She Ran Away

I believe in true honesty. I try not to sugar-coat this blog.  Warts and all is how it is.

—————-

I knew we had to keep little cattie in for at least two weeks but I always get so hot at night and I slightly opened the bedroom velux window (a window that is built into the roof and slants to open).

Little cattie made her escape first thing on Sunday morning and, since then, we have all been searching every shed, every hole in the ground, everywhere for her.  This is not made easy as we are coming up to lambing and I cannot take BeAnne with me, despite being the only one little cattie adored.  It would be wrong to do this.

I leave food in the two sheds by our house that she could get into and, the night before last, one lot was eaten which got my hopes up but then last night’s food was untouched.

Perhaps little cattie is making her way back to her previous owner who lives, as the crow flies, probably 3 miles away.  I really hope so.

On a positive note, where we are is perfect cat territory – endless bunnies, mice, birds and shelter everywhere.  There are no predators and outdoor cats do very well here.  Little cattie was, according to her previous owner, a keen hunter.  Our roads are not busy, either.

What can I say? It was totally my fault.  I feel gutted, a truly awful animal owner and nothing like this has ever happened to me before.  I have let little cattie down.  I think she saw us as her captors and not her friends, though she adored BeAnne.  I can only pray she is safe and well.

Her Maj is doing ok. She seems to have become used to being on her own and just follows one of us wherever we go.

So now you know.

I doubt anyone will ever trust us with either another cat or dog, to be honest.

19 thoughts on “She Ran Away

  1. John Davies

    I finally delivered my son’s cat to him in Maryland after it ran away twice in two different states. He was moving from our home town to the east coast of the US and he carried the cat into our house in a blanket on a stop for lunch before the moving truck moved on. The cat immediately ran out our front door, missing the move, and being lost for two months. We eventually found him killing mice in a warehouse nearby. Months later we took the cat on a trip towards the east coast and he slipped out of a halter from inside the hatchback of our car in Mastodon State Park in Missouri (250 miles at least from our house and 700 miles from where my son now lived). We plastered the area with wanted posters (reward offered) and six months later someone took a picture of him in the same park that he ran away from and matched it up to his web presence at lost kitty websites. They snagged him and contacted us and someone met my son halfway across the state of Missouri . He finally made it on another trip 8 months after being recovered and he’s now in Frederick, Maryland where he will stay in the nice old brick house if he knows what is good for him.

    Reply
      1. John Davies

        He should know what’s good for him! Someone was talking about the litter box trick and going out at 3am. We didn’t do that but when we lost the cat at Mastodon State Park we went around the park and stopped in the neighborhood with some posters we made up at Kinko’s. We had a reward and that interested a lot of the kids that we came across. I’m sure the cat would’ve run even harder if the posse that was forming were to come after him!

        Reply
  2. Beverly

    Don’t be so hard on yourself, Frances. Cats usually prefer to have a bit of freedom and are extremely capable. Cattie will be fine…perhaps even happier than inside as a house cat. Who knows…. she knows you offer a warm bed and food. If she feels the need, she will return….or as you said return to her previous home. Either way, you are not a bad pet owner. You have a big heart… and that is the best possible kind of pet owner.

    Reply
  3. Sam

    Beverly is right – you gave Miss Cattie a good place to stay but she was not in agreement (yet). Hoping she shows up again and the BeAnne can find a new friend to hang out with. If you put the Cosmic Welcome Mat out, your cat will show up. Worked for my mom on about 10 cats.

    Reply
  4. John Davies

    I guess I told my story to make your story seem better! My wives aunt lost a cat in the Kansas City area while moving cross country and her small children were heartbroken! Cats react to all kinds of distractions and at a moment inattention they can be out the door! Didn’t you say the cat was from the neighborhood? It might turn up at it’s former home or yours at any moment!

    Reply
  5. Cathy

    If her former home is that close, I suspect she won’t be far away. We have feral cats with recognisable markings in our village, and I am often surprised by just how large their territory seems to be.

    I do hope she thinks better of her escape and comes back to you and BeAnne. They looked so happy together and it must be hard for a little dog to lose another friend.

    Reply
  6. Judith Garbutt

    I’m with everyone else, Frances – you’re the least ‘bad pet person’ I can think of! I’m sure Miss Cattie will turn up at your place or her previous home and if she doesn’t. I guess she’ll enjoy being a wild animal, hopefully keeping any unwanted little pests away from your door!

    Reply
  7. diane in northern wis

    Well, cheer up Frances. You just wanted a little air and it’s not like you knew Cattie would escape. Perhaps she will show up at either her previous owners house or near yours and you can try again. Otherwise, maybe there will be a new cattie in yours and BeAnne’s future. You have a great heart for animals so I’m sure you’ll get another chance! We’ll all be waiting with you, to see if Cattie materializes!

    Reply
  8. Terri

    Oh, I’m so sorry, but perhaps she’ll come back (or return to her original home), and in any case, you definitely aren’t a bad owner. Cats and dogs slip outside so quickly — it’s their nature to escape (and, with cats, usually hunt). At least there are no predators nearby! (We lost a beloved kitty to coyotes a couple years ago, so our current cats are indoors-only and perfectly happy.) Cattie is likely a survivor — I doubt she’ll become feral because she loved BeAnne so much — she needs another creature to be with. Fingers crossed for her safe return! xx

    Reply
  9. louise whyte

    it’s ironic that another person I know let their cat out after 4 weeks and it did a runner and hasn’t been seen since. It’s very sad. We have to keep our windows shut year round as some of ours are indoor cats only and they will climb up and out – I was at my desk and my mum had opened an upstairs window and I saw Hera kitten sailing through the air and land with a thump outside my window on the ground floor, as she had climbed out. I hope she turns up safe and sound

    Reply
  10. Louise Stopford

    I have a good feeling you will get little cattie back – just give it some time. These things happen and I am sure she will be fine. As you say the roads near you are quiet and there is plenty of hunting to do. I have lost my in-door cats before and they have always come home. My worse fear is the busy road we live on, hence ‘in-door cats’. Please keep us updated and don’t beat yourself up, as I said, these things do happen with animals.

    Reply
  11. Judy

    Frances. put her litter tray outside where she can smell it and do a walk around at 3 am calling her name. I personally think she is off hunting rabbits and will return to you or her old home. Its not that far away for a cat. Good luck. Also I think spring has got to her!! Lots of things happening!!

    Reply
  12. Linda

    Awww, give yourself a break, Frances. Cats are so notorious for doing this (even my neighbor’s cats will fly out the door if given the chance, and they’ve lived with her for YEARS.)
    Best thoughts for cattie; perhaps it just wasn’t meant to be (although really, I can’t picture being an animal in your house and not wanting to stay there permanently – just ask Lambie!)

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Judith Garbutt Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *