I am now a ... catnapper

Last night I managed to run some errands and also go downtown to Safeway's to do a grocery shop. I will try to go again today as I only bought about half what I had on my list. I spent $100 and got 100 bonus airmiles so I will do that again today maybe. I need some sleep first. I had phoned Marcy last evening to see if she wanted to meet for a drink after work. She was having a bad day and bad evening. In the morning Gary, her husband, left for work around 5am. He saw a coyote with a cat - THEIR cat Bandit. There was only about half of Bandit remaining. Damn. Bandit was Cassidy's or I think I should say that Cassidy belonged to Bandit. They got him when she was little and he tolerated her childish games of dress-up or drag the kitty around the house. As she grew he became her confidant and it was cute because he would nudge her to come to bed when bedtime arrived. He always slept on her bed. He was outside during the day but like the rest of their five cats, would come in at night. Somehow he was left out night before last. We have lost 6 - 8 cats in the past couple of weeks in the neighbourhood.

Anyway, back to Marcy - at work she had several problems but finally they were all sorted out and she started home around 11:45pm. She phoned me before she got to the bridge. We talked until she was almost home and then she yelled "there's the f**ker!" I heard the roar of her truck's engine as she gunned it. After a few tries to run the coyote down, she came home. She went into the house to check that her cats were all in - Zach was nowhere to be found. When she came back out of course I was hobbling towards the road. We took off coyote hunting. Didn't take us long to find it. Pretty little thing. Looked female to me just by its size and mannerisms. I know, I know, that isn't the way to tell, but from this point on it is a 'she'.

We chased her and chased her. She would run across the highway and then double back. There is one yard she particularly likes. That is where Bandit's hind end was dropped after Gary gave chase. The people in that house also lost a cat. So did the folks next door to me. We returned home to get flashlights and finally Zach answered Marcy's call. He dashed past her and into the house. He certainly appeared spooked. Now all Marcy's cats were accounted for so we took off again. We ran that poor wee coyote ragged until about 3am. We were charging at her and then she avoided us and I saw something in the long grass at the edge of the road. I felt sick. I knew it was a cat and that it was alive but I thought it was injured by the way it was hunkered down. I got out of the truck and called to it. The pretty little cat came to me and I picked him up and brought him into the truck. He wasn't overly happy about that but tolerated it well. When we got home, Cassidy (still up) didn't want the strange cat in the house so I had him for the night. He went into the lower bathroom with food, water and a litter pan.

Thomas was intrigued when we brought the little kitty in. Cole was definitely NOT amused. They hissed at one another. This morning Marcy came over and read the tattoo and I phoned my vet's office. We are now just waiting to find out who the cat belongs to.

Well, a lot has happened in the past little while. The vet's office phoned to say that the cat is from Vancouver Island - Comox area. So we concluded that they either were new here or visiting. Then the doorbell rang and three young ladies wanted to see the cat because a grey and white cat belongs to their neighbour. But no, it was not the right cat. Then I phoned the nearest hotel to see if anyone there was missing a cat. Next I checked the most recent phone directory and discovered that people, of the name of the owners, live behind me on Hudson Road. I phoned and yep - it is their cat. The woman was so surprised to learn that there are coyotes in the area. Duh. You hear them all the time yippin' and yappin'. But then maybe she wouldn't recognize the sound. It is her husband's son's cat and he is away right now. Also there are other cats either visiting or just moved in that belong to her sister. That is why this cat doesn't want to go into the house and prefers to be an outdoor cat. Ack. I am afraid that this cat's days may be numbered and that would be sad as it is only three years old and is lovely. Nice temperament and beautiful as well.

Well, I am going to try to do a little work around here to tidy up a bit and then maybe have a nap. I was out until 3am and then watched a movie until 5:30am. I tried to sleep after that but Cole and Thomas were in and out. Cole complaining about the unwanted house guest and Thomas, as usual, looking for food. :) I told them both that if they didn't let me sleep I would use them tonight as bait for the coyote. That didn't have any effect on them as they continued to pester me.