They can be gone in a second

squirtle

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This morning I opened the front door to check the mail at about 10:00. I didn't open the door very far because it was wet outside and I didn't want to get my socks wet from stepping down onto the mat, so I just reached from the door way. I came back in, shut the door and that was that. I watched an episode of Sopranos, heated up some lunch, and watched another episode (rainy day here, not much else to do). At about 12:30 or so I heard Dori meowing very loudly and she kept meowing over and over. It wasn't her normal meow so I immediately knew something was wrong. I looked through the entire house for her. I was becomming frantic because I couldn't find her anywhere. I turned the tv off and stood there to see if I could hear her meowing again. I did, I followed my ears to the front door and opened it. There was Dori, wet and jumping up for me to hold her. She had to have somehow snuck out the door when I checked the mail. This has never happened! She is always too skittish to walk out the door. She had to have been outside for over 2 hours by herself! It's just so hard to believe that she ran out in the few seconds I had the door open.
We live on the corner of our street. The street that runs to the side of us is one of the main neighborhood roads and tends to be busy. There is a high school near us and often 16-17 year olds and racing up and down the road. She could have been run over. She has never been outside before, so I am looking at it as a mircale that she didn't run off somewhere and hide. It was raining and thundering a bit. Thank God she came back and meowed at the door. This could have turned out so much worse.

This served as a reminder to me of how careful I need to be. She could be gone in an instant.... I was hoping that by sharing our afternoon it might remind everyone else to take a second look around when they open and close doors.
 

pat

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OMG! Smart little girl not to go wandering and to make sure she got your attention. I am glad this worked out well..and thank you for posting this good reminder.
 

xocats

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This is an important reminder to never get complacient about open doors.
I am so glad that Dori is back where she belongs.
 

rosiemac

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Tanya i feel sick just thinking about whats happend to you both!


I know if i have to put some rubbish outside in the bin i always have to check where the kitts are standing and always close the door after me, even though it must take 3 seconds to lift the lid of the bin and put the rubbish in, but Sophie especially is curious and comes running towards me as soon as i open the back door.
 

menagerie mama

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Thank God she came back! I'm glad you posted this, as a warning. Dori, please stay inside where it's warm and dry!
 

clixpix

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Oh God Tanya, your heart must have been in your throat when you realized what had happened! Thankfully Dori had the good sense and courage to call for you!

No more running off little girl!
 

dawnofsierra

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Wow, Tanya, this was so incredibly scary!
You must have been absolutely frantic searching for Dori when she was nowhere to be found! How horrible! What an unbelievable relief that she is back inside, safely warm and dry.


Dori, you're grounded! No more scaring the daylights out of your Mom!
 

jnnfr

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Out of the six that I have luckily I only have 2 that try to venture out. We are very careful about taking "kitty inventory" before an outside door is opened but we have had problems with some of the kids' friends not paying attention. Mistletoe has never gotten any further then the driveway. He is a lot on the fat side and not so fast. Cleopatra, our abbysinian, is a speed demon though. A few years ago, she snuck out on New Years eve when it was so very very cold and snowy. We searched for her for days with absolutely no luck. We were very sad and really believed we would never see her again. Six weeks later I opened the back door to take out the trash and she bolted through the door quick as lightening. She ran all he way back to my daughter's room and jumped up on her bed and started purring. She was emmaciated. I had never seen a cat so skinny. I think she must have learned her lesson though. She hasn't darted out the door since. We were very lucky and thankful that nothing happened to her.
 

katachtig

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I'm so glad that Dori didn't wander far. I can sympathize with the gut-wretching feeling of how close you were to losing her. Right after we got Carly, my husband had gone outside with someone doing a bid to paint our house. As I was going to join them, I saw this cat come running up the porch on the house. It was Carly and fortunately she decided to not wander because we were totally oblivious to the fact that she had slipped out.
 

beckiboo

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I am so glad she stayed by the door! Smart Dori to call for help!

When Festie was 5 months old, I heard her crying one morning. I could not find her...and it sounded like she was shut in the kitchen cabinet. Finally I went outside to check under the kitchen window, and there she was! She must have slipped out of ds's open window, as the screen was loose. She enjoyed her time outside, and kept looking for a way out, but luckily those windows are on the east side of the house, and the doorway to the outside is on the west side.

Cats are just too smart for their own good sometimes...again, I'm glad Dori is home, and Jennifer's Cleopatra too!
 

gailc

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What a relief!!!! She must be a talkative cat. Bakker loves to go outside-only under my strict supervision and with his collar and bell so I can hear him as he is a very silent cat. I have shut him in the basement pantry many times as I am unaware that he is following me.
 
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