TheBanyanTree: Pepe is missing

[Anita Coia]

My cat, Pepe, has gone missing, and I'm worried sick.  This is not typical behaviour for her.  Today is Tuesday - on Sunday night she refused to go into the bungalow (by simply ignoring me, as cats will do).  So I thought (as I normally do in these circumstances) "Bugger you then, I'm not going to wait out here till you decide you've had enough ."  She is always back within a few hours and hates having to wait till morning for company, so it usually curbs her desire to thwart me (as all cat-owners know, the relationship is a constant power struggle).  But Monday morning came and there was no sign of her.  No wailing at the door for breakfast and kisses.  

During the long, hot day I was in and out, but never saw her. I called, checked all her usual hiding spots but couldn't see her. The pigeons who steal her dried cat food were out of sorts as I didn't fill her bowl, so they sat on the roof next door and waited, conversing quietly with each other, then eventually disappeared.  Last night came and went, and my mind played tricks on me in my sleep, hearing her outside the window.  But this morning...still no sign of her. 

I haven't seen much of the annoying orange tomcat from across the road either in the last couple of days, so I'm hoping that the worst that has happened is that someone has complained about wandering cats and the ranger has been collecting moggies. In which case I will have to travel to the pound to collect her and pay a release fee and a fine from the council (must remember to get that registration tag!).  I've thought of all the other possibilities and I really don't want to go there.

Pepe has been with me for nearly seven years, through quite a few ups and downs, giving me unconditional affection. Well, conditional on being fed and generally treated like a princess, I suppose. Conditional on being allowed to coat my furniture with blankets of cat fur and occasionally substitute my couch for the scratching post.  She can't do those things any more due to the fact that we now live with an asthmatic - maybe she has taken off for a more attractive living arrangement?

Fingers crossed...