it does or doesn't translate well

I was pulled out of sleep, very early this morning by a sharp-"Mom!!" -we are talking like 2 a.m.

I snapped awake, eyes open in the dark...tensed, wondering what was wrong. I listened hard a moment, trying to detect which child needed me. I heard nothing.

Just as I was about to get up and go check on all the kids, wondering if I was just dreaming, or did I really hear one of the kids call me in some kind of distress...

I hear

"mmeeow" right next to my bed.

I guess in my sleep, I translated that to "Mom!"

he did need me...to let him outside, post haste...