Good and Bad

I think without life's lows, sadness and heartbreak we would never be able to feel the true, absolute joy, content and happiness including all those shades in between despair and joy us hoo-mans are capable of feeling.

That being said, I have some good news and some maybe not so good news today.

The good news is that Norman, that big ol' German Shepherd dog diagnosed with Wobblers? He made it through surgery and it as NOT nearly as bad as the surgeons let my friend believe. Norman is walking and moving around and he's very very happily back home.

I suppose the surgeons didn't want to get my friends hopes up or they wanted to convey how serious the surgery is?

We are all relieved the rehab is NOT so extensive and awful. He has to take it easy, no hard playing or hikes and he isn't supposed to do stairs because if he trips, he'll fall on his face and could injure the surgery site on his neck. Other than that he is back to his big lovable self. My friend is very relieved. Her heart is not broken and I am so happy for her.

Now for the not so good news... our orange tabby cat, Punkin, has gone missing.

We aren't giving up hope and we called neighbors to keep an eye out for her. Would they please check any storage sheds or outbuildings they may have opened up and closed again? Hopefully she went in to investigate, got locked in and when a door is opened she'll get out and come home.

However, we are aware she may have become part of the food chain.

We adopted Punkin 11 or 12 yrs ago from a Denver shelter when we were city people... (pay for a cat?? they are free out here in the country and there are plenty that need homes!) she has always been and indoor/outdoor kitty and she was very smart. She never went near cars, streets, traffic, parking lots. She just didn't.

When we moved to the country, we tried to make her an indoor only cat knowing about predator danger - great horned owls, foxes, coyotes, occasional mountain lions, bears, bobcats.

Punkin would have nothing of it. She got pissed... hissing and spitting and lunging across the house to attack the other cats, crying at the door incessantly... we gave up and let her out after a few miserable weeks.

The other cats in our house ran up and hugged us with relief.

We figured a short happy life for Punkin was worth way more than a long and miserable one.

Once she could go out, she turned back into the sweet Punkin we knew and loved. She always migrates indoors in winter and lives happily because it's "her" idea. Spring rolls around and Punkin goes outside, coming in at night with the chill in the air... and once summer hit, Punkin ends up staying outdoors most of the time.

She brings us voles by the thousands and follows us around singing her little Punkin song. That half purr, half meow that sounds all sing-songy as if she asking us questions or humming us a little kitty tune... she helps us clean horse pens, rolling in the dirt begging for belly rubs.

Each morning she is on our doorstep, waiting to come in and curl up on the foot of our bed to catch some uninterrupted Z's. We haven't seen her for 2 days now. I know cats can sometimes take hiatus for a while... we haven't given up hope. She IS a cagey veteran... she's been an outdoor country cat for 10 yrs now.

So please keep your fingers crossed she comes home. We'd sure like to hear her little Punkin songs again.

Now, go give all your kitties a kiss on the nose from me and Furry Husband... that is, of course, ONLY if they are the nose kissin sort. I don't want any of you to become permanently disfigured or lose an eye now....

Happy Friday!