Cleo

There is something about the presence of a cat... that seems to take the bite out of being alone. ~Louis J. CamutiAbout two and a half years ago, #1 daughter was given a kitten. This kitten grew to be "her" cat. It had no patience with anybody else but she could maul it all she wanted to and the cat took it. She named the cat "Cleo-catra" You would think Cleo would not want another cat in the house but took to my son's right away when he was unable to keep his. So she lived happily with the two cats until January 21 when she left to go visit Sir T in Philly. She left the cats with big bowls of food, water and a clean litter box.

That Sunday when she returned home only one cat came running to her and it was not Cleo. She ripped the house apart. Sir T drove up from Philly and ripped the house apart. The man drove a Have a Heart trap out to her and he ripped the house apart. Conclusion: the cat was NOT in the house and must have gotten out when she was closing the door. The man showed her how to set the trap. We called the shelters and left all the information. The next week we drove out there and hung signs up all over the place. NOTHING.

Days went by. The neighbor said he saw a gray cat so hope glimmered but as time passed that started to die out. Weeks went by. She caught other cats but not her's.

After a couple of days spent down here with us, #1 daughter went home yesterday. She was out on her porch setting the trap when she heard a meow. She looks in the yard and there is a gray cat. She says "Cleo?" and the cat came running toward her. Six weeks this little indoor cat spent outside in the freezing temps and snow.

If the pull of the outside world is strong, there is also a pull towards the human. The cat may disappear on its own errands, but sooner or later, it returns once again for a little while, to greet us with its own type of love. ~Lloyd Alexander

To say #1 was beside herself would be an understatement. I was on the phone with her when she found her and I thought she was going to hyperventilate. After a little food so as not to upset Cleo's stomach and a bath, all was back to normal their world.

Are we really sure the purring is coming from the kitty and not from our very own hearts? ~Emme Woodhull-Bäche, translated

Last night I would bet they were both purring.