FAQs Re: Windsor and Satchie

I decided to write this FAQs because I keep being asked the same questions by well-meaning people.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not being snarky. Or having rock star delusions. I am simply under severe stress and just one step away from doing that thing that makes people uncomfortable when spoken out loud. So if you asked and I gave you a link to this post as an answer, please don’t take it personal.

FAQs about Claudia being in Windsor, ON

Q: Why did you move to Windsor? Or its most common variant, why would you leave beautiful Ottawa to come to Windsor of all places?

A: For love. My fiance lives in Lansing, MI. The commute from Lansing to Ottawa is too long and too difficult when you struggle with anxiety and/or panic attacks. Windsor is as close as I can be to Lansing without leaving Canada.

Q: Why did you come to Windsor without first having found an apartment? 

A: Because I actually had a plan which was not by any stretch of the imagination, being stranded in Windsor. When it became obvious I wouldn’t have a place for December 1st (having to vacate my Ottawa place on November 30th), I decided to put everything in storage in Windsor, and then continue to Lansing. The initial plan was to come to Windsor, get settled at the new place, stay here for a week or two and THEN head to Lansing to spend the Holidays with the fiance and the Sidlets. Going straight to Lansing on the same day wasn’t too much of a deviation of the plan anyway, so that’s what we did.

Q: Why are you still here, then?

A: Because the stupid, entitled guards at the American border decided I was too much of a risk for an illegal alien and sent me right back to Canada, not without interrogating me and the fiance for THREE hours and then conducting a body search for weapons that could potentially hurt them. Only THREE hours after being under the same roof with them, they became concerned about me hurting them.  That’s how smart they are.

Q: How does Satchie being lost fits into all this?

A: After a weekend from hell where everything went wrong, we finally left Ottawa on Monday around 10:00 am. Were supposed to leave at 8 but the U-Haul truck wouldn’t start and needed a boost. After more ridiculous problems on the road we arrived in Windsor at midnight. As you can imagine, it is not really a good idea to try and unload a truck at midnight, after being on the road for 14 hours. So we decided to get a cheap motel room that was pet-friendly, sleep for a few hours, get up early, unload the truck, put the kitties back in the car and head to Lansing. When we got to the room, it was a very strong febreeze scent. I have chemical sensitivity and immediately felt sick. But I was so exhausted and in so much pain that instead of doing the right thing, which is asking to be moved to another room, I just opened the window, got the kitties out of their carriers, kissed them and hugged them, promised them it all would get better the next day,brushed my teeth, got in bed and immediately passed out. The next morning went according to plan. When it was time to get in the car, I got to gather the kitties to put them in their carriers. Called Jay, he came to me, I hugged him and put him in the carrier. Called Satchie next. No answer. We searched for her in every nook and corner of the room. Nothing. Finally I looked at the window, and realized there was a hole in the screen, which I didn’t see the previews night because I was so tired I didn’t even bother turning the lights on. She went out the window. And just like that, she was lost.

Q: Are you looking where you last saw her?/ Have you printed up posters and posted them around the area? Have you contacted ____? (or any variation of the above?)

A: Why yes! Again, don’t get me wrong. But even though I am heartbroken and grieving and in pain, I am not stupid. Plus I am what some people would call a “Social Media Expert”. The first thing I did was as soon as I realized Satchie was missing was to google all the cat organizations in Windsor and contact them. I sent them all a picture of Satchie and a short blurb of what had happened. Plus I posted on my Facebook wall, I twitted about it and I blogged about it. I also contacted Satchie’s vet in Ottawa plus all the Cat rescues in Ottawa, gave them the same information I gave the Windsor groups in case they knew someone here. Plus I also posted in Satchie’s Facebook page (yes, I keep a Facebook page and a blog for each Satchie and Jay. I told you I was considered a social media expert). Now, I know you didn’t have a way of knowing this but being asked the same questions over and over again is getting very taxing. Please forgive me.

Q: Are you looking for Satchie twice a day? That’s the best way to get her back

A: No. I am not staying at the motel anymore. I can’t afford it. Plus, I don’t have a car. Plus, I have a bunch of medical conditions that prevent me from being able to walk for prolonged periods of time. Plus I can’t work and I receive assistance from the Ontario Disability Support Program. Which means that no, I cannot take a taxi four times a day (there and back pre-dawn AND post-dusk), or even once a day to go look for Satchie. I already spent the money I don’t have printing up those Lost Cat posters.

Q: Did you know the best times to look for a lost cat are pre-dawn and post-dusk? Are you looking for Satchie at those times?

A: Yes, I did know that. Again, I don’t have a car and I don’t have money to pay for the taxis to and from the area Satchie got lost. I rely on extremely kind people (angels on earth, really) to take me there. As you can imagine, I can’t ask people to do that for me every day, let alone twice a day.

Q: Have you checked the Found Pets section of the Windsor/Essex Humane Society? 

A: Yes. Twice a day. And every time there is one that looks like Satchie, I find a kind soul to take me there or to go there and take good pictures of the kitty and send them to me. Plus the kind people from the Windsor groups are keeping a hawk-like eye on any new found cat too. They are truly awesome.

Q: Are you getting calls about any Satchie sighting?

A: Lots. Problem is, the area where Satchie got lost is the home to a feral colony and brown tabbies are very common. One of the workers at the grocery store told me one morning he saw four brown tabbies feeding from the garbage bins. FOUR BROWN TABBIES together at the same time. He said one of them could be Satchie because he recognized the other three. Problems is brown tabbies kinda look all the same. Only the human servant really knows his/her cat well enough to see the minor, individual differences. Just yesterday, I got a phone call from a guy. He said he spotted Satchie at Fred’s – the grocery store. He added that she was carrying a huge mouse in her mouth and she looked very happy. He ended by saying she might not be too interested in going back to living an indoor-only life after tasting freedom. This was at the same time as a completely unrelated person told me she had seen Satchie at a different and not too close neighbourhood just the day before. She was sure it was Satchie. See what I mean?

Q: Are you really that much of an ungrateful bastard? I’m just trying to help here.

A: No, I am a very grateful bastard, actually. It is only that I am overwhelmed, physically & mentally exhausted, heartbroken and dealing with a lot of physical & mental pain. Being asked the same questions for the gazillionth time doesn’t help one bit even though I am well aware you mean well.

TL;DR: I am very grateful that you are trying to help. I really do appreciate it. But Satchie is been missing for 11 days now and I just can’t deal with answering the same questions over and over again. I hope you can understand and not think ill of me.