8.1.07

ARTHUR MISSING !

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CATS ON TUESDAY
















This was the last picture of Arthur while he was waiting with us for the taxi which should take us to the airport. And for 4 days I really thought this picture were the last one of him !

When we arrived at 7 pm at home, we were greated by a loud miaowing Lisa who tried by all means that we fall over her with our suitcases. Pookie sat like the last judgment on the top of the staircase and looked down at us with reproachful eyes. When we finally had something to eat, there she forgot that we dared to go away and came as usual for a check up of our plates. The only one missing was Arthur. But this was nothing special, Arthur has so many things to do, that sometimes he doesn't show up for a day.

Next day Friday even Kim with her poor little brain had finally recognized us, because she had run away thinking we were strangers. After shopping and starting to empty the suitcases, Arthur was still missing. Pookie helped us as good as she could, but we started to worry more and more about Arthur. Of course we called him all around the house but nothing. No white tail in view.

On Saturday finally Mr. Gattino, near a nervous brakedown, drove around all streets in the area and shouted "Arthuuuuur" out of the window. I am sure all deaf people heard him but no Arthur not even a human one who could pretend he had the same name.

The night was awful, each time when one of us woke up he shouted "Arthur" out of the window. In the morning still nothing. I made a paper with Arthur's picture on and our address and telephone n° and Mr. Gattino rang all door bells near and far, gave the paper and asked for Arthur. And there we learned a lot about him ! Not only EVERYBODY in our street knew him but also in other streets and quite far away ! They all were in admiration for Arthur, such a friendly and social cat even the dogs didn't say anything and apparently he also was friend of all children ! A young woman told Mr. Gattino that her 5 year old daughter invites regularly Arthur to play with her as if he were a child. Apparently she feeds him and they nap together ! Now I understand that Arthur doesn't eat very much and in spite of that is so heavy ! Everybody was feeling with us and promised to call as soon as they would see a white furry spot. There are a lot of cats in the area but Arthur is the only one who is completely white.

And then the phone rang, a lady told me that she had seen Arthur playing in a field which was quite far away from us at least 2 km. Mr. Gattino jumped in his car and drove there like Michael Schumacher, but no white cat in the field. He called and called and finally people gathered around him and .... everybody knew Arthur ! Or he had digged helpfully with them in their garden, or helped cleaning the car by walking over it or visiting the basements or sleeping in some cartons in a garage. He almost killed a man by causing him a heart attack, when the man had opened his car door Arthur had jumped out and ran away through his legs.

A neighbor told me that she often couldn't make her bed because Arthur had slept in it (good excuse) etc. etc. But still no Arthur. Mr. Gattino returned with a broken heart.

At 4 pm finally I decided to drive over to this field and call him in the hope he would maybe listen to my (sweet) voice. I opened the garage door and who stood there tail up and saying "miaow" in his awful soprano voice, Mr. Arthur ! I picked him up and almost strangled him because I were so happy ! Mr. Gattino who had drown his grief in some glasses of vine slept and I put the struggeling Arthur on his belly. Was he happy !

Arthur were treated by all ugly names we could find in all languages we know, but then got minced meat (his favourite) and whipped cream and then retired under my desk on my feet and there he is ever since.




Could you ever be furious about a cat with such poses ?


The united cats except old Lisa, she apparently doesn't like to join the "youngsters"



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18 comments:

Puss-in-Boots said...

Oh Gattina, I'm so happy that Arthur came home. Poor Mr Gattino having all that worry and upset. I can understand him calling Arthur all sorts of names - I would, too!

Not a very good homecoming for you, but happiness in the end with Arthur's return.

Obsidian Kitten said...

crazy arthur! do you suppose he did it just so you would appreciate him all the more?

i'm SO glad he returned!

TorAa said...

Arthur, you are a real smart, male cat. But don't upset your slaves like that. Pop in now and then, do you hear me?

PS. During Summertime, we every morning and afternoon have visit from a neighbouring male (Norwegian Forest) cat. His eyes are irrestible. Have to feed him.

Anonymous said...

Arthur is such a pretty cat. Sure wish he could tell you where he had been. I bet he could hear you call but was just ignoring you because you went off on a trip without him!

I am glad he is home safe and sound.

MaR said...

He is such a busy cat, as you already mentioned. And so popular!! he cracks me up.
This is my first (and probably only ) post for cats on tuesday! because I don't have one... I am excited about all this feline reading!
Happy tuesday!

MaR said...

I should mentioned we used to have a white cat when I was a teenager and disappeared one sad day...never saw him again, Nico was his name. Never got over this feeling of loss and that has kept me from having any pets.
So glad Arthur showed up shortly after your arrival, but sorry you had all the worries!
happy tuesday again!

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Oh my goodness, I would have been terribly upset if my kitty had gone missing. I am so happy he returned, safe and sound.
Take care, happy meows, Meow xx

Caylynn said...

That must have been very scary that you couldn't find Arthur! So glad that you found him in the end!

He sounds like such a wonderful cat, so friendly! The entire neighbourhood knows him. All of our cats have been indoor cats - back where we lived in Ottawa, it was actually against the law to have cats wandering outside off of a leash or harness, so all cats were indoor cats. It's rather different here in Europe where there are many cats wandering around outside. Dragonheart, of course, with his lack of fur, will be an indoor-only cat.

So glad that Arthur is home. :)

Dragonheart, Merlin, Devi, and Chloe said...

Arthur, you are a lovely cat! You must have had quite the adventure outside. I'm happy you came home, since your humans were so worried about you!

srp said...

Arthur you shouldn't make your mom worry so much! Perhaps you have a girlfriend? Home is better, warm and lots of food...

Jodi said...

I am glad he is back home with you!! I would be frantic if my kitty was missing!!

Have a great Tuesday!

kuanyin333 said...

I just left my comment on another one of your posts...I get confused. In any event, Tuesday on Maui is today, and it's probably already Wednesday in Belgium, but I say: better late than never. :-)

Anonymous said...

WHEW, I am so happy to hear that your Arthur returned home!!! I'm sure what happened would have scared any one of us, and I'm just so glad he is OK!

Tigger posted a Cats on Tuesday entry if you want to stop by :) We're a little late this Tuesday but better late than never?

Teena in Toronto said...

Glad to hear that Arthur is home after his adventure!

Irish Church Lady :) said...

O I am so glad Arthur came home ~ bad boy!!

That was so cute Mr. Gattino's concern over him. Men can be such babies sometimes but that's why we love them I guess.

I have a rule of thumb that I have shared with my daughters. You are gonna laugh at this one. Read on.

I always say that any guy worth having has to like cats! Why?

Cats are so independent and sometimes have traits that can make them hard to love, but others that just make you melt.

A real man sees through the bad traits and appreciates the good. Any man can love a dog, but a man who loves cats is really special.

Beware of guys who say they are allergic to cats, they may be hiding something. They may not just like cats.

Oops, I heard a hiss! Now wait, I'm not saying that all people who are allergic just don't like cats ~ that's just not true, but I've known a few men who try to pawn off being allergic when it's just that they are not fussy.

I also have known a man who didn't like cats who came to love my first cat Clancy, even though he scratched his Mom's living room furniture at his house. Oh that was not good.

Anyways, I dumped him anyways, for other reasons (hubby was the next guy I had a long term relationship with after him) and I often wonder if he is now a converted cat guy or was it just my Clancy that he grew to love.

Clancy was an extraordinary ginger short-haired tabby. I couldn't have asked for a nicer cat (except for the scratching the furniture part - yikes!).

Anyways, my dear, I have to go on and on because I have another story about a missing white cat but she was a girl.

We minded my sister's fully white short-haired cat when they went on vacation. Snowball was fairly young, less than 2 years old, I think. We had a new dog, Fergus, who was about a year.

When Snowball came to stay with us, Fergus was so excited! A new cat to chase! Unfortunately, Snowball didn't see it as such fun as she was not used to dogs, like my own cats. Plus we have a busy household and she thought she would take her chances on the outside world and escaped.

Oh.my.dog we looked for her on all the streets, called her, posted signs. I was so worried and upset about what my sister would feel as they were already so attached to this kitty.

My sister and her family returned from Europe (I think I had told her on the phone that Snowball had gone missing - agonizing about telling her for fear of ruining her holiday, but not wanting to withold information that she might say she wanted to know).

We continued to look and scour the neighbourhood as did she but we had all pretty much given up that Snowball would return.

One day we got a call from a neighbour a few streets over that she had seen the cat in her backyard but was scared and kind of hiding because this neighbour had a big husky dog.

My sister was away and so I promptly went to pick up my niece because I figured Snowball would come to her and she did! We had a cat cage with us anyways and promptly put her in it, lest she escape and run away.

We were all so happy to have Snowball back. Needless to say, my sis has made alternate cat sitting arrangements since!!! LOL

Andree said...

The cats put us through emotional turmoil and are always surprised about it! I am so glad that he came home; what a relief!

I have added the Cat Tuesdays to my blog and would love to be a participant!

TopChamp said...

I'm so glad Arthur decided to come home. Bad cat.. then good cat!

Jana said...

I'm so happy Arthur was found and came home, he probably thought you moved away without him, and he decided he was going to be a free cat living in a field chasing mice and sleeping in other people's beds. Gee, if you gave me minced meat and cream I'd come sleep at your feet too!! =-).
I don't join "cat" because we are still on slow-old-dial-up and it takes so long to download the site, though you are worth it and I love to see the pics of your cats, its a lot of work for me to download pictures on dial-up, takes 15 minutes per pictures... makes me growl and meaow in a terrible soprano voice too!!