| Yup, I also know how it feels. Last Wednesday night my daughters
friend did not close the screen door properly and ALL 3 CATS got
out. I didn't know it for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
Both Lightning and DejaVu were still in the driveway but Thunder
was off *exploring*. This was at midnight. Did you ever try to
find a totally black cat at midnight?? It isn't easy. Thank
goodness she hadn't gone far and did come *sauntering back complete
with tail in air* (boy, Mom, this is fun).
I thought for sure that I wouldn't find them because there are about
5 new cats in the neighborhood and they have been visiting my kitties
through the screen door.
Thunder is such a hussy that she would just go romping off with them.
Lightning even told her so (that's a story in itself).
Of course this is how Thunder learned her new game.
Sandi (mom to Lightning, DejaVu & *the hussy* Thunder)
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| Glad you found Bandit. Please don't be too hard on your roommate's
friends, they may not have realized they let him out.
It has happened to me. My mom was over one day and when she left
Amelia got out. Neither of us had seen her go and I'm used to
checking around the door for pontential cat escapes. She was out
for an hour or two and I still didn't realize it. Then, I heard a
cat's pitiful crying on the stairs. I looked outside and saw a brown
and white tabby laying on one of the stairs. I thought to myself
"gee, that cat looks just like Amelia" and shut the door. Then it
hit me, where was Amelia? I realized then that Amelia was down there
on the stairs crying her lungs out (in my "no pets" apartment
stairway). I ran down and grabbed her and swooped her back into the
apartment. I was so lucky she hadn't gone very far.
Jan
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| That happened to me last summer. But, it wasn't any friends
that let my indoor only, declawed, and helpless cats out...
It was those devils themselves! They were horse playing one
night around 11:00pm. Pounce did one of his bounce off the
wall leaps trying to get away from Nutmeg. But he did it on
the screen door. I was sitting on the couch and heard this,
and all I did was yell at them. I didn't realise the door
was not locked an came open.
About 25 minutes later, I went into the kitchen and saw the
door wide open...and NO CATS! I was hysterical! I peeked out
of the door, and saw Nutmeg (female) looking very guilty but
nervous on the deck....so I scooped her up and threw her in
the house... But where was Pounce? He was in the foot high
grass with a big smile on his rotten face. I knew he wouldn't
come to me...so I went into the house and threw a bag of
catnip at him. I'm sure glad that cats are curious. He turned
around to investigate, and that's when I grabbed him! Thank
the Lord!
I brought him inside, locked the backdoor, yelled at both
of them, and then sat down and cried. What a night!
Lp Pounce and Nuts
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| This reminds me of Monday nite when Ashley got out. I had been
soooo careful to make sure the workmen tearing up my bathroom knew
I had cats so they didn't let them out, and then, while transporting
Bones up an down stairs between working sinks (this cat will ONLY
drink fromm a bathroom sink ONLY on the right side and since I didn't
have one, I had to shuttle him when he got thirsty), Ash-face must
have slipped out.
I didn't know it until I was going to bed (11:30pm). I thot it
strange I didn't see her, so called and called. No Ash. Looked
EVERYWHERE. No Ash. Finally, I thought maybe she got out (didn't
see her, but where else could she be?) She's declawed (not to start
an arguement, but that cat has no idea she is declawed, and that
wasn't what I was worried about), but I was concerned that never
having been out and living very close to a wide and often busy street,
she would get hit, or wander, or get scared and run and not remember
where she came from.
So outside I went--it being late and the acoustics of the courtyard
making it undesireable to be yelling my cat's name, I hunted around
(calling a few times, but totally unsure wher to look). No Ash.
Walked by the street. No Ash. Looked behind the buildings as
best I could (it was DARK) No Ash. I musta walked around three
times looking for her, but didn't want to holler too much because
I'd wake everyone up (incurring the wrath of the manager).
Finally, feeling frustrated, I went back up into my room and looked
out the bedroom window (about 30 feet up) facing the overgrowth
between the apt. bldg and a house. I called her name again, and
I heard a woo...woo...Could it be? I called again. Woo..woo...
There were some other cats out there, but this sounded a lot like
her and it was right under my window. I couldn't see a thing, so
I grabbed a flashlight and RAN downstairs. Going back behind the
building I shone the light, looking for a mostly white cat or even
cat eyes. Didn't see anything and now I REALLy couldn't yell cause
all the bedrooms were three inches on the other side of the wall
and it was midnite. so, walk down there I did (yuk! who knew what
was underfoot?) and sure enough, out pops Ashley from nowhere and
she runs up a bit (ut, oh, gonna play grab-a**, I think, meaning
the "you can come just close enough not to catch me game" cats play).
Anyway, she paused, more interested in looking around and I snatched
her up and held very tight so she couldn't squirm loose in case
something startled her and took her back. Phew....
Of course, I lectured her on how worried it was! :D
She hadn't been out in almost a year--and she's my very first VERY
own cat, so I can identify with the worry!
kim
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| I live in apartments with a laundry room right at the bottom of the
stairs. One night, On the way to the laundry room, I didn't latch the
door to my apartment all the way, I just pulled it to. I noticed that it
wasn't shut all the way but I had my hands full and Nami had never tried
to get out before so I didn't worry about it. On my way out of the launddry
room I saw what I thought was Nami(She definately has a double). I called
to the cat and it turned and ran. Meantime I was frantic! I was thinking
"NO, NAMI DON'T FREAK!". But as the cat was running away I noticed it had
the same black spot on the back of it's rear let, but it was on the wrong
side! Thank God! I'm MUCH more careful now even though she still hasn't
tried to get out.
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