Jarlaxle
New England
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Giving my Genesis a quick check-out (mostly, checking for critters inside), I heard some noise on the roof. Figuring I would end up chasing squirrels away, cutting a broken branch, or re-securing the shrouds over one of my A/C units, I pulled out a ladder. Climbing up, I was watching the ladder to make sure it doesn't start to slide sideways. As I reached the top, I looked up...and found myself nose to nose (about 4" away) with a large black & white cat! I gave a startled yelp and nearly fell, as the cat watched impassively from atop the bathroom vent cover. I tell my wife, who goes up and sees he is wearing a harness & tag. Well, he's not a stray. He doesn't belong on my bus roof. His tag probably indicates his owner. OK, let's see who his owner is.
I climb onto the roof, reach for him, and kitty takes off. He makes a quick leap to the top of the rear A/C housing, where he crouches, watching me. Liz climbs to the roof, and the Laurel & Hardy skit begins: we are now trying to catch a cat, on an 8' wide, 38' long sloping metal roof, a roof featuring obstacles like two A/C units, several roof vents, several plumbing bents, and an emergency exit. She made a grab for him...kitty continued forward. We both went forward, kitty went all the way to the forward edge, then raced back, ducking around the front A/C. We tried again, resulting in me stumbling on a plumbing vent and almost falling off. After about 10 minutes of what I suspect was highly-entertaining idiocy, Liz went in the house and returned with a very large blanket. OK, new plan: we would each take one end and move towards the cat. When close enough, we would throw the blanket...it was large enough that it would cover the entire width of the roof.
We advanced, we readied, we tossed...and the blanket settled to the roof as the cat zipped between us.
OK, plan C now: I would stay put (at the rear), Liz would go forward with the blanket. I would move forward, Liz would stay in the front...I would hold Kitty's attention, Liz would swoop in with the blanket. Liz went forward & signalled she was ready...I moved toward the cat. As I advanced, Kitty retreated toward the front...so far, so good. Once past the front A/C (nothing on the roof ahead of it), Liz pounced: she leapt forward with the blanket, aiming for the cat...who promptly zipped sideways, making an amazing scramble along the sharply-curved roof edge. Liz went for Kitty...missed, and went completely off the roof! She flung the blanket aside as she fell, landing in an impact-absorbing roll, ending up a bit disheveled but unhurt about 15' from the bus. At this point, we gave up before I fell off the roof.
About ten minutes later, Kitty began rubbing against Liz's ankles as she stretched in preparing to go jogging. (CATS!) She picked him up with no drama & checked his harness tag: it had the owner's phone number. She called, and a woman answered. When told we had her cat, she was thrilled. Apparantly, he disappeared about a month ago while having furniture delivered. The woman lived twenty miles away & came to retrieve Connie. Not sure where he was or how he got to my house, but life on the lam seemed to agree with him...she noted that he seemed, if anything, to have GAINED a bit of weight!
After dealing with Connie, my cats are ignoring Liz.
* This post was
edited 03/18/12 08:16pm by Jarlaxle *
John and Elizabeth (Liz), with 3 nutty cats
My beloved St. Bernard, Marm, lost him 1/2/12
Current rig:
1992 International Genesis school bus conversion
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kokosfriend
Nashville, TN
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Joined: 09/06/2004
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No video!!!
Barb
kokosfriend
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Francesca Knowles
Port Hadlock, Washington
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kokosfriend wrote:No video!!!
Barb
I'll bet that ol' cat looked like this up there on the roof: 
Hilarious story-
Thanks for sharing!
" Not every mind that wanders is lost. " With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien
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dturm
Munster, IN
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A great story at Christmas (or any other time  )
Doug & Sandy
Jill (9yr old Golden)& Charmin (15 yr old something)
Henry (non-camping cat)
2008 Southwind
2001 Honda CRV
Check out blog.rv.net
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brirene
midwest
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Joined: 01/27/2007
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Glad nobody got hurt! Nice to reunite the owner and its woman!
'04 Jayco Designer 30 RKS Medallion pkg, Trail Air pin
'05 F350 6.0 PSD CC, Lariat, 4x4, Duallies, 4.10, LB, B&W Companion
“The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast, and you miss all you are traveling for.”
-Louis L'Amour
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nabi
Ont
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I'm glad all worked out well..that owner must have been over the moon when you called....but I have to admit, I had quite a laugh reading your description of the events...glad no one was hurt
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CatandJim
Tulsa, as in Oklahoma
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Joined: 08/23/2004
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What an adventure! I'm glad the feline and it's chief staff were reunited!
Good job! 
Cat
(Jim just reads the forum once in a while)
Our toys:
2003 Damon Ultrasport 3873
(picture on profile)
Boat = ProCraft Fish & Ski
Working our way toward retirement...wishing it was soon.
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Jarlaxle
New England
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Francesca Knowles wrote:kokosfriend wrote:No video!!!
Barb
I'll bet that ol' cat looked like this up there on the roof:
Hilarious story-
Thanks for sharing!
Actually, Connie never lost his cool. I suspect he enjoyed the chase.
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2chiefsRus
USA Somewhere
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What a great story - thanks for sharing.
Dave & Kathy
2007 Monaco Knight 40PDQ towing 2003 Odyssey
Fulltime since October 2007
Before you give someone a piece of your mind, make sure you can get by with what will be left.
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Uppercrust
Wisconsin
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to funny, glad it turned out well.
2005 F350 CC, PSD, FX4, Toreador Red/Silver
2006 Cougar 309EFS with campers mom, dad
16 yr. old son
18 yr. old daughter
Diesel R.I.P.
Lady lab mix 16 R.I.P
Daisy beagle/collie
Misty shepard/husky
Camper's Have Smore Fun
11.5 Rallies
sleepovers 3
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