Chester, Where Are You?

This beautiful black cat with the inquiring green eyes, has left me, and I wish I knew why.  Was he trying to tell me something, the day the walked back and forth, mewing as he walked?  I thought he was, so I sat down in the old teak Adirondack chair and petted him, and talked to him.  He rubbed against me and purred and seemed happy.  Then he left me and walked over to his food and water and ate a bit.   So I went back inside and continued with my chores.

Later in the day, I heard a dog barking.  Since I have no dogs and we have a leash law here I went out to investigate.  Chester was lounging under the Leyland Cypress which is on a rise above the driveway.  The barking was coming from a Doberman Pincher who seemed like a domesticated dog.  He was a beautiful chestnut brown color and had no collar.  His bark sounded more like a friendly hello and not an attack kind of bark.  He did  not offer to chase Chester, just was saying hello.  I saw no problem here, so I went back indoors and continued my work there.  I thought he must belong to a neighbor from across the woods.  In hindsight I wish I had called Animal Control as he may have been lost.

Later in the evening after dark, I heard the barking again.  As it was dark outside and I could not  see, I did not go out to investigate.  After a few minutes the barking stopped and I decided it was the Doberman saying hello again.  In hindsight I wish that I had taken a flashlight and gone out to see if the Doberman was back. 

Now, all the speculation in the world cannot remedy the situation I am faced with, as Chester has gone missing.  All the calling and looking does not bring him back.  His former owner says that he was prone to "go missing" for days then come back home.  He has the tip of his left ear missing and a scar along the side of his nose, to show he has had some scrapes.  He knows how to take care of himself, but still I fret that I should have done more.

His former owner brought an elegant house for him, with a mattress and heat pad for cold winter days.  It is waiting for Chester if he decides to come home.  I put his bowl out for him during the day.  But if I do it at night the raccoons will begin to habitat my grounds, and that is not a wise plan.

Years ago when my grandson was around six years old he had a gray cat named Smokey.  He was allowed to go out, and one day he did not return home.  My grandson was hopeful and said he would return.  For a whole year he was hopeful, and into the second year he was hopeful.  And, you know what?  It paid off for after two years had passed, Smokey returned home, a little leaner but otherwise none the worse for his two year absence.

Therefore I will not lose heart, or hope, but just keep putting out his bowl each day, and looking out my back door window to see if Chester is curled up on the mat.  He knows where he can eat, drink, and sleep so if his navigation system is in good order, I will one day see him, or hear him mewing for me to come out and pet him again.