I hate to say this but, "THANK GOODNESS I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE" - I thought this only happened to me. I'm sorry it happened to you, but it is reassuring. The best part is, when you least expect it you'll find them and then have them for next time.
I love the idea of asking the cat - please tell us if he had an answer. My cat would yawn, roll over and snooze some more!