Josephine/An Early Christmas
| What a week the last week has been. On Sunday before Thanksgiving, we lost one of our cats. Josephine, pictured at right, disappeared from the backyard. First of all, let me explain how she came to be outside in the first place. We have three cats, Wellington, ten, Josephine, about 8, and Bijou, 4. Wellington, otherwise know by me as Willy, is a neutered male but doesn't know it. Were he a horse, I would say he was proud cut. His and Josie's presence predates mine. I came and I added Bijou to the mix. |
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| Two years ago Josephine developed an auto immune disorder affecting her soft tissue. Her paws and ears began to just dry up. After a proper diagnosis, and many months of experimentation, she is maintained on steroids. Her skin was healthier, but her personality changed. The other cats picked on her and soon she stayed hidden under the bed all the time, barely venturing out to eat and drink and never venturing to the litter box. It became unbearable. We tried everything. As an ill adult cat is difficult to find a new home for, we felt we could either have her put down or try keeping her outdoors. We put her in the backyard last spring and she flourished. Queen of her fenced domain, she chased insects, ran laps, and never jumped the fence. It was great.
Then on Sunday the 23rd, with the wind blowing horribly and temperatures dropping, we came home in the afternoon and she was gone. Night came and no Josie. We searched and searched. On Monday I made posters and put them up all over the neighborhood and surrounding area and at the nearest veterinarian's office. All week, we heard nothing. Then last night, we came in from Christmas shopping, and had a message from someone, who having seen the poster at the vet's, thought she might have her. At least a mile away and over busy streets, we hurried to see if it was our Josie. And there she was, in a box in their garage. Thin and slightly dirty, but otherwise unharmed. Oddly, three weeks ago, they had to put to sleep their 14 year old calico, and the woman had seen Josie a couple of times during the week, but when she mentioned it to her family they thought she was just imagining seeing the beloved cat they had lost. Yesterday, the daughter saw her and realizing she might be the cat on the poster, they managed to capture her and hold her until we could get there. How she got so far away, we'll never know. What wonderful people! They wouldn't accept a reward, so we are making a donation to the Humane Society in their name and nearer Christmas we plan to do something special for their sweet family. As for us, Christmas came early this year. | |
Comments
Wow! That's awesome.
My little dog Bear (no longer my dog) got loose a few times, but always came back or slowed down so I could catch him. It's an awful feeling when one of your pets is out in the world alone.
Baked goods are a nice reward. But considering the Good Cat Samaritans recently lost their own feline, don't make a cake in the shape of a cat's head.
Posted by: Texas T-Bone | December 1, 2003 12:07 PM
Oh Rockelle, that's so wonderful. I'm so glad that she was found and unharmed. That is just great, I'm actually speechless. anywho, I read it before your own son told me, Josie is so lucky...Woohoo!!! love ya, chels
Posted by: Chelsea | December 1, 2003 9:14 PM
Very sweet. One of my mom's cats did a similar disappearing act at right before Thanksgiving, only to turn up a few days later--dirty and very hungry, but otherwise in good shape. (We thought he had gotten locked in somewhere, perhaps somebody's basement.)
I just had to have one of my dear kitties put to sleep in September, so cat stories make me cry easily--even happy ones like yours. But I'm glad Josie is back where she belongs, with the people who treasure her.
Posted by: Adoresixtyfour | December 18, 2003 3:54 PM