It was November 2005 right before the Thanksgiving holiday. I was traveling in my van and needed to rest a night. I parked at the Walmart in Cottonwood, Arizona about 10 pm. I had fallen asleep and when I woke the following morning my siamese cat of 13 years was no where to be found. My 17 year old tabby cat was acting very strange and kept looking out the windows as if to spot his buddy. My drivers side window was down about 4". I concluded the cat must have gotten out the window somehow, or while I was sleeping someone may have opened my door. Although I swear it was locked. I spent the next couple of weeks in this town I was not familiar with, trying to find the siamese cat. My tabby of 17 years, left the vehicle while trying to find the other cat. Now, I am really freaking out, not only one of my cats but both of them. To make a long story short, the last time I saw my babies was in Cottonwood, Arizona. Fall and Winter of 2005-2006. My heart is still broken and I can't seem to let it go after almost 3 years of greiving.
My siamese cat was "sealpoint", 14 lbs. 13 yrs. but looked much younger. His name is Maxwell. Large for a siamese cat. Very friendly cat. My tabby cat was 17 at the time, but looked much younger. He is white and tiger stripe, brown and black stripes, his tail looks like a racoon tail, face mostly white with the black M above his eyes, deep green eyes, he had a problem with his tooth, front canine, his personality: scared of people, shy, known to hide under a house or building for days at a time.

I speak of my cats as if they are still out there and alive. The experience was something like straight out of the "Twilight Zone".

I was not able to stay in the Cottonwood area for any length of time. I finally had to just "let go". It's been almost 4 years now, I am living in Georgia near relatives, but I am still greiving over the loss and whereabouts of my boys.

Trying to be at peace with what is, but very hard not knowing what happened to the cats.

Lori Welsh