You've got us in tears and smiles......Happy New Year !

dougandpam

Wow, that's an amazing story! I am so happy for you and the kitty!

18 years ago my wife and I moved into a new (old) house. We had a cat that was about one year old. We had to have the house repiped. The cat disappeared; obviuosly ran out the door that the plumbers left opened. For two days we looked all over the neighbor.
On New Years eve night we sat in the living room and were very sad and upset. She had been gone for 2 days. I got up walked into a closet under the stairs; cut a square hole in the wall and there she was. Don't know why; I didn't hear anything and didn't make a habit of cutting holes in walls. She had cawled along the opening between the 2x 10s; fell down the wall and into the pitch black sealed area under the stairs. We kept her out of the litter when she was a baby because she could not Meow.
She was just now sitting on my lap. She is now 19.3 years old.
I have an amazing dog story, cute oppsom story, and more, but yours is a classic. I am so happy for you.
Bob

Oh wow! Bob, that is amazing! I know what you mean, though. I had walked along that fence calling to her for weeks after she left, and never saw her. After the fact, the neighbor told me she saw her over there all the time. She was evidently mad at me and thought I didn't want her to come home. Only when I brought her treats did she figure I loved her. Cats are weird.

I am so happy for and for you cat.

And Bob that is a wonderful story too.

Happy New Year to all. :o)

Congratulations! You really lucked out this time!
It's a good thing your neighborhood isn't infested with coyotes like mine is. Outdoor cats don't last long around here.
Your story reminds me of incidents of cats being "stuck" in trees. They'll stay up there for days, meowing pitiously, while their owners lose their minds down below.
Of course, the cat is physically able to easily come back down, but apparently is experiencing some sort of panic attack which short-circuits its mind somehow.
Years ago, my girlfriend's cat pulled that same stunt WAY up in an old oak tree. She was at her wit's end, in tears, and couldn't function. Half the neighborhood was in an uproar. So, at 2AM on the second night, I snuck up to the tree with a flashlight and my trusty .22 rifle. Taking careful aim, I smacked a slug into the branch right under that stupid cat's feet.
The cat instantly began a series of spectacular leaps from branch to branch and raced headfirst down the trunk just like a squirrel. In fact, she was moving so quickly that I couldn't keep the light on her. She hit the ground running, her feet pounding across the lawn like a racehorse.
The next day, my girlfriend was happy, I was happy, and the cat seemed to have gotten over its scare. Naturally, I didn't mention just how the cat became motivated to return to earth. I acted as surprised as everbody else.

I'm very happy for you! What a wonderful way to start the new year.
Marcia

OMG! OMG! OMG! I am sitting here reading this and crying, it's funny how these little creatures can tear us up like that....and some people couldn't care less, but here we are all but in hysterics when our 'fur baby' has a bad day... I just had to have my 16 year old all-black kitty euthanized, her kidneys failed she also had a mass in her abdomen and the vet couldn't help her, she was cremated and I have her ashes.so it was a very hard Christmas week...I now have 4 babies inside, and 4 more that are outside, too wild to come inside..... now what you sure need to do is never let that baby out the door again, this was an omen from heaven and the powers-that-be were kind to you, and it may not turn out so good the next time....sally...

I have read many of your posts and last year was not a good one for you. When the cat went round-about I was not sure how much more could happen to you. I am so happy kitty came home. What an omen for the GREAT year ahead for YOU! Truly blessed! Have a great day everyone! Paula=^..^=

Brute,

The garden hose would have worked just as well as the gun and no chance for a mishap. Most cats know to come in from the rain.

Lou

DG,

I'm happy for you, to hear that your cat came back.

Lou

Sorry, I just had to add my dog story since I thought about your cat coming home several times today.
Have to use a map/clock description in this one.
This took place in Houston. Thirty years ago I had an assistant at work. She lived in an apartment but let her dog out during the day. Say she lived a 12 o'clock on a clock. A neighbor decided the dog needed a "better" home so took it and gave it to someone who lived at 6 o'clock about 20 miles away. The owner cried a lot as she looked in vain for her dog. Finally the neighbor confessed. They called to tell the new owner they were coming to get the dog. And found out that the dog was missing.
A week later the boyfriend, who lived at 2 o'clock called and said, "You're not going to believe this, but your dog just showed up." If was worn from the trip but otherwise OK.
The amazing thing is that the dog had been to the boyfriend's house only once before.
Figure that one out.
Bob

I'm glad your cat came home! Happy New Year!

DG, what a great story with a wonderful start to a new year. Maybe we should rub you for luck!

DG-

Congrats on the reunion with your beloved pet! I volunteer for an animal rescue org and know that it's not always as happy an outcome.

I, too, believe that maybe the other kitty's spirit that you mistakenly took for your cat maybe helped guide your pet towards you.

Thanks again, everyone. She's doing fine, eating normally finally, but has resumed her normal habit of scratching the carpet and waking me up at 7 a.m. for treats.

I love the dog story! My sister moved once and took her cat, Puff, with her. She moved 10 miles across town. The day after she got there, Puff got out and ran away. She was devastated. Two days later, he showed up at our house. She knew if she took him back, he'd just leave again, so we kept him. He had walked down the busiest street in town to get back to the only home he had ever known. It's amazing how he knew where to come, but he evidently came straight to our house, which was the only home he had ever known, but he did. We had Puff for 12 years before he died in his sleep.