Saturday, January 11, 2014

Adventures in Cat-sitting

The lady has been cat-sitting for friends and acquaintances off and on for years. Everything has always gone very smoothly until Christmas week. This is the story as she told it to me. No names have been changed to protect the guilty. And, I'm going to give away the ending and say that Sly is safe and sound.

Sly is a small, fluffy tuxedo cat who is very sweet and playful.

Mr. Innocent
He used to be an indoor-outdoor cat, but is now an indoor cat only. He is allowed some brief time on a third story deck to look out and relax in the sun.

One day it was unseasonably warm and the small 1/2 bath where Sly's litter-box is kept was very stuffy, so the lady opened the very small bathroom window about four inches for ventilation. It is up very high and is an unusual window that lifts up and locks in place. When the lady left that evening, she checked all the sliding doors as usual, but...she forgot all about that little bathroom window.

When she returned the next morning, she couldn't find Sly. She searched the whole house and he was nowhere to be found. When she checked the 1/2 bath for a second time, she looked up and saw that the screen was missing from the small bathroom window. She knew immediately that Sly had gotten out.

The lady went outside and looked down the hill to the backyard. There, at the very bottom of the mostly unfenced yard, was Sly. He was sitting there, looking at a deer. The lady walked towards him and when she got close, he dashed behind the neighbor's fence and ran along it, away from her. She started talking in that voice that cats seem to like. "Sly, are you hungry?" Would you like some breakfast?" He crawled under the fence toward the lady, she picked him up and walked back into the house.

The lady told Sly's human what happened. Sly's human was very understanding (whew) and said that Sly was "a handful." Later that week when she came home from her trip, Sly ran out the door and had to be coaxed back in after he ran across the street. Sly's human said that he will be put in a room with the door closed before she opens the front door again!

"I don't know nuttin' about no jailbreak."

23 comments:

Katnip Lounge said...

*phew*!!!

So, we know where (and why) he got his name...

Karen Jo said...

We are glad that Sly is home safe and sound. I am the escape kitty around here and I sometimes lead Mom on a tour of the immediate neighborhood before she catches me.

Horus

Sparkle said...

What Katnip Lounge said - that boy really has earned his name!

The Swiss Cats said...

Your mom had to be worried stiff in that story ! We totally agree with Katnip Lounge ! Purrs

Mr Puddy said...

Take Note.....Learn from Sly's story
Myself want to be indoor/Outdoor cat forever and ever ; )
Thanks

Crafting Queen said...

Looks like Sly has a perfect name! lol Glad is safe and sound.

GOOSE said...

He does have the purrrrfect name. Crazy sly kitty.
Blessings,
Goose

Mickey's Musings said...

Good that it all worked out with that sly Sly ;) heehee
Living up to his name.
Purrs Georgia and Julie,
Treasure,JJ
and Angels Tiger and Tillie

Cat and DOG Chat With Caren said...

I was going to say the same thing as Crafting Queen. He DEFINITELY has the right name! Glad he is home safe and sound and kudos to you for telling the owner because she would have been none the wiser!

Little Miss Titch said...

well we all like to do a houdini from time to time,xx Speedy

Ivan from WMD said...

Your poor lady! I bet she was beyond panic with Sly's antics!

Kitties Blue said...

Some of us did that to once of our Cat Sitter a few years ago. We would all be in the house when she left the house after feeding us dinner, but when she would arrive the next morning two or three of us would meet her on the front porch. She hadn't left anything open and so couldn't figure out what was happening. She finally figured it out after a couple of days and tried to close off our escape route, but we still managed to get out. It was so much fun messing with her head. We are so glad Sly didn't get hurt. Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

Memories of Eric and Flynn said...

That must have been scary! Glad you were able to catch Sly again and all was safe.

The Island Cats said...

We'd hafta say that your human...and Sly...were very lucky.

Mariodacat said...

Whew, we're so relieve to know that Sly is okay. He certainly has a name that fits his personality. He is a sly one.

katsrus said...

So glad everything turned out alright. He sure is handsome.
Sue B

Cats Herd You said...

How scary to have that happen! We're glad that Sly is all right after his misadventure. He really does sound like a handful!

Catherine said...

Oh kitties can be very fast and tricky!
One time I was cat sitting for a friend and almost let the wrong cat into her house! LOL!
Glad kitty was safe.
xo Catherine

Unknown said...

Yep! Cats and doors! (and Windows) No matter where they are, and how happy they are, they ALWAYS wants to bes on the other side!
Especially mes!
Kisses
Nellie

Pasha's Mommy said...

heh! what a naughty boy!

Tama-Chan, Benny, Vidock, Violette, Ollie, Heloise, Momo, Ryu said...

Ah but Sly reminds us of our HOUBIBI!!!

Purrs,
The Chans

Unknown said...

Phew, glad all is okay now, that must have been scary! And glad Sly's family was understanding too.

LP said...

Hmm.... now we know why you were names Sly! Maybe they should add Sneaky to your name sweetie! :)

the critters in the cottage xo