Rana
Well-Known Member
Went out to dinner at a friends last night, leaving little Poppy settled down as usual (she's used to being left for up to 4.5 hours, thought she'd be fine!). Just finished eating and sitting down to pudding, when my phone went. Apologised and answered it (I'm selling a car at the mo, thought it was about that!).
Voice on the other end said "Hello, is that Poppy's owner?". My blood just ran cold
Turns out our neighbour had found her outside, wandering around the close, hiding under a car.
So a mad dash back (don't think I got a speeding ticket, but quite honestly, I don't much care!). Neighbours had very kindly taken her into their house until we were able to get back.
She'd broken out of the cat flap and was happily playing around outside with the cats Just VERY glad she was wearing her collar and tag (she is chipped, but that would take forever on a Sunday night...), and EXTREMELY grateful that she was found by our neighbours and kept safe.
She's absolutely fine, my nerves are in tatters and OH is buying a baby gate this evening so she can be contained upstairs (the hazards of a small open plan house - she has to either be up or down, and down is where the catflap is!). Longer term, we're going back to trying to crate train her. She's not at all keen on the idea, but we can give it another go and try to get over her fear of it.
So, any ideas why she suddenly decided to break out? She's left for 4.5 hours every weekday morning, and occasionally a similar time on weekend afternoons and evenings. She's shown no sign of doing this before. Is she being a teenager?? Could she be in season? (There's no physical signs, but she did present her bottom to an unknown male the other morning, she's been whining at the cat flap all morning today, and she definitely seems a bit stand-offish with us, and only wants to sleep or go out - no interest in toys/chews etc)
Off to buy our neighbours some wine, chocs and a thank you card!
Voice on the other end said "Hello, is that Poppy's owner?". My blood just ran cold
Turns out our neighbour had found her outside, wandering around the close, hiding under a car.
So a mad dash back (don't think I got a speeding ticket, but quite honestly, I don't much care!). Neighbours had very kindly taken her into their house until we were able to get back.
She'd broken out of the cat flap and was happily playing around outside with the cats
Just VERY glad she was wearing her collar and tag (she is chipped, but that would take forever on a Sunday night...), and EXTREMELY grateful that she was found by our neighbours and kept safe.She's absolutely fine, my nerves are in tatters and OH is buying a baby gate this evening so she can be contained upstairs (the hazards of a small open plan house - she has to either be up or down, and down is where the catflap is!). Longer term, we're going back to trying to crate train her. She's not at all keen on the idea, but we can give it another go and try to get over her fear of it.
So, any ideas why she suddenly decided to break out? She's left for 4.5 hours every weekday morning, and occasionally a similar time on weekend afternoons and evenings. She's shown no sign of doing this before. Is she being a teenager?? Could she be in season? (There's no physical signs, but she did present her bottom to an unknown male the other morning, she's been whining at the cat flap all morning today, and she definitely seems a bit stand-offish with us, and only wants to sleep or go out - no interest in toys/chews etc)
Off to buy our neighbours some wine, chocs and a thank you card!
