Sunday 16 September 2012

Gone Missing

Tilly in one of her favourite spots - the sofa.
Having returned from being away for several days I come home to a worrying and slightly upsetting fact that one of our cats, Tilly - our grey tabby - has been missing since Thursday 13th September, 2012.

Now if you had occasion to meet Tilly you would realise she isn't the type of cat to do a Houdini. She's a home loving missy, who loves her creature comforts, her food and especially her cuddles on the sofa during an evening's television time. My wife won't rest and is extremely upset, as Tilly was - is her cuddle-buddy next to Darcy our dog.



Caught in the act - Tilly & Eve lazing on our bed.

My worry is also tinged with guilt, as I often berated Tilly for sleeping on the clean laundry in the basket, for demanding food at all hours and for the numerous times I've had to clean her misjudged toilet action in the litter tray. I've even found myself muttering under my breath that I wouldn't miss her if she were gone - terrible, I know. But I am missing her and am worried that something terrible has happened to her. Tomorrow is Monday and I shall be calling in to the local vets where Tilly is often treated, in the hope a notice of a 'cat found' will bring us the relief so we desperately want. If not, then I suppose I shall be posting my own, 'cat missing' notice on that same day.

Eve & Tilly at the start of a play fight session - these always make me laugh.

*NOTE - As of 2055hrs 16th September, Tilly returned, fit and well, but hungry. Happy ending :)*

12 comments:

Deborah Walker said...

ah, man. I'm hoping for a quick return.

Deborah Walker said...

She looks so sweet. I hope she's just being fed by another family. That's what happened to our cat a few years ago.

Elise Fallson said...

Oh, so sorry to hear about Tilly. She sounds like an indoor cat, did she get out somehow? I hope you find her well very soon. I know what it's like to miss a kitty....

Mark K said...

Ok, this is just so bizarre - it's now 2055hrs and Tilly has returned, bold as you like but very hungry.
Relief is something hard to describe accurately in words, but hell, I'm feeling it now!

My wife burst into tears when she saw Tilly, and to be honest, the whole house had been feeling tense and on edge, daft as that might sound. But anyone with a pet they love dearly will understand what I'm about to say next - they aren't just pets, they are family.

Mark K said...

Thank you, Elise - but all has ended well - phew!

Mark K said...

lol... sweet is a word I'm not sure I'd use - she's a tiny terror when she wants to be, but so glad she has now returned from where ever she's been 'hiding'?

Appreciate your words :)

JoJo said...

OMG Mark I am SO SO Happy to hear this news. I am about to burst into tears too. I know how horrible I would feel if one of my babies went missing too. What a relief!!!!!!!

??? said...

I'm happy to hear it all turned out well!

Elise Fallson said...

What a relief! (:

Doctor Checkmate said...

I was going to strongly suggest you turn to the social network of your choice. I've seen Facebook used to reunite many a pet with a frantic owner.

And, the pets are all like, "Dude, I went out. Was I supposed to give you an itinerary? Jeez."

Sarah Tokeley said...

I'm so glad to hear you've had a happy ending :-)

Mark K said...

Thank you all for the kind words. When looking through the web for information on how best to find a missing cat I was disturbed by how common this is - basically, home loving cats with no history of straying just up sticks and disappear for no good reason? Some return days later (as in Tilly's case), some take weeks. Whilst there are those that never return.

I suppose it is a sobering reminder that these animals are still, in essence, free spirits who come and go as they please, and it is only their choice to stay with us that causes us to kid ourselves that we 'own' them, and without us they could not survive.

More often than not, it is the cat's choice to stay with us, not our choice to keep the cat.