Further adventures of Sparky.

Yesterday Sparky went AWOL, probably quite early in the morning, probably not intentionally. She often walks along the outside edge of our third floor balcony (as I hold my breath and try not to startle her!) and once or twice has slipped right off.

Fortunately, the ground underneath the balcony is spongy with ivy and dead leaves. After two previous "outside events," she appeared uninjured, and a little more cautious, but after such a long time (3 years) it's easy to forget.

Since I have always found her within a few feet of where she landed (but only when she wants to be found) I went through the usual drill yesterday - several forays around the building, calling, pushing aside underbrush and branches, thinking about leaving a trail of bonito flakes (her favorite treat.) Nothing worked until after dark, when a neighbor and I went out with flashlights. I shined the light into a tangle of roots and branches underneath a big laurel - and there she was, wet, staring-eyed, but unharmed.

Today I've kept the deck door closed. All day. And yes, I will finally find a way to block the place where she slips through the deck railing.

Worst part of searching for kitty yesterday was thinking I might have to add to the collection of "missing cat" posters accumulating on light poles around the neighborhood. Three local pets have disappeared in the last couple of months, and we're beginning to wonder just what is out there. Raccoons, which can be dangerous to cats, are a familiar sight, but now we wonder if the greenbelt is supporting a coyote. They've been seen in other parts of Seattle - with disappearing pets often the first sign of their presence.

As I trolled the perimeter of the building, I kept thinking about a major character in Kafka on the Shore - the one who returns lost cats to their owners - because he can talk to them. (Later he loses the ability, though the cats don't realize it.)

You have to read the book.