My Worst Nightmare Came True

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I have four pets (two dogs, two cats) and we just moved to a new house on Tuesday. My worst fear is always that one of them will get lost. The cats are striclty indoors, and even the biggest dog (who can't escape from the fence) is not allowed outside without supervision in our fenced in yard. I am very vigilant about it.

My father is visiting and we took the two dogs on a walk. When we got back we let them in the house and then went to get the lawn mower from the garage. The garage was open and we were trying out the lawn mower that my neighbor gave me. All of a sudden I look over and my little dog is in the front yard! The door between the house and the garage is hard to get closed and one of us must not have closed it all the way.

I took Matthias inside and immediately accounted for Eragon and Eowyn. But we couldn't find Makya (cow cat) anywhere! We searched top to bottom, every possible hidey hole. I had out his toys that he loves to play with and was rattling them. We went outside and searched every bush and walked around the neighborhood.

I was so scared. He has not been outside since he adopted me as a stray. One day we were at an ice cream place downtown and he jumped on my lap and started purring. Skinniest little kitten you ever saw. He has been an indoor cat ever since and I wasn't sure he could survive outside- or that he would know his way home since we just moved!

My father was walking around the neighborhood while I was in the kitchen unpacking when all of asudden he was standing right there next to me! I don't know where on Earth that cat was hiding, but I just about started crying when I saw him. He is the friendliest cat, sleeps on my bed (half the time on top of me), follows me around like the dogs. He is my buddy.

I guess I'm officially moved in now. When we moved into the apartment I thought he had somehow gotten out, turned out he was in a cupboard the whole time. I stil lhave no clue where he went, but I'm glad that my baby is safe. I will be keeping an eye on that door from now on.

 

[dogodisney]

So glad your baby is safe. I have two indoor cats so I know how terrifying it can be when you can't find them.

 

[rcraw45425]

I had that happen years back with our Himalayan, Lacey. We moved and I kept her shut up in an upstairs bedroom till the movers left and we were all settled, let her out and she promptly disappeared. I was certain she had managed to get out through the dryer hose (don't ask, I'm anal). DH was out in the eoods calling for this cat and I'm curled in a ball on the sofa sobbing. Cat eventually comes strolling by, stops to see what the commotions about. Turns out she could get under the dishwasher, the panel was off. DH closed that up as soon as possible. Glad everything turned out okay for you!

 

[JoiseyMom]

Thank goodness you found her! We also have 2 cats and 2 dogs, and we have issues with the deck door. THankfully one cat very rarely comes downstairs. And our oldest dog has gotten out a few times, but we have gotten him back! The newest dog, a puppy is microchipped!!

 

[TaraPA]

Our cat ran away when we moved. We were building a new house, and it wasn't done, so we were temporarily living in a hotel. No pets were allowed at the hotel, the old house was sold, and we couldn't find anyone to watch her. So we took the cat to the new house & had her in a big crate in the garage. We went twice a day to feed her, let her out to run around & check on her (she was an outdoor cat so we knew the elements weren't bothering her.) Well one day the crate latch must have not been closed all the way & she was gone! That darn cat was missing for THREE WHOLE WEEKS. I feared the worst, I was a wreck. We even went back to the old house daily which was only 4 miles away, to check with the new owners to see if she found her way back.

One night 3 weeks later when we went to the new house in the pitch black (no electricity there yet) to leave food out & call for her, she walked up to us like she had been there the whole time, and nothing was wrong. I've never wanted to kill her & hug her so much at the same time!

 

[denisem]

When we moved into the apartment I thought he had somehow gotten out, turned out he was in a cupboard the whole time. I stil lhave no clue where he went, but I'm glad that my baby is safe. I will be keeping an eye on that door from now on.

Aha! You obviously own a rare breed of cat called the Mysterious Cupboard Crawler. New home = more new cupboards to inhabit!

After a similar exhaustive search, OUR MCC revealed her true nature with one-too-many unexplained door "clunks". We found Millie in the wall cupboards above the washing machine, happily sleeping on a kitty-nest of old towels/rags.

Can't give her the crown, though. My SIL had a "shy" MCC who would disappear when company/strangers arrived. This cat had devised a carefully crafted escape in the finished basement to a roost over the suspended ceiling tiles - leaving no trace!

Glad you had a happy ending!

 

[MichelleVW]

My cats do this all the time. I pretty much know where most of their sleeping/hiding spots are, but there are times that we go hours without knowing where someone is. About the time I am ready to panic the offender will come strolling out of the bedroom....

 

[rcraw45425]

Lacey was a MCC too! She blessed us with that prank once when DH and I were visiting my parents house. We had loaded everything up for the drive home to Birmingham when suddenly no cat. Two snickering looking labrador retrievers but no cat. DH was convinced ( again) that she had managed to get out, hes' outside calling for her (like she would come like a dog, lol). Eventually she pushed ehr way out of my mom's guest linen cupboard, where she had been curled up behind the sheets and towels, snoozing away. Silly cat! I miss her something fierce and it's been 6 years this month since she crossed the rainbow bridge.