Almost A Tragedy

Little Lazlo, which we rescued last week, adjusted really quickly. He's not as snuggly as when he was scared, but boy is he cute. He never sat at the door and howled, but he would cry from time to time. We finally decided to venture out with the harness. I can't believe we didn't anticipate this problem, but just as we went outside with Lazlo - who just kind of plopped down on the grass and started to sniff around, "our" outside stray, Booger / Rocki showed up. Little Laz went bezerk, and began running and bouncing (3 feet up!) and scrambling. My husband yelled "Grab Her," so of course I went for Rocki. He meant Lazlo (who we'd always referred to as female until we rescued him and found out he's a he. But my hubby hasn't broken the "she" habit). Apparently the front section of the harness had come undone, and he quickly shot out of the back and up into the woods. We FREAKED, and I can't believe how much I cried. We scrambled up there - but saw no Laz.

Long story short - Lazlo turned up at the burrow about an hour later. He would come about six inches away from us and then bolt. Hissy - I remembered what you said about being at ground level and having lots of patience. I finally grabbed some shredded chicken and a towel, and I went up there and laid down. He would come and go, but never close enough. It took about an hour, but he finally came over for chicken. I picked him up, and he didn't struggle.

Interesting note: since being back from this adventure, he hasn't cried to be outside.

That was a close call! I am glad you got him back! To ask a feral kitty to accept a harness so quickly is asking a bit much. try and use the harness inside the coach for awhile before taking him outside with it again. With ferals, you have to set your clock to theirs, and not ask them to accept your idea of timing.

No lecture, just fact

How awful!!!

I'm so glad your little guy calmed down enough for the old Hissy Grab to work.

I would have been completely freaking out....I'm glad you could be calm enough to get little Laz back.

We thought we were doing good for little Laz by taking him out - he didn't mind the harness at all. I don't know what would have happened if "our" huge Maine Coon stray hadn't shown up and freaked him out.

And I was freaking out - completely. When he bolted, my husband was screaming at me about grabbing the wrong cat, and I bolted into the home crying - wailing. I cried the hardest I have in my adult life. I was scared, I was guilty, I felt terrible for Laz, I scared Booger / Rocki - it was terrible all the way around. When lying on the towel waiting for Laz, I continued crying and wimpering., I couldn't help it. I talked to Laz the whole time, apologizing, begging and pleading and pouring my heart out to him. Either he heard, or he just got hungry enough to come within reach. !!!!

I guess Laz must have felt really sorry for you when he heard you crying so hard! I'll have to try that myself the next time one of my cats hides from me!