Danang Sailor
nullius in verba
I began to set this down yesterday to document our heartbreak, but then things changed ...
Last Friday, 2 July, I was coming down with the nasty virus that's been running around town, but a few things needed to be done so I went out and about. When I returned, loaded with groceries for the long weekend and with a head feeling the size of Cleveland, the neighbors were getting an early start on the fireworks bit. With both arms loaded the house door got pushed open with a foot - no problem.
Tailor blue, our 13 year old Russian Blue kitty, always comes to the door to meet me. I know cats don't do that sort of thing, but he always has. With arms fully loaded and holding the door open with my foot, the neighbors chose that moment to do the most terrifying thing Tailor has ever experienced: they set off a really LOUD firework explosion. Tailor spooked and ran - right past me, out the door, and around the house away from that horrible noise. I put down the chow, screamed for help, and the four of us ran out to bring him back and calm him down.
He was gone.
We spent hours that evening looking and calling - the neighbors from all sides joined in, but he was just ... gone.
Saturday: I felt like pure Hell, partly because I was really sick and partly because I was the one holding the door open when Tailor ran out. Dragonfly Lady's assurances that it could have been any one of us didn't help; the guilt just kept building. I was no real help that day during the search, and got sent home to bed before noon. My entire useful contribution that day was to make the missing animal report to the local shelter. It rained on and off all day, which hampered everything. By nightfall the fireworks racket was phenomenal and searching further was out of the question.
Sunday morning: Tailor, who has been a house cat his entire life, has now been missing for a day and a half. One of the neighbors from a block down said she'd seen him early (about 5:00 AM) but he ran. We searched between rains, but nothing. Everyone is beginning to fear the worse.
Monday: No sign. The shelter called, but we were all out. They left a message; there are two cats that match the description we gave them, but by the time we got the message they were closed. Tailor has been gone for three days now; we've about given up hope.
Tuesday: Went to the shelter; neither of the cats are Tailor. Made the rounds of the neighborhood with the same results; no Tailor Blue. Everyone has basically given up; we're assuming a house cat that has had his front claws removed and is pushing 14 years old has made the final journey to the Rainbow Bridge. Between big unfriendly dogs, some truly mean area cats, streets full of cars, and three days of nearly constant fireworks, there is very little chance our small Russian Blue has survived. We'll get another (who can keep house without a Necessary Cat?), but not until after we get back from our anniversary trip in October. It wouldn't be fair to bring a new kitten into the family and then "abandon" it in the vet's kennel for nearly three weeks. It's not an exaggeration to say the whole family is hurting. No more searching the neighborhood; it is eating up all of our time and producing nothing positive.
HOLD EVERYTHING: After a final search we decided we still needed to eat, so I went out back and fired up the grill (it was about 8:45 PM by then). While it was heating up I went back in and got a few chicken quarters seasoned and ready. Went back out with the chicken ... and there was Tailor, looking damp, bedraggled, and truly wonderful! I got the door open, he ran in, and I closed the door behind him. Once the chicken was safely back in the fridge Tailor rode upstairs in my arms, and loudly announced his presence. The next few minutes were a joyous confusion, ending with Tailor taking a quick trip to the vet (24/7/365 office) to get his "passengers" evicted.
Today things have settled back into routine, and everyone is giving thanks to whatever deity looks after lost and frightened cats. Life is still good, after all.
Last Friday, 2 July, I was coming down with the nasty virus that's been running around town, but a few things needed to be done so I went out and about. When I returned, loaded with groceries for the long weekend and with a head feeling the size of Cleveland, the neighbors were getting an early start on the fireworks bit. With both arms loaded the house door got pushed open with a foot - no problem.
Tailor blue, our 13 year old Russian Blue kitty, always comes to the door to meet me. I know cats don't do that sort of thing, but he always has. With arms fully loaded and holding the door open with my foot, the neighbors chose that moment to do the most terrifying thing Tailor has ever experienced: they set off a really LOUD firework explosion. Tailor spooked and ran - right past me, out the door, and around the house away from that horrible noise. I put down the chow, screamed for help, and the four of us ran out to bring him back and calm him down.
He was gone.
We spent hours that evening looking and calling - the neighbors from all sides joined in, but he was just ... gone.
Saturday: I felt like pure Hell, partly because I was really sick and partly because I was the one holding the door open when Tailor ran out. Dragonfly Lady's assurances that it could have been any one of us didn't help; the guilt just kept building. I was no real help that day during the search, and got sent home to bed before noon. My entire useful contribution that day was to make the missing animal report to the local shelter. It rained on and off all day, which hampered everything. By nightfall the fireworks racket was phenomenal and searching further was out of the question.
Sunday morning: Tailor, who has been a house cat his entire life, has now been missing for a day and a half. One of the neighbors from a block down said she'd seen him early (about 5:00 AM) but he ran. We searched between rains, but nothing. Everyone is beginning to fear the worse.
Monday: No sign. The shelter called, but we were all out. They left a message; there are two cats that match the description we gave them, but by the time we got the message they were closed. Tailor has been gone for three days now; we've about given up hope.
Tuesday: Went to the shelter; neither of the cats are Tailor. Made the rounds of the neighborhood with the same results; no Tailor Blue. Everyone has basically given up; we're assuming a house cat that has had his front claws removed and is pushing 14 years old has made the final journey to the Rainbow Bridge. Between big unfriendly dogs, some truly mean area cats, streets full of cars, and three days of nearly constant fireworks, there is very little chance our small Russian Blue has survived. We'll get another (who can keep house without a Necessary Cat?), but not until after we get back from our anniversary trip in October. It wouldn't be fair to bring a new kitten into the family and then "abandon" it in the vet's kennel for nearly three weeks. It's not an exaggeration to say the whole family is hurting. No more searching the neighborhood; it is eating up all of our time and producing nothing positive.
HOLD EVERYTHING: After a final search we decided we still needed to eat, so I went out back and fired up the grill (it was about 8:45 PM by then). While it was heating up I went back in and got a few chicken quarters seasoned and ready. Went back out with the chicken ... and there was Tailor, looking damp, bedraggled, and truly wonderful! I got the door open, he ran in, and I closed the door behind him. Once the chicken was safely back in the fridge Tailor rode upstairs in my arms, and loudly announced his presence. The next few minutes were a joyous confusion, ending with Tailor taking a quick trip to the vet (24/7/365 office) to get his "passengers" evicted.
Today things have settled back into routine, and everyone is giving thanks to whatever deity looks after lost and frightened cats. Life is still good, after all.
. More then likelly from my experience Your little friend was most likelly never very far away from the house . When they get frightened like that they,ll find the safest spot to hide & not come out untill its safe or they get really hungry & cats can survive weeks without foof & water . 
