He Comes In The Evening
She’d not seen her cat for more than six hours. She’d spent the better part of the day trying to figure out where he could be.
Her worry was now simmering beneath her skin. She was about to leave when the cat came strolling in with a letter tucked in its collar. Its contents made her lips part.
Going To College
Maisie was thirteen years old when she rescued Rex from the local animal shelter near her home. Now looking to start college, she moved to Tempe, Arizona, to start the next phase of her life.
Among the things that Maisie carried to Tempe were her childhood stuffed animals, novels, and favorite blankets. But she also took someone who meant the world to her.
The Next Phase Of Her Life
Maisie took Rex across the country to keep her company in her new apartment in Tempe. At the time of moving, Rex had been a member of her family for five years.
Rex and Maisie shared quite a unique bond. Maisie always felt safe with him, even though Rex was a Maine Coon, one of the largest domesticated cats in the world. Even though she didn’t know it, her relationship with Rex would change her life forever.
The Perfect Companion
Rex was one of the friendliest cats Maisie knew, despite his size. He was gentle and giving, always purring with delight whenever someone petted him.
For Maisie, Rex was not only a pet but a companion that made her less homesick. Maisie could acclimate to Tempe better, knowing she had a beloved family member there to keep her company. But that would soon change.
Pampered Kitty
Maisie had adopted Rex when he was just a kitten, and he had blossomed in her care. His fur had grown long and luxurious, and in the five years he lived with her he had grown enormous.
Maisie was worried that the upheaval might change Rex’s behavior, so she made sure had everything he could ever ask for to make the transition as easy as possible for him. But it wasn’t enough.
Yearning For More
Rex (named after a character from the cult classic film Studio 54), was a typical spoiled housecat.
He whiled away the days by lazily lying in sunbeams and soaking up all the affection and love his human could give him. But for Rex, even though his owner doted on him, something was still missing.
A Cat’s Secrets
The domesticated housecat still has a lot in common with their wild-cat cousins. Most cats still have the unshakable desire to go where they will, when they please.
They differ from dogs in that they haven’t become totally dependent on us, and perhaps it is this independence that fascinates us so much. Cats still manage to have secrets. And, unbeknown to Maisie, Rex was about to give her the fright of her life.
The Call Of The Wild
From a young age, Rex would beg to go outside. He would sit at the door, looking wistfully through the glass every morning, filling the hallway with his pitiful meows. At first, Maisie was concerned.
It wasn’t lost on her that an indoor cat was far less likely to get into trouble on the streets of Tempe. But still, the call of the wild beckoned Rex.
A Week Inside
The week everything changed seemingly came out of nowhere for Maisie. Most of her classes had been moved online, so she rarely left the apartment, only getting out when necessary.
Since she and Rex moved to Tampa, Maisie realized Rex rarely got out of the house. But he spent the entire day outside that week, only coming in for snacks or milk. Maisie didn’t think much of it, although she should have.
An Empty Apartment
Maisie’s apartment complex was a massive one. Although she was yet to get acquainted with most of her neighbors, the ones she’d met were friendly and nice to talk to.
She had no worries over Rex going out of the apartment, although the place felt a bit empty without his warm presence. Maisie didn’t know that Rex was going to places he shouldn’t have been.
First And Second Day
The first day of the week passed, with Rex spending less time in the apartment. On the second day, he left the apartment in the morning only to show up two hours later.
Maisie began to wonder where her cat was going for entire hours. They’d only been in Tempe for a month, and yet Rex was already leaving the apartment. Where was he going?
Caution
Rex slowly started to explore his surroundings more and more. He went further and further, until he was lost from Maisie’s watchful eye. Soon, Rex was away for hours at a time.
Maisie wished she knew what he was doing when he was away, and she couldn’t help but feel a pang of worry whenever she thought of her kitty wandering off on his own. So, she bought him a collar.
The Sweetest Cat In The World
Knowing how big Rex was, Maisie feared he might scare people out there even though he was the sweetest cat in the world. She had to know where he was going to at least keep an eye on him.
When Rex returned an hour later, Maisie gave him a snack as usual. But this time, she followed him to the balcony, which was his regular exit route. What Rex did next made her brows draw close.
Is She Worrying Too Much?
With his massive body size, Rex leaped onto the railing and majestically walked on it. He launched himself onto the roof and disappeared.
Maisie was left standing there, wondering if she was worrying too much. Let him go, she said to herself. But two hours passed without Rex returning for snacks. More hours followed, and Maisie knew she should be alarmed.
Waiting
She was starting to grow worried. Her eyes flew to the clock…it was getting late and he still hadn’t come home. She filled his bowl with the food he loved, making sure to make as much noise as possible. Where could he be?
Rex’s dinnertime came and went, but there was still no sign of him. Maisie called for him and shook his food bowl, walking through the house in case he had returned without her seeing. She had pushed her anxiety down for long enough. It was time to go out looking for him.
He Returns
Maisie was about to leave the house when Rex surged into her living room, striding to her like a king. He rubbed his cheek on her leg and cuddled up to her.
The worry that had been choking Maisie’s lungs and veins ebbed. She reached down to run her fingers against Rex, as was her habit. And that’s when she saw it.
She Sees It
Tucked neatly into Rex’s collar was a piece of folded paper. Maisie’s brows knitted, and she pulled it out. “A letter,” she said to Rex, quickly unfurling the piece of paper.
“Where did you get this?” she asked, seemingly not opening the letter fast enough. What was in it, and would it explain where her cat had been disappearing for the last two days?
A Note
The folded piece of paper that had been tucked into Rex’s collar against his neck was a note that someone had left for her to find.
For anyone who has ever owned a cat, the mystery of just what they get up to on their prowls is a maddening enigma – but Emily was finally about to solve the mystery.
Reading The Letter
“Hello! This is your neighbor in the red house,” the letter began. “We just wanted to let you know that Rex has developed a weird love for our bathtub, and he’ll sneak into our home to sit in it!”
Maisie’s head cocked back, and she reread the letter, this time aloud, to ensure she was reading it right. “Rex,” she said in a disbelieving tone. “A bathtub?” But there was more.
A Bathtub?
“All of us in the house are 100% okay with this because we all love Rex very much,” Maisie read. “We just want to let you know in case you were wondering where he was one of these days. He’s probably in our bathtub. Love, the Red House.”
Maisie hurried to her balcony to search for this red house. She couldn’t remember seeing any red houses in the neighborhood. Was someone playing a prank on her?
The Red House
Maisie scanned the neighborhood from her perch on the balcony. Although it was nearly nighttime, she could see perfectly thanks to the dozens of street lights shining below.
She was about to give up when she made out a slightly darker-painted apartment at the end of the complex. It was hidden enough that she hadn’t seen it before. She smiled, knowing what she needed to do next.
New Friends
Maisie went and wrote a note back to the red house, thanking them for taking care of Rex. She set it aside to have Rex take it when he left in the morning.
The whole experience made her smile, and she called Rex to her lap. Maisie placed a soft kiss on Rex’s forehead and petted him. Then, she decided to share her story on Facebook.
Sharing The Story
Maisie’s Facebook post about her cat’s hilarious antics with the neighbors was read by many. It was a lighthearted reprieve from the rest of the world’s news.
Every cat owner would love to know what their cat gets up to when they are away from home, so the big, hilarious revelation struck a chord with many.
Netizens React
In no time, Maisie’s post, simply read: ‘This guy came home with a note on his collar today. I can’t stop laughing!’ had garnered over 7,000 ‘Likes’ and 24,000 shares. People just couldn’t get enough of the cat’s audacity.
One woman named Donna commented: ‘he looks just like my late cat Spooky, though my cat was quite the opposite. He didn’t care for strangers…I hope you have many more good years with Rex…”
Such A Character
“He is definitely a character!” Maisie said in an interview, laughing. She explained that it was almost as if Rex had been proud of the note he had delivered.
“He had pranced inside with it, like he knew that he had a delivery to make,” she giggled. She added: “I seriously could not stop laughing when I found the note…It was adorable.”
Cat’s Out Of The Bag
We’ve learned Rex’s well-kept secret through a note his neighbor tucked into his collar, but what about other domestic cats? What do they get up to when they are on the prowl?
It’s a secret that every cat lover wants to know, and scientists think they finally have the answer — and it may surprise you.
The Secret Life Of Cats
A study in a Surrey village, England, found that domestic cats are more than likely stealing food from their neighbors on their midnight jaunts.
In a BBC television documentary series titled “The Secret Life of the Cat”, researchers attached cameras and GPS trackers to 50 local cats’ collars. Needless to say, they were floored when the results came in.
Fascinating Creatures
“Before, we really didn’t know very much about what cats get up to,” explains Dr. John Bradshaw, an expert in human-animal interactions at Bristol University, “They’re fascinating creatures because they are part-wild and part-domesticated.”
But even the experts were surprised to find out an interesting titbit about our furry companions, and it may even help cat owners rest easier at night.
Some Comfort For Owners
According to the study that aired on BBC, most of the cats that participated didn’t move more than 50 metres from their homes, preferring to stick to well-defined areas close by.
And, surprisingly, cats also seem to “timeshare” territory - preferring to roam at different times to each other so that they could avoid encountering one another. But, there were exceptions to the rules.
Exceptions
The exception to the short-distance roaming cats was one cat named Sooty, who had come from a long line of farm cats. He would roam an area of more than 7 acres during his night-time prowls!
His owner, Tom Townsend-Smith, remarked: “He disappears for long periods of time – now weknow why.” As technology advanceds, we can expect to learn even more about the furry enigmas that share our homes.