Hi guys:
A 5-month old kitten came to my doorstep 4 weeks ago. Reported to the local shelter/ pet clinics, but no one claimed him. So I made him welcome at my home, and since then he has only been indoors (and at the same time I have been leash training him at home). Yesterday was the big day--I took him outside on a leash. He pulled and struggle at one point, and I wasn't fast enough to reach and he got loose and RAN AWAY with the leash still on (literally running, very fast). We had an all-day "search and rescue" mission at the neighorhood and could not find him. I thought maybe he had gone home to where he was originally from, but at the same time I was afraid he would be run over by a car, or get strangled with the leash, etc. etc. And I also thought maybe the kitten wasn't happy at my home? Maybe my adult cat (which hisses at him all the time and attacked him when he got too near) made him feel unwelcome? Then at midnight, I heard a very familiar meow at my bedroom window, and there he was, safely home. We live in an apartment complex where the different sections look confusion even to humans, and that all the units look the same. I was so happy and amazed that he was able to find us. I have heard of stories of cats returning home--but they were adult cats who had been living with the owner for a very long time. But this kitten who had only been with us for 4 weeks found us! Cats (and even kittens) are really clever. I still wonder if he thought he was playing hide and seek yesterday...
Annie
A 5-month old kitten came to my doorstep 4 weeks ago. Reported to the local shelter/ pet clinics, but no one claimed him. So I made him welcome at my home, and since then he has only been indoors (and at the same time I have been leash training him at home). Yesterday was the big day--I took him outside on a leash. He pulled and struggle at one point, and I wasn't fast enough to reach and he got loose and RAN AWAY with the leash still on (literally running, very fast). We had an all-day "search and rescue" mission at the neighorhood and could not find him. I thought maybe he had gone home to where he was originally from, but at the same time I was afraid he would be run over by a car, or get strangled with the leash, etc. etc. And I also thought maybe the kitten wasn't happy at my home? Maybe my adult cat (which hisses at him all the time and attacked him when he got too near) made him feel unwelcome? Then at midnight, I heard a very familiar meow at my bedroom window, and there he was, safely home. We live in an apartment complex where the different sections look confusion even to humans, and that all the units look the same. I was so happy and amazed that he was able to find us. I have heard of stories of cats returning home--but they were adult cats who had been living with the owner for a very long time. But this kitten who had only been with us for 4 weeks found us! Cats (and even kittens) are really clever. I still wonder if he thought he was playing hide and seek yesterday...
Annie