Sometime last week (before the percussion section began practicing), I taped open the cat door
so that Johnny and June would have a clear view of what awaited them in the world outside the feed room.
My plan worked. Johnny would wait until: a) there were no hooves in sight and b) it was dark,
then go out hunting every single night. Surely it was only a matter of time before June would do the same.
Meanwhile, I was thinking I had better come up with a better way to keep the cat door open before I ran out of duct tape.
Johnny and June were spending their days napping in their beds.
Johnny would greet me every time I came into the feed room; June would run and hide behind the feed bin.
It was a comfortable and predictable routine.
Wynonna is always tucked into bed by the time Johnny makes his nightly rounds,
so he seemed more than a little surprised the first time he caught a glimpse of her.
I assured him she is harmless, but he remains doubtful.
Anyway, all was well and good until Tuesday morning when I went out to feed breakfast.
I peeked behind the feed bin to say good morning to June, and she was gone.
I peeked behind the feed bin a dozen more times that day... and Wednesday ... and Thursday,
and she is still gone. And I'm thinking she's not coming back.
I assume she would rather live a wild existence than one in which she has to see a human being every day.
I won't hold it against her. I'm not crazy about being around most people either.
June, you'll always be welcomed if you choose to return. We'll leave the light on for you, and the cat door open.
She knows where food and water are, if she gets hungry or thirsty enough, she may be back. Ah June, we hardly knew ya. Pretty blue eyed wild thing.
ReplyDeleteoh poor June. it's such a worry when you don't know what happened. I bet that she's around though.
ReplyDeleteCould June be in another part of the barn or where you store extra hay or firewood? Certainly she wouldn't go far from Johnny .....
ReplyDeleteAnd we will make every effort not to worry about her because that's the deal we made at the beginning, dammit.
ReplyDeleteI am inexpressably sad. Good luck little June. May you find some kind of happiness.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Ann Boleyn, but sad to see her go. Via con Dios, June.
ReplyDeleteMaybe she is out hanging with Mr. P...
ReplyDeleteSweet little June. You have given her a safe cozy place to be and a better chance at a good life than she would have ever had at the shelter. She knows where to come if she gets tired of a nomadic lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet she's tracking down the pack rat family.
ReplyDeleteNancy in Iowa
Yup, what Anne said.
ReplyDeleteI am hopeful that even if you never see her again, she will find some nook nearby to call her own and perhaps sneak back periodically for a snack...
ReplyDeleteDamn.
ReplyDeleteI bet she'll be back when you least expect it!
ReplyDeleteI asopted a feral cat & one of her kittens some time ago. As Jess was only a year old, I expected her to get used to domestic lifestyle PDQ. She got used to the dogs & other cats, as well as being fed on demand, but never stopped hiding from people. After 3 years, I gave up & let her go live outside like she wanted. She still comes & waits outside for dinner at 7p.m every night :)
She is probably hiding somewhere and just not visible. My cat does that to me all of the time. We will not worry, we will not worry, we will not worry.
ReplyDeleteI have a fearful Siamese, Simon, that is so cross eyed, he jumps at everything. Last summer he packed his bags, not once, not twice, but several times, and would disappear for 1 - 3 weeks at a time.
ReplyDeleteBy disappearing, it meant I did not see him. AT ALL! BUT I do have suspicion that he did come into the house at night to eat. He just chose to sleep somewhere else for awhile.
If June is ok, I think she will return, but it will be on HER terms, not a human's.
Keep us posted.
I shall sing the cat came back, the very next day... in hopes that it might come true
ReplyDeleteI will cross my fingers. She may simply need to explore her property.
ReplyDeleteShe may make an appearance now and again. I have one barn cat who will disappear for days or weeks, then come back and hang around for a few days before disappearing again. It seems to work for him.
ReplyDeleteFeral cats.....can't live with um and ya can't direct their activities. But keep the faith, she might just be lurking out of sight feasting on the fauna of the area. Bummed for you though.
ReplyDeleteOma Linda
She has acted 100% feral. May have just struck out for the wilds never to return. May come back to the cozy feed barn when she remembers the cozy with food and water and only infrequent human sightings.
ReplyDeleteJohnny, on the other hand, is definitely settled in and enjoying life on the ranch.
June is truly feral. I hope she's close by.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear Johnny is figuring things out. I think he wants to be a ranch cat.
oh sad. I supposed you have already made it around to see if you could see her. She can't go anywhere. how strange. I keep my fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about this off and on all day, and I think that there was just too much noise and excitement for her at this point. She will have to decide if the freedom is worth the sacrifice. Catching food vs. being served. Peace and quiet vs. donkey brays, horse whinnies, and drums. I don't know, that drum is a big problems.
ReplyDeleteby the way, she may be coming back during the night and leave eary morning...
ReplyDeleteCats are very independent. However, my two outdoor males hover around the front porch waiting for their next meal. Daisy, my outdoor female, RIP, would often disappear for a few days. SHE was the hunter-killer and would leave me all kinds of "presents" by the front door.
ReplyDelete~~Cheryl Ann~~