Fool me — can’t get fooled again.

It happened again. They left us. And this time I think it’s for good: They took the furry beasts with them.

I almost feel sorry for Walter.

According to Violet, our moms and our person who is in college took the dogs with them to celebrate Christmas  – whatever that is – and will be home soon. I know Violet was right last time about them coming home, but Ethel is very insistent that they left for good this time. She told me to stop being so naïve. Ethel even said that, at this point, we should hope that they don’t come home, because if they do they will probably take us to “The Pound.” All four of us cats came from The Pound and we sure don’t want to go back! Now I don’t know what to think!! This is all very upsetting.

But not Eggnog. She gets too much attention as it is.

Ethel says we only have ourselves to blame for our situation, that we should have punished our moms like she wanted so they’d feel too guilty to leave us again. Violet told me I should be thankful to have those furry beasts out of our hair for a few days and to enjoy the quiet while it lasts. She said Ethel’s being “overly dramatic as usual” and that I should just ignore her. And Steve, well, he told me to hush and stop pestering him with my worries so he could go back to his nap.

Our moms are sending the nice lady to check in on us twice a day. But if they think that’s a substitute for their love and attention, then I guess they never really understood us. Ethel says that’s a given.

Hopefully Baby Girl will visit me soon so I can tell her that we’re on our own now, and we might not be living here much longer. I like talking to Baby Girl more than the old ladies and my pathetic brother Steve. Maybe Baby Girl’s mom will adopt us – though she makes Baby Girl, Bubbles, and Willow live outside and I don’t think that sounds so great, either.

Abandoned and alone forever, dumped at the pound, or forced to live outside. I guess there’s not much I can do other than keep an eye on things here in the meantime. Uh-oh. Here comes Ethel again – now she’s talking about feline genocide and death panels. She really knows how to bring down the mood. I’d better get out of here before she corners me again. I’m already depressed enough! I think I’ll go give the track ball a few whirls. I probably should enjoy it while I still have time.