A Big Cat-astrophe!

[LadyJag]

One of my cats is missing. She is somewhere in this house, but she found a very VERY good hiding place!

Let me back up and start from the beginning. Alyssa LOVES balloons, so we bought her one of those cheap mylar heart-shaped balloons for Valentine's day. It has one of those plastic balloon weights/anchors on the end of its curling ribbon so that it doesn't fly away.

Anyway, I had just made it back upstairs to work after putting Alyssa down for her nap. Pouncing on the chance for a little "mommy love" without Alyssa, the cat chaser, around, my cat, Gracie, decided to perch up on the couch arm next to me. Well, since I was working, she decided that I was too boring, and spied a rogue Cheerio on the floor. Oooh! Fun!

So Gracie started batting this Cheerio all over the room, across the hardwood floor, when her path happened to cross the balloon weight and ribbon. No big deal, except that the ribbon got caught on her back foot! That's when all h3!! broke out!

Freaking out because this balloon "attacked" her, Gracie took off running across the room at break-neck speed! But, since the big, mean, balloon was tied to the ribbon, it "chased" her wherever she went! Worse, since the plastic weight was tied to the OTHER end of the ribbon, it freaked my poor cat even more with its clackety-clackety-clack-clack! noise on the hardwood floor!

Unable to escape her pursuer, Gracie launched herself under my bed, where she was abruptly stopped when the ribbon got wrapped around the corner of a box under there, and the big balloon go wedged under the bed rail. Helplessly, she whined, hissed, and growled, hoping to scare off this horrible red monster balloon.

Trying to rescue my poor kitty, I reached under the bed to try to untangle her. "GROWL! HISS! SPIT!" "Okay," I thought, "I'll withdraw my hand now, before it's shredded to pieces." Instead, I went back to the office and got a pair of scissors. I couldn't see any of the ribbon with the balloon wedged under the bed, and I couldn't move the balloon with the cat tied to the end of the ribbon! So, I cut the ribbon as close to the balloon as I dared.

The minute Gracie felt the ribbon give way, she took off down the stairs. Clackety-clackety-clack-clack! Yep! The ribbon was still wrapped around her back foot, and the plastic weight was still tied to the end of the ribbon. Ugh!

I followed the sound of hissing and growling down the stairs and to the laundry room, where Gracie was now balled up behind a laundry basket. Reaching down, I petted her, trying to calm her. She growled a while, but didn't try to bite or scratch me. Still, I couldn't see how to free her from the ribbon, because it was wrapped around her back foot, which was tucked under her. Argh! So as calmly as I could, I tried to pick her up. Uh-uh! Gracie ran for it and perched on top of the stairs.

Again, I stroked her fur and talked calmly to her to try to get her to settle down. She moved, and the ribbon finally came off! Whew! I threw the stupid thing away, along with the now broken pieces of the plastic weight, but when I came back, Gracie was gone!

I cannot find this cat anywhere now! Poor thing! I looked under furniture, in closets, in the bathtub, behind the futon, everywhere! I want to be sure she's ok, but I can't check her if I can't even FIND her! 

Sigh! Poor kitty! And all she wanted was a little "mommy love" and a Cheerio.

[LelandsMommy]

Feb. 19, 2008 at 3:31 PM

Aww... poor kitty! I'm sure you'll find her soon.

 

[amystephan]

Feb. 19, 2008 at 3:34 PM

Your poor baby!  I have to confess though that I had to laugh.  I could imagine my cat in the same sitch.  I'm sure she's just somewhere licking her "wounds".  She'll come out later.  Maybe open a can of tuna or canned cat food.  The smell might draw her out.  : )

  LOL!!   : )

[Rockenmooki]

Feb. 20, 2008 at 11:22 PM So did you find her?  Cats are soooo funny!  They get upset and go pout until they are sure that they have mixed the perfect ingredients of revenge together.  If that balloon had a shoe, Gracie would leave a surprise in it, I'm sure!  I hope your kitty is okay and not twitching from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome or anything. :o)

[mommiesquid]

Mar. 4, 2008 at 4:18 PM you are one of the best story tellers. you need to write a novel. I'll be the first to buy it!

[glam0r0us422]

May. 2, 2008 at 6:50 AM

Yes, I agree with the previous comment!! I felt like I was there chasing Gracie with you!!

I have a cat as well, whom I love dearly. Your story reminded me so much of her =)