Sweet, Sweet Mei-Mei

It's been over 2 weeks now since we've seen our sweet cat Mei-Mei.  She didn't come in after she had been outside for a few hours.  Our other cat, Duchess, was at the front door (along with a stray that sometimes hangs around)  waiting for me to let her inside.  When I called for Mei-Mei she did not come running like she normally does.  

We generally let the cats outside whenever they want to go.  We live on a cul-de-sac and have woods behind us that the cats love to play in; there are lots of things to climb on and is generally a cat playground.  I don't worry about cars as the only people who drive down our street live there and they all are very careful of the children and pets.  The cats have been very good at coming back to the house when I call, though they don't always want to go inside.  

One thing I make sure is that they are both in before I go to bed. The night Mei-Mei did not come home I awoke suddenly at 2:00 worried sick.  I asked Dave if he brought Mei-Mei in and he answered no.   I went outside to call and look for her.  For those of you who know me that is a HUGE feat as I am mostly afraid of being alone in the dark!   For the rest of the morning, until I left for work, I looked with no luck.

Since that night we've been out, all over the neighborhood, in and out of the woods with absolutely no sight of her.  There was one morning, driving out of the subdivision we saw a cat that looked like Mei-Mei.  Sarah screamed, "There's Mei-Mei"  I immediately put the car in park, in the middle of the street, jumped out and ran to her.  A neighbor, who had read our pleas for help from our neighborhood email list, was already calling to the cat and trying to get her to come to him.  He, too, thought it was our lost kitty.  But, to my disappointment, once the cat came to me it was obvious it was not my sweet kitty.  Saddened, I got back in the car with two very sad little girls.

I've tried to be positive with the girls but also trying to be honest.  I don't want to get their hopes up but I also don't want to upset them.  

We light a candle for Mei-Mei each night and say a prayer that she comes home safely.  I say my own, silent prayer, that Mei-Mei is safe wherever she is.   Last night, in honor of the Autumn Moon Festival we looked at the moon and then lit a candle, made our wish that Mei-Mei would come home and blew out the flame allowing the smoke to travel to Chang er, the lady who lives on the moon and who is supposed to grant wishes.  Tomorrow I will post signs around the neighborhood with an offer of a reward.  Maybe someone picked Mei-Mei up and because she didn't have a collar on (she loses them almost once a week) they took her home.  

I generally have good instincts about so many things.  Unfortunately because I am so emotionally charged I cannot tell how I feel.  Some days I'm convinced Mei-Mei was bitten by a snake and just didn't make it home or believe Dave when he says that maybe a fox got her.  But then I remember all the stories that have been shared with me about lost pets, especially cats, coming home after weeks away.

I pray for closure, especially for Sarah.  Like me she is very sensitive and attached to our pets.  She cries many nights when I tuck her in because Mei-Mei ALWAYS jumped into bed with her and lay with Sarah for a while before she came down to go outside.  It is hard for the other girls but they are not nearly as emotional.

Mei-Mei, we miss you and hope that wherever you are tonight, you are safe.  We'd like you to come home so you can share in the excitement of Matthew coming home.  Good night sweet kitty....