with the door open. Ryan noticed Sephy quietly slip outside, not unusual for her; she'd often play around the patio for as long as the door was open, but the moment it closed she'd run right back and meow until we let her inside. She'd never go more than a few feet away.
As he and Charlotte came back inside Ryan gave a quick scout around for the cat and then closed the door, expecting her to appear at any moment, meowing as usual. Only this time it didn't go as usual, she never came and never meowed. We kept thinking that Sephy would show up at any moment but the next morning she still wasn't back. And the day after that she still wasn't back. Or the next day. We went out looking for her with a very concerned Charlotte but to no avail. No trace.
We eventually convinced Charlotte that Sephy had gone for a long walk and she just wasn't back yet, but I don't think we'll ever know what really happened. I'm fairly sure she left in a rage but what happened after that we have no idea. We do know she was de-clawed so even in a fight with a mouse she wouldn't stand much of a chance. We do know there are lots of hawks circling around the gravel pit by our house. And in a weird turn of events, the day we finally got rid of our cat litter box two of our neighbors had put out litter boxes with their rubbish too. Two more missing cats? Curiouser and curiouser.
Nearly four months later I think it's fair to say she isn't going to be coming back. While Ryan isn't going to pretend to be upset about it (even though he was her clear favorite) it makes me sad that we'll never know what happened to her. I hate to think of her not being able to defend herself since she was always an indoor cat. I'd like to think that some little old lady found her and took her in, or maybe she really is out there enjoying a lovely long walk...
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