Me and My Shadow - The Saga Continues

Chapter 2 

It was close on to three weeks since Shadow had taken to the laundry basket upon learning of the fate of his beloved Jasmine. He had heard all the stories surrounding this tragic event …including my own theory.... He would have no part of any of it. 

As far as Shadow was concerned there was a lot more behind Jasmine’s death than just “bad sushi” and he was going to get to the bottom of it. He was determined to find out who was responsible and more importantly… WHY was she murdered? 

He was a kitten with a mission and he was on the prowl. Someone was going to pay dearly. 

During Shadow’s convalescence I had created a secret exit in the bottom panel of the rear porch door especially for him. It was carefully camouflaged and when closed provided a secure seal against both weather and other unwanted varmints. 

The opening was just large enough for a full grown cat. A barely visible sliding metal panel was inserted inside the door itself. When in its open position the panel was drawn upward inside the door by a small electric motor. After a brief delay of about 60 seconds the panel would be pulled back downward by a system of springs, pulleys and light gauge cables. Once closed the panel latched in place and was barely discernible to the uninitiated. 

The mechanism was controlled by an electronic eye and pressure sensitive foot switches located beside the door jamb. To open the door Shadow need only interrupt an LED light source by waving his paw inside a narrow aluminum channel attached to the door frame. This action activated a secondary micro-switch circuit which Shadow triggered by placing his front paw on a small metal plate located beside the door.

A high pitched tone which was barely audible to me signaled Shadow when the light sensor had been successfully triggered and the timer had started. The tone was active for 20 seconds during which the floor switch was functional. Failure to trigger both circuits resulted in the door remaining in its latched condition. A similar set of controls existed on the outside to allow reentry. 

The door remained open approximately 60 seconds during which time the tone continued. After the tone ceased Shadow had about 15 seconds remaining before the door would once again slide downward into its closed position. An automatic reverse protection system which I had appropriated from a garage door opener circuit ensured that Shadow would never accidentally be caught under the door panel as it closed. 

Batman himself would have been impressed by Shadow’s “Cat Cave” entrance. 

I only needed to show Shadow one time how to use his new private entry way. 

I could tell by Shadow’s reaction that he was pleased by  my efforts on his behalf as well as  by his newly acquired freedom to roam the hood at will. 

He further showed his gratitude by a reduction in the use of his litter box reserving its use primarily for very cold or rainy days. 

*(Shadow was nearly fearless, however he did not do rain. I often found him securely wedged under my bed during intense thunder and lightning storms.) 

It was sometime in the dead of night while the stars and the moon still ruled the evening sky that Shadow began his quest to investigate the untimely death of his beloved Jasmine. With a slow and deliberate motion, so as not to wake me from my slumbers, he cautiously stepped across my pillow climbing down the bed spread to the floor below. 

Shadow’s footsteps were nearly imperceptible on the carpeted floor as he gingerly made his way towards his private exit. With a quick flick of his front leg and a gentle tap of his front paw on the metal plate below he opened the concealed door stepping out onto the moonlit slate stone tiles of the patio which lay beyond. An instant later there was a muted click as the doorway closed and securely latched behind him once more. 

It was a cool, clear evening…. only the faint rustling of the leaves could be heard when the wind kissed them as it made its nightly voyage across the vast landscape below. The nearly full moon brightly lit Shadow’s path as he began his long march towards the railroad station at the other side of town. To the discerning eye his self-confident gait revealed a defiant swagger as he silently closed the distance between himself and his destination. 

When Shadow arrived at the railroad station the main building was dark and silent. Only an overturned garbage pail and the partially eaten remnants of a discarded tuna fish sandwich alerted Shadow to the possibility he may not be completely alone. Cautiously he explored the immediate area surrounding the overturned container. This was obviously too big a caper to have been performed by common field mice or even a larger rodent. Perhaps it was the work of a feline, an opossum, a stray dog, or possibly a raccoon.

The hair on the back of Shadow’s neck stood erect as he sniffed around the crime scene in search of any clues leading to the identity of the perpetrator. Unfortunately what remained behind was the varied scents of multiple possible suspects. 

This event had occurred sometime during the late afternoon or early evening hours. The scents left behind were too old and intermingled to provide any meaningful evidence. 

In light of the present lack of definitive evidence and with his very safety being in question lest a larger predator were drawn to the scene by the scent of a free meal Shadow decided it was best to first engage in a preliminary surveillance operation. 

Taking advantage of the fact that the large building behind him blocked the brilliant moonlight Shadow inched his way into one of the nearby pools of darkness. Lying there motionless he was nearly invisible to all but the most alert and attentive potential predator. 

The sun was just touching the horizon as Shadow began his long march homeward. He was disappointed but not discouraged by his lack of initial progress. He knew there were other animals in the area. One of them may have seen something. There was also the definite scent of one or more other felines at the building site.  

Shadow had not yet dismissed the possibility of Jasmine’s demise being the act of a jealous lover.

This was a cold trail and despite Shadow’s best efforts and razor sharp crime solving skills it could take a great deal of time and effort to crack this case.