r8shell
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2010
- Messages
- 25,604
I have a habit of emptying my pockets onto the nightstand, and very seldom do I lose a knife. On a few occasions I've left one in my jeans pocket, but it's no problem since I've learned to check all pockets when I do laundry. (few things worse than lipstick in a dryer) My point is, when one of my knives went missing, it was odd, but I assumed I'd misplaced it and it would turn up soon. When a few days later, another went missing, I was concerned. Either I was losing my mind or one of my family members or close friends was a thief.
It seems that both things are true.
Here is my cat Echo, in one of her favorite spots: under the leaves of a sago palm plant in my yard. She will nap in its shade on a warm day, and enjoy its cover as a hunting blind, convinced one day a squirrel will stroll by.
Every once in a while, she will carry one of her catnip mouse toys there to play with outside. It's no big deal if they get lost, I buy them for a buck a dozen at the store. With the early spring weather of cool mornings and warm afternoons, Echo has been very playful and spends more time outdoors.
Here's where things get weird: This morning, I was sitting on the porch, watching her roll around in the dirt, playing with something. I strolled over to see what she had caught or found and I saw this:
Along with a catnip toy were my missing Queen Congress and Peanut. Apparently she stole them from my nightstand and carried them outside to play with? Like all cats, she will sometimes knock something off a table and bat it around on the floor, but taking them outside is pretty strange.
Here's where it gets even weirder. The third knife in the picture is not mine. I have never seen it before!
A vintage Queen City stamped equal end jack. This thing is noticeably heavier than a Peanut, so I'm surprised she could manage to pick it up in her mouth, let alone carry it around. It crossed my mind that it had been dropped in my yard, maybe a long time ago, but there is no rust on it.
Could one of my neighbors be letting her inside their house, or perhaps she's going through a cat door unbeknownst to the residents, and stealing knives? I'm in a quandary as to what to do. Do I knock on all my neighbor's doors and ask them if they are missing a knife? I'm afraid of what they would think of me. Do I keep it? Do I hope she brings more? That just doesn't seem morally right.
My goodness, it is a nice knife, though. What would you do?
It seems that both things are true.
Here is my cat Echo, in one of her favorite spots: under the leaves of a sago palm plant in my yard. She will nap in its shade on a warm day, and enjoy its cover as a hunting blind, convinced one day a squirrel will stroll by.
Every once in a while, she will carry one of her catnip mouse toys there to play with outside. It's no big deal if they get lost, I buy them for a buck a dozen at the store. With the early spring weather of cool mornings and warm afternoons, Echo has been very playful and spends more time outdoors.
Here's where things get weird: This morning, I was sitting on the porch, watching her roll around in the dirt, playing with something. I strolled over to see what she had caught or found and I saw this:
Along with a catnip toy were my missing Queen Congress and Peanut. Apparently she stole them from my nightstand and carried them outside to play with? Like all cats, she will sometimes knock something off a table and bat it around on the floor, but taking them outside is pretty strange.
Here's where it gets even weirder. The third knife in the picture is not mine. I have never seen it before!
A vintage Queen City stamped equal end jack. This thing is noticeably heavier than a Peanut, so I'm surprised she could manage to pick it up in her mouth, let alone carry it around. It crossed my mind that it had been dropped in my yard, maybe a long time ago, but there is no rust on it.
Could one of my neighbors be letting her inside their house, or perhaps she's going through a cat door unbeknownst to the residents, and stealing knives? I'm in a quandary as to what to do. Do I knock on all my neighbor's doors and ask them if they are missing a knife? I'm afraid of what they would think of me. Do I keep it? Do I hope she brings more? That just doesn't seem morally right.
My goodness, it is a nice knife, though. What would you do?
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It doesn't look like it's been in the elements for very long. The next time that you talk with the neighbors, you could tell them that your cat found a pocket knife and ask if it belongs to them. I'd just store the knife out of reach of your knife collecting cat until then. 
Maybe wipe down the metal parts with a rag damp with mineral oil if it takes a while to find the owner.
