I still feel guilty about the cat

Okay, so this is going to sound stupid, but it's been eating me alive for years. When I was maybe ten, my neighbor had this fluffy Persian cat named Snowball. I loved that cat. It was so soft and always purred when I petted it. One day, I was playing in their yard (they never minded) and Snowball was napping under a bush. I thought it would be FUNNY to put Snowball in a garbage can. Not like, a big outdoor one, but one of those small plastic ones people keep in their garages.

I put the lid on and everything. I remember Snowball meowing, but I thought it was hilarious. I left the cat in there for maybe ten minutes while I went to go ride my bike. When I came back, I took Snowball out. The cat seemed fine, just a little freaked out. I didn't think anything of it. I never told anyone.

A few days later, my neighbor was putting up "Lost Cat" posters. I felt sick. Turns out, Snowball ran away that day and they never found her. I always wondered if putting her in the garbage can traumatized her so much she ran off. I know it's probably not true, but the guilt still gets to me. It's been like 15 years! I was just a stupid kid, but what if Snowball was scared and alone because of me? I hope she found a good home. I really do. I still feel like a terrible person whenever I think about it.