Pauline,
I
can not thank you enough for your informative web page. It kept
me from going stir crazy during the 6 days that my Cosmic was missing.
My
kitty is10 months old, and I haven't yet had the chance to neuter
him. That reason, among others, is why he was Indoors-Only. He also
didn't have all his shots yet. Plus, my apartment complex is overrun
with cats, and some of them have become feral. This is not the environment
that I wanted my not-quite-a-year-old kitty in! You can see why
I was nervous when I noticed that Friday night, around bedtime,
he was nowhere to be found. I went looking for him until about 4
am, to no avail.
I
looked every night for two more days. My friends told me to leave
out food, but like I said, this neighborhood is filled with cats
-some are quite agressive. The last thing I wanted was a bunch of
ornery cats thinking my house was their grocery store! I was also
afraid that if I did that, all those cats would mask what little
smell of us remained outside.
I
didn't want to give up hope. Finally, I did an internet search for
"finding lost cats" and came across your page! What a relief to
know that someone out there knew EXACTLY what I was going through!
I walked around that night, quietly, shaking his food bowl. I knew
that he had to be around. I was certain that he was hiding under
a porch somewhere and that he hadn't crossed a street or gone into
anyone's house - not willingly. No luck.
I
posted simple black and white flyers and talked to my neighbors
and the property manager. Just in case someone had found him and
decided to keep him (he is a beautiful, all black cat), I wrote
on the flyer that he needs regular medication...The very next day,
the property manager called to say he and a resident had spotted
a cat fitting Cosmic's description! With renewed hope, I looked
Tuesday and Wednesday night, but nothing. I was frustrated. Wednesday
night, after looking, I flopped down on the couch. On TV, a commercial
came on for Cosmic's brand of cat food and I burst into tears. I
coud just picture him out there, scared, alone and feeling abandoned.
I decided to set my intention that Cosmic would be back by Friday.
One week was long enough for an Indoor-Only cat to take a vacation!
Thursday,
I pulled into my neighborhood and did my customary drive through
the neighborhood looking for Cosmic - I almost skipped it, disheartened
since every other search had barely turned up a cat, let alone my
Cosmic. Yet, I figured it couldn't hurt. I turned a corner when
I suddenly spotted an all black cat.
Whoa.
I
sent my older daughter to investigate since my baby daughter was
sleeping in her carseat. The cat took one look at my kid and ran.
Typical Indoor-Only behavior. I hopped out of the car and ran to
the kitty. He was hiding under a porch and meowing loudly. I recognized
the sound - it was my kitty! I knew it was! I put my hand out and
called softy to him. For one instant, I thought he would bolt again,
but then he stepped close enough for me to grab. I checked to make
sure it was him.
It
was.
YES!!!!
Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!
Due
to an unusually cold snap of weather, he seems to be flea free,
and only had one tick, which I removed immediately. I plan on taking
him to the vet ASAP. He needs the rest of his shots, he needs to
be checked, I want to have him tested for feline HIV and he seems
to be burping like he has indigestion. I can only imagine what he
ate while he was "away on his holiday", but the property manager
did spot him by the dumpster.
I'll
keep you posted with his health.
Thanks
again - for everything, on behalf of me, my girls and one happy-to-be-home
Cosmic.
