Last night, just before midnight, I received a terrible phone call. It was from Slinky and Malinky's new Mum. She was crying so hard that I thought, initially, that it was a crank call and hung up on her.
Luckily she called back, and the only words that I could make out were "I can't find Slinky".
"I'll be right over" I said. And ran next door to wake my Mum up (to mind my boys) before rushing over there.
I arrived, to be greeted by my friend in SUCH a state that she literally couldn't talk. She had been looking for him for 15 hours.
I walked out her back door, re-assuring her that I would help her find him, and that he would be okay, and instantly he appeared.
INSTANTLY. After 15 hours of her searching and calling and panicking.
Little bugger.
I can't help but think that he was (in his own way) protesting that fact that I had appeared again and then disappeared. And that he was waiting for me to return.
There's really no other explaination.
Cats (particularly those with Burmese blood in them) are very loyal. I had a divine little Burmese called Felix once. When I moved overseas, he stayed in my house with my flatmate. He sat at the end of my driveway for 2 weeks waiting for me. He wouldn't eat, drink or move.
I came home for a flying visit after 12 months and went straight from the airport to visit him. I saw him every day for 5 days while I was home. And then I left again.
He returned to his position at the end of the driveway and refused to move, eat or drink. And after two weeks, he simply died.
Broke my heart.
And now I'm thinking that I should not visit Slinky and Malinky again. That my selfishness in wanting SO much to see them only makes them suffer.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
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7 comments:
Oh that is so sad. :(
And your poor friend must have been equally relieved and pissed off at Slinky!
Oh what a naughty cat! Pets, hey...
That is so sad about your other cat.
oh so sad. I'd be torn but wouldn't be able to give up the visits. Plus, you gotta believe that in the case of Slinky and Malinky that they may ultimately come to love your friend as much as you.
On top of everything Slinky wants Fe time too! He clearly loves you much - but at the same time cats are very perceptive - maybe he also thought you needed more Slinky time. Animals are always good therapy.
As for K and the boys and everything - I am continuously impressed at what you are doing and how you are doing it. You are so up front with the boys - it is tough for even some adults to understand let alone kids.
As always we are all here for you to help (in some small way) you deal with a very full (emotionally and otherwise) plate.
J xox
ohh I so know what you mean ... dearie me ! When we moves to NZ we rehoused our siamese with mum and dad - he died about a month later ... but he did have a sunny last month - but I think he missed MIC - he was definately MICs cat ... hugs le
I completely sympathise with the 15 hour cat hunt.
I have had cats that disappear so often that after the first 2-3 cat hunts I just gave up and had to adopt a c'est la vie attitude. Not easy.
Just last week Marble didn't come in one night, or the next morning and I eventually heard her calling from 3 houses away. She just got lost, silly thing.
I don't think I've ever had a cat that pined for me 'though.
Cats just break your heart, I think.
Mine is a Tonkinese and I think you're right about the Burmese loyalty. Every time he comes home from being at the cattery when we go on holiday he goes missing for a few times. No matter if we leave in locked inside for a few days to settle in, the minute he goes outside he's gone for a few days.
I swear he punishes us.
Glad Slinky came home!
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