If I Could Talk To The Animals.......

Remember these words.... 'This is not the post that I had planned for today, that one is written and waiting to be shared with you, but sometimes life gets in the way and plans have to change.'?

It's happened again.

I have shared interesting, funny, odd and sometimes sad, snippets of our life with cats. Daffy and Dilly were the first feral cats to share our lives, and since then we have welcomed Dopey, Basil, Kindle and Morris (who has had his visit to Aunty Vet and is now recuperating in our garden!) Dilly has been an 'oddball' since he arrived, never taming down to become a full member of the household, but tame enough to be around for meals and on a cold night to spend an hour or so on my lap before meandering off to pass the night in his 'nest' in one of my kruiwas.

Dilly's nest!

He would never allow me to carry him, and refused to stay inside any room that did not have a way out. He disappeared once for three months before re-appearing as if nothing had happened. He regularly stayed away for a few days at a time, but always returned.

Dilly and friend in the garden.

Until last week.


Anyone who has ever loved an animal will know that awful feeling when one disappears. Where to look, who to ask, what to think?

He was in the farm area behind our house last Friday when we returned from our caravan holiday. I saw him, he saw me, he even meeowed at me, but he didn't come in for supper. I assumed he was sulking or was upset by the arrival of Morris, and would be in on Saturday for breakfast, but he wasn't. I saw him again in the farm area, sitting on a pile of rocks in the sun, he looked at me, got up and stretched and then he walked away from me towards some bushes behind my neighbours house.

Beautiful boy.

And that is the last time I saw him.

I have searched that area several times, calling and shaking a food bowl, looking for any sign, even a body, anything that would make sense. My neighbour searched with me, and we asked everyone if they had seen him, but nothing.

Dilly in the fruit bowl. 

I happened to mention this to my oldest friend Cathy, and she sent me a phone number in return of a lady called Carol who has helped many people in similar situations and could possibly help me. I phoned Carol and she said she would need a photo of Dilly, one where she could see his eyes. Isn't 'whatsapp' wonderful? I sent her one on Thursday afternoon (thanks Dizz), and on Friday morning, almost a week since Dilly left, she sent me this message:

'Hi Pauline.....Dilly is out and about. In his words "expanding his territory". He has no issues with the other two cats but feels the need to explore. He may or may not return. I interrupted a mouse hunt last night. He told me it was not a good time to chat so I connected again this morning.'

So I did what anyone in my position would have done.......I burst into tears! And phoned Carol immediately. What an amazing lady! We chatted as though we knew each other, and when I finally said goodbye to her, I felt a huge sense of relief.

So Dilly, if in some way you are able to read or interpret my thoughts, please come home when you are ready. We shall be waiting for you.

And so will your kruiwa.