We were all surviving and had made it to the end of the third week. Despite the setback of The Great Chase Down the Hall, relationships all round seemed pretty good. Benjamin had got over the set back after a day or two and Lilo seemed to adopt a supercilious air as if she had made her "I-Can-Outrun-You-Any-Day-Mate€ point. Harmony reigned.
Ah! There we go again, the old "smug€ feeling.
The SPCA said that Benjamin had to stay indoors for three weeks. Then "he could go out for a very short while€. Something niggled at me and I went back to some Greyhound vs Cat reading. A 'Dire Warnings' chapter went into great detail about how one's hound may morph into Hannibal Lecter once it sees the cat outside. It apparently matters not a jot that they have been snuggled up together on the sofa, outside ALL bets are OFF.
The author went on to say how one's own Fluffy could be at high risk outside and that the hound and the cat should never ever be left alone unsupervised, as there is only one outcome and - it's all bad. Well this didn't suit me at all. So I went u-tubing and found a bright soul wrote that she was sick of reading about hounds not being safe outside with the family cats. She followed through with many photos of her hounds and her cats enjoying the Great Outdoors together. So I decided to go with that view, simply because it was too late for the other view.
Cat Out Day finally arrived. The Sniper was in bed. I shut the door and quietly let Benjamin out into the garden. Well it was evident from that moment on that he had read Book One and NOT seen u-tube. He tore out of the house, across the patio, through the shrubbery and over the brick wall.
GONE BABY GONE !
It was alarming. Never mind about "letting pussy out for just a short while€. He didn't come back at all.
Doors were left open, biscuits were left in bowls, lights were left on and vigils were kept.
Day 1: No Cat.
Day 2: No Cat
Day 3: No Cat
Full Mobilisation of Armed Response:
Everyone on the planet notified:
SPCA (Very Embarrassing)
Pets on the Net (Very helpful)
Two newspapers
Huge mail drop asking people to look in their sheds and shrubs. (This entailed a personal delivery with Lilo in tow. A useful exercise for her as she could make a mental note of where the local cats lived).
A door knocking exercise explaining the tragic circumstances to neighbours and friends
Vets
The Royal Family and the Grenadier Guards
Day 4: No Cat
Obviously hunger and death by starvation was better than living in That Place with That Dog.
Can I say that Lilo looked bereft? No. Did she look guilty? No.
Did she look smug? Yes.
Is this The End ?
In the meantime, whilst on a walk, Lilo had a major drama. My blog is long enough, so will make a list of key words to give the general idea:
Lilo heads down bank for drink of water from stream below
Sudden screaming
Panic/fear/urgency
Ghastly sight of Lilo caught on a hidden metal stake (Waratah Standard), head down, bottom up and unable to go forwards or backwards on the bank
Pints of adrenaline flooding both our systems
Herculean strength to pull/drag screaming dog up bank and yet carefully over protruding rusty metal stake
Blood for Africa
Jacket off! Top off!
Bra only on public footpath!
Tourniquet tied
No cell phone (forgot it)
Two kilometres from car across the salt marsh
One and half hour slow and bloodied trek to car (jacket on!)
Vet - one minute After Hours on a Saturday
Anaesthetic/Cleanse/Stitch/Pain Relief/Antibiotics/Bandage/Day Stay
Fair but eye-watering account to reflect all of above
Three roast chickens, tasty special vet tins of Tempting Yummy Recovery Food as part of Spoilt Rotten Programme
Three vet follow ups
100% recovery
Site Visit with Council to locate stake.
But a worse nightmare was to follow. Worse than the Vanishing Cat. Worse that the Impaled Dog. One dark and stormy night the so-called "upgrade€ to Windows 10 came knocking at the door€¦€¦€¦.once let in€¦€¦€¦. Arrrrrrrrgh !