Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Our Kittens: Two Are Missing

Those of you who have read my blog the past several months know that back in January a stray cat came to my mother’s house and two months later had a litter of six kittens. My sister and I became totally enamored, first with the mommy, and then with the tiny creatures as we watched them grow and flourish. We were so very sad when one morning I found one of them dead from unknown causes when several weeks old.

When the remaining five were weaned, we had the mommy cat, whom we named Sox, “fixed.” From the day she came home from the veterinarian’s, she has been adopted by me as a house cat, and I have from time to time reported here on her progress with my two dogs. All continues to be well on that front.

The five kittens have lived happily at the barn, being nurtured and loved each and every day. We decided we would keep all of them because it was such happiness to see all of them together. They were so attached to each other and it has been a joy to watch them.

We gave the male cats the names of Carl, Gurtie and Murtie (we “thought" the latter two were females and opted not to change their names after the vet told us differently!); and the females the names of Myrtle and Blackie (she was the only black one among them; all others are tabbies just like their mommy).

When they were four months old, they, too, made a trip to the vet’s office for neutering and spaying. And I know you read here of their antics when I kept them inside my house for three days while they recovered from their surgeries before I returned them to the barn.

I am saddened today to report that two, Blackie and Gertie, have disappeared. While I was away this past weekend, my husband fed them and all was well until those two weren’t there on late Sunday afternoon. We were very hopeful they would be there Monday morning, but alas, they were not. And still are not.

I have walked the fields, driven the road and called to them for many hours these past three days, but to no avail. Did they wander off? Did some animal scare them off? Are they lost and trying to find their way home? These are questions we don't have answers to.

A heavy heart has been the order of the past three days. Each time I go to the barn, I have high hopes I will see them there. But hope is beginning to fade.

I know that cats can be strange and wander away. We have heard the stories of cats finding their way home across many miles. So a small amount of hope remains.

Sharing below some of the photos of the kitties.



Dear Blackie, always the odd one in her behavior.

The kitties at about two months old. Cutest kittens I've ever known.

The kitties do love their milk! Carl and Gurtie are IDENTICAL in looks; Carl  is just a bit heavier than Gurtie but we can only tell that by picking up each and comparing them. We think it's the heavier one, Carl, we still have with us.

In the cat carrier after their arrival at the veterinarian's office

Brother and sister love! Blackie is just a blur!

Goodnight sweethearts.

Precious Blackie, we miss you.

Murtie

Having fun on my umbrella.

Ummm good.

Murtie climbing into my lap.

Two kittens climbing through my fence. The others aren't far behind.


Myrtle peeping in mother's door, asking if she can come in.

Sissy with two of our babies a few weeks ago.

Mother with Blackie just last Friday.

Carl today.

Myrtle today.

Carl today.

Carl followed me home and jumped up into the jasmine-covered arbor where he hung out for more than an hour. Maybe he wants to live at my house all the time? 

14 comments:

  1. Sanda,so sorry to hear your 2 kitties are missing,have you put up some notices in your area,I often see them around here when pets go missing,could they be shut in barns/sheds? Expect you have already thought of this....do hope they turn up soonest.

    Still you do hear of pets turning up many months later.Ida

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    1. I have put up signs and check with surrounding neighbors and asked them to be on the lookout. Hope fades with each passing day, but I'm still holding out hope. Thank you for your concern, Ida.

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  2. Oh no - the only black one too is missing!
    Pets disappear sometimes, but come back too. When we had our 24 ( ! ) cats in the north, suddenly about half of them were missing for several days.
    There was a stable being build just next to ours, and somehow, the cats had entered inside it, were locked inside for holidays, but when finally the builders returned back to their project, out ran all the missing cats.
    We did not have the slightest idea they had been locked inside the unfinished stable.
    Keeping my thumbs up!

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    1. The black one was special. She was the peculiar one, the skinny one, the ring leader who always seemed to lead the pack into mischief. We really had a soft spot for her and always gave her more attention. I get sadder with each passing day because the possibility lessens they will come back. Yet I am still hopeful. It's quite awful to be so attached to the animals in ones life I think but it's just the way I am.

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  3. Oh Sanda, I pray that they come back...we have had missing cats in our neighborhood too...it is just too sad. I don't think cats run away unless some animal frightens them. We see raccoons nearly every night and they scare most cats. saying prayers for your guys x

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    1. Oh, thank you for prayers. Perhaps they will return. Now I can't stay inside and away from the other three because I am becoming worried about them. The first two days they seemed "lost and confused" without their brother and sister. But they are seeming more normal now.

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  4. I hope they are safe, wherever they are. I don't know much about the country, but I would think if there were a predator in the area, your dogs would have scared it off. Maybe your cats are just fickle about where they live, like some of mine have been. I had one cat that just moved out after we had our first child. She liked the baby's room, and when she was no longer allowed in there, she found a house with a cat door and just made herself at home. I had another cat that wandered away for almost a month before he was a year old and just showed up back on the block one evening. He eventually decided he only wanted to live outdoors, just coming inside to eat. In the next 20 years, the only night he spent inside was when there was a coyote in the area. Even the constant raccoons and once a cougar on the next block didn't scare him.

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  5. Day five and still no kitties. Since the dogs are inside they wouldn't have known predators were at the barn. If they wondered off, I'm still hopeful they'll find their way home. Sounds as if you have had cats with various quirks; they are strange sometimes!

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  6. Sanda, I feel so sad about the 2 kitties being gone. I LOVE kittens and puppies!! They are very inquisitive little creatures and hopefully that's why they're not home. Someone may have found them, took them inside to claim for their own. It's possible they'll find their way home. I've missed your blogs all week; just returned from vacation. Always enjoy your stories; it's obvious you put much thought into your writings. Keep on keeping on!

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    1. Just realized (9/26) that I hadn't responded to your comment. The kittens have now been gone more than a week. So sad. Hope you enjoyed your vacation.

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  7. What a sweet, sweet story and I'm SO glad I have been and continue to be a part of these precious little babies. This is so, so sad and we feel such a loss but maybe as some other readers have said -- maybe they will return. I just can't believe we don't have little Blackie anymore - she wasn't the most loving one but the center of every story!
    Let's keep hoping they'll return. We have truly enjoyed every moment of their little lives. I wasn't there everyday but feel like I was because you sent me pictures almost everyday.

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    1. It just doesn't get better, at least not yet. I still hold out some hope but every day that passes makes it less likely they will return. Miss little Blackie so much!

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  8. This is well after the fact, I'm not familiar with your blog, or if you've updated anything, so even though this is so much later, I'm wondering if your Kitty's ever made it home to you?

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    1. I just realized I didn't put a notify me in my last pay, so I'm adding it here, by checking the box on this reply, in case you do see and respond. Best wishes!

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