Feelings I can't quite put my fingers on...

My friend Mike Kodas (climbed Mt. Everest) and his wife Carolyn Moreau have sold their house and have moved to Colorado. Mike is teaching a photojournalism class at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Carolyn is starting her own videography business. I've known them for a long time, and they are the ones who adopted my cat Tucker, now known as Otto.

I went over there yesterday to pick up shelfing. Said good-bye to them both and wished them a safe trip.

Since then, I feel kind of empty. They're really great people and I wish them well. But I know deep down inside that I'll never see them again. That makes me sad.:(:(

Another thing I worry about is Otto. They let Otto outside and I worry about mountain lions and other predators. I didn't say anything to them about that. He's their cat now. I can only pray to St. Francis that he watches over him.

Don't know that I could have kept quiet about that! My fear would be that Otto would try to make his way back to the old house. I sure would have warned them about that and told them to call you if he came up missing..

At least with the Internet now, you can keep in touch. Hey, tell them to join Pet Talk, so we all can keep tabs on Otto, too! It wouldn't hurt to ask them to keep him inside in the new place, at least for several months, as it will be new territory, unfamiliar and stressful for him, and maybe by then they will decide he's fine inside-only.

Karen,

I've tried to tell them about the benefits of keeping Otto inside. They don't seem too worried about it.

I asked them if they were worried about mountain lions and predators, especially in the Colorado rockies and they said no because they bring Otto in before dark. That's very little comfort. But he is their cat now so I can't say too much. All I can do is offer them my advice.

I think Otto will be fine. Unless he wonders far from home, mountain lions pretty much try to avoid any human contact.

I understand why you're concerned. To be honest, you do have some reason for concern, not necessarily from mountain lions, but coyotes. Coyotes are very common and are not as reclusive as other animals. I live in the Denver metro, and see them pretty regularly; they are even more common in Boulder.

It's good to hear they are going to keep him inside at night, but I would mention that a Coloradian would encourage them to keep him in altogether, for that reason.

Pembroke_corgi,

They've talked to other people in the area, so they know what's the dileo. I worry about coyotes too. But like I said, *shakes head* there's not much I can do, as Otto is now their cat. I just better not get any emails saying Otto was coyote's dinner. Then I WILL be pissed.