Pets

because I left the garagedoor open and she knows how to open the door from the house into the garage.
So I hear the door open, thinking she's exploring in the garage. When walking past the slightly opened door, I noticed I left the light on in the garage.
When I opened the door further, it was sunlight, not the garage light. She had escaped.

It was cold and it rained in those 10 days, plus the hawks & coyotes that prey on cats in my neighborhood, so I was very worried.

Her name is Romi, and she really doesn't like it when I'm standing up and I try to pick her up. I have to get down to her level or she has to come up to my level to be more amiable to pick her up. I saw her in the backyard a couple of times, but because I was standing, she bolted. What a climber, she is.

On the 10th day, I was kneeling, setting up trap used to catch skunks, raccoons, possums, ..., when she walked right up to me and brushed her body on my leg, startling me.

I immediately, picked her up and brought her into the house. Of course she recognized the house, and walked right up to her bowl of food and started eating.

She was home.

So I know how you feel.
Welcome her home with a big hug and her favorite meal.