Hi all.
I have written here before as to how one should never give up on a missing cat. Well....
Sadie came to me (rather unwillingly on both out parts) about 6 years ago. She's a DLH, hates to be touched, refuses to be combed, doesn't like other cats.... But she needed a home so there we were. She has found her niche and seems happy enough.
She likes to go out sometimes. Once last summer she went out and did not come back. I searched and called but nothing. For 3 days, when she magically appeared at the door. The early part of this year she did it again - only this time it was 8 days. I began to think that maybe someone had her as she is not a cat to miss meals or 'return to the wild' but who knows.
Anyway, about 5 weeks ago now she went out and never came home. I didn't bother to worry because she's done it before and anyway, after a period of time, what can you do? But the days stretched to weeks. I assumed a coyote got her or some such as I never found her body.
Have been awake since 3 this morning, reading. Finally let the crew out around 6. Did some puttering. Let a couple back in (we specialize in the 'in-outs'). Saw Sam (my 'time-share cat') in the window and went and brought him in for breakfast. Let him back out. Went out with food. Let Winston and Simon in for the first of about a thousand times today. Went to let them back out not more than 2 minutes later when, opening the door, there was Sadie. I just stared at her for a second. Said "Well, where the H have YOU been". She started to dash in, saw Simon on the way out, threw a hissy fit. Simon came back in. Opened the door again, Sadie dashed in. Simon dashed out.
Now.... she headed instantly for the food bowl but for a cat that's been away for 5 weeks, she's not thin. Her fur, ever given to matting, isn't. She is hyper beyond words (I hear her in the diningroom screaming at the other cats - who are as amazed to see her as I was and are trying to get close to sniff. This, of course, is beyond tolerance for her!) but otherwise seems fine.
Have no idea where she's been. Still have to think someone has had her but who knows. Won't be letting her back out for a while (though that seems to make little difference as it had been the better part of a year between the first and second times she went missing). Even today, she can't have been lurking here waiting for the door to open because I explained, I have been in, out and around a lot already this morning. Have NO idea where she's been, nor how or why she suddenly reappeared.
But I wanted to again give hope to those of you who may have 'lost' kitties. Sometimes they DO come back.
I just wish they'd tell us where they've been!
