Sir Bennett Did It Again!, Went 'missing'..... Options

[paris]

Yes, he did it again. Thanksgiving we went away for the weekend. We 'jokingly' said "OK, now he'll have to wonder where WE are!"

My neighbor comes in every day to check in, and we do leave the window opened for Sir Bennett to get in and out. We've done this several times before, no problem. Except this time the neighbor wrote daily notes that Bennett was nowhere to be seen, food was untouched. And yes, I live in Vermont where it is below freezing and snow. I looked on the deck and there were no paw prints in the snow. (It snowed after we left.)

So now I'm wondering again, where he is, for an entire week. All I could think of is "Here I go again" and was getting depressed. At one point I regretted keeping the window open, but I know that was illogical because he goes out all the time. I know, and have posted, that the choice to let a cat outdoors brings risks. This time, though, he had collar/ID and microchip, so that was helpful.

What was worrying me was the cold, wondering where he was getting food/water. One morning I saw some birds, and that was to me a sign from God that he was OK.

He usually turns up early in the morning, so last evening at 7:00 I let out a scream when I saw him standing at the back deck glass door, lightly covered with snow flurries. I let him in. No collar. I expected a thin and hungry cat, but he actually looked beefier than when he left.

This cat is a mystery and he's driving me crazy!

[Mink&WillowsMom]

No collar. I expected a thin and hungry cat, but he actually looked beefier than when he left.

Yup, yup, yup, he's found a second home. I feel it in every bone of my body that he's fat and happy at somebody else's food bowl. Fickle little butthead, ain't he? When you said he was fatter, returning after a second foray, I really wondered if he was just dropping by to let you know he was fine and hale, and going to go live somewhere else.

Someone here posted about a cat that collected THREE homes. If it were me, I think I'd be dealing with feelings of rejection, wondering why he didn't love me enough to stay. But I can feel it's just that he's a lothario, and falls in love with everybody. He's a real sociable cat, yes? Paris, he's fine. I don't know how I know, but I do. It's still a sad loss to not have him in your home, but please rest easy knowing he's alive and well and living high somewhere not too far away. The little farthead. ~Kimberly