Bad ! Kitty!! Very, Very Bad!!

We can always count on change.  Sometimes it comes slowly, almost unperceived; sometimes it smashes you over the head. Wednesday was a slammer.  When Kim and I left for work Wednesday morning, I noticed that Hermione hadn't been around for her normal breakfast.  I didn't give it a lot of thought as she'd done the same thing the day before.

It's beautiful out in her yard and that's where I assumed she was hanging out.

I came home early on Wednesday because Kim and I both have killer summer time colds...Upon arriving, still no Hermione.  That's when I went from 0 to 1000 in the change category.  She wears an Invisible Fence collar to keep her on the property.  From the first day we adopted her, she was a wanderer and had no respect for streets or traffic.  Three of the last straws (prior to the Invisible Fence) were:

1) Receiving a phone call from the local Pizza Hut at 10PM 

that she was outside their doors wandering the parking lot. 

2) Watching her amble home on another day, again from the direction of the Pizza Hut

with a huge piece of chicken in her mouth. 

3) Strolling across our busy street and stopping in the middle to groom herself.

Thus, the Invisible Fence and her collar.

I began my search for her. 

Up one street and down another.  

Throughout the house.  

Under bushes. 

I called the lost pet hotline. 

I looked everywhere.

 

 

 

As a result of my futile search, I drew 3 conclusions.

1) She was killed and taken by a raccoon.

2) She was killed and taken by a coyote. 

3) I would never see her again.

Kim helped me search for her and chose to hold out hope; between us, we had all our bases covered.

Wednesday night we headed for bed, both tearful.
Her dinner hour had come and gone.

The house was very quiet. 

Food and water bowls sat untouched.
I marked our calendar.

Now I know that you know how this story ends....but I will tell it anyway.
   About 4:30 AM I woke up because I thought I felt pressure at my feet.  I quickly told myself, "don't go there..."   But then, I heard rattle, rattle, the sound of her collar when she shakes her head.  Guess what I did?
  I just rolled over and went back to sleep.
  NO NO!!!  Just kidding.
I screamed "Hermione, Hermione!!!  Where have you been???????"
Kim bolted up and together we held Hermione.  Kim quickly noted that there was no purring going on and that she had a pretty frazzled look to her...
After a few minutes of hugging and intense greetings, she laid back down and went to sleep.

She has been this way for almost two days.  Getting up periodically but going right back to sleep.
Today she looks more peaceful:

So now, I have learned more things....

1. I never stop learning.
2. I tend to be quite pessimistic.
3. Pessimism is a survival mechanism.
4. Sometimes Kim is right.
5. I am VERY GLAD that Kim sometimes is right.
6. ALWAYS change the collar battery as soon as it arrives in the mail!
7. This was my fault for not changing the battery because Hermione, after 7 or so years of wearing her Invisible Fence collar continues to test its efficacy.

Kim added to our calendar:

We had a very nice and happy 27th year anniversary!!
Thank you. Thank you.
Guess who comes home next week for a visit?
Bad, Bad Kitty.