Cat Goes Missing All The Time, Mom Finds Hidden Note Under Collar

Share

Furry Friend

It had been six hours since her cat had gone missing. She was worried, what if something had happened to her furry friend? Was he okay? Was he in danger? What if she never saw him again?

Her head felt dizzy as she thought of all the horrible possibilities. But then her cat came waltzing in, it was like he didn’t have a worry in the world. But then she noticed something on his collar. There was a neatly folded note tucked into his collar. What the note said made her jaw drop.

Going To College

Pexels – Dids

Maisie was thirteen years old when she rescued Rex from the local animal shelter near her home. Now looking to start college, she moved to Tempe, Arizona, to start the next phase of her life.

Among the things that Maisie carried to Tempe were her childhood stuffed animals, novels, and favorite blankets. But she also took someone who meant the world to her.

He Moved With Her

Pexels – Cергей-Kостяев

Maisie brought Rex to live with her in her new place in Tempe. At that point, Rex had been in her life for more than five years.

The pair had a strong connection that only a few understood. Even though Rex was a Maine Coon, one of the giant domesticated cats, Maisie always felt comfortable with him. Her friendship with Rex would affect her life ultimately, even if she didn’t realize it.

He Helped Her

Pexels – Andrea Piacquadio

Rex was a large cat with the biggest heart. He was kind and generous, usually purring contently when someone caressed him.

Rex reminded her of home, making the moving process a lot easier. Maisie could adjust to Tempe more quickly now that she had a close family member to cheer her up. But that was about to change.

Pampered Kitty

Public Domain

Maisie had adopted Rex when he was just a kitten, and he had blossomed in her care. His fur had grown long and luxurious, and in the five years he lived with her he had grown enormous.

Maisie was worried that the upheaval might change Rex’s behavior, so she made sure had everything he could ever ask for to make the transition as easy as possible for him. But it wasn’t enough.

Yearning For More

Facebook – Emily Crane

Rex (named after a character from the cult classic film Studio 54), was a typical spoiled housecat.

He whiled away the days by lazily lying in sunbeams and soaking up all the affection and love his human could give him. But for Rex, even though his owner doted on him, something was still missing.

A Cat’s Secrets

Feral Heart

The domesticated housecat still has a lot in common with their wild-cat cousins. Most cats still have the unshakable desire to go where they will, when they please.

They differ from dogs in that they haven’t become totally dependent on us, and perhaps it is this independence that fascinates us so much. Cats still manage to have secrets. And, unbeknown to Maisie, Rex was about to give her the fright of her life.

The Call Of The Wild

Public Domain

From a young age, Rex would beg to go outside. He would sit at the door, looking wistfully through the glass every morning, filling the hallway with his pitiful meows. At first, Maisie was concerned.

It wasn’t lost on her that an indoor cat was far less likely to get into trouble on the streets of Tempe. But still, the call of the wild beckoned Rex.

Getting Out

Pexels – Andrea Piacquadio

Everything seemed to change for Maisie all of a sudden, one week. Her classes were presented online, which caused her to spend most of her time inside, only going outside to buy groceries.

Maisie noticed Rex rarely left the house after she and Rex relocated to Tampa. That week, though, he spent every day outside, only coming inside for food or water. Maisie didn’t give it much thought, which she soon realized was a big mistake.

She Did Not Mind

Pexels – Pixabay

Maisie lived in a large apartment complex. She tried her best to get acquainted with her neighbors despite having so many of them. The few she managed to meet were warm and welcoming.

She did not mind Rex going outside, and she was not too concerned; however, she did miss him when he was out. Her ignorance of Rex’s travels to forbidden places surprised Maisie.

Where Was He Going?

Pexels – Julia Khalimova

Rex spent less time in the apartment on the first day of the week. A day later, he arrived two hours after leaving the apartment in the morning.

Maisie could not help but wonder what Rex was getting up to. They had been in Tempe for almost a month, but Rex was already out and about. Where does he go?

Caution

CatsBest

Rex slowly started to explore his surroundings more and more. He went further and further, until he was lost from Maisie’s watchful eye. Soon, Rex was away for hours at a time.

Maisie wished she knew what he was doing when he was away, and she couldn’t help but feel a pang of worry whenever she thought of her kitty wandering off on his own. So, she bought him a collar.

Big And Scary

Pexels – Lara Celine

Rex was large and intimidating, and despite his warm demeanor, Maise could not help but feel concerned that he might scare her neighbors. She needed to know where he was going to prevent this.

Maisie served Rex a treat when he returned an hour later, as is customary. However, this time she followed him to the balcony, which was his usual escape. Rex’s following action caused her brows to furrow.

Let Him Be

Pexels – Mohammadreza Mohammadyani

Despite his gigantic body size, Rex climbed onto the barrier and walked gracefully on it. He leaped onto the rooftop and vanished.

Maisie felt ridiculous for worrying so much about Rex’s safety. “Just let him go and have his fun,” she thought to herself. After two hours, Rex was nowhere to be seen. It was his snack time, and he was supposed to be there! After a few more hours passed, Maisie knew something was wrong.

Waiting

Facebook – Emily Crane

She was starting to grow worried. Her eyes flew to the clock…it was getting late and he still hadn’t come home. She filled his bowl with the food he loved, making sure to make as much noise as possible. Where could he be?

Rex’s dinnertime came and went,but there was still no sign of him. Maisie called for him and shook his food bowl, walking through the house in case he had returned without her seeing. She had pushed her anxiety down for long enough. It was time to go out looking for him.

Like A King

Imgur

Maisie gathered her things, preparing to look for her lost companion. Just as she was about to walk out of the door, he returned, marching up to her as if he were a monarch. He snuggled close to her and stroked his face on her leg.

The anxiety that had been constricting Maisie’s heart and lungs had subsided. As was her routine, she leaned down and ran her fingertips against Rex. That’s when she noticed it.

She Sees It

Pexels – Snapwire

Tucked neatly into Rex’s collar was a piece of folded paper. Maisie’s brows knitted, and she pulled it out. “A letter,” she said to Rex, quickly unfurling the piece of paper.

“Where did you get this?” she asked, seemingly not opening the letter fast enough. What was in it, and would it explain where her cat had been disappearing for the last two days?

A Note

Facebook – Emily Crane

The folded piece of paper that had been tucked into Rex’s collar against his neck was a note that someone had left for her to find.

For anyone who has ever owned a cat, the mystery of just what they get up to on their prowls is a maddening enigma – but Emily was finally about to solve the mystery.

Reading The Letter

Public Domain

“Hello! This is your neighbor in the red house,” the letter began. “We just wanted to let you know that Rex has developed a weird love for our bathtub, and he’ll sneak into our home to sit in it!”

Maisie’s head cocked back, and she reread the letter, this time aloud, to ensure she was reading it right. “Rex,” she said in a disbelieving tone. “A bathtub?” But there was more.

A Bathtub?

Public Domain

“All of us in the house are 100% okay with this because we all love Rex very much,” Maisie read. “We just want to let you know in case you were wondering where he was one of these days. He’s probably in our bathtub. Love, the Red House.”

Maisie hurried to her balcony to search for this red house. She couldn’t remember seeing any red houses in the neighborhood. Was someone playing a prank on her?

The Red House

Public Domain

Maisie scanned the neighborhood from her perch on the balcony. Although it was nearly nighttime, she could see perfectly thanks to the dozens of street lights shining below.

She was about to give up when she made out a slightly darker-painted apartment at the end of the complex. It was hidden enough that she hadn’t seen it before. She smiled, knowing what she needed to do next.

New Friends

Public Domain

Maisie went and wrote a note back to the red house, thanking them for taking care of Rex. She set it aside to have Rex take it when he left in the morning.

The whole experience made her smile, and she called Rex to her lap. Maisie placed a soft kiss on Rex’s forehead and petted him. Then, she decided to share her story on Facebook.

Sharing The Story

Facebook – Emily Crane

Maisie’s Facebook post about her cat’s hilarious antics with the neighbors was read by many. It was a lighthearted reprieve from the rest of the world’s news.

Every cat owner would love to know what their cat gets up to when they are away from home, so the big, hilarious revelation struck a chord with many.

Netizens React

Facebook – Emily Crane

In no time, Maisie’s post, simply read: ‘This guy came home with a note on his collar today. I can’t stop laughing!’ had garnered over 7,000 ‘Likes’ and 24,000 shares. People just couldn’t get enough of the cat’s audacity.

One woman named Donna commented: ‘he looks just like my late cat Spooky, though my cat was quite the opposite. He didn’t care for strangers…I hope you have many more good years with Rex…”

Such A Character

Facebook – Emily Crane

“He is definitely a character!” Maisie said in an interview, laughing. She explained that it was almost as if Rex had been proud of the note he had delivered.

“He had pranced inside with it, like he knew that he had a delivery to make,” she giggled. She added: “I seriously could not stop laughing when I found the note…It was adorable.”

Cat’s Out Of The Bag

Facebook – Emily Crane

We’ve learned Rex’s well-kept secret through a note his neighbor tucked into his collar, but what about other domestic cats? What do they get up to when they are on the prowl?

It’s a secret that every cat lover wants to know, and scientists think they finally have the answer — and it may surprise you.

The Secret Life Of Cats

WallpaperFlare

A study in a Surrey village, England, found that domestic cats are more than likely stealing food from their neighbors on their midnight jaunts.

In a BBC television documentary series titled “The Secret Life of the Cat”, researchers attached cameras and GPS trackers to 50 local cats’ collars. Needless to say, they were floored when the results came in.

Fascinating Creatures

BBC2

“Before, we really didn’t know very much about what cats get up to,” explains Dr. John Bradshaw, an expert in human-animal interactions at Bristol University, “They’re fascinating creatures because they are part-wild and part-domesticated.”

But even the experts were surprised to find out an interesting titbit about our furry companions, and it may even help cat owners rest easier at night.

Some Comfort For Owners

BBC

According to the study that aired on BBC, most of the cats that participated didn’t move more than 50 metres from their homes, preferring to stick to well-defined areas close by.

And, surprisingly, cats also seem to “timeshare” territory – preferring to roam at different times to each other so that they could avoid encountering one another. But, there were exceptions to the rules.

Exceptions

SummerShows

The exception to the short-distance roaming cats was one cat named Sooty, who had come from a long line of farm cats. He would roam an area of more than 7 acres during his night-time prowls!

His owner, Tom Townsend-Smith, remarked: “He disappears for long periods of time – now weknow why.” As technology advanceds, we can expect to learn even more about the furry enigmas that share our homes.