Bailey has been and gone. I miss my Bailey boy but he wasn't really mine just borrowed for a week.
Some of you will know that Bailey disappeared just over a week ago. We were so sure he hadn't got out as we were being really careful but he couldn't be found anywhere. We all turned the house upside down and inside out, searching and searching, again and again - even looking in the loft and cellar. No Bailey. Eventually we became convinced that Carmita, or cleaner, had lost him and was too scared to own up - someone, who shall remain nameless, even suggested that she had stolen him!! We leafleted all the surrounding streets, put laminated posters on all the lampposts, posted missing notices on all the relevant websites and contacted the local vets and pet shops. Had a few calls from people saying they would keep a special look out for him.
On Thursday night I slept downstairs not wanting to shut all the doors and put the alarm on in case he was hiding and decided to come out when it was quiet during the night. He had also been curious around the chimneys so I stayed a while by the three chimneys calling softly and listening for any sounds - nothing just dead silence. Friday came and went - couldn't do much searching in the morning as we had heavy rain and thunder storms but then Alan and I carried on searching, calling and leaflet dropping in the afternoon. Pip was also really upset. I had put off telling her until Friday morning as I hoped that he would turn up during Thursday night. I know she was trying really hard not to be too upset when she spoke to me as I was in such a state. Val, Mich and David (who did all the leaflet printing as our printer decided not to work) came by after work to continue searching and leaflet dropping. Stopped searching at about 2300. At 0045 I received a call from someone who thought they had just seen him in Lambolle Road. As I'd received a call earlier in the day from someone else who had thought they'd seen him in the same road, I decided to get dressed and go searching once again. I took his plate of crunchy food and called him quietly whilst shaking his food in the dish, until about 0210, searching up and down Lambolle Road. But no Bailey boy. Went to bed once again really upset about losing him and reproaching myself for going out and not staying home with him as planned.
Had a pretty sleepless night and then Alan got up at 0445 and went down stairs to his study, opened the door and there he was! Sooty footprints all over the room telling us that he had been up the chimney all along! He was probably up there for about 42 hours. Maybe he was stuck, perhaps traumatised? Who knows? But he seemed none the worse for wear just a bit dirty. We fed him and I put beach towels all over my bed so he could stay with me.
He was so loving for the next few days, sleeping between Alan and I all night and seemed really settled. I started letting him out into the back garden while I was outside. I put his scratching post and basket outside and also brushed him a lot which he loves. He didn't seem very adventurous just cautiously sniffing around the perimeter of the patio area and down the side by the cat door, each time going back inside and then coming out again for another sniff when he felt like it. We did this on Saturday afternoon, most of Sunday and for a time on Monday. On Tuesday morning I was doing some pruning and Bailey was watching me from the mat inside the kitchen. I took my eyes off him for about 30 seconds and then looked again and he was gone. Searched the house all over (the chimneys were blocked with cushions so he couldn't get back up) but once again no sign of Bailey. Started calling and looking outside. After about an hour or so I got a call from Tim next door saying that Bailey was in their house and seemed unable to find his way back. What relief! In those few seconds he must have jumped on the wall and over into Tim's garden. Went next door with his basket and brought him home. I decided there and then that I would take him back to Pip. Having a cat was supposed to relax me and make me happy instead I seemed to be constantly anxious, stressed and, when he was missing, an emotional mess.
The photos on here were taken just before we set off for Burton Latimer. Bailey was the most loving and responsive cat I have known and I miss his soft, warm, purry body. I miss the way he tapped my arm for attention - tapping harder and harder until you took notice of him. I miss the way he would roll onto his back with his front paws folded downwards and his back legs splayed apart. I miss the way he would come when I called him from anywhere in the house (except, of course, the chimney) and plonk himself by my side. I miss the way he stretched his neck so that you could easily stroke it. I miss Bailey boy.
BAILEY BLOG - THE END.
