Last year, we started seeing a young, thin kitty hanging around our backyard. I started feeding her and with time, she would come into the house to play. She was always so very nervous and scared of everything! When I saw that we had a large racoon living under the deck, I swooped in and brought the kitty indoors - we named her Peanut. That was November 2009. Since then, she is very affectionate, but completely scared of her own shadow! She hates going outside unless the patio door is open wide so she can come back into the house and if one of us is outside with her. I can easily leave the door open and do some gardening with no fear that she will roam onto the deck on her own.
Over the last few nights, I again have noticed another young cat roaming our yard and have begun to feed it. This new cat is very confident, comes right into the house to play, while Peanut hides. On one occasion Peanut ran onto the deck after the other cat to chase her off, but as soon as I called her, she bolted into the house. That's why last night was so strange...we were heading up to bed for the night and as I passed the front door I realized that I had a houseplant out there which might not do well with the cold evening, so I opened the door and brought the plant in. As I was setting it on the floor, I noticed Peanut slowly stroll onto the porch. No biggie. I called her and she just stared at me as she scampered down the stairs. I ran after her onto the driveway, in my bathrobe and slippers no less, and she darted between our cars. The more I followed, the more she ran, as if playing some fun game of hide and seek. I lost her between our neighbour's cars. So I ran back in to grab Freddie to help me. We spent the next 40 minutes walking up and down our street, banging her food dish, looking under cars and peeking into neighbours yards. Although my gut said that she'd be back, I was so worried that she might get hit by a car or attacked by a racoon or dog. I kept hoping that the fact that she was scared of everyone and everything might keep her out of harms way.
I decided to stay up and wait, checking the front and back door, in between praying to St. Anthony and St. Francis to keep our girl safe. I'd periodically go out and shake her treat bag or bang on her food bowl. After another 1:30, I heard a small noise at the front door and there she was, sitting on the bottom step. I opened the door, she looked at me, and bolted again - I lost her again! At least I knew she was near the house. After another 15 minutes she appeared at the back door, pressing her face against the screen door. When I opened the screen, she was clearly ready to come home from her big two hour adventure. She ate a bowl full of food, went to the litter box [she couldn't do that out there??], let me clean her dirty/muddy paws and hopped into bed. Whew...I could now go to bed too.
Sadly, sleep was elusive to me as I was not only stressed, but also had had a bit of exercise walking up and down the street and squatting to look under cars for Peanut. This morning I woke up exhausted and in a lot of pain...but this was the sight that met me:
I lover her innocent look, like saying "What did I do??"
Well worth the trouble I say :-)
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