[Kitty Puss]

FROM CITY KITTIES TO COUNTRY CATS……….

Recently, my 5 cats and I, (KITTY PUSS, PRESLEY, CALLIE, ANGEL & ROWDY) moved from a condo in the small city of Clovis, CA (just outside Fresno) into a very unpopulated old house in the country. Surrounded by nothing but grape vineyards for as far as the eye can see with an occasional house every now and then.

I made a point to keep all of them inside for the first week. However, in spite of my good intentions and efforts… one of my male cats KITTY PUSS (the oldest of the group, I'm guessing 10) took off. ? He's been gone now about 8 wks.

The others have adjusted very well and seem to be quite content with their new enviornment. They are all mature and "fixed" and very well taken care of. There were no problems amongst the 5 of them and they “for the most part” live together quite harmoniously. It’s always been just them and me. "They ARE my family"

But looking back Puss’s attitude was much different. Quite vocal and adimate about getting outside. But he’d always been a very bossey and verbal cat when he made up his mind about something.

See, when I moved into my condo 5 yrs ago he was asleep on the back porch so he sort of came with the territory. I immediately fell in love with him and had him neutered. That was the only home he'd ever known.

I have no idea how his life was before he became a part of mine however, I do know that it couldn’t have been a very good one.

He had gotten sick a few years back and I took him to the kitty doctor. After xrays and blood tests and various daily IV’s of antibiotics we were still unable to diagnose his illness. However, what we did discover was that he’d been shot several times with a bebe gun and the bebe’s were still lodged in his back near his spinal cord. They didn’t appear to any affect on him and it is unknown as to how long or when this happened. I KNOW IT DIDN’T HAPPEN after I adopted him.

I remember the first few times I tried to pet him he acted as though he’d never been hugged or touched before, like he had never felt the pleasure of being touched..It took some co-ersing to get him to come indoors but, he adjusted to all the comforts quickly.

I have searched every acre and at least a 3-5 mile radius. In fact I've never stopped looking for him

My question is: I know it's a long shot and the odds are stacked against it but do you think "Puss" went back home? If he did head home he will have to endure 16 miles of grape vineyards, across 2 very busy freeways and through 2 cities. In spite of the odds: the freeways, the coyotes and the evil people he may encounter, I still have to hold on to the hope that somehow he'll make it home. Luckily he is in very good health and is a very smart cat. If there is a definition for a “cool cat, Kitty Puss’s name is included in the meaning)
I continue to go by my old house once a week or so and call for him, but haven't seen any sign of him. Sometimes I stop the car and look down our driveway and look at all the places he used to lay….. I think to myself, I wish I could just go back and never have taken him from there. If I wouldn’t have, he’d still be there.

Please let me know if you've heard of any other similar instances. Realisticly, how long could it take him to make it back? And realisticly……could he?

Although Reality isn’t pleasant most of the time, the thought of him being out there hurt is tearing me apart, I want to help him but I don’t know where he is.

I know there are no guarantees in anything but, there is in prayer. Please keep Kitty Puss in yours.

Thanks in advance for your reply
Kitty Puss’s Badkittymama