Our Captian...

Many moons ago we found out that we were a candidate family for a program some local felines call the Adopt a Family Program. We found this out by one of the members showing up at our doorstep with the look that I am sure was part of the class training. If you ever have seen Shrek 2, picture the cat with the big eyes. The pleading eyes, the ones that say, "Can you help a poor needy helpless cat? I am hungry, cold and need a place to live. If I play on your sympathy, can I stay and mooch off you forever?" The wife and kids fell for him immediately. Of course, there had been much talk previous to this as to us getting a cat, but me being the mean daddy I am had always said no. I was the big meanie and for a few weeks we just gave him goats milk out the front door and secretly I was hoping he would just go away.
After a few weeks I finally broke under the strain or the pleading family members and we bought a bag of cat food and let him in the house.
To my surprise, he seemed very comfortable. and he hopped right up on the couch and curled up like that was his spot. I tell you I was a little indignant! Come to find out, Jami had been letting him in the house while I was at work then vacuuming the couch before I got home as if nothing had happened. SNEAKY...
He has a little crook in his ear, like it had been damaged in some cat fight early on, or he was born with it. I think since he is a guy cat, he would want me to convey it was from a nasty life and death fight where he almost lost his ear, so we will go with that. So since his ear was crooked...the kids came up with Captain Crook. His new name.
Ever since we let him in the house he has been a part of the family. He is great with the kids. He lets them pick him up and carry him at uncomfortable angles, leg up here, paw around his head...no complaining. He plays with them. He had started to just come hang out in the rooms where we were just to be with us, his adopted family. At nights he would come in and wake us up when it was time to let him outside to use the bathroom. Pretty cool. Until one night when I didn't wake up and he decided he couldn't wait and he peed on me. Not cool. I woke up then...and chased him to the front door. No more in the house overnight. Did I mention he peed on me?
So the new routine was out at night when we went to bed, and he would be there in the morning waiting at the door when we woke up.
He was very happy to have us home after our trip to L.A. Very personable, talkative, playful. Happy as can be. We let him out on Thursday night and he went missing. No greeting Friday morning, and that's when we suspected the worst. We figured an owl, or a cougar got him. There has been a cougar seen in the area, so we thought he was dinner for some other animal. The other possibility was he was hit on the road.
Oh, look at the time. I have to finish the story later on another post! Let you know what we found down by the creek.
So Jer needed a nap and I'm taking over. I'm going to try and make what's become a long story, shorter. We took a walk along the road and then into the woods to see if we could find any trace of what might have happened to Captain. The good thing is we didn't find any sign of Captain but discovered the remains of a beaver and raccoon. Basically it was the head and tail of both. We are pretty sure that it is a mountain lion and will have someone out from the Dept of Agriculture to verify. I'm a little freaked out and my long walks will now be on the road instead of threw the woods. Bit of a bummer but I'd rather find out this way than with a fight for my life or someone else in my family. I'm sure that would be very unlikely but...why take risk it.
I woke up this morning and as usual went to the door to let Captain in, feeling very sad that he wouldn't be there. I waited for a minute or two and then went to get ready for church. Jorryn got up awhile later and started yelling,"Captains here." We didn't believe him and thought it was a cruel joke. It wasn't! There he was looking very pitiful with wounds to show he'd had a tough couple of days. If only he could talk! We are all super happy to have him home again.