Minor incident...

[slvrwhispr]

So, I left last Friday for a weekend trip. My flight was very early so I left the house well before dawn. When my plane landed, DH called me immediately. The first thing out of his mouth was, "Izzy's fine, so you don't need to worry."



Either some time before bed, or when I was leaving in the morning, she managed to sneak outside. I really don't know when the heck it happened, but I guess she could have bolted under my feet when I was carrying my suitcase. I like to think I would have seen her because I'm more careful than that, but it was very early and very dark.

Regardless, she was outside for a few HOURS. I could faint saying that. My mom noticed her outside; she had put her paws up on the front door and was meowing away to be let back in. Jon went outside with the food dish and she came right to him, clinging to him pretty hard. He gave her a good looking-over for bites or bugs and she came up clean, but he kept her in the bedroom just in case. All seems fine, and I hope she got that little adventure out of her system! 'Cause I'd die if she ever got loose and didn't come back. Scared the ever-loving heck out of me, that's for sure.

For what it's worth, she won't go anywhere NEAR the door anymore...

[momPaws]

SW- so glad she is ok! One time the kids left the door open and our 2 cats got out the back door. My dear border collie, Honey, actually hurded them back inside...it was very cute.

I can see how Izzy could sneak out like that when you had the suitcase and it was dark. Thank goodness it ended fine.

[Tina B and crew]

Willow was watching over her

I'm glad all is OK...my biggest fear was always losing Willow that way. She got out a few times but we always saw right when it happened and were able to get her back in. Give Izzy a big, huge, snuzzle for me!

[k9Karen]

Sounds like she's learned her lesson like my brother's cat did. My brother's cat always wanted to go out. She would claw at the screen on the porch to the point that he had to put up protective boards. One day, someone came to the door and the cat somehow got out without being noticed. She often kept to herself in their son's room, so they didn't think anything about it when they didn't see her around the house. They went to bed as usual and early in the morning they heard the cat meowing. They thought she was wanting to be fed, so yelled at her to be quiet. The meowing continued, and my brother finally woke up enough to realize that it was coming from the window. They looked out and there was the cat. They went to the door and she ran in like all hell was after her. Ever since then, she has never tried to get out and no longer claws at the screens. They don't know what happened to her (there were no signs of injury), but she obviously was spooked by something and she doesn't want to face whatever it was again.

[Traci]

Gandolf and K2 got out one night when I hadn't deadbolted the patio doors - a stong wind came up and pulled one of the doors open, unbeknownst to me because I was elsewhere outside. When I came to the patio and found the door open, I freaked out royally. I flew inside the house for a headcount, then flew right back out.

I needn't have worried too much. Gandolf was coming back from the next door neighbor's house. I brought him in and closed the door. As soon as I closed the door, I looked behind me and there was K2 peering in, wanting to be let in.

But that's not the extraordinary part. There were 4 other cats in that room, and all 4 were napping, just with one eye open, save for Cinnamae, who was sitting in the middle of the floor, wind blowing in her face, fur standing on end and eyes as big as saucers, frozen in fear.

I thank my lucky stars every day that the incident wasn't worse than it was.

Not to say people shouldn't be worried. They should. Cats are unpredictable and it's how they get lost.

I'm so glad hubby found Izzy, you must have been royally freaked! Bad enough that you were away, worrying!

[k9Karen]

Angel (sheltie, not cat) was a master at sneaking out. If someone closed the gate but didn't lock it, she could open it with her nose. She would check it out everytime she was in the yard. She got out 3 times and I was terribly frightened every time. She had a tag with our phone number on it and that got her home two of the times. The third time our daughter went after her and found her. I was so afraid something would happen to her and one day I would lose her for good. I wish she was still here so I could worry about things like that. The danger for her wasn't "out there", it was at our own house. I still miss her terribly.

[slvrwhispr]

Oh, I wasn't pleased... lol. DH was smart enough to withhold the information that she was outside for HOURS until I got home and saw for myself that she was okay. He just told me she snuck out and he brought her back in without problems. He told me the rest after I got home and was snuggling her.

I am REALLY curious how far Izzy wandered while she was outside. At the very minimum, she was out for seven hours (ugh, doing the math made me want to cry). And at the max... geez, the last time we let Tyler out was at 10:30 the previous night and she wasn't found outside until noon. I'm amazed she came back in with no bugs (I keep checking periodically just to be sure) and no scratches or anything. Knowing my scaredy-cat, she probably never even left the yard... and that's fine by me!

[Traci]

My guess is this:

Sees grass, chews on grass.
Goes to door, meow. Anyone home?
Go back to grass. Oh wait, what's that over there?
Explore.
Go back to door. Hey, where is everyone? I'm out here, didya know that?
Wait.
Meow.
Wait.
Go back to explore.
Chase whatever just moved.
Explore.
Sniff this, taste that, hide there.
See bug. Chase and paw at bug.
Go back to door.
Scratch.
Meow.
Daaaaaddyyyyyyy!
Go back to hide behind that.
Find leaves. Play in leaves. Hide in leaves.
Wait.
Go explore again.
Keep an eye on door.
Rest. Relax.
Explore around the corner.
Hide.
Go back to door. Paw at door.
Paw. Paw. Paw.
Meow. Meow. Meow. MEOOOOWWWWWW!
Grandma!!
Daddy!
Food!

[slvrwhispr]

AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Traci... that just made my freakin' day.

[Tambrey]

Traci that is awesome!!!

We have had some close calls like that....

MANY years ago Gump got out..one of the kids did not shut a door tight...I worried sick all evening....we live on 3 acres and coyotes howl too close for comfort and hawks and eagles fly overhead....owls at night and I have scared one out of my front spruce tree....
I sat on the front steps calling for him...he did not come...I finally went to bed but could not sleep for worrying about him...I stood at the bedroom window and in the moonlight saw a shadow slinking across the lawn...I ran back out and sat on the steps and watched the belly crawling shadow get closer....I called and he was finally in my lap....we still sat there for a while until I knew he was calm and would not bolt when I stood up...he has not been out since then....

Just recently, I came down one morning to let Ghost out and saw a cat drinking on the front porch...I looked and said, "You sure do look like Roo!" The cat looked up at me and I saw the ear...it WAS Roo...he came right in when I opened the door and I ran to figure out HOW he got out there...someone had torn the front screen.....ran around for the headcount...and to see if anyone new had ventured in...only Majik was missing and I found him cowered around the corner of the house and more than ready to jump into my arms and come back inside....

Sure glad Izzy is okay!!