THE WILD SIDE or THE TABBY CAT’S DISAPPEARING ACT

What is going on in our cats’ minds? Who knows? We can only guess and try to figure them out. But ultimately, our cat’s mind is an enigma.

A few days back, my 16-year-old, the hardly walking tabby cat, decided to escape her reality. She has become a house cat with old age, and this behaviour wasn’t expected or anticipated. Late in the evening, she took off and walked for miles without a sense of direction or destination.

Most possibly, she didn’t fully realise what she was doing. Another proposed theory was flown around that she developed dementia and couldn’t find her way home. Or maybe she just had enough and decided to escape her reality. You know, like taking a break from everything that is familiar or expected, making sure there is an adventurous bone still alive in her, even at the serious cat’s age.

It was a bold move, completely outside of my mostly sleeping cat’s comfort zone.

And I get it! Sometimes, we all feel like shaking things up a little, changing our usual setting, possibly disappearing for a day or two. And my cat is no exception. Bravely and boldly, she decided to experience a quest on her own terms. And I have to say, unexpectedly, I found myself surprised and puzzled. Completely worried out of my head and heartbroken, of course, but also unexpectedly inspired. Who knew that she could travel so far? I could only hope that her adventure brought her whatever she sought.

We have been searching for her for 24 hours. Like a lunatic, I suspiciously searched my neighbours’ front gardens for any sign of her, and social media was flooded with her pictures and messages of support.

What saved the day was the power of community! Many roads down, a lady called Maria saw my cat sitting in the bushes. She picked her up and brought her home. She decided to go door to door, asking if anyone lost a cat. Her neighbour, Chris, posted a message on social media. Anna, who saw my messages, replied to him with my details. He wrote to me, and voila! Our family was reunited.

In the evening, as my cat lay in the middle of the living room, leaking her paws, with a proud look on her face, I couldn’t help but wonder what was her motivation for leaving the house like that and strolling in search of new experiences. But what I understood is that you shall never underestimate an old cat – she has proven to everyone that she is as wild as it gets. She is a tiger, after all ??

?