CATS: THE GRACE ESCAPE

Saturday, 29 August 2009

A few weeks ago I wrote a piece about Grace the cat with the broken leg whom I'm looking after.

Since then she's come along quite well and this week I've taken to bringing her into the house and keeping her in one room for a few hours where she can safely stretch her legs and get a bit more stimuli. It's also been useful for me to get a better idea of her true nature as she gets her confidence back. So far she seems friendly, a bit nervous, and playful, and no bother at all really. As long as there were no other cats around I started leaving the living room door open so she can explore a bit more if she wants.

Yesterday I started some vacuuming and the next thing I noticed was that she'd disappeared. Scared by the noise, I assumed and just left her to it. About an hour later she hadn't reappeared so I went looking. A cursory scan didn't reveal any sign so I did a more meticulous one looking absolutely everywhere, not just under chairs and stuff but under anything raised off the floor more than a couple of inches, in cupboards, behind them, anywhere a cat could possibly get to.

No sign and I started getting seriously worried. Now she couldn't have got out of the front door because I'd only opened it once and been very careful. I had, however, been out into the garden for a couple of minutes and left the door open behind me. She might have gotten out then. I thought it unlikely but checked the garden anywhere. No Grace. I didn't think she could climb over the fence with her weakened leg, though chased by another cat might have spurred her on.

I wandered up the back lane and called her name. Nothing.

After another hour, Susan came home. Me being worried sick about the vulnerable little cat and feeling absolutely awful about it, she proceeded to make me feel even worse. We ransacked the house, went around the streets, the adjacent back lanes. I even went out in the car around the block. I also knew that this would be a total waste of time as you can call a cat's name and it could be a couple of feet away and you'd never know it.

Another couple of hours later and I was in the living room, head in hands, when Grace sauntered in, tail erect, from the small cupboard under the stairs facing the living room door where she'd been hiding in a corner totally out of sight because I had looked in there.

Relieved, yes, more because I knew now that I hadn't been negligent and let her down. Hopefully, Susan's friend June will take her in about a week by which time her leg, theoretically, should be completely healed.

Post Script

Later.

June rang and she's going to take Grace -now named Lady- tomorrow teatime. Grace has in the house all afternoon and towards the end jumped on my knee and sprawled out purring happily. She is going to make a lovely pet for June and her daughter. Susan's just concerned that she accidentally gets out at her new home which is very close to a busy main road, but I'm sure they'll be careful.