Secret Lives of Cats

Do your cats lead secret lives? Ours do! They've been very good at hiding it. I would never have suspected it if some of their friends hadn't given them away. I first heard about their secret identities a couple of years ago. I was chatting with one of our neighbours and she saw one of our cats and ask if it, indeed, belonged to us. I can't remember if it was Apollo or Artemis...if those are their real names... I said, yes, that both orange cats were ours. She then proceeded to tell me that they spent a lot of time around her house and that her grandkids had named them Peaches (Apollo) and Pumpkin (Artemis). Peaches at least used to go into their house and they'd give him treats sometimes. He was living the high life apparently. Then she told me that he used to even lay in bed with her husband who was very sick with, I think, MS. I can't remember exactly what disease it was now, but he was very ill. And Apollo, Peaches, would curl up and keep him company. I seriously got a lump in my throat as she was telling me. She seemed to really appreciate his company and her husband did pass away that same year. I've always thought it was nice that Apollo was able to give that family some comfort in a very difficult time.

Then, a few weeks ago, I was out at some yard sales with the kids. Trying to kill some time while Kevin was at a soccer workshop. We were at a house a street behind ours and their cat jumped up on one of the tables. I said that she looked familiar and told them that we had two orange cats. They said, "the big orange one? Apricot?" (ok, so I may be making Apricot up....I'm pretty sure it was a food name as well, but different from the previous ones...either way, they had renamed my cat). I said, "well, yes..Apollo and a smaller one, Artemis." They say, "oh, we call him (really a her...) Watson." Ok, crazy people... Riley did end up buying a toy there. I guess I didn't have the same soft heart since Apollo didn't curl up on someone's death bed there. They were also letting the cats into their house and feeding them. I mean, c'mon, that's just weird. I wouldn't let anybody else's cat into our house and start feeding it. And it's not just because I have enough on my hands with 3 kids, 2 cats and a dog....it's just plain weird. Who let's someone else's cat into their house and feeds them?

A couple of years ago Artemis was missing for a week... I thought she wasn't coming back then one day, poof, there she was in the backyard like nothing ever happened....I guess maybe she was hanging out with one of her other families. It's like Alias for cats around here! Maybe I should have named them Sydney and Vaughan :) I kind of like to think that maybe Apollo is some kind of good spirit or littlest hobo or something. Maybe it's his purpose in life to make people happy. I mean, not us, just our neighbours.

And yes, I know, I know...maybe they should have collars with their names. Honestly, they used to be indoor cats until I had Bridget. Before that they'd get a foot out the door and I could still catch them. Once I had 3 kids I think they realized that they could run and I couldn't spend my day chasing them. I gave them flea collars and wished them well. Our yard has been rodent free ever since! I did give them collars with bells for awhile but they did a pretty good job of destroying them before long. I mean, it's not like they're uncared for...they have at least three homes!

And, just for some more pet news...we have neighbours who picked up a beagle pup yesterday. Their girls had been looking forward to the pup for weeks. An exciting time as those of us with puppies all know! Well, this morning I'm checking up on Facebook and their status said that the pup got away from them on leash late last night and was still missing. We felt absolutely sick about the whole thing :( Kevin immediately took a drive around the neighbourhood looking but found nothing. This was one day that we didn't really have much on the go so we all got dressed and decided to take a walk around to look. At the end of our road there was a family who looked ready to head out on a walk too and we asked them if they'd seen her. Amazingly, she was in their bushes! She had been hanging out around their house apparently but they didn't know who she belonged too. We were thrilled! Oz was with us and was freaking out both at the pup and the couple's older lab. He wanted to play so badly and was about to take my arm off to do it so Kevin took him home and the kids and I took the puppy to her home.

Off we go down the road, me carrying the puppy because I'm terrified to put her down and the kids doddling along behind. We get to our friends' driveway and I tell the boys to run ahead and ring the bell. Bridget then falls in the driveway and skins her knee. Screaming commences. I talk her through getting up, dog still in arms and we manage our way to the door. I have never seen someone so relieved in my life as our neighbour this morning! The puppy thanked me by pooping on my arm :) I figure, it's not the first time I've been crapped on and it probably won't be the last! We stayed long enough to clean up my sweater and Bridget's knee and hear the story of how she got away. We were so, so happy to return that pup. I know I would have worried about her all day. What an awful first night! I hope that they had a fun day and a much more relaxing evening tonight!

Oh, also, while we were there Kieran noticed a picture on the fridge of their little girl, who went to preschool with him, and her best friend from preschool. He then promptly asked, "where's the picture of me??" Haha! I told him maybe there'll be one there next time now that we're pet heroes :)

When we were returning home Kevin was outside with Oz off leash and he saw us and came BOUNDING down our lawn, which is a pretty decent slope. He kind of splayed out on all fours at the bottom and got up limping. Luckily, he started walking after not long. I think he might have pulled a muscle or something because if he's been lying down for awhile he limps the first couple of steps after he gets up and then he's fine. Poor big galoot!

Thus ends the pet edition of Everyday Moments :)