Conference misery::feline_v1

    
    JJ,
    
    I live in that area (top of Cross St.) and will watch for Brandi.
    If you need any help searching for her, let me know.  You can call
    me at DTN 264-2273 or at home 595-2099 if there is anything at all
    that I can do to help you get her back.
    
    I've taken her description and will check with my neighbors.
    
    Janet
    

    
    
    	Thank you so much!!
    
    	I'm going to bring in a picture tomorrow to work and see
    	if I can photocopy it with a lost kitty sign so I can post
    	some notices up around the neighborhood.
    
    	She's really my fiances cat and I became "mom" when we moved
    	in together....I'm more worried than he is though (unless
    	he's hiding it)  Just a typical mom I guess!!
    
    	Thanks again...I'll let you know if I need anything.
    
    	Jj
    

    
    
    JJ,
    
    A few months ago (maybe as many as 6?) there was a great article
    in Reader's Digest about a couple who had lost a cat.  They put
    signs up, contacted all the shelters, etc. etc.  Then they started
    putting the word out to all the children in the neighborhood, and
    guess who found the kitty  --some kids!  Total time missing was
    about a month (!) I think, and it turned out the kitty was within
    a 1/2 mile or something of home all the time.  The children really
    got into it (everybody wanted to be the hero), and just put out
    tons of energy watching for this cat.  So... spread the word to
    the little ones in the neighborhood and see what happens...
    
    Best of luck to you, I know this must be a worrisome time...
    
    Lynn
    

    Have you asked your neighbors to check their garagaes, sheds,
    basements, any place the cat could have accidentally gotten locked in?
    This is what happens a lot when a cat goes missing.
    

    Smokey accidently got out and he is declawed and we could not find him.
    We are relatively new to the neighborhood, but found some kids playing
    and offerend a reward if they could find him.  They searched and mean-
    while the idiot strolled out from under the ceder where the was
    securely hidden about 3 hours later.  Found the sasme kids and gave
    a partial reward for having tried.
    
    We have a patio area that we have cat - proofed for Smokey with a cat
    door access to porch and then a cat sized hole secured by a board in
    a sliding glass door in the summer so he has relative freedom.  Bandit
    can escape because she is 1/2 the weight and hasrear claws, but she is
    very streetwise.  She has quit escaping now that she has proved her
    point.
    
    The point is that kids are very enthusiastic and we had hardly finished
    our sentence before they were on it.  We reacted so quickly to panic 
    because after my car accident when I was bedridden and my husband still
    has to commute 180 miles on weekends (another story) Smokey stayed
    literally at my side leaving only for the necessities.  At the time it
    would takea hour to feed the cats as getting up and walking as far as 
    the kitchen took all the starch out of me and then I had to rest before
    trying to walk again.  So, when he didn't answer, and he always does,
    since March, the warning flag went up.
    
    Hope you find Brandi soon.
    
    Cathy (bandit and smokey)
    

    
    
    	There's good news and bad news...the good news is Brandi
    	came home this morning...the bad news is that she is injured.
    	She must have gotten stuck somewhere (which was what I was
        afraid of).  The fur on her back just above her tail is gone
    	and is caked in blood.  so I rushed her off to the vets.
    	I'm supposed to call them later on this morning to see how
    	she's doing.  I don't know how long or where she got stuck.
    	I wandered around last night in the woods around our apartment 
    	building calling her but didn't even hear a meow.  So she's
    	back but won't be our Brandi for a while I'm sure..
    
    	Thanks for the advice and the offers to help.
    
    	JJ
    
    
    
    
    	calling her but didn't even hear a meow.

    
    JJ,
    
    What wonderful news to hear that Brandi is back! Sure hope she is
    okay.  Keep us posted on how she is doing.
    
    Janet
    

    
    
    	Just got off the phone with the vet.  It appears that it
    	was an abcess that "broke" and drained on it's own.  
    	Unfortunately, Cary and I didn't notice it before or we
    	would have had it taken care of.  So I don't know if she
    	got caught on something or it just broke...
    
    	But I guess she's going to be ok!! >phew<
    
    	JJ
    

    I'm really happy to hear that Brandi is back and relatively ok.
    
    You're right about the kids!  When my Kathryn got out 10 yrs ago
    right after her spay it was the neighborhood kids that told the
    couple who took her in that she was my cat.  (And this was another
    neighborhood! - long story)  Kathryn had strolled up onto this
    couple's porch and asked to be let in like she owned the place :-)
    

    
    
    	Well I've been out for a couple of days so...
    
    	last update.
    
    	Brandi is doing great.  The wound is healing very nicely.
    	She's getting so used to the routine of cleaning it that 
    	she just sits in the bathtub long after Cary is done!!
    
    	Silly kitty!!
    
    	Thanks for the concern folks.  It means a lot.
    
    	JJ
    

    
    
    	Well she did it again.  Cary and I went away for the long
    	weekend and we had a neighbor check in on the monsters a 
    	couple of times.  I told Lisa that it was ok if Brandi went
    	out.  Well she went out....and hasn't returned!  It's at least
    	4 days now.  I'm going to suggest to Cary that we go look for
    	her in the woods tonite after work.  And I'm going to make
    	some flyers and post them around.  There's a condominium complex
    	on the other side of the railroad tracks so maybe someone there
    	has seen her.
    
    	Considering what happened last time, we're starting to get worried.
    
    	JJ
    

    
    
    	She returned safe and sound last night.  A little on the
    	thin side and very hungry but other than that, none the worse
    	for wear.
    
    	Now if she could only talk and tell us where she's been.
    	Couldn't have been too traumatic....she went right back out
    	this morning.
    
    	JJ
    

    Lovely news!  I'm so pleased she came home.
    
    Karen (and Georgie)