The Prodigal Tigger

My son brought his cat, Tigger, to me a few years ago, because he was not allowed to keep him at his apartment. Tigger is a tabby with a very long, fluffy coat. He was always a little bit weird, but I grew fond of him. When I got the Siamese kittens he intimidated them, but never fought with them. When the kittens grew up they paid him back, and when he hissed at Precious' babies, she chased him away. Finally, the two Siamese decided to get revenge, and began to corner Tigger and intimidate him. He was the typical bully; when confronted he backed off. If fact, he started going outside where he knew they couldn't get to him. There was never a fight, just cornering and chasing. Once, the two Siamese cornered him, flanked him, and started closing in. The collie, sensing a problem, got off his rug (forbidden behavior!) and stood in front of Tigger. The Siamese backed off. Tigger started staying out more and more. I couldn't keep him in because he'd always been an indoor/outdoor cat. Finally, he stayed away for two weeks. The last time he came home I babied him and gave him a whole can of chicken--so he'd want to stay, but when I let the dog in for the night, Tigger dashed out. I haven't seen him since last summer. Now I am home bound and I told my health care aide about Tigger. She asked if he was big and fluffy, and said there is a cat meeting that description on the other end of our long road. I feel so terrible. He might now be a semi-feral cat! I told my son, but he lives 30 miles away, and has other animals now. I know if someone managed to grab him he'd be out the door in a minute. It's heartbreaking; I hope Tigger found a home he can enjoy.

I'm so sorry to hear that Jeanie. You know I have a similar story myself(I think I've posted it on here before) and my cat was named Tigger(Ironic?).

When I was 6 my mom took me to the local MSPCA where we adopted a big black and tan short haired tabby named Tigger. I had wanted a kitten at the time but when my mom told me that the older cats who don't find homes get put to sleep I wanted him. I remember during the ride home he nuzzled his head inside my raincoat and stayed that way for the half hour drive.

Anyway Tigger became my pal. He became the reason why I wanted to be a veterinarian. Then a couple years later my mom got me a kitten. An orange tabby named Reggie(He was named after a character in Archie's comic). Although Tigger was a little bent out of shape by the new baby he accepted him fairly quickly and they became fairly close.

Not too long after this my parents got divorced and me and my mom moved and the two cats stayed with my dad. I missed them both a lot and was excitied a couple years later when my mom moved into a condo and she said we could have Tigger and Reggie there. So they moved back in with me and it was great having them back.

A few months after we lived in this condo a neighbor's cat(whom they didn't take care of) wound up on our door step. We took her in and named her Abby, a beatiful black short hair. A few months later she had kittens. I can honestly say I was so caught up in the kittens that I didn't even notice when Tigger stopped comming home(I was 10).

After the kittens went off to their new homes that's when I realized he was gone. He had gradually faded away and I let him. A few weeks later I was playing down near some of the other condos on the other side of the development and I saw Tigger, sitting on a neighbor's front steps. I was so happy to see him! I called him and called him, even got some food and shook it but he never budged. He just stared at me. He had no intentions on comming home because it was no longer his home.

My heart was broken. I wanted to grab him off the steps and lock him in my room so he could never leave again but I knew it was my fault why he left. I still feel guilty to this day about him and I hoped his new owners loved him as much as I had.

Oh no, those are both very sad stories. Well Bad Habit, you learned a lesson and it looks like your Tigger got a good home. Jeanie, good luck on helping your Tigger. I had a cat that got lost, by no fault of mine, and I wish I knew what happened to her.

i am sorry to hear about your cat but think of it this way he has got a good home and is happy. I used to have 7 cats when i lived in the country and when i was getting ready to move back to the village two of them disappeared and two were hit and died and then after i got all moved one more got hit and one disappeared and the last one i gave away to some friends and when i go there i yell to her (sassy) and she comes right to me she still knows my name for her and comes to me which i think is great, everyone says that they forget, but i dont believe it. I should not have come back to the village but cant do anything about that now, now i help the strays and forgotten ones as well as the ones in crisis and am awaiting kittens, soon i hope. franny is a stray that I took in. she had no home and a lady called me and told me about her and now she is here. Well, good luck and just remember he is probably happy.