Their names were Emily and Charlotte. They came into my life September of 2011. Two very orange little kittens with folded ears. (They're part Scottish Fold).

They were foster kitties along with their mother and their brother. Mom n bro got homes, but the homes I had lined up for Charlotte and Emily fell through, and these foster girls, quickly became foster failures.

Left to right, Emily & Charlotte as kittens.

Emily had the face of a lion 🦁- and Charlotte a cheetah with a lion's main as an adult. They were extremely affectionate and cuddled and snuggled. Both girls petite even full grown.

Charlotte loved to be held, and often snuggled in one arm as I worked on the computer with my other free hand. Both as a kitten and an adult.

Emily would climb on my shoulder and plop on her side cuddled up next to my ear, her purr roaring. Or she would start chatting away, giving head butts and rubs that eventually culminated in climbing back on a shoulder and "bathing" parts of my face, eyebrows, and even my hair.

(In the very top pic, they are both cuddled together in my arms).

These girls were one person kitties, meaning they bonded to me and me only. With people in general they were shy and even scared at times. Preferring the security of hiding when company came over.

My fondness for them grew and they were even given middle names.

Emily playing.

Emily middle name was sunshine because not only because she couldn't get enough of sunbathing, but because she literally radiated it (sunshine)! She was one of the most happy go lucky kitties.

Charlotte's middle name was orange. Like vitamin C she was good for you; a cure for whatever ailed you and I probably spoiled her holding her so much, but don't regret a single minute of it. She gave off a content vibe that had a calming, mellow effect. I've never experienced it before her or since.

Sweet girl Charlotte.

The girls stuck with me through many moves including the loss of the original home I had owned for almost 14 years, as well as numerous other losses. I couldn't imagine being parted from them, and as long as we were together, I knew I was home. They were my home.

In March of 2017, it became apparent that things for me needed to change drastically. I was no longer able to work due to both physical and mental health challenges. At the time I had been sharing my home not only with Charlotte and Emily, but 5 other cats and two dogs as well. However I knew I would have to reduce my furry family, as I was neither financially nor physically capable of keeping them all.

Snuggling sisters.

I found homes, or transitional options into other permanent homes, for 4 of the cats and the two dogs. I chose to keep Charlotte and Emily with me, along with Merry.

On Friday night, March 24, 2017, my sister arrived to help pack me, my things, and animals up to leave Cortez forever behind, and move closer to her, where she could help me get the supports I needed.

We began packing and cleaning with the kitties scurrying to hide from the bustle, noise, and unfamiliar presence of my sister.

It was the afternoon of the 26th, when my concern over Emily's missing presence became my top priority. I had searched ever room, nook and cranny of the old trailer several times, before concluding that Emily had forced her way out via the dryer vent in a fearful panic of the vacuum cleaner that my sister had brought.

Both Emily and Charlotte were inside only kitties. Emily had not been outdoors since her kittenhood. Even worse, where I lived was rural countryside, and coyotes we're aplenty.

Emily & Charlotte along with other fur family.

In an anxious depressive fog, I walked the acreage I lived on calling for her through out various times of day. When that failed, I rented a humane trap and set that up by the hole in the trailer skirting in hopes she was still under it and could be trapped.

Nothing worked. She was nowhere to be seen. It was as if she had vaporized, and not even the neighbors spotted her in those remaining few days.

Thinking maybe she had never escaped, I would search again indoors intermittently between packing. Then again certain she was still under the trailer, I hired someone to crawl under it and search.

Nothing.

The countryside where Emily escaped to. Older picture.

Wind and rain pelted me two of the day's I searched , my twisted body aching from the challenges of packing and loading. I didn't care. I just wanted Emily home, safe with me.

I called her name through the angst and tears in my throat. I delayed as long as I could to search, but my landlady wanted me gone.

Heartbroken, we left at 4am in the morning, Wednesday March 29, 2017.

An hour or so into our journey, we pulled our vehicles over for some much needed sleep. I literally passed out with my head on the steering wheel.

We woke with the sunrise, bought coffee n donuts and again hit the road.

Deep in my thoughts I rallied, convinced that with the help of the local animal rescue, Emily would be safely trapped, and we would be returning to Cortez very soon to bring her safely home.

STAY TUNED FOR PART TWO!!