Cat Worries

I usually leave the front kitchen door open whenever the weather's nice enough so Bennie, my cat, can wander in and out as she pleases. She doesn't prowl the neighborhood while she's outside, just patrols the breezeway and maybe walks around downstairs a bit.

I was up pretty late last night and noticed she wasn't around. Now, she'll frequently curl up in a corner somewhere in the evening so that, at bedtime, I have to track her down if she's not immediately visible. Sometimes she'll be napping in some really obscure part of the apartment when I think she's outside. When I get around to finding her, she looks at me like I'm crazy and annoying. Damn cats.

Anyway, last night she disappeared. She's definitely not in the apartment nor does she respond to the two-note call I use with her. (Note I didn't say she comes home when I whistle. Just responds eventually. She's a cat, after all.) I spent about a half-hour looking for her before having to turn in. I woke up early and tried looking some more -- no response. I have no idea where she's at.

It's been a couple of years now since she found herself locked outside like this. She should be cold and hungry and upset by now, trying to get back in. Frankly, I'm worried. She might be in the basement of our building or another in the complex (there are cat holes) but I've been calling for an hour now with no response. This is very atypical behavior.

Thoughts, prayers and mojo would be appreciated right now.





EARLY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Still no sign of her. This has never happened before. I'm now officially Worry Level: Agitated. My biggest fears are that she ate something that made her sick, or worse; or got into a crippling confrontation with one of the many ferals that live around here. (Though I didn't hear anything.)

I'm hoping she's just taking her afternoon nap wherever she is and will eventually find her way home around dark. But I'm beginning to doubt it.

DARKFALL UPDATE: Well, it's full dark now and still no Bennie. I've begun to resign myself to the fact she's likely not coming back. In five years, she's never been gone this long. Overnight, at the most. Whether it was accidental, like eating something or getting trapped somewhere, or one of the feral cats attacked her, I may never know. Damn.