Welcome to another episode of the drama that is the life of a cat parent. In this episode, we will look into the disappearance of Frankie, who was suddenly and inexplicably absent from the lunchtime meal on Friday.
I scooped out three plates of wet food at about 1:30 yesterday afternoon. Chris and Floki were there waiting but no Frankie. I put the plates down and called, “Frankie! Frankie!” but he didn’t come. I then went upstairs, calling his name and looking in each room but saw no Frankie.
I looked under the beds, which I knew was fruitless because Frankie is not a UTB kind of cat. I looked in my bedroom closet but no Frankie. By then Floki was upstairs eating Frankie’s food that I temporaraly set down.
That is when I got worried and told Rose that I couldn’t find Frankie. I retrieved Frankie’s dish from Floki and headed downstairs to look. I checked the closets down there and Rose went upstairs to look. I also checked behind the sofa and I looked outside on the catio and in the laundry room.
Not finding him, I set the food down and looked upstairs again after Rose came down without finding him. We considered the possibility that he got outside because we had a visitor and because I went out several times that morning, but the laundry room is a buffer and we always close one door before opening the other. Nevertheless, I walked around the block looking for him.
I returned without any luck, but I did meet some nice neighbors who said they would keep an eye out for him. Rose wanted me to drive around the neighborhood but I wanted to search the house one more time.
I turned on the flashlight on my phone and started checking closets more thoroughly. I checked downstairs and then upstairs. I then checked the bathtubs because Frankie likes to go in the tub sometimes but no Frankie. It was then that I remembered the closet in the bathroom and opened it and saw Frankie looking up at me. He gave me a short “meow” and then walked out.
We headed downstairs where he found three empty bowls. I figured after what he went through he deserved some wet food so I opened another can for him.
About an hour or so later, when I decided to write about his adventure, he was on my desk looking for attention.
How could I refuse?
Bad Cat Chris 
Naughty boy for making you worry!
He always has to get into closets for some reason.
BIG HOUSE = lots of super duper private hiding places! Quite an adventure wasn’t it. LOL
Hugs, Pam
In our other house we would have found him in two minutes.
Once, I couldn’t find Andy till I opened the front door. He’d somehow managed to get trapped between the screen door and the front door when I last closed it, poor, kitty! Another time, Dougy went missing just as I needed to put him in a carrier to take him and his brother to the pet groomer. I had to give up looking for him to get his brother to the groomer’s in time for their appointment. I returned home, and spent a another hour and a half looking all over the house for the missing Dougy. The only place I hadn’t looked was a carrier in the front room. Yes, he’d slipped in there at some point, so I closed the door and got him to the groomer just in time for his appointment!
Regardless, it is alarming when out pets go missing, even if they eventually turn up in the house. I’m glad Frankie turned up and finally got his kitty food, but I’m sure he was good and ready for food by then!
I couldn’t find Floki this morning. After a long search I found him in the back of one of the pet crates we used to bring them here from Florida. My wife let her cat outside one night when she was young and didn’t realize the screen door closed before the cat got out. She found him between the doors the next morning.
Glad to know I'[m not the only one who has done that!
🙂
I feel your anxiety, every cat owner knows the sinking feeling of not being able to find a cat. Those furry little b***ards! And the huge feeling of relief one feels when we see them again, either walking in on us or innocently napping in a cosy place. What would our life be without cats? Hope you had no better use of your time. 😆
Thanks. Went through almost the same thing this morning with Floki. They are a pain but we worry about them.
You need security cams in your house …
I think you are right.
Happy end you had. It is a terrible feeling when you realize your cat has disappeared.
Yes, the thought of losing Frankie was destressing. We live on a someone busy road which makes it more worrisome.
I’m just glad he wasn’t outside, but still, it’s very scary when one is missing.
Yes, it sure is.
That little meow from the closet said, “Sheesh! It’s about time! Do better, humans!”
Love and licks,
Cupcake
That is exactly what I thought.
I was afraid to read this. I thought he got out in your new neighborhood. Glad he is OK.
We were lucky this time. The traffic worries me here. There is much less traffic here in general but we are on the main road to downtown.
It is always so scary when you can’t find one of them! Glad this turned out well!
Yes, it is. It has happened a lot in this house. Not as bad but it is a big house.
Ahhhh the life of a cat parent is soooooooo true!! Glad that Frankie was safe and sound…AT HOME!!
It sure was a relief.
Never a dull moment with those cats!
I live for the full moments. 🙂
I always do the count 1, 2, 3… as a fast way to make sure all are around. We have had a few of these “missing cat” episodes where I end up finding them in some odd spot they have never been before, totally nonplussed and looking at me like I was the crazy one. Ahhh they wiggle into our hearts in so many ways and then remind us that, yes, they are deep in there. Give Frankie a head rub from us
I wrote about doing a cat count years ago and I still do it but since my wife works from home most days now I don’t always think about it. https://badcatchris.com/2014/05/06/the-importance-of-a-cat-count/
Mr. M never meowed when called – ever, but I learned to, a bit too late for my staff’s comfort, but I learned… The incident in my life was when I opened the front door – and scared myself when it swung inward, SO I ran fast as I could to Ms. Munchkin’s room – a dresser drawer was half open, so I leaped in… I was moving so fast that the drawer slammed shut., which really startled me, but there was no where to run.
It took hours before I was found. The staff had been at a neighbor’s, so they came home to a wide open door… and I was the only one missing… They assumed I’d gone out, so eventually the entire neighborhood was out looking for me, but I was trapped in that drawer… Eventually, at bedtime, Ms. Munchkin found me, which really startled her.
Purrseidon
I LOVE closets too! My human always keeps an eye out for me whenever she opens one.
Closets are way too tempting for an adventurous cat.
At least he was safe
Yes, it turned out well.