Our two cats looking out of the window when we were evacuated.
“We placed the two cats in one large roomy carrier, which had a fluffy, dry towel inside. They were going to ride near us, in the back seat. I also set down one of my dirty t-shirts next to them, so they would have a familiar scent close by. Before leaving, when my wife wasn’t looking, I kissed the photographs of our first two late, great cats, Mickey and Sam. I told them good-bye and that we’d see them later on.” – Excerpted from “Shootin’, Lootin’ and Stealin’: Held Hostage By Hurricane Sandy”
Our two cats were originally rescued from an alleyway behind a local auto body shop when they were merely kittens. Fortunately, a kindhearted person brought the pair to an animal adoption agency which is precisely where we found them. Considering their meager beginnings, I normally doted over our impish little duo at all times with tender loving care. Bearing that in mind, my wife and I were determined to keep them both safe during our 23 day evacuation following Hurricane Sandy.
Superstorm or not, the little feline twosome were undoubtedly our most prized possessions. Needless to say, I held a strong sense of duty to keep our boys safe when we left our apartment in the wake of Sandy. We both felt that way, which is why I became worried at one point while inside our temporary accommodations.
Like many other Long Islanders, due to the epic “Frankenstorm,” we lost electricity and heat several days before a snowy nor’easter dumped several inches of snow on the region in early November. Naturally, the temperature inside the house where we stayed, in Hicksville, had dropped dangerously low. We could have easily gone to a public shelter or a warming center; however, pets were prohibited. At that moment the only secure place for our cats would have been the provisional animal shelter near the community college a few miles away.
Nevertheless, we had major concerns about leaving our beloved black cats in a strange environment. I pictured them meowing all night long and catching fleas, or possibly worse. It only took an instant for me to realize they were not going anywhere without us. Therefore, we devised a plan.
We decided to sleep in a small two-person tent right inside the living room. I figured that if was the best way to battle the elements outdoors, then why not use the same philosophy while in the house. Plus, being the only ones home, we were not in anyone’s way.
Before long we insulated our makeshift refuge with numerous blankets and pillows from around the house. Even so, it became extremely cold at night and I began to worry about the safety of our pets. Then something occurred to me. Since there was nothing wrong with the heat in our automobiles, I was prepared to bring the cats into my car every hour or so simply to keep them warm. Being mindful of carbon dioxide poisoning, I only planned to remain in the vehicle for a short while, of course with the windows open slightly and just long enough to make the two animals comfortable.
It turned out the two cats had their own ideas about how to remain safe. In due course, they merely followed their own instincts. While inside the tent each of them crawled under the blankets and then snuggled up close against us. With the vents left open only a tiny bit, body heat kept us sufficiently warm through the entire night. When we awoke the next morning I’m not sure who enjoyed the experience more, the cats or me.
As previously indicated, I expect to publish several similar blog entries in the coming weeks before releasing “Shootin’, Lootin’ And Stealin’: Held Hostage By Hurricane Sandy,” exclusively on Smashwords.
Once again, I’ll end this particular entry by saying, for those who may have a lingering “if it didn’t happen to me, it didn’t happen” perspective about the momentous storm, I hope my eBook will change that.
The two cats often provided moral support in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
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