I answered the front door to an unfamiliar woman in her late
forties with a sad look about her, ‘Hello’ she said ‘my name is Julie, I am Paul’s
sister opposite’. I invited her in but she was en-route somewhere so politely
refused. Julie started to tell me in brief,
the tale of the events leading up to the day. It seems not only had they lost their
mother and father over the last few years but their younger brother had been
killed in a motoring accident earlier that year too. Paul’s marriage had broken
down some years ago and he was caught up in drugs. It must have all got too
much for Paul as he had calculated his own demise three days ago by taking an
over dose.
He had planned it meticulously, there was no remorse in his
note just instruction and money for his funeral. He had left fresh food and
water for the cat and the back door ajar for him to come and go and for Paul’s
mate to find him dead.
The reason for Julie’s visit started to become clear: ‘The
cat has been missing for three days and we are worried about him, I understand
you are good with animals, have you seen him around?’ Julie asked. I had not but
said I would look out for him and took her phone number to let her know. ‘What
is his name?’ I asked …..’Puss Puss’ she replied! So there I am for the next
couple of days wandering around the area with cat food in hand calling Puss Puss
for every cat in the neighbour hood to come except the one I wanted!
One quiet afternoon as I was doing my rounds of the area
calling for the ginger and white tom I found him sleeping in his front garden.
Placing a bowl of food near, I retreated to a distance where he did not feel
threatened, watched him finish it off in seconds and then dash down an
alley way. Puss Puss had lost a lot of weight and was obviously stressed and
frightened but the only way to approach him was ‘slowly, slowly catchy monkey’
so for the next few days I visited the same spot morning and evening with food
and fresh water, sometimes he was there waiting and sometimes he was nowhere to
be seen. Julie brought a supply of his favourite food and set about ringing
around animal shelters to re-home him. She had two dogs at home so living with
her was out of the question and though it would be more traumatic for him to
leave his domain, he was a well known bully and I could not see him integrating
with our own dear Harry cat so a new home was the way forward once we could
catch him.
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