Found!

Just after we got home from walking the street in case he'd been hit by a car I received a text from our neighbours on the ridge above us.   A text with photo.  A photo of Matisse sitting on their wood box, looking sleek and at ease. 

By the time I'd rung them back he'd disappeared.  Disappeared because they'd chased him away.  Or tried to.  To protect the many little birds which live there.  Matisse, people lover that he is, couldn't understand why these people were chasing him around the house shouting.  So he hid.

I combed their hillside looking for him, calling and calling and calling.  My usually voluble Meezer Cat stayed silent.   After an hour I gave up and came home.  At least he was alive.  Whether he'd find his way home or to another house was the question.  To make matters worse we had severe thunderstorm warnings.  I could see muscular clouds swelling on the horizon.  My poor coddled cat.

But we had things to do so Richard and I drove to Bray Park for fuel, intending to carry on to town for groceries.  Then the phone rang.  It was Tina.  She'd found him.  Would we come right away?

You bet!

Poor Matisse was hunkered down behind some yoga mats right next to the house.  He hadn't gone anywhere after all.  He was stiff with fear.  Even his tail was fluffed.  After all that time had elapsed, still a fluffed tail and dilated pupils.  I carried him to the Caddy and we came home.

It's taken him almost 24 hours to return to normal.  His faith in humanity has been severely shaken.  His entire life has been one of love.  Even going to the vets he has been treated with kindness.  No one has ever chased or shouted at him.  He has always been a People Cat.  Loving attention and giving attention.

I thought when he came home he would, after eating, go to sleep.  He didn't.  He stayed alert and on guard for most of the day, only falling asleep in late afternoon.  He was also a little distrustful of me.  Wanted to be near me but not too near.  He wouldn't purr for me until late afternoon.  Happily he did sleep with us last night, even changing his usual sleeping position from the bottom of the bed to the middle.

I lock that door now.