Bad, bad cats

I struggled to get up today (it doesn't help I get up late on my days off) so the cats only got 20 minutes outside. Well as you can imagine they didn't want to come back in. I whistled and called, carried Precious inside, but couldn't find Frodo. He wasn't anywhere where I left him. I did hear a distant meow so I know he heard me, but he won't come. I leave Precious meowing in the window and I was suppose to be at work 5 minutes ago. Get to work 15 minutes late and complain I hate my cats. They were also not cooperative this week on my days off either. Especially when the hedge trimmers with noisy chainsaws started trimming next to my door and I had to wait for them to move on to get Precious back inside.

Get home much much later, and can't find Frodo. I whisper my calls checking out the usual hiding spots. No response, not even a meow. Though Precious is going nutso in the window. Fears of a run over Frodo, animal control using those sticks with loops to capture him, then finally he is just hiding. He has to be hungry by now so I keep trying. I know he is not at a neighbor's place cause he is terrified of people. Go inside and Precious is bonkers pacing everywhere I go and meowing out the window. Take my shoes off and figure trying again later, a woman has her dog outside so Frodo is not coming with a dog present. But Precious won't stop meowing at the window so I put the shoes back on and grab the fishing pole (Frodo's favorite toy that often gets a response from Precious). I checked the machine for messages, in case the shelter called since my cats are microchipped.

Take Precious with me since they have a knack at finding each other. Like a bloodhound, he sniffs the sidewalk and goes down one sidewalk. Dog barks. We scurry down the building and try to go around to stop the dog from barking (neighbors have a bad habit of using profanity when dogs bark excessively). Around the corner we go out of dog's sight and oh, a man with 2 dogs coming down the street and heads for our spot in the darkness. Lady tries to shush her dog and finally goes inside. Turn back around and go back the way we came. Is Precious really smelling Frodo and just enjoying himself? We go down another sidewalk and I follow Precious swinging the fishing pole. We hear a meow. Precious continues down the sidewalk. Then I see the stray cat (white fur reflecting so well in the street light) lying by the covered pool next to the stacked patio furniture. Precious continues down the sidewalk and lies down. I call for Frodo, maybe he is hanging around the stray cat as he has in the past when he refuses to come back in. No answer. I searched the furniture with Precious stretched out on the sidewalk.

I find a dark figure under the chairs with white paws and white belly reflecting in the street light. I call Precious back and stare at the dark figure to make a few whispered calls. I knew he wouldn't come with dogs around. Frodo comes out w/out so much as a meow. He is enticed by the fishing pole the stray cat ignores. I swing and swing since I can't enter the pool fence. Precious starts to come back and stray cat realizes he is losing his pal. All 3 cats follow me to the door. Get Frodo inside, but Precious refuses to stop playing with the stray cat. He runs inside as I swing the fishing pole. Now Precious won't come.

I come back from letting Frodo into the apartment. Preicous is chasing the stray cat around. I approach to pick up Precious and he runs away. Down the sidewalk, around the building, cross the yard, into the parking lot, past the fence separating the houses and apartments, and finally into the first house's yard. I grabbed him and he freaks at a large truck passing by on the street. I managed to hang on w/out being scratched. I walk up the drive tighting my grip on the squirming Precious. I did set him down when he almost got loose and picked him up again. After inside the door, he went right for the door and wandered the stairs wanting his chance to explore outside at night. I walked up the stairs he followed, followed better once I tossed a glove up the stairs. Cats finally home again and just under an hour. Precious keeps meowing to go outside. Not til tomorrow. I hate my cats. I pray for bad weather so the cats will come back in. Post later. Bye!