Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Magic Gone Walkabout...


It started like this, with a letter, and picture, from Janet, Director of the Great Lakes Bengal Rescue group...

"Got the cat, he is an F1 and beautiful. He is pissed off right now. He has a peeing/marking problem, has been through 3 owners and is only 1 1/2, was left in a shelter in Dane Country who said they can't take/adopt him and would have to put him down..."

Looking at the picture, I thought, I just bet you can't adopt him, that is no cat who has ever trusted anyone, not even sure it's a CAT. Then I wrote Janet and told her I'd be down the next day. I'd been fostering Bengals for a while, specializing in the problem kitties, thru odd quirks of fate, and wanted an early generation Bengal who needed help.

He never made a sound the entire four hours back. He knew enough not to cry. No one was going to help him. He was the most alone being I'd ever been near.

We're writing about Magic tonight because last night he got out, which has been a fear of mine since day one. He's not back yet. Yeah, I'm worried. The door blew open and his Scream Porch wasn't latched.

I won't tell the story again, most of you have been following it, but for those that haven't, the short version is: It took a couple years, and a lot of patience, a lot of work and a lot of love, but Magic is now a part of our Spooky House. He's still freaky, timid, most F1's are, but I can give him pets, he's in the house with his two later generation friends, Freaky Venus and Mim, and I've heard him purr. He joins us by the fire, he plays, he knows he is loved.


If you're even newer, and reading about Bengals for the first time, asking What the heck is a Bengal??? Well, try this out to start: The International Bengal Cat Society. Lots of handy information, but if you're impatient: A Bengal is a hybrid cat, bred from the Asian Leopard Cat and a domestic kitty. The first Kittens from such a pairing are considered foundation Bengals, or F1. Go down a couple generation to F4 and you have a beautiful kitty who is considered domestic. (tho not by any means like any kitty you've ever curled up with. LOT of kitty these.)

In homes with people who know what they are doing, or responsible breeders, F1's can live quite nicely, tho they are very close to wild animals and do have very special needs.

But can I just say something very strongly here?

THEY ARE NOT CUTE LITTLE KITTIES WITH SPOTS AND YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!


That's Magic's story. Whomever didn't know what they were doing, and ye gads, when that cute kitten grew up and started ACTING LIKE A LEOPARD, they gave him away. And again. And again.

And one of the whomevers de-clawed him. On all four feet. He has no claws, no defense.

And now he's out there, scared, alone and has no clue what the world is.


I'm responsible for him. When I took him, I knew he wasn't going anywhere. Not easy, but we make it work. I have another early generation, an F2, and his friend, an F4, I took in fostering, who also can't go anywhere, they live upstairs in my Spooky House. Five Bengals is too many Bengals, but now that one is missing, I'm not much thinking things are ok with only the four.


We, as in humans bred these kitties. For good or bad, they're here. I personally believe we should not be breeding from Leopards anymore, the breed is established, and there is no NEED for foundation stock. (not my term for them) They don't make good pets, and when something like this happens, it can very likely go very badly for them. I need to set up a live trap, and hope he comes back.

That said, I love Bengals, and the later generation ones are delightful, hours of entertainment. There are many in foster care that won't set you back hundreds of dollars or drive you more crazy than you already are. Once you've read everything you can find on them, you will either think "THAT is a party I want to be a part of, sign me UP" or "I do not think so, very lovely, but no, thank you"

Kind of like Derby, come to think on it, but I digress.


I could go on about Bengals, and trust me, if you stop by here often, you will find that I do, but mostly now, tonight..

I'm really sad. I want my Leopard back.

Love and Magic,
Lorraine

40 Comments:

At 20:23 Blogger Phiala said...

Ohh, poor Magic. I hope he comes back soon, completely safe and only a bit hungry.

At 20:26 Blogger Siri said...

When my Fred went walkabout overnight, he was locked in the neighbor's garage. Have you checked with them? Or in a shed in the area?

A horrible feeling - I still remember it.

At 20:29 Blogger Stacey said...

Oh no! Lorraine! I'm so sorry, I hope he makes his way back soon! Bubba has gotten out once or twice, but he is domestic and can more or less take care of himself. It's still scary. Twice he had spent the entire time missing under the deck we think, and then eventually came back all covered with spiderwebs and hungry.

Sending good thoughts to you and Magic. :(

At 20:31 Blogger Erin Underwood said...

Q, heart and thoughts are with you and the kits. I'm sure Magic is looking for you and his home. I hope he comes back soon.

At 20:32 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh, Q -- I hope he comes back soon and safely.

sending good thoughts your way. ~Ali

At 20:32 Blogger Becca said...

There is nothing more exhausting and scary than having a cat out. Velvet, being rather more of a panther than a cat, kept us up until the wee hours many a night when she would break out of the house.
I hope and pray that your Magic comes home soon. As I said before and as you said in your blog, Magic knows where to go to feel safe and loved and that's with you. If he has any opportunity I am sure he will want to come back.

I wish I could offer you more comfort and be there for you in a better way.

At 20:33 Blogger Jess said...

Oh, poor pudding boy. Am worried. :( I assume the neighbours have been given the heads up?

At 20:33 Blogger Linda said...

I've worried about Magic since I saw your Tweet... And been checking in for news.

My little house has held what my girls call a circle... Sending prayers to help show Magic his was back home.

At 20:34 Blogger knitcrazybooknut said...

My husband and I have adopted six rescued cats (non-Bengals, but still challenging in their own right) over the last ten years. A week ago I came home and found Fidget, our pixiebob, dead (natural causes, no illness, just her time). Today I read this:

Five Bengals is too many Bengals, but now that one is missing, I'm not much thinking things are ok with only the four.

Yep, I completely burst into tears. Exactly how I feel. You absolutely miss one out of five or even six.

My thoughts are with you as you wait for yours to come home. I think Magic will be absolutely fine and happy to be home. I hope your wait is short and ends happily.

At 20:35 Blogger Chantrelle said...

So so worrisome :(

I've been checking twitter regularly, waiting for you to say he's home!

At 20:35 Blogger Pi R Squared said...

Oh dear Lorraine! Sending white light and good thoughts for the quick return of Magic!

At 20:41 Blogger Dragonsally said...

Please come home Magic. Quiche needs you - we all need to know that your beautiful, chubby face is safe and being loved.

You're our calendar boy for Bengal Rescue.

Sending loads of love Q.

At 20:41 Blogger Kate F said...

I hope you find him soon--or he finds his way home soon. It's a scary thing when the four legged members of the family get lost.

At 20:51 Blogger Cecily said...

I am very worried about him and sending lots of love and hope to you.

At 20:59 Anonymous Joypeg said...

*Hugs* for Fabulous Lorraine and her beautiful Bengal Magic. May he come home soon. We all want him back to make you a family again. Skaffen said.

At 21:00 Blogger Kat said...

As I twitted -- what he lacks in claws, he has in brains and (I can only guess) teeth. I'm using that as reason to be optimistic. But I'm also heartsick for you. I lost my familiar-kitty years ago and still dream about him sometimes. I hope he comes home soon.

At 21:01 Anonymous AmyK said...

Oh no :( I don't know what else to say. I hope that word gets out and maybe someone will see him.

At 21:15 Blogger D said...

I'm so sorry, my thoughts are with you. I hope Magic decides hes had enough adventure soon; I know I about lose my mind when my cats go out.

At 21:19 Anonymous Kate said...

We are all sending hope and strong currents of love to Magic and to you to lead him back home.
Poor Magic. Come home, baby.

At 21:23 Blogger Jane said...

I also keep checking back and hoping to see good news.
I joined this group because of a blog about him - his journey and his story are amazing, as well as your part in it and I for one am intending to hear about him for many years.

At 21:25 Blogger vampi said...

fingers and toes crossed magic finds his way home.

At 21:26 Blogger Melissa P said...

Oh, Lorraine. I'm hoping for the best ending to this. Thinking of you and Magic, sending lots of hopes and prayers your way. (I'm sorry it has taken something so horrible for me to stop lurking around the blog.)

At 21:32 Blogger Clara said...

I think this is one of the worst nightmares for anyone who does rescue. *hug* Thinking leopard come home soon thoughts.

At 21:38 Blogger Fai Fai said...

praying that he comes home safe and sound, I know it's scary, but my cat got out once I thought he was gone for good, a month later he found his way home. hopefully Magic comes home much much sooner than that.

At 22:11 Blogger Vinity said...

I wish I was there to help look. I'm sending all my hope and love he comes home soon.

At 22:16 Blogger Beez said...

*hugs* for Quichie

Dear Pudding Cat-

While I realize Spring is sprung and in the woods out back everything smells and rustles and sounds so interesting, and it seems like a great idea to go be Wild Adventure Kitty....

Come home. You are needed there.

Love, Beez.

Also, if you come home I promise to stop calling you Pudding Cat.

I don't know what else to add, except that every year, this time of year Max The Cat turns into a total little bastard about making a break for the outside.

Hope the darling Magic soon remembers Home and Love.

At 22:33 Anonymous h said...

Sending "come home soon and safe, Magic" vibes to Minnesota. I know how hard it is to wait and wonder.

At 22:40 Blogger AletaMay said...

Was hoping to get to the end of comments and see him home safe. Q and Magic have my thoughts. I believe he'll be home soon. He knows now what home is.

At 22:46 Blogger Jaime said...

Exactly what AletaMay said. *sighs* I kept scrolling, skimming comments... waiting... hoping...

Hopefully it's just a brief reprieve and he'll be home and right as rain soon....

Love and Bengals, Quiche... I will keep you and yours in my thoughts - planting a mental homing beacon for Magic. Hopefully home safely soonest!

At 00:08 Blogger spacedlaw said...

Poor kitty who must be scared somewhere. I hope he can come back in the quiet of the night.

This reminds me of Caos escaping when we were in holiday in Tuscany with "the kids". He got scared by something (board or fox) and would not come back to me when I called. We were scared to let him be (he did not know the place at all) but when the night fell and things settled down he came back finally. I hope this will happen for Magic.

At 00:10 Blogger spacedlaw said...

Damn. I scrolled and was hoping to find good news.

At 00:53 Blogger Marjorie said...

Damn. I was so hoping to wake up to good news.
Hope he finds his way home very soon. Love to you and Magic. xxx

At 01:25 Blogger Kate said...

I've not commented in a long while, but, oh, Magic come home!

At 02:10 Blogger Sarah Benwell said...

Oh no, Lorraine! Magic!
I know I'm not sounding very original here, but I too, dearly wish I could fly over and help you look. *hugs*
Come home, kitty.

At 05:41 Blogger FairiesNest said...

My Natasha recently went missing for 2 days and then just showed up like nothing had ever happened. (She is not a cuddly type cat either.) I'm hoping with all my heart that Magic appears very soon!

At 10:09 Blogger Chantrelle said...

So no one hear has to worry further, Lorraine posted this on Facebook! YAY!!

"Magic's Home! Got smart this morning and locked Venus and Mim on the Scream Porch with NO BREAKFAST. They screamed bloody murder. Trust me, two Bengals being denied breakfast is LOUD, neighbors must have loved it, nothing like 5:30am Banshees to start your day. He heard, came running down the hill.

But the little guy is back. (Can't even call him a STUPID PUDDING BUTT, I am so grateful. It'll wear off)"

At 10:10 Blogger Chantrelle said...

OH, never mind, there's a whole new post!! I'm behind this morning ;-)

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