Our cat is missing.

And, I’m heartbroken.

Do you want to know why?

Well, I’m going to tell you either way.

I’ve spent the last couple of months nursing him back to health.

Remember this?

Yeah, it all started when Ben got sick.

I was so busy nursing Ben back to health that I didn’t notice that Hobbes was sick, too.

Shortly after our spring snow storm, and during Meme’s visit over spring break it dawned on me…something was wrong with Hobbes.

My mom commented on how he was drinking lots of water and we decided that I should take him to the vet because that is what Murphy did before we found out her kidneys were failing.

So, I took Hobbes in to the vet.

I felt like we had been living there with all the visits for Ben.

{We never did find out what caused him to be so sick. I thought he was dying, but somehow I nursed him back to health and he is back to being the same grumpy old man he has always been.}

Anyway, very quickly we found out that he was diabetic.

Now, a lot of people might choose to not take care of a diabetic cat, but I couldn’t NOT take care of him.

That’s my job.

I am a stay at home mom and I take care of my kids…even my 4 legged fuzzy faced ones.

So, we decided to put Hobbes on a prescription diet, give hime insulin injections twice a day, and take him to the vets once a week for a glucose screening until we had him regulated.

I say “we”, but it was my job.

My job to nurse him back to health.

It didn’t even take two months to get him regulated. The vet said that was the fastest she had ever been able to get a cat regulated.

We were down to 1/2 a unit of insulin twice a day.

And, she sounded encouraged that he may even “decide” to not be diabetic and go in to remission.

I was relieved.

It had all been worth it…except for one big downside.

When Ben was sick it was coming out both ends uncontrollably.

One morning I left all three pets in the house and came home to vomit, poop, and urine in almost every room.

It wasn’t just from Ben.

Odyssey decided to mark his territory.

An honest to goodness pissing match began between all of the boys (the 4 legged fuzzy faced ones).

We had the carpets cleaned, treated, and all the works.

Before the carpets had dried they were peeing all over them again.

UGH!!!

Odyssey spent many days and nights out in his dog kennel (which he doesn’t mind), but as far as I was concerned, he was in the dog house!

Ben was pretty harmless and didn’t  do anything since he was feeling better.

Hobbes, however, wouldn’t stop.

He quit using his litter box.

I cleaned up mess after mess.

Febreze, Oxiclean, air fresheners, open windows, candles.

All I could smell was cat pee.

I put aluminum foil over the areas he was soiling.

He just went as close as he could and soiled and even bigger area.

And, I think he peed in a heat vent because every time the heat comes on the smell gets worse.

Anyway, I was pissed.

I was wondering why I had worn myself out taking care of these pets that were just disrespecting me?

I was so angry with Hobbes and just wanted it to stop.

You see, I got shingles just as we got the OK that Hobbes was regulated on his insulin.

I was so relieved to not have to drive to the vets every week just to get his levels tested.

I was tired and I needed to nurse myself back to health.

Fast forward three weeks to Memorial Day weekend when we enjoyed our yard with family and friends.

Hobbes ventured outside and caught a mouse on Friday.

By Sunday, he was getting brave and spent a lot of time outside in the afternoon.

By nightfall, I asked Ryan to feed him, but I wasn’t sure if he was inside or outside.

We all went to bed.

Sunday morning I noticed Hobbes’ food had not been eaten.

I went out for a bit and when I got home I asked Ryan and the kids if they had seen Hobbes.

We looked all over the house and yard, but could not find him.

I kept my eye open for flashes of white in the neighbors yards.

By Monday evening I noticed some white fur on the wood of our gate…there was a gap big enough for him to slip though.

On walks through the neighborhood I called his name and glanced in hiding places in other yards.

Yesterday, I made flyers and put them on mailboxes and street corners up and down our street.

I got a glimmer of hope with a phone call last night.

Somebody saw our flyer and also saw an orange and white cat on a walk just one street over.

I walked over to check it out.

Sure enough, there was an orange and white cat…with a collar.

Our pets don’t wear collars.

And, then I saw another one.

I called out for Hobbes.

Nothing.

I walked closer.

He ran under a car.

The tail had more stripes.

The face didn’t have  enough orange near the nose.

It wasn’t Hobbes.

Our cat is missing.

And, I am heartbroken.

home is…taking care of 4 legged fuzzy faced kids.