Disappearing Act
26-JUNE-2008
DISAPPEARING ACT
Pewter had come in heat again and was driving me crazy. Talk about obnoxious behavior. Geez! She'd been flirting with the local tom cats through the back door. They sprayed calling cards outside on the door and porch. Then she began to spray the inside of the back door in reply. Nice.
She quickly found herself locked in the bathroom for the next two weeks. I let her out of the bathroom when she no longer appeared to be in heat. She stayed indoors another four days before I let her outside again.
She's been allowed outside for about three months now. At first, she was only allowed out while I was outside and nearby. She'd tag along with me and Ruby on our walk to the mailbox. I was a little surprised that she learned how to get onto the roof, hide under my front porch and my neighbor's trailer in just the first two days outside. But then, she had good teachers. The older cats she hung around with were seasoned outdoor kitties.
Gradually, she was allowed to stay outside overnight. She was always hungry and ready to come in by morning. It worked out well because then she'd sleep all day and not bother Ruby. One day she began bringing little trophies home and displaying them prominently on the back porch. First it was a dead mouse, then a small bird, then another mouse. I guess they didn't taste as good as her store bought chow.
I had my doubts about the wisdom of letting her outside, especially overnight, but she really seemed to be adapting well. If she was outside when it was time to feed Jake, she act all tough and confident so long as I was nearby. But, the minute I started the car to drive away, she'd hunker down and slink into the shed, under the front deck, or dash up on the roof. I let the door to the shed locked ajar so she could hang out in there. Wherever she went when I left, she'd appear at the back door as soon as I came back.
She really seemed to have the whole Being a Cat Outdoors thing down. I felt that even her muted gray with flecks of pale orange color worked to her advantage. She blended into whatever she was near and was very hard to see if she wasn't moving. Yeah, letting her out was a good thing. She was much happier, Ruby was much happier, and I was no longer awakened when she danced across the top of my head in the middle of the night. Everyone was sleeping better.
Then one morning Pewter didn't come back. She wasn't back by mid afternoon either. I looked everywhere, asked everyone if they'd seen her, and called for her every couple of hours. She had ventured out beyond the reach of my voice. She had become a Real Cat. The next evening she came dragging back, tired and hungry. She stayed in and slept for two days. After that, she wanted to stay in for the next two days. Not sure why, but ok.
She fell back into the out all night, sleep all day routine for the next week or so. We had rain off and on for the next two weeks after that. She wanted out during the rain, but only until the first big drops landed on her face. She sat in the window, twitching her tail until it stopped raining.
She eagerly went outside as soon as the weather cleared. She came back very late that first night out. She seemed happy but tired and slept all the next day. When she was ready to go out again, she seemed quite anxious about it. She meowed at the door for several minutes. When that didn't pry me away from the keyboard, she began clawing the door jam.
That got me up. I opened the door and let her out. I stood on the porch and watched her goof around near the back porch for a few minutes. I thought maybe another cat was nearby and that's why she wanted out so badly. Nope. I didn't see any stray dogs or cats.
After a couple minutes of rolling in the dirt and chasing leaves in the breeze, Pewter dashed off towards the local cat hang out -- a big clump of lavender bushes near Bobby Sue's back fence. That's the last time I saw her.
At first I wasn't too worried, and just figured she'd be gone a day or two again. It's been about a month now, and still no Pewter. I suspect she became coyote bait, like so many other cats. At least it's a quick death. The coyotes grab, then shake them. It breaks a neck or back very quickly.
I missed her for a day or two, then realized I wasn't finding cat hair on the kitchen counters anymore, Ruby seemed more relaxed, and I was getting more rest. Probably for the best that she's gone. As cats go, she was very smart and certainly did have her endearing moments, but I've never had such an obnoxious cat. I never want another one, either.
By the end of the second week, I'd pretty much given up on ever seeing her again. I put the air bed back on top of my mattress. Ruby's toe nails won't pop it. It's not a water bed, but it's the best I can do for now. I'm resting much better. I think Ruby is, too.
I still find myself missing that damn cat now and then. But, such is the life of the average cat here in coyote land. That's just the way it is.
DISAPPEARING ACT
Pewter had come in heat again and was driving me crazy. Talk about obnoxious behavior. Geez! She'd been flirting with the local tom cats through the back door. They sprayed calling cards outside on the door and porch. Then she began to spray the inside of the back door in reply. Nice.
She quickly found herself locked in the bathroom for the next two weeks. I let her out of the bathroom when she no longer appeared to be in heat. She stayed indoors another four days before I let her outside again.
She's been allowed outside for about three months now. At first, she was only allowed out while I was outside and nearby. She'd tag along with me and Ruby on our walk to the mailbox. I was a little surprised that she learned how to get onto the roof, hide under my front porch and my neighbor's trailer in just the first two days outside. But then, she had good teachers. The older cats she hung around with were seasoned outdoor kitties.
Gradually, she was allowed to stay outside overnight. She was always hungry and ready to come in by morning. It worked out well because then she'd sleep all day and not bother Ruby. One day she began bringing little trophies home and displaying them prominently on the back porch. First it was a dead mouse, then a small bird, then another mouse. I guess they didn't taste as good as her store bought chow.
I had my doubts about the wisdom of letting her outside, especially overnight, but she really seemed to be adapting well. If she was outside when it was time to feed Jake, she act all tough and confident so long as I was nearby. But, the minute I started the car to drive away, she'd hunker down and slink into the shed, under the front deck, or dash up on the roof. I let the door to the shed locked ajar so she could hang out in there. Wherever she went when I left, she'd appear at the back door as soon as I came back.
She really seemed to have the whole Being a Cat Outdoors thing down. I felt that even her muted gray with flecks of pale orange color worked to her advantage. She blended into whatever she was near and was very hard to see if she wasn't moving. Yeah, letting her out was a good thing. She was much happier, Ruby was much happier, and I was no longer awakened when she danced across the top of my head in the middle of the night. Everyone was sleeping better.
Then one morning Pewter didn't come back. She wasn't back by mid afternoon either. I looked everywhere, asked everyone if they'd seen her, and called for her every couple of hours. She had ventured out beyond the reach of my voice. She had become a Real Cat. The next evening she came dragging back, tired and hungry. She stayed in and slept for two days. After that, she wanted to stay in for the next two days. Not sure why, but ok.
She fell back into the out all night, sleep all day routine for the next week or so. We had rain off and on for the next two weeks after that. She wanted out during the rain, but only until the first big drops landed on her face. She sat in the window, twitching her tail until it stopped raining.
She eagerly went outside as soon as the weather cleared. She came back very late that first night out. She seemed happy but tired and slept all the next day. When she was ready to go out again, she seemed quite anxious about it. She meowed at the door for several minutes. When that didn't pry me away from the keyboard, she began clawing the door jam.
That got me up. I opened the door and let her out. I stood on the porch and watched her goof around near the back porch for a few minutes. I thought maybe another cat was nearby and that's why she wanted out so badly. Nope. I didn't see any stray dogs or cats.
After a couple minutes of rolling in the dirt and chasing leaves in the breeze, Pewter dashed off towards the local cat hang out -- a big clump of lavender bushes near Bobby Sue's back fence. That's the last time I saw her.
At first I wasn't too worried, and just figured she'd be gone a day or two again. It's been about a month now, and still no Pewter. I suspect she became coyote bait, like so many other cats. At least it's a quick death. The coyotes grab, then shake them. It breaks a neck or back very quickly.
I missed her for a day or two, then realized I wasn't finding cat hair on the kitchen counters anymore, Ruby seemed more relaxed, and I was getting more rest. Probably for the best that she's gone. As cats go, she was very smart and certainly did have her endearing moments, but I've never had such an obnoxious cat. I never want another one, either.
By the end of the second week, I'd pretty much given up on ever seeing her again. I put the air bed back on top of my mattress. Ruby's toe nails won't pop it. It's not a water bed, but it's the best I can do for now. I'm resting much better. I think Ruby is, too.
I still find myself missing that damn cat now and then. But, such is the life of the average cat here in coyote land. That's just the way it is.
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