Happy Caturday: orange cat disappeared for one week.

The train was only thirty minutes late which was quite impress for me. I was amazed that these old trains could still travel long distance everyday without falling to pieces. I was looking forwards to seeing my orange cats in the countryside. My gardener told me that Joan, the bigger cat, has been missing for three days. So, I expected that he has returned home two days ago. But I didn’t see him when I arrived at the house, only Kwan was crying loudly as soon as she saw me.

This meant that Joan had been missing for about a week. Poor Kwan! She has to be on her own and stay in her hiding place at night when the black and white stray cat dropped by. If Joan were there, he could easily chase that stray cat away. I had to drop everything and spent ten minutes comforting Kwan. She had many complaints and sadness to share with me. Somehow she didn’t lose any weight, in fact she seemed a bit heavier and rounder.

I was worried about Joan as this was the first time he disappeared for more than three days. If he had wandered off too far, he might be lost and couldn’t find his way home. I was worried about those packs of stray dogs in the woods near the next village. My heart was heavy as negative thoughts popped up in my head. He could easily cover more than fifty kilometers in seven days which meant I could not search for him beyond the next village. I kept Kwan inside the sitting room the whole night. She seemed at ease and more secured to be near me. She would keep following around while I was unpacking.

I kept calling loudly in the garden for Joan. I hoped he was safe and somewhere in the neighbourhood and that he could find his way back home. I prayed to the land spirits to bring him home soon. Before going to bed, I became focus and sent Joan a telepathic message to come home. All the memories about three orange cats wandering off for few days at a time until they didn’t return came back to me. I was very sad going to bed that night.

The following morning Kwan enjoyed her breakfast in the kitchen. She seemed more cheerful and playful in the morning. After breakfast, I called for Joan loudly again, he could understand the word ‘breakfast’ in Thai. My orange cats would get very excited whenever I shouted out this word and they would be running to see me. So, I hoped that Joan would hear my familiar voice and rushed back home.

Late morning, Joan turned up in my kitchen. He never made loud noises like Kwan, I wished he would be more talkative like his sister. To my surprise, Joan didn’t lose any weight. In fact, he looked well fed and healthy. Kwan was very glad to see her brother and she kept grooming him continuously. She’s very attached to her brother but he was a bit too independent and bossy with Kwan sometimes.

My suspicion was correct. Joan had been visiting my neighbours’ house further along the road. My neighbour told me that Joan turned up in her house to enjoy steamed rice with omelette! She regular fed the black and white stray cat some omelette. I used to give orange cats some omelette, only Joan would finish the whole bowl of omelette. That’s why he was quite well fed with protruding stomach! I was surprised that the stray cat and Joan didn’t get into a fight. They would be yelling loudly at each other when the stray cat was caught at the front gate.

This stray cat was very persistent and he dropped by almost every night. I could hear him crying in front of my door twice and he left his marks on the stairs! Kwan was quite afraid of this stray cat as I caught her sitting on the tall railing to keep her safety distance. I have turned to relying more and more on my sixth sense so that I could help Kwan from being cornered by the stray cat a few times. I would know when the stray cat had arrived so that I could spring and noisy surprise on him. He looked much bigger and healthier than before, I guessed he had lots of omelets.

Joan was happy to be around me; he seemed more attached to me than to his sister. He behaved like a little kitten towards me and would make sweet tiny sounds whenever he wanted some milk and snacks. Kwan became more daring and secured with Joan around. They would go hunting in the garden at night. If she was on her own, Kwan would be near the house. I was very glad to see two orange cats being side by side and playing together in the garden in the evening.

I am afraid that Joan has become used to getting omelette at my neighbours’ house, so he would go there again. His grandmother migrated to that house after she felt threatened by her big nephew cat. But my neighbours didn’t manage to keep her safe. A big stray cat came to chase her away and took over the food bowl. They didn’t take swift actions in chasing the stray cats away.

So, I hope Joan wouldn’t be moving to that house as they have started to feed another big stray cat. In fact that stray cat lived in a house on the other side of the fields. He enjoyed better quality food around our neighbourhood. Usually, villagers wouldn’t spend money on pet food; pets had to eat the leftovers from the kitchen. I hope that Joan would always return home after a day or two of his adventure. Kwan would have to learn to get used to being on her own while I have to learn to accept whatever will be in the future.

Wishing you peace, good health and prosperity.

Stay strong and cheerful.