Sad Saturday

I didn't get to my art class this morning, even though I packed the night before and really, really wanted to.

The other night, I kept hearing what sounded like a baby or woman screaming. I kept thinking it was someone's TV. Finally, I go to the door and there's the cutest little kitten I've ever seen! A "tuxedo cat" - solid, jet black, but for a few patches of pure white at the mouth and on the legs. He/she - it - was just so tiny and would not stop screaming! What could I do?

I brought it in and it began:

Scamper immediately began attacking it, standing over it and biting its neck, etc. Nergle did his moping game, refusing to acknowledge anyone. He'd been doing it for a few days; he just slept and didn't want to come home. When he did come in, he stayed long enough to eat or went straight to the bedroom to sleep until he was ready to go out again. He'd also gotten in the habit of wanting to go out late at night and in the middle of the morning.

A few days back, he came in with an ugly... rub - like a sore - on his butt. At first, I thought he'd gotten into a fight or something and I tried to treat it, but he kept biting and licking at it so much that I figured he must have done it to himself. It wasn't an open sore or a cut or anything - like I said, it looked "rubbed" - so I figured it would just get better over time.

But he'd never gained any weight. I mean, he certainly got to looking better than when I first found him - he was just a furry spine then - but he "hit a wall" and never got fat the way Scamp is. Of course, Scamper perpetually pestered him, even when he ate, so the poor guy was probably a nervous wreck and nothing I did changed that.

Nergle wanted out late the other night and didn't come back until that afternoon. When I tried to let him in, he sniffed at the kitten, did an about-face, and walked back down the stairs. And I haven't seen him since.

I fought the warring pussycats all night long and called the art instructor this morning and told him I simply couldn't make it. I looked for Nergle off and on throughout the night as well as today, but to no avail. I keep waiting for the "THUM-THUM-THDUM" of his claws on the screendoor, the sound of his little jingleball as he comes bounding up the stairs.

I walked down the road, looking for a body. I asked everyone, including the neighborhood kids, if they'd seen him - no one has lately. I'm scared for him, what with that little bell on his collar to signal his every move, but he's been fine for months now and cats have a natural range of about eight miles or so - 5-10, we'll say - and disappear for a few days at a time.

OTOH, It really is like him to just disappear - he does it every time he goes outside - and he's been sitting right under the stairs when I've called and called his name and simply didn't want to come in, so he ignored me. But he hasn't eaten that I know of and I miss him terribly.

I keep comforting myself with the fact that he was never really my cat; he was a friend I helped in a time of need and I always meant to find him a good home. But it's cold comfort and I'd really just like to know he's okay... even if I found out he isn't okay, at least I would know. That would be terribly sad, but it would be easier than this.

Still, I have a feeling he's alright and just "catting-about," but it still worries me. That and the whole no sleep thing has completely run me down.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009