The Cat that Came Back
November 3, 2014
It just couldn’t stay away. This is the story of Earl our longhaired grey cat. We named him Earl Grey because it is my favorite kind of tea. We chose Earl about 6 years ago. A friend who has a lot of cats and kittens gave us the pick of the litters. I chose Earl because he was the least afraid and kind of dozy. He never ran away from us when we tried to pick him up. He was always cuddly and we used him for kitten therapy when my son came home from a long day of kindergarten. You could say Earl was our healer.
A couple of weeks ago, Earl just disappeared. I let our cats out on our acreage for the day and bring them in at night. Sometimes Earl likes to stay out and hunt for the night so if he doesn’t come in for one night, it is okay with me as long as he returns the next day. Well, Earl was gone for one week and then two. I tuned in to him and asked him to come home. Are you dead I asked him one night? He replied yes, then no. What a kidder. He told me that he was in a house and they wouldn’t let him out. He told me when they opened the door to outside he would make a run for the door. Another week passed. During the week I kept hearing him tell me that he was stuck inside someone’s house and the people holding him captive wouldn’t let him go. I told him that if he wanted to stay there, it was okay with me. I added that he could choose to live where he wanted. Well he told me, he wanted to come home.
Last Friday, on Halloween morning I saw a grey blob by our horse trough. I wasn’t sure if it was the grey tomcat that came around to visit or if it was our beloved Earl. I went outside and sure enough, there he was. He came home! I picked him up and carried him inside the house. He was a bit thinner but not dirty or unkempt. He is a fine looking cat. He stayed in for the day and night. The next morning when he asked to go outside in that weird high-pitched girly kind of mew, I picked him up and explained that if he wanted to go outside he must return at night. He sort of agreed in that disinterested catlike way and I let him go. He showed up at midnight that night and the next day I did the same thing. I told him he was to return that night. This time he showed up a little earlier.
Yesterday as Earl sprawled on the couch with the other cats that he told me he hated, he explained that he preferred it here with us. Those people in that house wanted to handle me all the time he said. I didn’t like that he added. You know me he explained with appreciation. I explained to my son that Earl returned because he likes that we know he doesn’t like to be mauled, we respect that and leave him alone. So I guess he is here to stay because he chooses. I am grateful that he chose us. I do love Earl so much and told him that while he was gone and when he returned. Love is good.
It just couldn’t stay away. This is the story of Earl our longhaired grey cat. We named him Earl Grey because it is my favorite kind of tea. We chose Earl about 6 years ago. A friend who has a lot of cats and kittens gave us the pick of the litters. I chose Earl because he was the least afraid and kind of dozy. He never ran away from us when we tried to pick him up. He was always cuddly and we used him for kitten therapy when my son came home from a long day of kindergarten. You could say Earl was our healer.
A couple of weeks ago, Earl just disappeared. I let our cats out on our acreage for the day and bring them in at night. Sometimes Earl likes to stay out and hunt for the night so if he doesn’t come in for one night, it is okay with me as long as he returns the next day. Well, Earl was gone for one week and then two. I tuned in to him and asked him to come home. Are you dead I asked him one night? He replied yes, then no. What a kidder. He told me that he was in a house and they wouldn’t let him out. He told me when they opened the door to outside he would make a run for the door. Another week passed. During the week I kept hearing him tell me that he was stuck inside someone’s house and the people holding him captive wouldn’t let him go. I told him that if he wanted to stay there, it was okay with me. I added that he could choose to live where he wanted. Well he told me, he wanted to come home.
Last Friday, on Halloween morning I saw a grey blob by our horse trough. I wasn’t sure if it was the grey tomcat that came around to visit or if it was our beloved Earl. I went outside and sure enough, there he was. He came home! I picked him up and carried him inside the house. He was a bit thinner but not dirty or unkempt. He is a fine looking cat. He stayed in for the day and night. The next morning when he asked to go outside in that weird high-pitched girly kind of mew, I picked him up and explained that if he wanted to go outside he must return at night. He sort of agreed in that disinterested catlike way and I let him go. He showed up at midnight that night and the next day I did the same thing. I told him he was to return that night. This time he showed up a little earlier.
Yesterday as Earl sprawled on the couch with the other cats that he told me he hated, he explained that he preferred it here with us. Those people in that house wanted to handle me all the time he said. I didn’t like that he added. You know me he explained with appreciation. I explained to my son that Earl returned because he likes that we know he doesn’t like to be mauled, we respect that and leave him alone. So I guess he is here to stay because he chooses. I am grateful that he chose us. I do love Earl so much and told him that while he was gone and when he returned. Love is good.