The Story of the Cat

So about four weeks ago or so, our (indoor) cat Puff managed to get outside. We can't imagine how on EARTH that could have happened. (It just COULDN'T have been the unlatched storm door that got left open inadvertently...it just couldn't!) Needless to say, Kathleen was very upset, as was I. We'd had Puff for two years, and he had never even shown an interest in going outside. We looked everywhere for the poor fella...in the fields surrounding the house...down every side street. We posted "MISSING" signs in the neighborhood, and gave out our phone number to countless neighbors. Every evening if I was out driving around, I'd be scanning the corn fields for his silhouette. Nothing. He was gone.

After two and a half weeks of tear-filled "I miss Puff" and "Mommy, I NEED a kitty to cuddle with and sleep with," I broke down and called a friend of mine who volunteers for an animal rescue. She fosters cats, and then they get adopted from adoption clinics at Pet Smart. She proceeds to tell me about this sweet little one-year-old kitty that she had fostered after she had been spayed. She said she was a soft and cuddly, sweet-tempered little girl named Tess. AND she had long hair, which Kathleen just thought was GREAT! Yeah, GREAT! (Can you see me cringing?)

So we go to Pet Smart last weekend, and there's Tess, in all her grey and white tigery sweetness...sitting atop one of those cat tree things...like the queen of the roost. Kathleen immediately says "Awwwww!" without even knowing that SHE was the cat we were going to get!

So we came home with Tess...who really IS the cutest, sweetest girl ever! She's small and dainty, and has a girly little "meow." She and Kathleen played, and then off to bed they went, happy as two clams.

That night, 4:30am. Yes, I said 4:30am. "MeoOWWWW" from somewhere outside in the dark. Again: "MeeeoooowwwWWW" "Mmmrrrrowwww!" It was a cool night, so the windows were open. "Mmmmmrrrrooooooooowwww!" I'm thinking--you're KIDDING me, right? So I wake up Kathleen and we go outside and who is hiding under the car? That's right! The prodigal Puff! We both look at each other with surprise and happiness, and Kathleen grabs Puff and heads inside. Big happy family, right? Mmmm hmmmm. It's been a trip, lemme tell ya'. Puff can't believe that some little girl has come in and tried to steal his "momma's" heart...AND his place on her bed. Kathleen has been very good about sharing the love, but there are some interesting hisses and growls and "mmmmreoerrowooeewow" chasings going on...kind of like those sound effects in the movies--you know the ones I mean--the cat screetching, and things tumbling. But slowly but surely, things are improving. If they can't be friends, I'm thinking they will most certainly learn to tolerate each other. As long as Tess stays out of Puff's food. And off Kathleen's bed. ;)