We got Peaches because a friends son was doing vet training at a clinic - Peaches was brought in as an abandoned cat, she kept going into someone’s house and was not wanted!
Anyway, we were looking for a cat and when we were asked if we wanted her we said yes - we thought she was just gorgeous! We brought her home about 3 weeks ago and kept her inside.
We went out for the day on Sunday and didn’t realise she had got out, it was a real shock when we returned home and couldn’t find her anywhere. I searched the whole house, and went to my neighbours to ask if they had seen her, they hadn’t but did come over and help me look. After searching every cupboard, drawer nook and cranny I realised she must have escaped. It sounds like cliche but the sense of loss was quite extreme. In a short time I had got very attached to Peaches!
I called for Peaches and shook her bag of biscuits on and off the rest of that day and the next one but found no trace of her. A friend also came to help me look for her, but we had no luck.
When I then told my friend (who’s son is studying to be a vet) that Peaches was missing she registered her on your website, advised me to alert the nearest vet clinics and arranged for a post on Facebook. It was amazing to have such great help and to talk about it.
I kept calling Peaches on and off for the next 2 days. I went out early in the morning and in the evenings, as I had been told that was the best time to call, but she didn’t respond. We live near the bush – my instinct was she was in the bush so I kept going there, but I also thought she might be gone for good. However, several friends and family told me not to give up and that it wouldn’t be unusual for her to go missing for up to 10 days…..that helped me to stay positive! Very supportive friends and family checked in to see if she had been found.
My friend also designed and printed some posters and came to help me put them up. Her daughter also came to look for Peaches. Within about 15 minutes of looking, her daughter phoned and said “I have Peaches, I’ve got her inside the house”! What a relief – yep there were tears!! She found her in the bush behind the house! She had spotted Peaches, opened the bag of biscuits to encourage her to come and crawled in to the bushes to get her.
All up Peaches was missing for 4 days. If definitely seemed longer.
I feel very lucky to have such supportive friends, family and neighbours!
For those in the same situation I can only recommend talking about it asking those close to you for assistance.
