What happened?

On the evening of Thursday, September 7 at around 7pm, I was walking with Grimalkin in Tipperary Park when something spooked her and she turned to liquid and got free of her harness. She bolted toward Third Street and in to the side yard of one of the houses facing the park.

The owner of the house was kind enough to provide access to the yard and immediately joined me in trying to capture Grimalkin. Unfortunately, in the cat’s flighty state, she proved impossible to pin down, and she slipped away through the back fence. I then spotted her under a vehicle in the alley behind the houses on Third, however, by the time I could get myself low enough to try and reach for her, she had evaporated.

I spent the rest of the evening walking in the area around Third Street and in the portions of Tipperary Park nearest where she had bolted. Several friends who live nearby came out to join me on no notice, circling the block while keeping an eye out, and immediately starting to engage with neighbours to get the word out. I ran off the first version of a “Lost Cat” poster using the form and template provided by 24 Pet Watch; unfortunately only the black cartridge works in my home pinter so early posters are greyscale. My amazing friends were good enough to extend their efforts searching, talking to people, and even starting to put up a few posters until nearly midnight in some cases. Grimalkin was spotted a couple more times – in full flight crossing from the park to the house on Third Street again, and later in the night, sitting on the front steps of the same house, but once again she bolted after we spotted her.

I continued through the night after that, walking and shaking treats and gently calling Grimalkin’s name. I was joined for a time by a fellow night owl out walking, but unfortunately we did not see her again that day.