Missy

I brought home a cat that was living at the yard. The yard is a place where we keep all the timber, trucks, and equipment from the tree business. Missy had kittens and was trying to nurse them in a hole in the barn. It was a horrible place for the babies, and a racoon broke in one night. I couldn't handle it. I took Missy and the kittens home in hopes to save a few lives.

The kittens were absolutely adorable. Missy being the good mother that she was brought them up to be a little afraid but not too afraid. They were so cute that they now have homes. Whizzy went to a neighbor and Maia is kind of my grandchild; my youngest son took her to his apartment up at school.

Missy took it all in stride and was happy to have a home. She started playing with me during the morning and would greet me in the evening when I came home. Then she got the itch to go outside. I wasn't sure if I should keep her. The wildness in her was haunting her, and she just had to go outside. She reminded me of the movie "Born Free" only on a much smaller scale.

She would sit out on the screened in porch and just look out at the yard. I finally gave in and let her out. She loved it, she played and would come back in at certain times, as if checking in to see if it was all real or not.

One day, I let her out in the morning and she wouldn't come in before I left for work. I had to leave her out; she certainly was not something I could chase. I came home that evening and couldn't find her. It got dark, and I still couldn't find her. My heart sank. I thought that if I didn't find her soon, the chances of finding her in the morning would be small; after all I've been through this senerio before with the other cats at the yard.

The next morning came around, no Missy. The next, nothing. Then for the first time ever, I saw a coyote cross my back yard. He was no small animal, and he looked healthier than I was. I knew then that my chances of getting Missy back were next to not at all.

My heart breaks for Missy. She was a special cat and a good mother. I feel so awful for letting her outside. Today Maia came back with my son and I cried. I enjoy having Maia around, but Missy should have been here to see her little girl growing up.

Until next time: sometimes mother nature is just plain cruel. Sometimes mother nature will make us cry just because we're ignorant. May your day be full of better feelings than mine.