8/18/13

Lost and Found: The Untold Story

We arrived back home a couple of hours ago after spending a weekend with our friends, Greg and Jan. It was a great get-together, as always, with good food, good music, and good friends. We see some of these folks just once per year, and so it's always enjoyable to catch up. Smitty has quite a tale to tell, and I just know you're going to want to hear it in his own purrds. Fortunately, Cat Patches has been able to arrange an exclusive interview with him, and so I'll just let him take over.

Cat Patches: Good afternoon, Smitty. We understand you've had quite an exciting adventure this weekend.

Smitty: Yes, well, you know I'm always just playing for the team...just trying to do my best. You win some, you lose some. I just want to be a team player and give it my all.

Cat Patches: Er, yes. And I understand you did a little exploring this weekend.

Smitty: Well, I just finished reading Undaunted Courage about Purriweather Lewis, Pawmas Jeffurson, and William Clawrk, and I fancy myself something of an explorer myself.


So I was itching to get out of the trailer and do some exploring once we got there. I knew we were there because the trailer stopped moving, and I could hear my mom and dad talking outside. My mom always opens the door and so I waited just inside.


When my mom opened the door just a tiny crack, I pushed my nose right into the door and pushed my way out.


I ran down these stairs


and over toward this house and these little trees


where I pawsed to have a look around.


Cat Patches:  You were quick getting out that door!

Smitty:  Yep, my mom didn't even have time to react. I was way too quick for her.

Cat Patches: So what happened next?

Smitty: Well, here's where things went south a little. Outside were two Bad Woofies. Rough-housing Woofies who had no manners at all!


And I looked at them, and they looked at me, and I could see this was going to be a big purroblem. 

Cat Patches: Wow! So what did you do then?

Smitty: Well, I looked off to my right and saw the woods, and I high-tailed it toward them.


Cat Patches: Where were the Bad Woofies then?

Smitty: As you might imagine, they were hot on my tail and I ran straight for that hole right there.


And once I got inside, I threw down some breadcrumbs (you can see the breadcrumbs if you look) and headed off for greener pastures.


Once inside, I thought about climbing a tree, but then decided against it. All the branches were so high!


Cat Patches: What did you do?

Smitty:  I hid. I hid where no Bad Woofies could find me...and nobody else could find me either. And I could hear people yelling my name, and I could see my mom and dad, and lots of strangers, and everybody was calling my name.

Cat Patches: Then what happened?

Smitty: I was hiding so that nobody could find me, and I didn't make a sound. My mom and dad got some chairs, and they came into the woods and just sat in their chairs talking. Sometimes they called my name, and they shook my treat bag. But I'm too smart to fall for the old treat bag gag.  Ha! So then they picked up their chairs and moved them somewhere else and talked and called my name, and they shook the treat bag. And this went on for three hours until it was starting to get dark.

Cat Patches: Oooooh, I'll bet that made your mom and dad nervous.

Smitty: Yes, I think my mom had purretty much given up hope of ever seeing me again.

Cat Patches: So what happened next?

Smitty: Well, Greg got this wise idea to have his border collie mix Woofie, Spot, have a go at finding me. Earlier reports of this story identified Spot as an Australian Shepherd, but actually, he's a border collie mix. It seems this very same thing happened with a different cat the day before, and so Spot already had experience tracking kitties. So my dad gave Spot my blanket to sniff, and they put him on a leash and let him have a go at finding me. This Woofie here...this is Wes...a very rude and impurrtinent Woofie if you ask me. Bad Wes! Bad Woofie!


This next Woofie here, this is Spot, who turned out to be the hero of the story, but he is still a Bad Woofie! Bad Spot! Bad Woofie!


Cat Patches: There is a rumor going around that Spot caught your scent and drew Greg on a rather zig-zag course through the woods, but quickly settled on a single place where Greg could see you peering out. Is that right?

Smitty: Well, yes. I'll admit that when folks stopped looking and calling, I figured I'd put on my Purriweather Lewis shoes and hat and do some exploration while I had a chance. When Spot found me I was at the place where that "X" is. Then Spot flushed me out, and I ran straight up that tree you see there.


I ran really, really, really high. Way up on this purrch right here.


I had an excellent view of the surrounding countryside, and so I took out my spy glass--a replica of the one Purriweather Lewis had on his journey--and I had a good look around.


Cat Patches: How did you get down?

Smitty: Well, my dad went and got a ladder. My dad has lots of experience getting cats down out of trees.


Once we were down, I stuck to my dad like velcro. He carried me up this hill...


all along the back of the house


and around this corner. I was getting purrty nervous about now because this is where I first encountered those Bad Woofies!  Bad Spot! Bad Wes! Bad Woofies!

 So my dad held me really tight and when I saw the Catio, I started thinking things might turn out okay.


Finally, my dad shoved me through the secret Ninja door on the larger trailer door, and I was back at home. Safe from the prying eyes, snapping jaws, and big teeth of the Bad Woofies.


I've never been so thankful to be back with my toys, my scratching post, and my feather boa on a stick.


Cat Patches: Oh boy, I'll just bet you were glad to be back inside.

Smitty: Yes, and feather boa and I had some special time before I had some kitty treats and took a good long nap.


Cat Patches: What advice do you have for the other kitties who might be reading and who might have a yen to explore new vistas?

Smitty: Well...to tell the truth, I don't think I'm cut out to be a rugged explorer. I kind of like the comfurrts of home. I think I'll leave the westward kitty expansion to others and do all of my exploring from the warmth and comfurrt of my Catio from now on.


Besides, my mom says she can't take that kind of excitement. 

Cat Patches: Was your mom glad to see you?

Smitty: Well, yes, it was kind of empurrasing. She picked me up and snuggled and cuddled. She said she didn't know whether to kiss me or kill me, but then she started loving me all over, and I was kind of like, "Geez Mom! I have a reputation to purrtect."

But then she put me down, and everything went back to the way it was supposed to.

Cat Patches: Do you think you'll ever be that quick out of the trailer door again?

Smitty: Well, not until I furrget about this experience. Fur now, I know to look before I leap.


33 comments:

Lucky Duck Dreams said...

I had stresses like that with my late kitty Opus. I had moved back to my hometown and we lived with my parents for a while. Mom was NOT careful and frequently let him out. Super stressful! Naughty naughty Smitty!

gpc said...

What an adventure! Thank goodness your mom survived! :)

Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O) said...

You little scamp-do you realize how upset momma gets when this happens ?~! Do you care ?~! Darkness brings worse than Woofies, my young friend.

WoolenSails said...

If they only knew it would be easier to stay inside or come to us when called, in the first place, lol. Glad he got home safe and sound.

Debbie

Quilting Babcia said...

Smitty, if you keep this up, your poor mom is going to need blood pressure meds just to make it through the day! You're a purrty lucky kitty to have such a great mom and dad who spent their vacation day out in the woods with mosquitoes and who knows what other predators just waiting for you to come out of hiding! I'll bet they even gave you treats when you got home!

Anonymous said...

Wow poor Smitty!! And even more so poor Smitty's Mum!! Our little cat has been missing twice, the first time she was gone 3 days and we finally found her camped out on the roof of the house 3 doors down. Not impressed seeing as we had stood outside that house calling for hours every day! And once we found her she still wouldn't come to the edge, we had to get a ladder and climb up on the roof. The next time she was missing for 4 days, we still don't know where she was, I had almost worn out the soles of my shoes walking the neighborhood calling her, checking the ditches on the side of the road just in case something dreadful had happened, but nothing! Then on the fourth day I went out to collect the mail, turned around to come back inside and there she was lying on the concrete path in the sun as if nothing had ever happened! We still don't know where she was for all that time! Now that we live on a busy road she is not allowed out at all, but that doesn't stop her from trying (and occasionally succeeding!). Good thing she is so cuddly otherwise we might not put up with her LOL!

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Oh Smitty - what an adventure! So glad you were found and rescued and cuddled and loved.

Snoodles said...

(Psst!) Hey, Smitty, this is Moses, here....I know just what you mean about being embarrassed. My mom did that too, after I had an adventure. She even cleaned me up - and I had worked so hard to get that "explorer kitty" aroma and look!
Glad you are back in the catio....it's nice to be loved, isn't it? Meow!

Junebug613 said...

Wow! Thank goodness that Spot is good at kitty tracking! Who knows how long you could have been out there! Please don't scare your mommy and your public like that again.

Brown Family said...

That was some wild adventure. WHy did you not come when your Mom called? We think you should stay away from that door!

Tami C said...

You were such a little stinker for running off like that. Your poor mom was probably scared half to death! You sure have a cute Catio. Did your mom & dad make that for you? I'd sure like to have one.

Teresa in Music City said...

I hate to say it Smitty, but that woofie ended up being the hero in this story! If he hadn't tracked you, who knows if you would have gotten home safely to your catio? I hate it when the woofies get to be the heroes!!! I'm glad you've decided you don't want to be a Famous Explorer anymore - I really don't think that's the right job for you LOL!!!

quiltzyx said...

Smitty, Smitty, Smitty. You should not ever scare Mom & Dad like that again. You know they are older than you, and those kinds of scares are VERY bad for them!
My zzyzx went exploring once when Grandma was watching her - she pushed out a window screen, and wouldn't come when Grandma called & called & called her. Luckily, she climbed up the side of the house and back thru' the window at dinner time.

Lyndsey said...

Oh Smitty you are such a brave kitty but please don't worry Barbara like that again.

Kathy Felsted Usher said...

Stay IN next time! Oh how scary.

Michele said...

That is some giant tale Smitty and you had us all worried too but I am glad that you are safe and sound. I hope you learned your lesson.

Kate said...

Glad you made it back safely Smitty. We'd all be sad if anything happened to you.

Jeanie said...

Well, Smitty..... you learned a great lesson, one that we all have learned in our life times....there's no place like home! I'm just glad that this story had a happy ending and everyone is safe and sound. Please don't ever run off again!

Dana Gaffney said...

I know he's back and safe but just reading this made me feel the dread you must have been experiencing. I'll bet you're all happy to be home and safe.

works4me said...

Glad you are home safe and sound Smitty. One question that wasn't asked in your interview, though: did Gracie miss you?

kc said...

Whew! I can finally breathe again! I can sure relate to the "don't know whether to kill you or kiss you" comment - isn't that always the way?

Soooo, Smitty, glad to see you're back in your purrrrfect catio again! Your mom & dad were sure smart to set up their chairs and just chat a while...but I know they were really just putting on an ACT, making you think everything was ok - that's really scary for moms & dads when you get all adventurous like that. Just remember how embarrassing it is to let the woofies be the heroes, and don't go leaping out the door again, mmmkay??

Hugs to all!!

Judy1522 said...

I am so glad you were able to find Smitty in the woods. I don't know what we all would have done if anything had happened to him.

Sally said...

Well, Smitty certainly had an exciting 'tail' to tell. I'm so relieved this story had a happy ending.

legato1958 said...

Smitty, tell Mom and Dad you need a little gps chip on a collar,so they can find you if you go exploring again!

c said...

Wow, what an "adventure", just about kept me on the edge of my chair while reading. Dont let him
furrget at all. Bad kitty, good kitty you are home. Barbara, you should put these escapades into childrens stories and be a writer. You are really very good at it.

BillieBee (billiemick) said...

Smitty, Smitty, Smitty.....what are they going to do with you. You need to make this excellent adventure into a children's book.

Meooooooooow.....from Elly.

Kirsty said...

I am so glad you found him. What an ordeal!

Dar said...

Oh Smitty. You were very brave to go exploring on your own in a strange place, but next time, please take along your mom or dad. They might like to explore with you and show you things that you probably missed in your haste to get going. Besides, it's not nice to worry them so much. Glad you made it back safe and no harm came to you. We'd sure hate it if anything happened to you.

Marge Gordon said...

Smitty, you scared me!

ytsmom said...

OMG! So glad Smitty found his way home. I can imagine your stress. Naughty boy!!

Deb@asimplelifequilts said...

Oh Smitty! Nothing worse then seeing a door ajar just a bit... we have new neighbors with 2 german shepards down our road so we are being extra careful with our doors this summer.

Diane Wild said...

You better be extra nice to mom, dad and Gracie for all that you put them through, Smitty. Glad you're safe.

Nita said...

That is how we got our cat "Spooky". We think she escaped from someone's travel trailer. My husband found her living the wild life in the field next to the hangar at the airport where he works. He gradually lured her inside the hanger with food until he was able to capture her. Once captured, she obviously was an escaped house cat. Waltzed right into the cat carrier and made herself at home. We've had her 8 years now and often wonder who her previous owners were and wish we could let them know that she is fat & happy & loved. She came to us already used to traveling, so that part has been great.