We’re well aware that our furry companions enjoy their outdoor escapades. Cats especially are notorious for sneaking out to explore the neighborhood. But sometimes, these little adventures can lead to quite the unexpected developments.
Enter Gandalf, a four-year-old mix of white Bengal and Russian blue, whose love for the outdoors brought back more than just himself one day—he returned with an angry note attached to his collar, ominously threatening to “take him away!”
The Unexpected Message
Gandalf is no stranger to roaming the neighborhood for a few hours before heading back. This time, however, he came home with a peculiar addition: a note enclosed in a plastic bag and taped to his collar. It turned out to be a three-page diatribe about Gandalf’s escapades, which left his owner, Chris, utterly stunned.
The first page carried a firm message urging Chris to keep his adventurous feline indoors, detailing how Gandalf had been entering a neighbor’s home, stealing food, damaging furniture, and allegedly spreading fleas.
A Direct Threat
Chris’s shock only deepened upon reading the second page. The neighbor expressed frustration over having to keep windows closed and issued a dire warning:
“If I see your cat again at my house I promise I’ll take him far somewhere.”
This was no mere complaint; it was a clear and worrying threat to Gandalf’s safety.
Conflicting Accounts
Despite these accusations, Chris knew Gandalf as a sociable and well-loved member of the community. In an interview, Chris described him as a friendly cat known to everyone in the area for his pleasant nature. Chris had even recently noticed Gandalf gaining a bit of weight, prompting him to attach a ‘do not feed’ tag to Gandalf’s collar, indicating he was well cared for at home.
Rethinking Outdoor Freedom
The note detailed that Gandalf not only visited but sometimes stayed overnight in this neighbor’s home, which added to Chris’s concerns:
“Your cat as well stays overnight in my house and sleeps in the kitchen. You better feed your cat.”
Faced with such severe accusations and the chilling threat, Chris felt compelled to reassess Gandalf’s freedom. Despite Gandalf’s friendly demeanor and no prior complaints, Chris decided it was best to keep him indoors to ensure his safety:
“I understand that it is cheeky of him to enter someone else’s home, but we also had no knowledge or control over this up until now. He will now have to be kept inside for the rest of our time living here.”
Unfortunately, without any contact details on the note, Chris couldn’t address the issue directly with the neighbor. Fearing for Gandalf’s wellbeing, he resolved that Gandalf would remain an indoor cat from then on.
It’s a regrettable end to Gandalf’s outdoor adventures, but for Chris, the priority is clear—safety first. Sometimes, it’s better to err on the side of caution.
