Bad day, good day: Part 1

I was getting ready to finally fall into bed this morning at about 6am, and the two big dogs were outside barking incessantly.  They would not stop.  Flippy went and yelled at them, but they still didn’t quit, so I went outside to try attempt to silence them.  They were both staring intently at some bushes near the pool, and I crouched down and could see something black under/behind the Texas Ranger plant.  I figured it was a trash bag or something, but suddenly it moved—it was a stray cat.  I thought it was a stray cat.  It started to run towards the backyard gate, towards the street, and I realized it wasn’t a stray cat—it was our cat, Frank.  He was wearing his new orange collar, and even though I called to him, he squeezed under the gate and vanished.  I was devastated—I thought I might have seen him for the last time.  He has a microchip, but no ID on his collar.

Flippy and I did a drive through the neighbourhood, looking under cars and in corners, but we didn’t see any sign of him.  I poked all the big bushes in our front yard with a stick, in case he was hiding in them, but he wasn’t.  Luckily, I have a couple of humane traps, so I set one on the front porch and baited it with food, and then I came inside and made some “Lost” posters.  I literally had the posters made within 20 minutes of seeing him go under the gate, and I planned to take them door-to-door on our street, while also asking permission to look in peoples’ yards.  I did some quick online reading about how to find a lost cat, and I gathered up a familiar cat bed to put on the front porch next to the trap.  I carried the bed and the posters downstairs, glanced into the yard, and there was Frank by one of the trees.  Unfortunately, the big dogs again shot outside, saw him, and frightened him into hiding.  He went into hiding in the yard though, not outside the gate, so I quickly grabbed the dogs and hauled them inside and locked them up.  Then I called for Flippy to blockade the gate so Frank couldn’t squirm under it again.  When I finally tried to approach Frank, who was again under the Texas Ranger, he ran to the house, peered through the doggie door, and jumped back inside.

Frank was probably missing a grand total of 30 minutes, but it seemed like an eternity.  I really thought I might never see him again, as he’s one of those cats who’s so nervous in strange territory that they hide and stay silent.  I hoped I’d be able to trap him, but that’s how he originally came to live with us, so he might have been smart enough to avoid the trap for a second time.

Obviously, my old fears about cats going out the doggie door have come true.  I found Frank sitting by the door again this afternoon (the door was blocked, however), so I’ve no doubt that he’ll leave again when given the opportunity.  As long as the big dogs are downstairs, he won’t go down there, but I put the dogs in crates a few times a day so the foster kittens can play without being poked and prodded—that’s when he snuck out this morning.  Our doggie door is one of those panels which fits in the sliding glass door track, so eventually we want to get a new panel with an electronic door.  The door will be trigger by sensors on the dogs’ collars, but otherwise, will stay locked.  I priced the door and it’s going to cost about $450 (including shipping), so that’s not affordable right now.  I then priced cat fence, but our yard is so big, that would cost about $400 as well.  For now, all I can do is make sure the doggie door is blocked anytime the big dogs aren’t around, and I’ve blocked the bottom of the gate in our yard, so Frank can’t slip underneath it if it gets out again.  I also obviously need to put better ID on the cats.  I try to avoid dangling tags, because they seem to encourage the cats to pull their collars off.  I really need a tag with rivets, but need to find something small enough to fit on a cat collar.  I guess just a name and phone number would be enough information.  TJ and Missy Mae don’t even have microchips (I completely forgot to ask for them when both cats had surgery this year), so I have to be more diligent.  It’s just a matter of time before TJ merrily follows the dogs into the backyard, because he’s not afraid of them, and thinks he’s just one of the gang.

I eventually did get some sleep, and the day got better.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 06/09 at 01:53 AM

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  1. I forget which pet blog I read this on, but that person was saying their pets’ tags have “REWARD!” and their phone number, rather than the pet’s name. Sad to say, but sometimes money motivates people more than compassion for a lost pet’s worried owners.

    Also, sounds like tags like this might work for you: http://www.gundogsupply.com/collars.html (found those through another blog).

    I’m glad Frank is home safe! My biggest fear is that Salem will get out, so I can understand your panic.

    Posted by Helena  on  06/09  at  10:06 AM

  2. Y’know, I’ve seen those collars before.  I think I decided against them because they’re so huge, but I suppose a puppy collar might do the trick.

    I’m actually toying with the idea of buying 500 or so plastic, disposable collars like shelters use, and writing on them with a Sharpie.  How’s that for elegant?!

    Posted by Leigh-Ann  on  06/12  at  04:44 AM
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