Who would have thought that the simple act of getting the mail from the mailbox would create such anxious, stress, and nervousness.
I was not feeling well around 1.30pm today so I was going to go and lie down for a moment but as I do every day, I wanted to bring the mail in. I open the door so slightly as I do every time, grabbed the mail out of the mailbox and closed it and the door. Nothing strange there. I went and had a rest for about an hour until my headache subsided.
When I got up about an hour later, I decided I should put Packers' (the cat's) collar back on. We'd removed it for the weekend as we had guests and the bell can get a little annoying in the middle of the night. (Cats = Nocturnal Creatures). So I did my typical walk around the house looking for her. That turned up nothing. So, I tried the shaking of the food (she has never missed a "chow call" yet). Still nothing. Now I'm worried. Checked all windows and under all things. Nothing. I'm frantic.
I know to most of you this sounds ridiculous but this cat is our pride and joy and she is a part of the family. Not only that but, if she is outside, she's got not claws in her front paws (was done before we acquired her). She couldn't protect herself.
So, now I've figured out that the little escape artist must have snuck out when I got the mail. She has always been trying to get out of the house. One day under the FedEx truck and another under the car in the garage.
I went looking for her but nothing. I headed over to our neighbours to the east (Adrienne & Ted's) and Adrienne said yes, the cat came by and came into their house twice before she put the cat out again along with her own cat (Yoda). Yoda is the neighbourhood cat that looks out for others aparently. They got along well. But that was half an hour ago.... So, I went to get the food for "Chow call". Thought I'd try it outside.
In the backyard, I tried again. No sound but I figured, if she got into Adrienne's back yard, she could just as easily jump the fence to our other neighbours house (Iris and Rudy). I peered over the fence and sure enough, there she was. I shook the food again and she came running but didn't seem to want to jump the fence.
I went around to their place. Apparently, they have a cat that looks VERY similar except thinner. Iris had openned the door for a friend who came to visit and Packers just walked in the door, went straight to the food dish. Iris didn't realize Packers wasn't her cat until she saw them both in the same room!
Rudy decided to keep her in the back yard. He had a funny feeling that someone would come looking. She was happy to see me but also hissing because of all the commotion. She was on the lam (or free depending on your point of view) for 2 hours.
Got her home and now she's sitting in my lap purring away. She usually only does that at night. I think she learned a lesson or two. Maybe one of her nine lives was on the verge of being used up.
We're just so thankful to our neighbours who all just pitched in so quickly to help. What a great village we live in. Steveston is wonderful.
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