Mystery Cat

This week’s posts have been about black cats and black-&-white cats.  I started the week with a list of the names of these Winnie’s Wishers - Maverick, Hershey Bear, Truly, Shiloh        . . .   and Victor.   Today is Victor’s first appearance on the blog.

Back in December, some strange things started happening here at my home.  I couldn’t figure it out.  It certainly was NOT the norm.  As I’ve described before, we live WAY out in the country.  Our neighbors are quite a distance from us - no next-door-neighbors like one would have in town.  Our two closest neighbors have dogs, no cats.  But unless both my husband and I were losing our minds at the same time, there was a cat in our yard . . .  somewhere.

The first time it happened, we drove into our driveway one evening after being away to do some Christmas shopping.  As I’ve said - we are an hour away from real shopping, so we try to get EVERYTHING we need when we are out.  As we were carrying holiday gifts and groceries into the house, back and forth, I thought I heard a cat crying.  My thoughts were elsewhere, but somewhere in the back of my mind I was trying to process the sound.  Of course, it had to be one of my own.  The cathouse is too far from the house for me to hear meowing from the driveway.  Think, walk, carry . . .   WAIT!  That sound is DEFINITELY coming from here - OUTSIDE the house!  Oh, dear.  Now it hit me.  Could one of our cats have somehow gotten outside?!?  Had somebody been out the whole time we were gone?!?  That just couldn’t be. 

I raced in and started counting.  One, two, three, four, five, . . .   six.  All there.  Good.  Back outside for the last load.  And there it was again.  Somebody was meowing in the dark.  I got nervous that maybe I didn’t close the cathouse door all the way that afternoon when I exited.  With the last of the packages and sacks in the house, I ran down to the cathouse in the dark.  Door securely closed as always.  Back up to the house.  I started walking around in the front yard, calling - Kitty, kitty, kitty . . .      Nothing.

Husband had heard it, too.  But it didn’t seem possible.  Cats don’t just stray up to our house.  At any point in time, some or most of our TEN dogs are in the fenced-in back yard.  They are bouncing, playing, barking, interacting, barking.  And did I mention that they bark?  Surely, for a cat, that would be enough of a warning to stay away. 

I never did figure it out.  Several days went by, and it happened again.  All of the dogs were tucked inside for the night.  I stepped out the back door to let Bailey and Gideon into the yard for one final moment of relief before bed.  I heard a cat meowing.  When I got Bailey and Gideon back in, I threw a coat over my pjs and headed outside with a flashlight.  Never saw a cat; didn’t hear it anymore that night.  This happened another couple of times.  Then one night, I was going to bed and Husband was staying on the computer.  I walked over to him, leaned down to kiss him good night, and right outside the window was a cat on my deck.  I froze.  There it is - I whispered.  There what is? - said Husband.  I started towards the front door, but thought how I didn’t want to scare it off.  My head was spinning.  A cat on OUR deck!?  Really?!

The door creaked so loudly when I carefully opened it that it would have scared one of my own family members off the deck.  I skip-tiptoed outside and hurriedly started scanning in the dark.  I was calling Kitty Kitty, too.  Nothing.  I went everywhere.  I went back in and got the flashlight.  I searched the yard, the deck, under our vehicles.  When I went back inside, Husband was still playing his game on the computer, not even remotely ruffled by this extraordinary event.  I was talking at high speed about how by golly there WAS a cat, I saw it, it was dark-colored, I think black, it was right there on the deck, I saw it through the window, I know it exists now . . .

For the rest of December and until a couple of weeks ago, we looked, called, and worried.  Where was it going during the day?  Where had it come from?  What would happen if it showed up during the day and jumped into the fenced-in yard?  Was it traveling long enough distances to cross the busy blacktop road only a quarter mile away? 

We decided to start setting our trap right there on our own deck every evening.  We couldn’t leave it over night because of the cold temperatures.  But in the three or four hours between twilight and bedtime, maybe we could catch this cat before it was too late.  However - it didn’t happen.  Every night, the last thing I did before turning in was to go out and trip the trap.  Darn.  And the really frustrating thing was that I was still hearing that cat meowing from somewhere SEVERAL nights a week.

Then one very early morning, Husband walked into the family room and caught a glimpse of something dart under his truck out in the driveway.  It was a black cat.  Husband raced out onto our deck and set the trap.  When I came downstairs, he was walking to the door to look out and he said - I saw the cat and I set the trap, (and as he looked through the glass), and oh, my gosh, I got him!  I nearly broke my neck sliding over to the window.  And there he was.  A slightly thin, black male cat sitting inside the trap.

Meet Victor.

In two weeks, he's already put on weight nicely.

I’m not sure about Victor’s age. I still haven’t seen him play with toys.  He is already becoming a lover.  He is definitely a talker.  I had him neutered right away so he could move into the cathouse.  The other cats make a wide path around him.  And I would say this is because they just don’t know him very well yet.  He seems to ignore them for the most part.   But I saw him chase poor little Shiloh up onto the cat tree.  Obviously he’s been living outside and not in a home with other cats.  We will see.  He could actually go right this minute into a home without other cats because he likes us humans ALOT - purring, talking, and interacting.  A home with other cats I’m just not sure about yet.

My name is Victor and I need a home.

Friends - Victor needs a wonderful forever home.  And don’t forget about the other sweeties I’ve been highlighting over the last two weeks.  They all deserve their very own families.  Have a great weekend! 

   

Comments

[meowmeowmans]

Well, hello Victor! I wonder where you came from? In any case, you sure did find your way to the perfect place to be while you wait for a forever home. You'll be well-taken care of, and get lots of love while you're with Chrystal. Paws crossed that you and the other kitties get used to each other soon, and that a new family is just around the corner. :)

[ginny & The fur family]

Victor looks like my small cat Spot Dot- black with a small white dot under his chin. Black cats can blend into the darkness and survive a lot of the wild animals out side. Thank the gods of cat dom that your husband trapped Victor because some time his luck might have run out. Now he is safe, fed, loved and neutered,soon he will be ready for a new home with a family all his own. Please someone out there consider Victor for your own personal furrie..... love wears fur. love is forever fur. Have a warm night in a cold climate - weather turning to snow or sleet here tonight. Put extra warm covers out in your out side pets homes tonight and if they can come in bring them in... Ginny & The Fur Family

[Random Felines]

think of it this way - if you were BOTH nuts, at least you would have good company. :) NICE save!!! Victor is very handsome and we hope his new forever family sees this and needs their own house panther.

[Mindy Slimmer]

Victor sure did hit the jackpot...Hopefully, he is still one lucky kitty and will find his forever home in no time.
Hehehehe! Your story about "I'm not crazy" is so funny!!
Much Love,
Mindy :)

[The Poupounette]

Victor clearly had heard about your place and he must have wondered what took you so long to trap him! All paws crossed for a Forever Home for him, and the others too!

[Andrea and the Celestial Kitties]

Oh my goodness! What a cutie! What a lucky boy! He sure started meowing at the right house!

Ok, we need a Victory For Victor! We need a forever home with lots of love to make up for the time he spent outside with no people!
We need a lot of great homes for all the great cats in the cathouse!
We need to Clear Chrystal's Cathouse By Kitten Season!
We need to work together to find forever for these sweeties!

Share it, tweet it, post it, tell your friends and family, put up signs at work, do everything you can to find homes please!

Donations always help put food in little bellies and litter in probably more boxes than you or I would care to think about! Every tiny bit helps! And if you want something back for your donation, be sure you see the FUN FUN FUNdraiser for your own kitty toys while you help the kitties of Winnie's Wish!

[Bellen]

How about that? You don't have many cats come knocking on your door for help - though Victor certainly knew where to go to start a better life.

[Kat & the Teenage Mutant Ninja Kitty Horde]

Stunning! He reminds me of our own StarWalker BitCat the ComputerKitty!

[Cat]

Maverick, Victor, Kip, Handsome, and Sparkles...I'm amazed how many black cats with white spots on their chests you have in your area!!! Did I miss anyone out?