I did a bad thing yesterday. My wife says I shouldn’t share this story because it makes me look bad but I’m going to share anyway.
I have a memory problem. It’s not what you think. I can remember past events just fine. I haven’t developed dementia just yet, although if I did I probably wouldn’t know it. I have trouble remembering the future. Specifically, I have trouble remembering what I have to do at exactly the time I need to do it.
Some would call that absent-mindedness. Others call it “ADD.” Essentially it means I have trouble keeping a thought in my head. When a new thought enters, the old thought exits. For example, the other day I went out to the shed to grab a bottle of water. When I got out there I realized I needed to put clothes in the dryer. When I finished, I went back in the house without the water. It has been a problem ever since I can remember, and I can remember my forgetfulness just fine. I function pretty well with my problem, mostly because I develop habits, but sometimes I scare myself.
Yesterday morning Rose left to visit her mother. As she drove away she noticed a mobile detailer two doors down and called to ask if I could find out what they would charge to wax her car. I said “sure” and walked out the front door. When I did, Frankie slipped out the door before I could close it. He lingered for a while until I tried to catch him and then he bolted.
This picture is from a different escape.
I decided to get the price from the detailers and then catch Frankie. I spoke with them for a minute and then went home, forgetting that Frankie was outside. Not only did I forget about him, he didn’t enter my mind as being missing until three hours later when I opened the back door to check on laundry and there he was. He gave me a stern meow and then walked inside. Wow!
My wife is going to be gone next week so I’m going to have to be very careful. She told me I can’t use the stove while she is away.
Bad Cat Chris 
UHOH……I empathize with the forgetfulness thing – we all have that and those of us who are WAY older than you have it more frequently BUTTTT I have to admit I’ve never forgotten my cat was outside. LOL Good thing Frankie KNEW he should be inside and hung around waiting for SOMEONE (hint hint) to remember he was out there! I often set out to do one thing then realize a few other things are “on the way” to my original mission and do them – then forget the original thing……it’s called “leading a busy life” – not dementia………YET!
Pam
Thanks Pam. I wish I could blame age but I have struggled with this since I was young.
Well, at least he was there waiting to be let back in. This might teach him not to run out again (probably not). Once Ernie ran into the garage (it’s attached to the house from the laundry room). In my case, I didn’t know he had gotten in there…and was stuck for a couple of hours…and it was winter and the garage isn’t heated. He gave me a stern look too when I finally realized he was in there and let him back in.
That’s why I like to do a cat count before leaving the house. They just get into everything.
Oh, I should mention that Frankie and Chris are both bugging me to go outside this morning so I guess he was not traumatized by the experience.
You are EXACTLY like my husband and I can empathize with your wife!! I am also going to be out of town from Thursday til Monday afternoon and my husband’s “forgetfulness” is making me a nervous wreck. He leaves cupboards open, (the treat cupboard and Cody will have a field day), and when he cleans the litter he leaves the litter cabinet door open with the scooper IN the litter box………….I will have to call him multiple times a day to remind him NOT to do that and I still won’t know if he didn’t. I soooo understand! we love you guys in spite of it……..I just think other things get in the forefront of your minds, you don’t do it intentionally so it doesn’t make you look bad. Thank COD though that Frankie was there waiting for YOU!
Hahaha. I’d say it’s a man thing but I think I got it from my mom.
Wow! That’s a very guilty look Frankie’s giving you when you were on the way to the mobile detailer! I don’t think he had any right chastising you when you opened the door three hours later. I think Frankie probably had one heck of a good adventure!
I’m sure he did. I don’t know how long he was waiting at the back door but he didn’t get a drink of water when he came in so that’s a good thing. Today he is begging to go outside again.
LOL! Of course!
I bet Frankie was really surprised when you stopped chasing after him! Maybe getting ignored will teach him a lesson… well, maybe not.
He is still trying to run out the door. He loves going out but he apparently loves having a home too.
Y-Y-Y-Yikes! Scary story. But I love a happy ending! Good kitty, Frankie. Always stay close to home. It’s the best place to be.
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Frankie knows he has a good home. He’s just not good at being an indoor kitty. 😸
Post it notes….. Mom can so relate
Stephen ‘forgot’ that it’s a bad idea to leave cat food pouches out and left three on the work surface. Rosie found them and once she’d picked a favourite, by giving them all a chew, she took it upstairs and gave it to him, leaking gravy and all.
I once shut Sammie in the wardrobe for a few hours, but as I didn’t know she’d snuck in there, I’m not taking the blame for that LOL
I’ve left cat food out too. A large bag of dry food. Came home to holes at the bottom of the bag and lots of stale food.
Glad Frankie was OK.
Me too. Thanks.
Make sure you count the cats before and after you go to work 🙂
Agreed.
Mommy has memory purroblems too. She makes lots of notes and sets lots of reminders. big hugs
Luv ya’
Dezi and Raena
I write notes sometimes but other times it is not possible, like when your cat runs out the door. 🙂
You need a lady in da box (alexa dot) like we just got. You could yell at her to remind ya’. Mommy yells at her all da time. She’s been a real, real, well, not sure what she’s been, but we’re grateful to whoever sent her to us. MOL Big hugs
Luv ya’
Dezi and Raena
That sounds like a good idea.
Yeah, mommy didn’t even know she needed one till she arrived. Nopawdy’s owned up to sendin’ her to us, but she really is a big help fur those who have memory issues like mommy. Big hugs
Luv ya’
Dezi and Raena
Heh heh! TW wouldn’t let you use the stove too. Sometimes she gets forgetful too (#senile) and one time as she took the bus into the cite, you started to have a panic attack that she’d left the water boiling on the stove. She fretted the entire time she was having lunch with her friend but it was all good. She’s turned it off. Now as far as leaving Frank outside all day …
that should read “bus into the CITY.”
and SHE started to have a panic attack. #senile
I sometimes worry that I forgot to turn off the stove or coffee pot or something. I night I got out of bed to check the stove. I knew I was being crazy so I touched it to prove to myself that I turned it off… And I burned my fingers. I guess I wasn’t crazy after all, unless you count touching a hot stove.
Thanks for sharing this. Our mom is exactly the same. She says it is because she doesn’t live in the moment but does most things by rote and is not properly paying attention. She and Dad are constantly telling each other things and saying, “If you remember, will you please remind me.” Your “little” problem could have had disastrous consequences. We are certainly happy it didn’t. Good luck. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, angel Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth, Calista Jo and Cooper Murphy
It seems more people can relate to me than I thought. It is important to do things right away or they will get forgotten.