Saturday, June 14, 2008

And I Call Myself a Mother!

After pouring through my Picasa folders, I discovered I don't have that many pictures of Putty Tat. You know how it is, you take lots of pictures of the baby, but sometimes the older ones, not so much. Our baby, of course, being Leyna, the dog.
I feel like a bad person this morning, a bad mother. As I was bringing Leyna inside last night, after doing her last 'business' of the night, I saw Putty come running toward us from across the yard. I hurried on inside. With one last glance over my shoulder, I saw her bewildered face as I said "no" and closed the door. Just a twinge of guilt.
It isn't that I have no regard or affection for the cat, but cleaning up piles of puke and hairballs from all over my furniture yesterday had hardened me somewhat against her pitiful look. The cat is not sick. She's seemingly quite healthy, and she's not thin. I think she's just bulimic. And we won't even get into the hairballs I swept from every corner. At the rate she's been shedding her winter coat, we have enough hair to cover some poor, hairless cat somewhere.
So I issued the edict that from now on, the cat would remain outdoors except in inclement weather. Only I didn't bother to check the weather forecast before going to bed last night.
I was awakened suddenly at six o'clock this morning by a loud clap of thunder, followed by a flash of lightening which lit the bedroom. My very first thought upon waking? "And I call myself a mother!". I could hear the torrential downpour of rain outside the window. I mean, really hard rain. I could imagine poor Putty outside getting drenched. Her little paws soundlessly scratching at the back glass door. In dry weather, those claws against that glass are akin to nails on a chalkboard, but when it's raining, she could be doing that for an hour, and no one would hear her as her wet paws slide against the glass.
I hopped up and without even taking time to do my morning 'business', I ran for the front door. Since it has a small covered porch, I figured....hoped she'd be there waiting. I knew the look she'd have on her face as she sashayed in the door, too, water spraying me with each determined flick of her wet tail. Only she wasn't on the front porch. I ran for the back door, the one where she can send shivers up my spine on a sunny day. No Putty. I flipped on the outside lights, hoping it would signal her that her humans were up and about, and that she'd come running through the torrential downpoor to the door. By that point, she'd about have to swim. I've heard it said that cats don't swim, though that may be an old wive's tail.
She never did show up at either door. I can just hope she's safely tucked away in someone's open garage. No doubt she'll be home soon. I sure hope there's some canned tuna in the pantry. Guilt tuna.
*UPDATE*
She's home, and she's mad.
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For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God.
~Hebrews 6:7

19 comments:

Amy, a redeemed sheep said...

I'm glad she is home, but I hear you on the fur balls. Ish!!! That's why my cat only lives in one room and one room only...R's room. He is the only one who loves her and he said the other day that the bloom is off the rose. :-P

Marilyn - A Mixed Bouquet said...

Did she like the tuna? We just have barn cats or those dumped by people out in the country. They usually get under the equipment or find a hole in the barn. They are great to keep the mice out of the barn, but they don't last too long. We believe it's the coyotes. :-(

zakkalife said...

I'm glad she came back home to you even if she's mad.

Claudia said...

Love the photo!!!! And I'm so glad she's safe. :)

Anonymous said...

Glad she made it home. I loved your post and how you laid it all out. I bet she did find some cozy place in an open garage and was just fine. Of course she's going to take advantage of your guilt-she is a cat!

Anonymous said...

This is why I own a gecko. ;)

Your cat is sure a cutie, though. I can admire her on your blog.

Carol said...

Very funny. You wrote this very well. It had me laughing all the way through as I know the kitty personality. Glad she made it home safe even if she had an attitude!

Anonymous said...

We have two cats indoors and don't have any trouble with hairballs...we give them these snacks that are meant to prevent them...we get them at the grocery store...you might want to check it out? I am sure glad she is ok...

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

Glad kitty made it home safely. My cats are outside cats too but one of them comes in from time to time. He just drives me nuts though cuz he meows all over the house like he is being tortured. Both of my cats are getting old. 13and 14. I give my cat tuna for a treat sometimes too(-:

cinnamongirl93 said...

I'm sorry, but after reading your post I started to laugh! I can totally understand how you feel! Just remember that their is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!

Tracy Batchelder said...

Did she hold a grudge for long or did the tuna do the trick?

marigold said...

Yes, well, don't be so hard on yourself. And I hear ya on the hairballs! Our kitties have been shedding and yakking a lot this summer. Can't keep up with the brushing. My tip is to keep the kitty brushes in the bathroom. That way, when you do your business, they run in there (does your cat insist on joining you in the loo?) and you can get some quality brushing time in!

Paula said...

Glad to hear she's back, but boy are you in for it now!!! tee hee
She's sharpening those claws for sure now. (Reminds me of a Looney Tunes cartoon I saw when I was little...)

Girl Raised in the South said...

Cute, cute post. I feed my cat Iams Weight Control and Hairball Formula and it has made the horrible not nearly so frequent at our house. Bet she was fit to be tied when she finally made it back home.

Farmhouse Blessings said...

Oh I love that photo!

You have got some work to do to make it up that sweet kitty. I do believe a gourmet tuna salad is in order! LOL

Smiles,
Lea

MSM said...

Oh, how many nights or dawns have I woken up to the sound of thunder, in a panic because of a cat outside?

The same frantic checking doors and windows and calling a cat (such a joke, anyway), and flipping on lights.

And they always come home eventually, and with an attitude.

Ours just has to get over it on her own, because she doesn't like tuna!!

Shannon said...

That is so funny I made a similar outdoor rule about our malamute since he spends half of his days in the muddy pond chasing frogs, which he likes to "wipe off" on my living room rug. Of course when it rains he runs into his dog house, in which he has dug a nice deep hole in the dirt that gathers rainwater quite nicely. By the time I get him into the people house he is a mudball! He even has his own towel that we leave by the door.
Glad your kitty is home safe. They are so obvious about their feelings. Mine likes to sit about five feet away from me with her back to me. If you talk to her she just twitchs.

Juri said...

What an adorable photo! Your story sounds like so many experiences I have had....right along with the guilt I suffer! I am happy she is home and she will get over her anger!

Juri

Noodle said...

Call me a rotten mama too, but I laughed so hard at the update. I'm glad your furbaby is home safely.