BELLADONNA HAS COME HOME, SAFE AND SOUND!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last Tuesday I had given up hope. Then all day Wednesday, I kept "seeing" her little face, anxious and sad, looking out a window. I felt somebody had taken her in and was keeping her prisoner indoors. I sent her a "thought message" to pretend to be happy so the people keeping her wouldn't suspect, and when they opened a door, go to greet them and make a run for it. But be careful." I was at the garage all morning getting a new timing belt and summer tires, etc. As soon as I got home, I made posters and then drove around to put them up. I put one at the variety store at the end of a nearby street that everybody goes too. And one at the grain store across the street. And one with my vet. I also called the shelter she came from and was disappointed again in their (non)response. And then I called the shelter in my county, where they were sooo nice. The woman checked the intake list for the past week, and then checked the cats themselves just in case and called me right back. She also let me know that our animal control officer works there, and said she'd give her Bella's description so that she could keep an eye out for her.

But everybody sounded and looked pretty sad. A woman at the variety store told me she lost 4 cats to fischers in a single winter. Still, I kept calling for her periodically, in case she was out there, so she'd here my voice and know where to come to.

By today I was pretty hopeless again. And then tonight, I got home from work, fed the dogs and we headed out to give Dahli dinner. And I saw what looked like a small pile of snow in my neighbor across the street's drive. Only the snow is all gone. I called out "Bella" and she scooted away. Luna scares her. So the dogs and I ran down and I threw Dahli her hay and ran back up and sent the dogs inside.

And then I headed across the street alone, and called to her again. She came out from the shadows and came up to me. She was skittish, but let me pick her right up.

Now I don't know for a fact where she has been for a week, but she is awfully fat for a cat who has been hunting on scarce prey all week.

I took her down and put her in her hay pile. She couldn't get to her food dish fast enough!

My little Bella is alive and well!!!!!!!