Wednesday, October 31, 2007

A Scary Story

Catzee's Mom here. We don't celebrate Halloween, but today seemed like a good day to share this scary story about Catzee.

The other morning I woke up a little late. Sometimes Rascal and Catzee let me sleep in, sometimes they want me up for some reason or other. Rascal used to wake us up at 4 am, like clockwork, when he was allowed outside. Now that he has to be an inside cat, he doesn't bother. Even so, neither cat minds standing at our heads and meowing loudly if they want something. That morning however, I didn't hear a peep out of either one of them.

As soon as I realized that it was after eight o'clock, I got up, and went into the kitchen to push the button on the coffee pot. I puttered around for a few minutes, but no kitties appeared to see what I was up to, and whether or not there was anything in it for them. This isn't that unusual either, as sometimes sleeping is more important that seeing what I'm up to.

About halfway through my cup of coffee, Rascal showed up to greet me good morning. By the time I finished the cup, I realized that I hadn't seen Catzee yet. This was a little unusual, but not unheard of. When I went into the bedroom to get dressed for the day, I looked around for her, but she was nowhere in sight.

Wondering where in the world she was hiding, I began to call her. No Catzee. She wasn't in their cat tree, so I looked in all the windows. Then I looked on the dining room chair cushions and couch cushions. Still no Catzee. I looked in my loom room, where she likes to curl up on the floor. I even checked all the cabinets; had she accidentally gotten shut up in one of them all night??? No Catzee.

I was getting worried now. Had she hurt herself during the night? Had she gotten sick? Had something fallen on her? But surely I would have heard something which would have woken me up. I asked Rascal, "Where's Catzee?" but he just blinked at me.

All of a sudden I remembered her great escape. Was it possible that somehow she had snuck out the door last night? I knew from experience that she could zip through it like lightening. I also knew that she didn't think anything of jumping off the second story balcony if she got out there. Had she slipped out when I went to leave a few scraps for Opie?

With these thoughts in mind I began to panic. I couldn't get my shoes on fast enough. I ran out the door and began to call her.

Our apartment complex is quite large, with a dozen or so buildings of eight to sixteen apartments each. That means there are four large parking lots as well. A triple train track runs the length of the complex on the other side of the driveway; very noisy! The one nice thing about it is that it is nestled in a wooded area, so there are lots of trees behind the buildings, and even a little creek that runs through the woods between two of them. If you've followed Catzee's blog for awhile, then you may remember that I used to put her in her harness and take her for walks down there.

My plan was to start looking for her by following the path we used to take on our walks. I had deliberately always taken her on the same route, thinking that if she ever did sneak out, she would go that same way out of habit. What worried me was whether or not she would come when I called. Every other time she escaped, she had ignored me because she wanted to be out so badly. Those times however, we were after her as soon as she was out the door (or off the balcony), so I was able to chase her down until she finally let me catch her. This time, I didn't have a clue as to where she was, and whether or not she wanted to be caught.

I walked behind the buildings all the way down to the creek, calling "Catzee!" No Catzee. I walked back toward our apartment in front of the buildings, looking in the parking lots and under cars. Still no Catzee. When I got to our breezeway, I checked to see if she had showed up at our door, and then kept on going toward the other side of the building, calling "Catzee! Catzee!" If I didn't find her there, I didn't know what I would do. There was no other place to look. My only hope then, would be to put up flyers and hope someone had found her and taken her in. At least I hadn't found her little body run over by a car in the parking lot.

As I neared the corner of the building, I heard a little mew. I ran around to that side and there she was, standing on a downstairs window ledge. As soon as she saw me she jumped down and came running to me! I scooped her up and she purred, and purred, and purred. We went back inside and she immediately ran to the food dish.

After being out all night, she spent the rest of the day curled up, sound asleep on my bathrobe. I spent the rest of the day thankful that she was okay. Oddly, Rascal never even seemed to notice. Or if he did, he never let on. I reckon he had known all along that she was all right.

27 comments:

Renee Nefe said...

oooh that is very scary. Maybe she needs a bell so you can hear her when she tries to zip out...or perhaps she's had enough of the outdoor life and won't try to get out anymore.

Anonymous said...

Oh Catzee--I did that this summer and I scared Momma to no end-of course I did not come back so quickly because I was hiding I was so afraid. I am glad she found you so fast.

That is a very scary story!

The Cat Realm said...

That put the scare into the maid while reading - I can tell!!!
Please Catzee - don't do this! As an indoor cat you are not used to all the dangers out there in the world and you are scaring your human way too much! Even my staff gets restless when I come in too late! And I am an experienced outdoor cat! I am sooooo glad she found you and everything ended good!!!
Karl

Zippy, Sadie, Speedy and M'Gee said...

Omigosh Catzee, what were yoo thinking! Even when Zippy gets out she comes right back and she knows da nayborhood. It's not good to scare da mom to much, dey are fairly week and will start crying and carrying on...

Kimo and Sabi said...

MEEEYOWZA! That was furry scary indeed! We is glad little Catzee is OK!

Christine and FAZ said...

Now that is a big adventure and scary too for Zee.
Faz the Wimbledon Witch

Parker said...

YIKES! That was a scary story! I am very glad that Catzee was OK!

snowforest said...

That's furry scary indeed - must've been horrible for you while searching for Catzee in desperation - so glad that she is healthy and back. Sending you all lots of comforting purrs from Snow and Forest :)

ASTOR CATS said...

We're glad Catzee is OK and that she is home safe and sound. She was smart to wait for you on the window ledge.

Midnite & Stray Kitty

The Tower Hill Mob said...

We're so glad Catzee is OK. Them torties is escape artists!

LZ said...

Oh how scary!! I am so glad that Catzee made it back in safely. How scary for your mom!

Kaze

Daisy said...

That is a very, very scairty adventure Catzee had! I sure am happy you found her and she was SAFE! I will never try to sneak outside alone. This was a good lesson!

Captain Jack and Sir Dante said...

We are so glad that you found Catzee! You both must have been terrified!!!

Irishcoda said...

Tanks for visiting me Catzee oh u skared yr poor mommy so bad! We r all glad u home safe and sound! Not good for us kitties to be owt on Mizchieff Nite or Hallowbeen either!

Tybalt said...

Catzee, that was very scary!!!! Mommy has had to chase Ivy down in the backyard through an ice storm before. Mommy was worried and angry, too, cuz she was barefoot and in her pjs slipping through the frozen mud trying to catch Ivy before she could get away and get lost or hurt. I'm so glad you are safe!

Mr. Hendrix said...

That is the scariest story I ever heard! Catzee, don't ever do that again! You stay inside where you're nice and safe. I'm so glad your mommy found you. Now I have to wait for my heart to stop pounding before my nap.

Artsy Catsy said...

Wow, CatZee, what a scary story! I just wanted to drop by to let you know Artsy Catsy is back, and thank you for checking up on us while we were gone!

Rocky & the staff

Forty Paws said...

Oh Catzee! Don't ever do that again!!! That is way too scary and all sorts of horrible things could happen to you!

Luf, Us

Ivan from WMD said...

That was very scary!! Catzee, I'm so glad you're OK!!!

Victor Tabbycat said...

Oh, Catzee! Outside is scary, efun wif a harness an Mom. Don't efur do that again! At least you stayed close an wented strait to yur mom.

As soon as I wented to the vet ofur nite last year, Bonnie was her old self. They'd know if I was goned.

Haf a happy Halloween!

Blackie said...

Owtside iz NOT a good place to be! I yoosed to be a feral cat so I know. It'z cold and wet and thare's no crunchies or treets owtside. A vishus deer or woofie mite find yoo. And thare are LOTS of big macheens on wheels that cood run yoo offur. I'z glad yoo stayed close to home and came when yore Momma called.

michico*Adan*Lego-小芥*阿丹*樂高 said...

Oag no, not doing it again~!!!!

Sharon said...

Cripes - that was more suspenseful than the book I'm reading. You got my heart rate right up, and no way am I letting Charlie see this!

Anonymous said...

Yikes! A very very very scary story, but at least it had a happy ending. We think the bell might be a good idea. Don't go out by yourself Catzee - it's not safe!

Memories of Eric and Flynn said...

Oh Catzee that story reely skeered us. Don't efurr do it again. Yoo wuz safe this time, next time yoo miten't be so lucky wiv all the nasty fings outdoors.Fink of yer poor mum and dad and how skeered they were furr yoo.

Tina T-P said...

Phew - that was indeed a very scarey story! We're glad that "all's well that ends well" Huggs & purrs - Tina & the critters

Anonymous said...

Scary story! We're so glad you made it home to a nice warm bathrobe and a full plate of food!