My cat fell off my balcony last night, flying down effectively 10 storeys. I did not know for about 5 minutes and by the time I got down there, there was no trace of her. I did find some broken pine branches in a large planter on the ground just below my balcony. It was too dark to see if there was any fur, but the breaks were fresh. NO sign of kitty.
How horrible! The next 2 hours saw me combing the meadow in front of the building, all the while, shaking in my boots. It was my fault as I had left her alone out there too long. The front of this building would be a terror to an animal who was not familiar with it, a massive space with lights and cars and pools and running water, so I knew she was either hiding, dead under the bushes and not responding, or an eagle had immediately dragged her off (there was no blood).
Right away I posted a photo of her in the lobby for the overnight, but in this snooty building, some heartless person (and I know who you are) took it down.
After a few hours of some level of sleep with ears peeled all night long for any wayward cries out there, I began another search covering the areas that I thought would be logical if she were wounded. After another 2 hours, I decided I had to give up so I stood still one last time and called her when it was quiet. I thought I heard a little peep. There she was tucked under some bushes, barely wanting to come out even when she recognized me.
She fell 10 storeys and suffered only a green sap stain on her upper arm from breaking the pine branch and some dirty white paws from tromping through the unknown. I probably should take her for an Xray but she has been quite traumatized already. She is completely back to her happy little bouncy self, except for the extra purrs.
I consider both of us to be so fortunate today. Thank heaven for a strategically-placed planter (I actually thanked it when I moved in 3 years ago, hoping it would never have to prove its worth) and a now-smaller pine shrub. The planter is only 4', and she could have moved 1" and landed on its concrete edge. Makes me wonder if she were steering.
Siiiiigh
How horrible! The next 2 hours saw me combing the meadow in front of the building, all the while, shaking in my boots. It was my fault as I had left her alone out there too long. The front of this building would be a terror to an animal who was not familiar with it, a massive space with lights and cars and pools and running water, so I knew she was either hiding, dead under the bushes and not responding, or an eagle had immediately dragged her off (there was no blood).
Right away I posted a photo of her in the lobby for the overnight, but in this snooty building, some heartless person (and I know who you are) took it down.
After a few hours of some level of sleep with ears peeled all night long for any wayward cries out there, I began another search covering the areas that I thought would be logical if she were wounded. After another 2 hours, I decided I had to give up so I stood still one last time and called her when it was quiet. I thought I heard a little peep. There she was tucked under some bushes, barely wanting to come out even when she recognized me.
She fell 10 storeys and suffered only a green sap stain on her upper arm from breaking the pine branch and some dirty white paws from tromping through the unknown. I probably should take her for an Xray but she has been quite traumatized already. She is completely back to her happy little bouncy self, except for the extra purrs.
I consider both of us to be so fortunate today. Thank heaven for a strategically-placed planter (I actually thanked it when I moved in 3 years ago, hoping it would never have to prove its worth) and a now-smaller pine shrub. The planter is only 4', and she could have moved 1" and landed on its concrete edge. Makes me wonder if she were steering.
Siiiiigh