Smudge the Cat

Not too long ago there was a posting for a lost cat in our neighborhood. I love my cats and the thought of someone losing their cat was very sad to me. To add to the melancholy of their situation, they lost the cat while moving into their new house…how traumatic. “Don’t worry new neighbors” I said to myself, “I will find Smudge.” (this was in spite of the fact that I found the cat to be funny looking…a face only an owner could love.)

Much to the dismay of my husband and anyone else who accompanies me on my periodic neighborhood walks, I made it my new mission in life to help these folks find their kitty. As Stephen puts it, I became “obsessed with Smudge” and as we will find out, I was duly punished for my overweening confidence in my cat-dar…that’s radar for cats.

Episode 1. Neighborhood walks no longer involved star gazing or hand holding. No no…these activities were now replaced with my stealth missions following outdoor cats to get a closer look. Sadly, I believe I was even successful in dragging Stephen into one such mission in which I commanded him to guard a mysterious white cat hiding in the bushes while I ran to warn the neighbors, like Timmy in an episode of Lassie.

The man came outside elated that we had found Smudge, (the cat whom his wife thought had been eaten by hawks) only to find that the white cat was a fluffy purebred who was hanging out in her own backyard. Both the neighbor and the cat with a mistaken identity were now shaken. oops.

Episode 2. This is when I really started to lose it. It had now been over a month since my first erroneous “Smudge” siting. This time was different though. I was SURE this was him.

It was a usual mundane Tuesday which found me driving myself home at 5:30 when all of a sudden I saw him…a white cat with a grey smudge…if you will… on his forehead. I have never seen a cat like this before in my life except for on the poster. Well, naturally, I parked sideways and I believe I even left my car door ajar for effect while I chased the cat down. Think COPS.

How happy would these neighbors be if I literally delivered this cat to their front door? Would they throw me a party? Would there be tears, rejoicing? Would there be a neighborhood party in my honor? These thoughts raced through my head as the white cat, once content in my arms, began to struggle, then squirm, then make a sort of horrendous wailing noise which alarmed some old folks on their porch who were, none the less entertained. The cat wriggled from my grasp and started bounding away. So I ran to the neighbors before he could make his escape again. At the house, I rang the bell not once but thrice and this time the wife was home. I told her this was it. I had found him. She didn’t want to believe at first but I described all his characteristics the white fur, the smudge (she started to get teary) and the little black mark on his back. Nope…no black anywhere on smudge. (Tears stop) This wasn’t him either. Oops.

Needless to say, I have stopped looking for Smudge. I have put these poor people and my husband through enough. I really just wanted to be neighborly, but it has gone too far!!!!!! To make matters worse, I vaguely remembered there being a reward for the cat. Oh no! These people could have thought I was just after the money, passing off any white cat I could find as the real McCoy. This is deeply embarrassing.

The cliche lesson in all this? Hmmm… enough is enough? let sleeping cats lie? don’t ever ring a doorbell more than once? All I know is that I tried, and I looked pretty crazy to everyone else but it’s the thought that counts.