(no subject)
MISSING
Sometime during the afternoon/evening this past Saturday, Fred got out of the house. We noticed he wasn't around during the day on Sunday, and when we searched the house Sunday evening and realized he was not there, then we knew there was a problem. Erik and I searched the neighborhood with flashlights and food, searching bushes, under cars, parking lots, nooks and crannies, everywhere. We put up posters. We left food and a blanket out on the porch for him, and tried to sleep.
This morning, one of our neighbors said he saw Fred on Saturday evening (which is how we knew about when he got out, since the last time we saw him was on Saturday afternoon). He was sitting on the steps across from our place, probably staring and wondering why we had not opened the door yet to find him. Our neighbor did not realize at the time he was our cat - it was only when he saw our posters that he did.
Erik is reminding me that cats are tough, and Fred has all of his claws. He likes to get up into high places, which is one hell of a lot safer than in the middle of the road. But I'm worried about him. He's my little boy, the same one who cries and squeaks when I pick him up and makes a run for the door when it's open but never goes farther than 1 foot outside (until Saturday, that is). He's a spoiled indoor cat with a big belly from all of the food I give him. He likes to lie on my ankles, and his favorite orange blanket, and chase milk carton rings, and now he is outside and hungry and lost and scared. And I'm scared too.