though not the very next day. We gave it five days of a good try, but when I got the message from Bill yesterday morning that Max had holed up in a corner of the shed's "attic" and wouldn't come out, we both decided this wasn't working and I went to get him.
It took 20 minutes of coaxing and dropping the key words "a little something", "a little sip (of halfnhalf)", "home", "petting", but eventually he scrambled dustily out of the hideyhole he'd found (I think it was quite a tight fit because I could hear him scratching as though he were trying to turn around in a small space), came to me, and I grabbed him.
I had to stand on a ladder to do all this coaxing and I wasn't sure he would be coaxable, but now my Mad Max is home again, much to his delight (and, secretly, mine). It was lovely to have him back, to rollick down the road with me to get the paper this morning, even to have him once again lording it over Loosy and Lily, who are not exactly thrilled--more resigned than anything.
I'm not sure what is going to happen next. It's clear he's too attached to me and too afraid of others to be transplanted easily. It may be that I'll find a way to take him with me next summer when I move or maybe even I can return him to the farmer who gave him to me in the first place. At the farmers' market yesterday I asked him what he thought and he said he'd check with his family.
It was interesting to notice what his return has meant to my spirits. I had worried about him constantly while he was gone, hoping for the best and missing him. The responsibilities of pastoral ministry with my congregation right now are particularly heavy and I am looking at another major memorial service and after-care very shortly. Max's return relieved one major concern and I feel much more able to cope with it all.
This weekend I have my friend Sue visiting till Tuesday morning. Today it's church, a lunch bunch at the local Chinese place, and a music party tonight here at my house. Fun all day long! And Max is back. Whew.
9 comments:
I thought something like that *could* happen. I had visions of Max making his own way home to your place. Needless to say I did not voice my concerns hoping for the best.
If he is *that* attached to you I doubt that returning him to the farmer who you originally got him from will turn out much better. You just might have to seriously consider keeping Max and bringing him along to your new home.
You *might* want to see if any of your parishioners are interested in taking him. They could perhaps visit you a few times and build a bond with him before you hand him on to them. Just a thought.
Good luck Ms. Kitty.
Sounds like you may need it. . . ;-)
Those are all good ideas, Robin, thanks.
Oh, poor Max, missing his mum - and Miss Kitty, missing her Max - I think your friend Robin's idea might be a good one, if you could get him to bond with someone else...I've never had to give away a cat I've loved, it would be a hard one. Good luck! T.
I like to think that most of my ideas are good ideas Rev. Ketcham, even if they are not always pleasant and uplifting ideas. ;-)
It occurs to me that what with the Space Shuttle officially retired and with Soyuz rockets grounded due to technical problems that it may not be all that practical to take Max The Homesick down to Cape Canaveral and put him in his place in a U.S. rocket that's going to outer space, but do enjoy this classic NFB animation anyway. :-)
"a music party tonight here at my house."
So did you sing 'The Cat Came Back' by any chance Ms. Kitty?
I mean you *can* sing it with conviction now. ;-)
WVC = dialocan which is just one letter away from being Dial-O-Cat :-)
We did attempt "The Cat Came Back", Robin! It's a great song.
Yes it is.
I have loved that song since well before that NFB animation was created and it is not a recent production by any means. As I recall our family bought a boxed set of American heritage folk & bluegrass songs back in the late 60s or early 70s and a version of 'The Cat Came Back' was on it. Another favorite was 'Old Joe Clark' who later became a *Progressive* Conservative Canadian Prime Minister. ;-)
I am thinking that your best option for Max, other than keeping him, would be to try to have a relatively close neighbor adopt him. That way he can stay in his habitual stomping grounds, or would that be chomping grounds?
I think that idea about having a neighbor take him in is a really good one, Robin, and one I think I'll explore. Thanks again for your helpfulness.
Robin's got an interesting idea there, Rev. Kit. A couple of the cats in my sister's neighborhood are kind of community kitties, such as Prue and Kigi. She and a few others feed the furry souls, who find a home under porches and by back doors, and it suits them fine. Perhaps Max might more enjoy being a shared cat?
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