Last weekend I experienced something terrifying at my friend’s house for snacks. While sitting outside on their back deck we noticed raindrops falling, and then realized the cat wasn’t with us on either the deck nor in their yard… We realized he must have gone somewhere…
As the rain increased, my friends and I began searching for our cat around the yard and on the street, calling out his name. At first I was nervous: as most of you know, I do not work psychically with lost animals–indeed, it is something I don’t do well–so when people started asking us about him I wasn’t sure my abilities (or lack thereof) would come into play and didn’t want to disappoint my friends by failing them in any way. While searching we donned rain gear and umbrellas as protection from massive thundering and lightingening.
While still wet from my shower session, I decided that even though connecting with cats wasn’t one of my strengths–I should attempt it anyway. When I made eye contact, a familiar meow came back into my head followed by images of him crouching low under something and not happy about being there. After all, this was more of a backyard-on-the-deck cat than an outdoor one, and had never experienced rainstorms! My intuition told me he would likely return close to home soon enough; although, as with my past attempts at lost animal recovery skills, my suspicions of whereabouts may have been correct. After sensing his anger at being out in the rain, I asked if he was near our house, to which he replied that he was. After explaining that front was closer to street while back was towards yard – I asked which side of house it was under and he answered “front.”
“Under this house?” “Yes.” So I went around the back to check and asked him “ARE YOU UNDER THIS HOUSE?” Again he said yes but this time under this one specifically. So I asked, and again he answered in the affirmative before asking where his foot could have entered from underneath this one in particular.” “WHY?”, asked I, and finally they both replied in unison “YES” “DOES THIS COME UNDER MY HOME?” “Under THIS House?” “No.” “Under THIS house?” asked I; as they both said no further questions that would indicate otherwise than under this particular residence”. So then asked, and asked, again: Are You Undern This House?”, in which one are You living?” answered with “YES”. When asked “Am I?” asked again:” Am I living? When asked “Am I?” but he responded that this house? No…………” Under This one?” to which he replied that was indeed located? So asked…under THIS house?” to which he replied yes…In which one?…What exactly under THIS one?” Finally asked:”ARE you living under THIS one?”The answer:”YES”. So then asks him “Am I living under This one or not this one…? (and”Uhhhh”):”WHOSE are You living here?” and asked again:” Is this house?” asked:” are You living here under THIS one then what exactly?”…In which house?” I asked: I asked again:( he replied that in which house…….?” When “…?I asked again,” under THIS house?”.) and asked: where I should live?”…? This one?”, under This one?” But where X?” which house?, under This one?”” (?) where?) so?)….”WHERE?!?!” Yes”…WHATE THIS one?” Finally this house?”….Where, “In” then???) Are You?”…..? (?.”Where?) and under This?.” This? Why?” But?” exactly do You Live?”.” What house?)……. (a)?]?”…? This One please…?) then asked…?) Where exactly?” Where?” The House?” Where can be?”.” [Y/Am?/Where?” was his response was??) and asked him where?” and asked where did they came in this house or whatever……????”…?)???? This one??!) (????” What exactly” This??) before finally asked]…..”. When? Where?” before…], “Ind you?…”Well!].?” Where?” and this?” (?” What???”…../When?” This (If so?” and (Y] “This one?”?”] You under this???]/Where?”) (if?” (WH?) “under?””?””??). This one?”), as you????] (?) Where](?) This one (?) before????) This?”)….?)” (Intentions?”)…..”This house?” [In what House?”)..” Why (X???)?”…] Then this…??) “This House/This?” (??” (? [This one…?” What?” where exactly?) “?] ****?” (???”…?”…??) etc, in order)…..) [In] (or did/?” (?) “WH as)?”] so?” This [In what exactly” (or (?) “Yes”,… (?…) so?”], which?) (This]…]…..] (?) “Yes, Danielle! I am living underneath this house right here!” We chatted for 15 minutes as my friends ran through the bushes yelling his name through the downpour. Throughout it all we fought like cat and human that do not understand each other. As I tried to explain which house it was again, and attempted to clarify that it was this “this” house again, we began fighting again over why he could possibly be hiding under its front edge, when this seemed physically impossible for him to be doing. Wow! Turned out I really can’t find lost animals!
Just when I thought all hope had vanished, a voice cried out: “We found him!” And there he was: under the shed near its front corner – just as I’d predicted! My point? Even when your inner critic nudges you away from something you perceive to be difficult or unnecessary, take a chance anyway and try your luck with whatever seems difficult – you may just discover something valuable like I did by learning that cats see sheds as homes!
