thanks, all, for your concern and condolences. Even though I have taken other furkids in the mean time, I still miss Cookie. I have ceased to let Tiger, Amy, and Pepper outside. They do not demand to go outside anymore. Every time I let any of them outside, I wonder if they will come home again. Cookie is the first one not to do so. so, I will try to keep all of them inside from now on. The other day Otis got outside. I try to keep him inside because of him chasing all the other cats away. I do not know why, but he had come back home through the cat door that I installed in the basement and was on the descending steps wanting to come back inside!