Oh, what a night…… it was awful.
Monster didn’t come home. He left at around 6.00 p.m. while I was cooking supper last night and was never seen again. OH and I were very worried. This was absolutely not normal behaviour for Monster whose tummy is akin to the atomic clock. He has never knowingly missed a meal – ever. And he missed his crunchy-munchies (Ted’s snack time for his eye-drops before bed), his ten o’clocks, his 3-a.m. o’clocks, and then his 7.30 a.m. breakfast.
I was awake all night praying that the cat flap would go and I would hear the noise of a hungry cat coming home. But nothing. There was a eerie hush all night and I know, because I did not sleep much. I had terrible dreams that involved Monster – one was him walking towards the light, and one was him coming home covered in blood, the vet passed out, came round and shaved him only to find that Monster had stripes under the white fur!!!
Anyway, back to reality…… I got up early, fed up of not sleeping and went outside to feed the sheep. While I was flipping their bowls over in the stable, I heard a plaintive mewing coming from somewhere so I quickly distributed the food and went in search of Monster.
I eventually found him in an upturned empty old kitchen cupboard that I was going to use to store rugs in, which must’ve flipped over somehow. He was very happy to be free and appeared completely unharmed after his 12 hour experience. I was crying with relief.
(I don’t think he lost any weight from his ordeal).
And Monster has steadily been making up for missing his meals throughout the day.
He has had a few quiet naps in his Fortress of Solitude.
I thank the Gods Monster is home again. Me and my imagination were working over-time.
Not much scarier than a missing cat or dog. So happy he was found safe and sound.
I am so happy you found him, poor monster and poor you.
Good thing your heart is well anchored!!!
I am so grateful that your sweet boy is safely home!
Like a race car that they say from 0 to 60 in so many seconds, this is me when one of my family are AWOL. And it’s the whole lot: two legged or four legged, I have an imagination that works on a toggle switch: Everybody okay & my brain is humming; however, someone missing & the switch is flipped & I am flipping out. Some people are wonderfully stoic & just carry on, but that is so far from me ,who suddenly remembers every horrid story that I have read, that it is difficult to think that in the time it takes to sneeze, I can go from a fairly level headed person to a collection of absurd anxieties. The reason it happens though is that we adore all creatures great,small, & smallest who shre their love with us & because I can return that love at such a deep level, I won’t ever rue my response. Thumbs up to all of you!
Wondering whether Pepper would make a good search and rescue dog ? Take her for a walk and see if she can ‘find the Monster’ ? REWARD when she finds the cat 🙂 🙂
M in NC
Definitely. She helped find him. She’s good.
Not a nice experience – always scary when animals go missing. So pleased he is now safely back in the house. But your dream was “interesting”!!
Poor little chap. It’s really good Monster is home safe and sound!.
Thank God you heard the old boy crying. I wonder if he was crying out all night. He is a very special cat and I am so glad you found him. My heart about stopped when I read he was missing. Whew. Good job listening and finding… Frances!
I’ve become quite fond of that cat of yours!!!
My heart sank when reading the first sentences! I’ve been there too many times and know that fear and worry too well. I know that eerie hush as you hope to hear a meow, a rustle of leaves as the wanderer crosses the garden, or a thud as he leaps out of a tree because he hears and sees me calling him. I used to walk the garden and forest trail calling for our wanderers because I couldn’t sleep.
I’m so happy that you found Monster in the morning! Poor boy must have been so frightened! I’m glad he wasn’t hurt by the cabinet falling and trapping him.
Must have been horrible. So very glad he’s safe. Had to laugh at your dream.