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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / October 2004Otis - how being lost has changed him
Hi all: Otis finally seems all settled, about a month after he was trapped and brought home. He ran away from everyone but me when we got home and was super twitchy. It is amazing how strongly we are bonded - I guess that nobody else caters to his craziness like I do and he appreciates that! Anyway, he wanted to go out but was scared to go out. I tried to take him on walks to re-orient him after a few days and he would just stand on the property line and wouldn't budge. He sat there yelling at me and complaining ... then would run right back to the door. It took him a long time to be comfortable outside again and even now he sticks much closer to home. Always comes when called. He's also gone up a notch in the lap fungus category. Every time I sit down, he's on my lap purring and purring. He's a cat who fully appreciates being home. He's managed to gain back that pound he lost when he was gone too :-) I kind of figure that he has no idea what happened. He was hell bent on getting Out from the cattery, achieved that, and then found himself in this alien land. Everything was different and his home wasn't around anywhere. He hasn't a clue how that happened and isn't exactly sure that won't happen when he goes out here now. Really. The saddest part of the story is Chester, who we didn't worry about at all since he's usually so centered and happy. He was brought home from the cattery right away after Otis escaped and my parents wouldn't let him out until we came home. He was all alone in the house for over a week, except when my parents and MIL would come on their daily visits. As soon as we got home, I sensed this overwhelming feeling of loneliness coming from Chester - like he was just a day or two away from utter heartbreak. The feeling persisted for days and he seemed just to drink in our presence and attention. He slept on the bed and Otis didn't even drive him off. He needed to be with us and groomed Otis constantly. Then, my cleaning lady told me that she had stopped cleaning when we were gone because she heard what sounded like a crying baby in the basement. She went to investigate and found Chester crying. This is the kitty who doesn't meow and maybe twice a year, will give us a squeak. That just broke my heart. I underestimated how much he needed to be with his buddy Otis and his family. All is well now and we're all back together again. Yeah! Susan M Otis and Chester > Hi all: > [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] > Susan M > Otis and Chester Thank goodness for a happy ending! Poor babies, and poor you in the meantime. Joy Yippee!!! Good news after all the sad stuff we've heard for a while. I am so glad you all got together again, and that Chester is a happy boy again. Purrs work! Blessed be, Baha > Hi all: > [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] > Susan M > Otis and Chester > Yippee!!! Good news after all the sad stuff we've heard for a while. I am so > glad you all got together again, and that Chester is a happy boy again. Purrs > work! No kidding do purrs work. I'm convinced that rpca has helped to get Otis back not once but twice, under pretty miraculous circumstances. As soon as I got the call from home to say that he was missing, I ran straight to the nearest Internet cafe for help. Thank you all again! Susan M Otis and Chester "Susan M" <smawdsley remove @shaw.ca> had some very interesting things to say about Re: Otis - how being lost has changed him: >No kidding do purrs work. I'm convinced that rpca has helped to get Otis >back not once but twice, under pretty miraculous circumstances. As soon as >I got the call from home to say that he was missing, I ran straight to the >nearest Internet cafe for help. Speaking of purr miracle power, wonder how Lazarus is doing lately? :-)  Signature"The universe is quite robust in design and appears to be doing just fine on its own, incompetent support staff notwithstanding. :-)" - the Dennis formerly known as (evil), MCFL What a touching story! I'm so glad you didn't lose Otis. A similar thing happened when I was overseas in 1999, but the outcomes was not happy. One of my three furkids disappeared from temporary lodging with friends. When I called to check up on how the cats were doing, they told me Cotton had not been seen for several days and they were worried. It really ruined a beautiful trip, and I wasn't able to get back for another two weeks. Cotton never was found, and his two mates, brother Safford (RB) and best friend Whitefoot (RB), were as devastated as I was. And this happened out in the country where there are fewer hiding places and no highways. So you are very lucky. > What a touching story! I'm so glad you didn't lose Otis. Thank you Pat - we're pretty happy to have the little troublemaker home ourselves :-) I don't know if you were on the group this time last year when we lost him. We had moved to our new house, he got out and got lost. We found him over a mile away through a string of lucky occurences and some little boys saw him hiding in some bushes. He was too scared to volunteer to come out so if they hadn't seen him ... > A similar thing happened when I was overseas in 1999, but the outcomes was > not happy. One of my three furkids disappeared from temporary lodging with [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > best friend Whitefoot (RB), were as devastated as I was. And this happened > out in the country where there are fewer hiding places and no highways. I'm so sorry to hear that Cotton was lost. I hope he found someone to take care of him. What a big loss you had - and also now Safford and Whitefoot. > So you are very lucky. I think we are. And I tell myself that when Otis starts batting the blinds about at 4 AM too. Seriously. Susan M Otis and Chester >Hi all: > [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] >Susan M >Otis and Chester Oh, how heartbreakingly sad! Those poor boys. I am glad they are doing better. But you must never, ever go anywhere without them again! ;-) I never go anywhere overnight anymore. The last time I did, I came home to a messy hairball on my pillow! -- CATherine > Oh, how heartbreakingly sad! Those poor boys. I am glad they are doing > better. But you must never, ever go anywhere without them again! ;-) > I never go anywhere overnight anymore. The last time I did, I came > home to a messy hairball on my pillow! It was hard on everyone alright. I didn't promise not to go anywhere without them again but I *did* promise that they got to stay home next time. No more catteries for them. They seem to appreciate us that much more when we come back from our trips, that's for sure. They've never horked a hairball when we've been away but I'm sure they'll think of it eventually! Susan M Otis and Chester > They've never horked a hairball when we've been away but I'm sure they'll > think of it eventually! This reminds me of the summer when my mother was in a hospital, dying slowly, and I moved up to Michigan temporarily with the three cats (Whitefoot, Cotton and Safford - all big Maine Coons). I stayed in mom's house with them. My cousin, Linda, was around a lot, and she can't abide cats in a house, but she put up with them for my sake and because she knew my mom wouldn't mind. One day she entered my mom's unused bedroom for some reason, and there was a hairball in the middle of the clean pink comforter on the bed. It was shaped just like a turd, and that's what Linda thought it was. She told me, "THAT'S why I don't want cats in the house!" > fungus category. Every time I sit down, he's on my lap purring and purring. > He's a cat who fully appreciates being home. He's managed to gain back that > pound he lost when he was gone too :-) Awww... what a good boy! > what sounded like a crying baby in the basement. She went to investigate > and found Chester crying. This is the kitty who doesn't meow and maybe > twice a year, will give us a squeak. That just broke my heart. I > underestimated how much he needed to be with his buddy Otis and his family. Poor baby! Despite their reputation for not being social animals, I find that cats form very strong bonds with each other (and us, of course). I'm very glad to hear that both guyzos are recovering from their misadventures. I guess it will be a while before you go on vacation, huh? ;-) Best regards. Victor SignatureVictor Martinez Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM) Send your spam here: uce@ftc.gov Email me here: pistorLITTER@BOXaustin.rr.com I'm glad your boys are both together and happy. Our Smokey, an ex feral, will not, will NOT go outside again. Having found a home he has no intention of EVER leaving it. --Fil > I'm glad your boys are both together and happy. > > Our Smokey, an ex feral, will not, will NOT go outside again. Having > found a home he has no intention of EVER leaving it. Thank you! I keep hoping Otis will see the light. Instead he keeps soiling the carpet if I don't get to the door fast enough :-( I'm glad your Smokey has found such a comfortable home in which to be properly pampered :-) Susan M Otis and Chester >> I'm glad your boys are both together and happy. >> [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >I'm glad your Smokey has found such a comfortable home in which to be >properly pampered :-) Seems our masters can have very different reactions to being brought indoors. When I first let the "little bitty pregnant kitty", who became my decidedly fluffy Little Bit, inside it was months before she would venture outside. Eventually, she was back to going outside when I went to work in the morning. She became my weather forecaster, since she could predict afternoon rain much better than the joker on TV, and wouldn't go out in the morning when I left for work if there was rain in her forecast. That seemed to work best for both of us, but then one day I saw her dart across the street just in front of a passing car, so now she only goes out when I do. She would probably still rather have more outdoor time, but I think it works best this way since I'm more confident she's safe, and I'm sure Sammy, who was born inside and never allowed out without supervision, enjoys having company. Rocky is the other extreme - he is happiest outside and just tolerates being inside. For the longest time after being brought in he refused to use a box, but he finally relented. I think he's gradually learning to accept being inside more often, but I still let him out each morning. He seems to stick closer to home, perhaps a result of his neutering, or maybe just getting older. TED tells me that he has a touch of arthritis that will get worse as he ages. On a side note, Rocky hasn't lost his new collar, yet. It's been about a week, and his record for keeping a collar is a month. I putting it on him when he goes out in the morning and removing it when he comes inside. Hopefully, that will get him used to wearing it, and also used to it being put on and removed. Seems to be working so far. SignatureSteve Touchstone, faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Rocky stouchst@JUNKsirinet.net [remove Junk for email] Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html <snippage> > All is well now and we're all back together again. Yeah! Glad to hear Otis is more of a homebody now. Poor Chester! Nikki was devastated, too, when Frank went missing. She was so terribly lonely. I used to rush home during my lunch hour to keep her company for a few minutes before I had to rush back. Back then, we lived in a block of flats with an enclosed yard surrounded by blocks of flats. I used to go out with the cats in the evenings. I let Frank go about as he wished (with his harness on but no leash) while Nikki was on her leash. While Frank was AWOL, Nikki wanted to go out every single evening. But instead of enjoying herself and playing as she had used to, she would meticulously go through the whole yard and sniff every corner, then she wanted to go back home. It's obvious to me that she was looking for Frank. It broke my heart to see her like that. We are sending sympathy purrs and meatloaf meditations to Chester. SignatureMarina, Frank and Nikki marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki > Back then, we lived in a block of flats with an enclosed yard surrounded > by blocks of flats. I used to go out with the cats in the evenings. I [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > she was looking for Frank. It broke my heart to see her like that. We > are sending sympathy purrs and meatloaf meditations to Chester. Awww - that's so touching - its got me all teary. As Victor says, kitties do forge such strong bonds. Chester thanks you for the purrs - he's acting much more secure that we won't leave ... but still sleeps on the bed :-) Susan M Otis and Chester It's so gratifying to get a good outcome now & again. So even though your boys suffered trauma, and much of your Irish trip was effectively ruined, you're now happily reunited & bonded closer than ever. Hooray for that. Continuing purrs & best wishes Gordon & the TT SignatureFeline family viewable at: http://community.webshots.com/user/exocat > Otis finally seems all settled > It's so gratifying to get a good outcome now & again. So even though > your boys suffered trauma, and much of your Irish trip was effectively > ruined, you're now happily reunited & bonded closer than ever. Hooray > for that. You said it Gordon! Miraculously good news and we are all together now. At least the kids had good fun in Ireland ... Susan M Otis and Chester How lucky you were to get him home. Although I purred and prayed that you would, I suspected you might not see him again. I'm just *so* pleased you got him back. It's almost a miracle. Tweed > Hi all: > [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > Susan M > Otis and Chester > How lucky you were to get him home. Although I purred and prayed that you > would, I suspected you might not see him again. I'm just *so* pleased you > got him back. It's almost a miracle. > > Tweed Thanks so much Tweed. I consider it a miracle - and its the fact that I've got him back so many times that floors me too. I can't possibly take him for granted now ... not that he'd let me anyway. This morning, despite being late for work, I had to stop and take a picture of him. He was sitting on what is turning into an altar. There he was surrounded by Shiva, Durga, and the Buddha. Sitting tall and proud like an Eyptian diety who should be worshipped :-) Susan M Otis and Chester He was sitting on what is turning into an altar. There he was > surrounded by Shiva, Durga, and the Buddha. Sitting tall and proud like an > Eyptian diety who should be worshipped :-) > > Susan M > Otis and Chester "Should?" The word is "must!" You MUST worship the cat or you shall receive great suffering and pa... *removes Nocturne from the keyboard* You're not allowed to spread heresies on the internet, Nox, remember? --Fil > He was sitting on what is turning into an altar. There he was > > surrounded by Shiva, Durga, and the Buddha. Sitting tall and proud like an [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > "Should?" The word is "must!" You MUST worship the cat or you shall > receive great suffering and pa... I've always worshipped him you know (looking nervously over shoulder), its just that I thought he might look a little more self conscious about it, that's all. I mean, he blended right in !!!! Susan M Otis and Chester Who knows that its spelled deity and can't take back the original post > "Should?" The word is "must!" You MUST worship the cat or you shall > receive great suffering and pa... [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > --Fil Whaddaya mean heresies? You MUST worship the cat(s). That's why they're called owners. DUH. Cap'n Pine Cone esq. You are taking such good care of your kitties, Susan. Thank you. SignaturePolonca & Soncek > Hi all: > > Otis finally seems all settled, about a month after he was trapped and > brought home. He ran away from everyone but me when we got home and was > super twitchy. It is amazing how strongly we are bonded - I guess that > nobody else caters to his craziness like I do and he appreciates that! <snip > You are taking such good care of your kitties, Susan. Thank you. Thanks Polonca - if I'd been really thinking, I'd have heeded my overwhelming instincts and gone back and taken them from the cattery in the first place. It really is astonishing to me that I had such a deep sense of foreboding that I'd never see him again and that I was crying so hysterically after I'd dropped him off. Do you have to hit me on the head with a hammer to get the message??? Never again will I ignore such strong feelings. I don't care how stupid it looks if I have to explain that I just have this "feeling" so have to take the cats. Susan M Otis and Chester Awwwww! Poor Otis, poor Chester!! I'm glad to know that they're getting back to normal - cats do *SO* hate their routine to be altered. Hugs, CatNipped > Hi all: > [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] > Susan M > Otis and Chester > Awwwww! Poor Otis, poor Chester!! I'm glad to know that they're getting > back to normal - cats do *SO* hate their routine to be altered. > > Hugs, > > CatNipped LOL - now that's an understatement! Susan M Otis and Chester ...- cats do *SO* hate their routine to be altered. CatNipped Unless, of course, they view the change as somehow to their advantage. Annie > Hi all: > > Otis finally seems all settled, about a month after he was trapped and > brought home. (big snip) Awww, please give both of your sweetieboys a scritch from me! It's sad that Chester was lonely, but sweet that he loves you more than you knew. I do hope Otis is happy being a homebody - you must all stay together at all times, for Chester's sake. ;-) ------ Krista <SNIP> > All is well now and we're all back together again. Yeah! > > Susan M > Otis and Chester Poor babies. I'm so happy everything worked out OK in the end. Purrs that you never have to go through anything like that again. SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera) A house is not a home, without a cat. >All is well now and we're all back together again. Yeah! > >Susan M >Otis and Chester Poor Chester, how heartbreaking. I'm glad he and Otis are getting back to normal. Suz Macmoosette Thank Heavens There's Only One =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= Waiting for inspiration. Please hold while I contemplate my navel. |\__/| (=':'=) (")_(") > Hi all: > > Otis finally seems all settled, <> > All is well now and we're all back together again. Yeah! > Susan M > Otis and Chester Purrs for Otis and Chester living long and happily together and none of them going missing ever again! :: lewe ------------------------------------------------------------- lewemi at yahoo dot se || cat pics: photos.yahoo.com/lewemi |
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