Janie recreates her escape for the camera.
Our cat Janie turned 16 yesterday. Sixteen!! To celebrate she decided to scare the hell out of us and escape the apartment.Since we arrived in Rome, Janie has shown a great deal of interest in the world outside the apartment door. She always runs to greet us when we come home, and peers into the hallway. So a week and a half ago, Ric let her out under his supervision to explore our little landing. (Libby got a turn too, but she wasn’t nearly as brave as Janie.) We repeated the excursion once since. Nothing wrong with a little stimulation right? Yesterday she took advantage of an opening and escaped. By our reckoning she was gone at least an hour! Here’s how it happened.We went shopping in the Parioli neighborhood, with our cute little rolling cart, and came home with wine, pasta, vegies, laundry products, etc. I unlocked the door, said “hi” to Jane, the greeter cat, and Ric rolled the cart into the kitchen, leaving the door open as he came in behind me. Seriously, it was just for a few seconds! Apparently Janie seized the opening and made a dash for it.By the time I turned to close the door she was gone, but we didn’t know….
Fast forward an hour or so and it is apparent Janie is nowhere to be found. She’s not one to hide, preferring to be on the bed or couch where she can keep track of activity. After a thorough search of the 840 square feet we call home (with minimal furniture as we await our sea shipment, there aren’t many places to look), I traipsed up three flights of stairs to the top floor looking for her, calling
Our vintage turn-of-the-20th-century elevator. Close the gate, close the sliding wooden doors, hit your floor button. Try doing that with a frightened cat in your arms.
quietly so as to not confirm the suspicions of our neighbors: that we are crazy and noisy. I then went down 3 flights to the piano terra and even down some very dark stairs (couldn’t find a light switch) that lead to the basement. There was only a small landing there, with two closed doors I groped for in the dark. No Jane.
So I circled the building outside, by now frantic that our birthday girl had fled. Coming back in the front door, I heard the jingle of a cat bell coming from the dark and scary basement stairs. Janie peeked around the corner coming up the stairs! It was so dark down there I didn’t see her grey smudgy self. Lucky Jane was treated to a ride in our vintage elevator. Not something she cares to repeat based on the scratches she gave me.
So everyone is safely at home this evening. Libby is too scared to go out, and we are ever-watchful with Janie. Guess she just wanted a birthday adventure.
This handy little cart makes it possible to haul water, wine, and other essentials home. The nearest stores are a 10 minute walk away.
Girovaga 
Hi! I’m like you Laurel! I can’t leave home without knowing for sure where Shadow and Shasta are. Guess Janie just knew that your 800+ feet isn’t all that is her new domain. Glad your kitty story had such a happy ending.
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Glad she made it home safe and sound!
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You know how I worry about the cats! Thanks, Anita!
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What a great kitty story. I’m glad she is safe and back home. When your furniture is in place I would love to see photos of your apartment. And I must get one of those carts. Love the color. I still look for you at the Farmers Market. 🙂
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I think these carts would be a big hit at the Portland Market. You should start a business! 🙂
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Janie couldn’t pick a better city to explore as cats have their own monuments and sacred places! Glad she didn’t make it that far! Blessings!
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Thanks, T. Yes Romans love cats, and luckily they have microchips and collar tags with both Italian and US numbers on them. But I’d hate to test the system…. At least there are no coyotes here.
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Hello Laurel!
What a scarey happening. I remember when Mittens got out here on the Reserve a couple of years ago. I didn’t even know she was gone until the next day. I thought for sure she was gone. I cried and cried and then found her laying in the sun several houses down the Row. I had a time getting her home! I am sure they both thought they had quite the adventure.
I love your elevator. Reminds me of one we had in Florence years ago. It was a hoot. Little thing and didn’t hold many of us at a time!
My mother’s birthday is today. Meeting folks and parts of family to celebrate her birthday, dad’s day, and my birthday all together. We always do this. It is usually on dad’s day, but my folks are heading out on a trip and won’t be around then. It will be fun. LaRetta is coming with me.
I love all the walking you are doing. It really changes one’s views on time and place.
Great fun to share our lives this way. Love it!
Catherine
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Hi Catherine! Good to hear from you. Raise a toast to the Femmes from me at the next dinner, OK?
Love ya!
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A wonderful “Kitten in Rome” story. Maybe she has been suspecting that there are very interesting Italian mice and just wanted to check them out. Sort of like how fashion and wine works on us 2 legged folk. Who can blame her, after all – it is Rome. Perhaps a little tempting sardine dish or something exotic and tasty will remind her that she has a lucky home and does not need to run away to join the circus. So glad she did not have to fend for herself, though. She may have smelled the mice, but I bet she did not realize how much bigger those other, longer tailed creatures, can get.
Love your bag. I bet you are already feeling how good the walking is for you.
Today we MAY have sunshine in the City of the Beavers. MAY.
Gayle
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Buona sera Gayle! You are an earlybird on a Sunday morning! It is practically aperitivo time in Rome! We are feeling the benefit of all the walking. Yesterday we took a walk for the sake of walking for the *first time* since we arrived! All of our daily walking is goal-oriented: go to work, go shopping, go to a museum, walk to dinner, walk to the bus stop, walk home because we missed the bus or the bus is late. (That happens more than you’d imagine.) Funny how a 45 minute walk has become merely a “stretch of the legs.”
It is getting warm, though. Can’t wait for August. 🙂
Miss you all in Portland, but having a great time here!
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