When a cat is missing...

Tiger - photo by Thirza Meta

...it is obvious that the existing hierarchy is turned upside-down. With 6 cats living together, that's even more so. When Tiger did not come home two Fridays ago, the change was most noticeable in his sister Patches. 

She showed a tremendous need for cuddles and affection, after she went looking in every room, only to return with a pitiful confused look on her face. She clearly did not understand why Tiger wasn't there - her brother had never before been out for so long, and they have been together since they were kittens. 

As the days went by and Tiger still did not return, Spook and Bowie began to claim higher statuses: they kind of force themselves closer to me, especially in the evening, when our son is asleep and all is peaceful and quiet again. And now Troeleke also believes she has to make more of a statement. They get bolder, more "there", even louder. 
Seems that only Sayath remains exactly how she was before: a bit dangling at the bottom, but with that spunk that only she displays from time to time, begging for bellyrubs. 

Patches - photo by Thirza Meta

Patches however is restless. She never seems really at ease. She stares out of the window and cries every day to go outside. Sometimes I think that she believes she is the one who can lure him back to our house. 
It is pretty remarkable to see what route she takes when out in the garden: starting off on the left side, then around the shed and continuing on till she pops up beneath the skimmia bush at the right side. She is very reluctant to come back in - it takes some effort to convince her. Even the rain and wind don't seem to bother her. 
So, to me, she is the only one of our cats really physically missing Tiger. But she is also the one who really grieved over our late Stimpy, and who stayed cloes to him during his last two weeks on this earth. 

And yes, we do all we can to get Tiger back, but up to this day, the 10th day, he remains missing. 

The Fly Pattern

With six cats, there is always something to tell, always something to see and to experience. Fun thing of today is: one of the cats is a very skilled fly catcher. Only, he doesn't eat them.  

Bowie by ThirzaMeta, 2015

At our place, it's necessary on a daily basis to sweep the downstairs rooms. Three litterboxes, and six furballs, of which three longhaired ones, and a 5-year old make it kind of mandatory. However... 

Ever since the cats were allowed back to venture in the garden, our youngest cat Bowie started to leave chewed-on flies everywhere in the house. So I sweep and I am happy, for hey, what do you know, my place is clean again. And then I turn around and, what is that? A dead fly! A dead fly that was not there before! Seems that Bowie ever so slightly moved behind me and spat out that fly. Obviously for me to find. Sometimes he hides them, to play with later. Sometimes I find three, four flies in a row, like some kind of route on a treasure map. And everytime I give him a good talk-down to, he looks at me with those big eyes, as if to say, I did this for you.

On the other hand, to get rid of the flies that way is far easier than chasing them around the house and hoping they are smart enough to find the open window (I can't kill flies. Or other insects. I catch them using a glass and a piece of paper, and I put them outside). 
And since we have an awful lot of flies already at the start of Summer (due to hot temps, caused by the heatwave going on?) I expect a lot more trails and patterns scattered around the house.