Unexpected Visitor this Morning

[AdaBeta27]

It could be that the cat escaped from a house while a pet sitter was in charge. That happened on another board I'm on, and the people eventually got their cat back when it returned of its own accord, though dirty and underweight. It's sweet that you've taken this cat in and are trying to reconnect it with its owner. But if that kitteh winds up being your new housecat, it certainly looks like you have a winner there.

 

[the_mother_thing]

OH MY GAWD YA'LL! You would not believe the day I have had with this handsome man.

I got a call from the owner this morning; older retired gentleman who lives about a half mile (as the crow flies) from my home. When the kitteh didn't come home overnight/this morning, he checked the local Lost & Found Pets FB page and saw the posting I made with pictures & my contact info. I confirmed he was the owner by him sending me pictures of him that he had taken, and there was no doubt - it was Hocus, but the owner calls him Spook. He said that the cat was showing up at his house for food over the summer and appeared to have been abandoned, so he started letting him in at night, but he always wants to go out during the day, so he has been an indoor/outdoor cat with him for the last couple months. He is the HOA president of his neighborhood, and said they have had problems with people (renters usually) abandoning pets when they move. Sad! And I shared with him what I learned about Hocus/Spook from the chip scan.

So we make arrangements for him to come pick kitty up. He pulls up with his cat carrier, and I wait for him to get to the front porch and bring Spook outside to him ... the cat sees the carrier and leaps from my arms to the ground, where he runs down to the sewer drain at the street and disappears. We walk over, call him to come out, and after a couple mins, he pops back out, walks over to the owner, rubs up against his legs, takes a couple head pats, and runs back down into the drain. No, I don't think it was a situation of him being afraid of the owner or anything. It was very windy today, and leaves were rustling around, and the owner told me on the phone that Spook didn't like the carrier. We wait for Spook to reappear, but after 15 minutes, it didn't seem to be happening, and I was crushed & heartbroken, not only because I felt terrible that he managed to leap from my arms at the moment his owner arrived, but because it was super cold today, and I was worried about him.

So, owner decides to go back home and keep an eye out there in case he shows back up, and I said I would watch for him here and call if I saw him or was able to get him back inside. And the owner made a couple trips over to this street as well to look & call for him throughout the day because I was working and couldn't be outside hunting all day. BUT, I did see Spook outside a few times because I heard him meowing (he is a very vocal somebody), texted the owner, and went out to try and get him to come back to me. And both times, he would come over, cuddle, but dart off again when I tried to pick him up. Then I saw him again, this time IN my back yard which is fenced, but my dogs were outside and saw him so he took off again. And I was so afraid that might have been the last straw for Spook trying to come back to me. A few hours went by, and no sign of him. Temps are dropping, wind is blowing like crazy, and this sweet loving kitteh was outside in it; I could only hope he would make his way home to be indoors & safe.

About 7:45 tonight, I popped out front one more time to just see if he may have come back (I left food & water out for him), and low & behold, he was in the front yard, meowing his head off. My daughter was out with me, so I told her to be ready to open the door for me because IF I could get him in my arms, I was NOT letting him go to escape again and needed to get inside quickly. Spook came running up to me, I scooped him up, and ran inside as quick as I could, and put him back in my guest bedroom. But he didn't seem mad or try and dart off this time ... maybe because it's like 20* out and blowing like crazy. We spent a few mins snuggling him again and warming him up, fresh food & water, and he curled up on the bed and dozed off. I called the owner, and told him Spook was safe and inside with me again, and that we should just wait until tomorrow for him to come back to pick him up; he happily agreed.

All that was happening while I was also working, running a few conference calls, and making a trip to the airport to pick up a family member who is here to visit for a few days (and she is looking fwd to snuggling with Spook tonight while they share the guest bedroom). So needless to say, I am absolutely wiped the hell out tonight from all the adrenaline highs & lows. My heart sank so many times today when I would see him, and he would dart off again, and I was so sad thinking about him being out in the cold. I am big puffy heart happy that he came back to me tonight and let me bring him back inside to be safe & warm. And now, it's about bedtime for me!

 

[the_mother_thing]

Almost forgot ... his "I'm Back" glamour shot.

 

[Maria D]

JoCoJenn, I think you really need to see this from Spook's point of view. He used to be Hocus, but had bad owners that abandoned him. So he found this guy to take care of him, and it was all right, but could there be something better? The only way to find out is travel around and see what's out there. One day he's lounging on some steps and next thing you know he's taken in, fed, and set up like a king in the lovely guest bedroom! And that's not all, there's cuddles and brushing too. His dreams are realized, so he thought, when all of a sudden that other guy shows up and threatens to ruin it all. The only recourse is to jump in a sewer drain and hope the guy gives up and these new people come to their senses and understand the new world order!

You are truly wonderful to look for the cat's owner. It's heartbreaking to have a pet go missing and people that go above and beyond to try and reunite owners with their beloved pets are THE BEST!

 

[the_mother_thing]

Very Maine Cooncat type! on color I'm so biased considering I have a black dog black is beautiful

That's what I was thinking breed-wise ... and his legs & paws are noticeably larger/thicker than most cats legs & paws. I'd call them "beefy".

such a handsome cat! Makes ME want to adopt him! (have no idea if boy just seems like one).

It IS a boy; owner confirmed today.

Has anyone entertained the possibility he was left behind on purpose.

Maybe someone who could no longer care for him?

We now know he was abandoned, but it's not clear if it was 'accidental' or intentional.

Oh, what a beautiful cat! As the owner of 2 maine coons I'd have to say that he/she (looks more like a he to me) is at least part maine coon. I'm so glad you are caring for him but it is concerning that it doesn't appear as if anyone is looking for him...

He really is gorgeous. The owner said he has been an indoor/outdoor cat since he has known/had him, so he noticed he didn't come home last night, but that it wasn't completely abnormal for him, that he usually would be waiting in the morning to come in for a snack.

What a handsome kitty! Hope his people are found!

I hope we find the owner soon because my DD is already greasing the "we should keep him" wheels if we don't find the owner.

lol well of course!

I have a feeling this won't be the last we see of him, especially since he stayed close to my house all day. Perhaps he'll decide he likes our digs better and make his way back over to visit.

Wow, what a beautiful baby!

You know you just adopted a new cat, right??

Probably wouldn't have to twist my arm too hard, but my cat may have other thoughts on the matter.

It could be that the cat escaped from a house while a pet sitter was in charge. That happened on another board I'm on, and the people eventually got their cat back when it returned of its own accord, though dirty and underweight. It's sweet that you've taken this cat in and are trying to reconnect it with its owner. But if that kitteh winds up being your new housecat, it certainly looks like you have a winner there.

I wrestled with a hundred scenarios for how he may have wound up here, and they are all sad really, including the reality that he was abandoned by his original owner and left to fend for himself, making him the indoor/outdoor cat he is now. That's how I wound up with my Charlie-cat as well. And if he decided to stay and the owner was okay with it, and if he could get along with my pets, I would love for him to stay. The owner really does care for him (logistically and lovingly), but also has two other cats he rescued under similar circumstances, and seems a bit challenged with managing them all based on our conversation, especially given his age. And this is a bit of a recurring situation in his neighborhood being they are condos. I gather he is the kind of man who - IF Spook decided we were "his people" and kept returning here, he would want the cat happy and cared for, and he knows - based on what I have done for him - that he'd get that here with us. But in the mean time, we will try to get him home tomorrow.

 

[the_mother_thing]

JoCoJenn, I think you really need to see this from Spook's point of view. He used to be Hocus, but had bad owners that abandoned him. So he found this guy to take care of him, and it was all right, but could there be something better? The only way to find out is travel around and see what's out there. One day he's lounging on some steps and next thing you know he's taken in, fed, and set up like a king in the lovely guest bedroom! And that's not all, there's cuddles and brushing too. His dreams are realized, so he thought, when all of a sudden that other guy shows up and threatens to ruin it all. The only recourse is to jump in a sewer drain and hope the guy gives up and these new people come to their senses and understand the new world order!

You are truly wonderful to look for the cat's owner. It's heartbreaking to have a pet go missing and people that go above and beyond to try and reunite owners with their beloved pets are THE BEST!

You're sweet, thank you. I am just treating him the same I do my own Charlie-cat, and how I hope someone who found him would care for him if he went missing. I can't imagine being a kitteh who has been let down by an owner in any capacity; it breaks my heart. But I do think Spook gets love from his owner. He is retired and home all day, and does a lot for his cats as well as others who are abandoned in his neighborhood. We talked today about our shared opinion that surrendering even strays to the shelter should be avoided at all costs because the endings aren't always happy for the pet.

 

[azstonie]

He chose you, done!!!!

 

[monarch64]

I had a black kitty I named Spooky when I was younger! This is certainly turning out to be an entertaining story. I know how exhausting this process is, what a bunch of (albeit good) stress right before the holidays!

 

[the_mother_thing]

I had a black kitty I named Spooky when I was younger! This is certainly turning out to be an entertaining story. I know how exhausting this process is, what a bunch of (albeit good) stress right before the holidays!

It truly has been an exhausting day; I was so worried about him all day, not knowing if he was scared and might dart into the street out of fear or to try and go home ... 'worry' like that really does mentally & physically exhaust me. But if it means Spook is safe tonight, it's worth it.

 

[chrono]

What a whirlwind day and I'm glad HC aka Spook is safely indoors again. So what happens now?

 

[partgypsy]

I have also heard the saying, that cats choose the owners and not the other way around. I can also imagine that he may be thinking, well this isn't such a bad set up! I just hope he and your other cat gets along, and it has a happy ending that way. If he's been an indoor/outdoor cat, he probably has a bit of savvy to be OK, as long as not super cold out.

About a year ago went to the pet store and there was a main coon brother sister pair, Pandora and Poseidon. They were both beautiful, but the male was such a regal creature! I tried to talk my husband at the time into it, but he is allergic to cats and one is his limit. I did prowl the adoption page for him until he finally disappeared (I'm assumed got adopted).

 

[iwantsparkle]

My goodness, that is one handsome cat. I think he is a Main Coon, or at least part.

Such a sweetie. What a looker. Love.

 

[the_mother_thing]

Spook's owner just left with him. I made it clear that if he ever finds Spook to be 'too much' for him, to let me know because he clearly seemed quite happy here and I adore him. I tried to not make it as obvious as, "how about I just keep him?". The owner does care for him and Spook didn't run from him or anything, so I didn't want to be pushy, yet make it known. The owner also brought me a nice gift of chocolates as a 'thank you'; he is a sweet man.

BUT ... if Spook makes his way back to my house, we may have to get a judge to ask Spook where he wants to live.

Here was Spook's sad face just before leaving.

 

[distracts]

Oh my gosh how eventful! At least you know he has someone else who is looking out for him.

JoCoJenn, I think you really need to see this from Spook's point of view. He used to be Hocus, but had bad owners that abandoned him. So he found this guy to take care of him, and it was all right, but could there be something better? The only way to find out is travel around and see what's out there. One day he's lounging on some steps and next thing you know he's taken in, fed, and set up like a king in the lovely guest bedroom! And that's not all, there's cuddles and brushing too. His dreams are realized, so he thought, when all of a sudden that other guy shows up and threatens to ruin it all. The only recourse is to jump in a sewer drain and hope the guy gives up and these new people come to their senses and understand the new world order!

You are truly wonderful to look for the cat's owner. It's heartbreaking to have a pet go missing and people that go above and beyond to try and reunite owners with their beloved pets are THE BEST!