peace little monster: June 2008

Our beloved Yoshi disappeared on Saturday, June 14 without a trace. Neighbors told us he was last seen fighting with his arch nemesis, Miss Kitty at about 2pm, just before an incredible storm blew in. All week we spent every available moment posting "lost" signs, searching, and fretting. Was he lost in a storm? Was he run over? Was he taken by a fox? And scariest of all: Did the evil Miss Kitty finally get the better of him?

Then, on day five, a possible sighting! Good citizen jogger #1 calls to let me know she thinks she has spotted him sleeping on a car one block over. But when we get there, there is no sign of him. The search continues.

Sunday, June 22, day eight: The phone rings at 10:30 a.m. Good citizen #2, Paul, tells me he knows my cat. Sees him all the time when walking with his Restonian fiance on the path near our house. Has often thought about taking him home, because he is the friendliest cat he has ever known. But he has resisted because clearly the cat is well cared for, has a good home, even though he has no collar (side note: Yoshi is smarter than his collar. We buy them in bulk).

Paul continues: When walking with his fiance last week he sees a "lost cat" sign with a description of Yoshi. But when he calls, he discovers that good citizen #3, who has posted the signs, has actually found a lost cat. Paul tells the good citizen #3 that he will take the cat if no one claims him.

Day eight, Paul's fiance sees our "lost cat" sign posted on another part of the trail. Paul puts it together and calls. He's not sure where good citizen #3 lives, or even where his signs are posted, not being familiar with Reston, but he has his number.

I call good citizen #3,Tom. Tom has seen our cat, although not this morning. He's been feeding him outside. And then he clears up the story.

Tom's neighbor, a vet, was walking with her dog and her young son on Saturday, June 14 and Yoshi followed her home. Just went for a walk with them, like he does with us every morning. The vet, good citizen #4 (or 1?) checks for a microchip, but finds none. She can't keep him due to her dog and cat hata' husband. Tom agrees to care for him.

We all rush over to Tom's and spend about an hour looking around the neighborhood, but no Yoshi. We walk the trail home. Still no sign of him.

Two hours later: John is still out roaming the streets, talking to a million neighbors. Emma and I are making new signs with updated info. Tom calls, he's got a lead on Yoshi. A woman, good citizen #5, who saw Tom's lost cat signs, says she's got Yoshi. I call and it sure sounds like Yoshi. He's just laying there, enjoying a good rub down. I rush halfway around the lake and hallelujah, there he is. Stretched out on a towel in the sun being loved by new friends. Skinny, tired, but all in all ok.

So he's home now. Freshly collared (TIGHT this time)