It's the thing we were dreading the absolute most. On Sunday the 23rd of October one of the boys was bringing laundry into our bedroom, and accidentally left the door open (just a crack), allowing opportunistic and adventurous Lexi to slip out unseen.
It only took about 30 minutes for us to notice (Because I'm paranoid about checking doors and the cats), but the house descended into chaos and panic as we searched the now pitch-black garden in the dark and by cellphone light, trying to coax her back into the house. Alas, there was no sign of her anywhere.
The most frightening part is that Lexi, although she's known us all her life, had only been living with us for a week after my mom immigrated to the UK, just over a month ago.
We got Lexi when I was still living with my mom. She was just about the same age as Chai when we got her, so she was about 4 months old. She was a present for Matthew's 8th birthday, after our precious Levi passed away from Cat Leukemia. When I think about it like that, and actually do the maths, it's hard to believe she's been in our lives for so long. Simultaneously, I find it hard to remember life without her.
I remember the day my friend and I went to go collect her. I wasn't looking for an "older" kitten. A good age is 12 weeks. It's just simply safer, especially girl cats, to adopt younger kittens as they adapt more easily and are more likely to be accepted by any cats you may already have. I was geared up to say no, actually... but when we showed up at her brother's house, we'd barely been there for 2 minutes and she'd already trotted up to us, and rolled over in the afternoon sun, exposing her belly and demanded belly rubs. Well, I couldn't get her in the car fast enough, actually. I was a bit worried her current owners would change there mind 🤣
It was ony when I got her home and released her onto my bed, that we had a really good look at her and discovered how utterly beautiful she was. A blue-eyed, wildcat-siamese-tabby, with brown to slightly grey and black stripes, pitch black paws and a pitch black pointed tail. I have never seen a prettier kitty.
Matthew was obviously besides himself when we presented her to him, after he'd spent his birthday weekend with his biological father, and he cried huge chunks of tears when he held her in his arms.
When Lexi went missing, we were all devastated. I took all the usual measures including contacting her microchipping company, and local vets, as well as spreading the word all over social media and flooding our local neighbourhood groups with pleas and images of our Lexi, praying someone would bring her home.
On Monday after Lexi went missing, we received a tipoff. It's the kind you hope never to get. Just one day after she went missing, we received information that a tabby cat fitting her description, was found a few roads down from us, deceased. The witness made the grim discovery, on her way to work and was unable to get out of the car to take photos or pick up the body to be taken to the vet for identification.
I was on my way home with the boys at the time. I was washed with fear. All the blood drained out of my face and I was consumed with dread and panic. I let the boys know, and we decided to go investigate. When we arrived on the sceen, I drove past the body stopping just ahead of it, and realised that I had overestimated my bravery. I sat there, with the boys (Meren aged 12 and Matthew aged 10) and none of us had the ability to get out of the car to positively ID her.
At the time, luckily, @ZakLudick was working from the office and was not out on site, and since he works so close by, was able to come and give us some roadside assistance.
He approached my window and I opened my door to give him a massive hug, finally letting my tears flow out into his work shirt. I pointed to where the kitty lay and watched him approach the body through my rearview mirror.
It seemed like forever.....
I could tell by Zak's body language that he was confused and unsure, and since Lexi has such defining markings, I plucked up the courage to join him and upon approaching the dearly departed kitty, I was still unable to say whether or not it was her. Before allowing myself to look at the rest of the cat (I'd already seen its back from the road and it looked a lot like Lexi), I looked at the tail 1st, which WAS black-pointed. My heart froze for a moment and then moved directly onto its paws, which were light brown and white. It DEFINITELY wasn't Lexi. We gently loaded the kitty into our car and took her to the local vet for identification.
Now, although initially overwhelmed with a sense of relief, we'd all been thoroughly traumatized. We also still had no idea where Lexi was. The following day, I spent two hours in the hot sun walking door to door, showing neighbours her picture, collecting phone numbers, and begging people to keep an eye out for her. With my gammy knee and the unprecedented hot weather, I really walked until I physically just coudn't anymore. I sat down for a while and then after calling Zak on the phone while sitting under some trees, exhausted and defeated, walked the rest of the way home.
My heat-rash
There was still no sign of her. Not a whisper, a sighting, or a distant meow. Just nothing.
The days ticked on, and I continued to hound our local facebook groups and pet rescue organisations, but still nothing.
The days turned into weeks......
And on the 14th day, I received a call.... from an old friend who happens to live quite close to us. This friend is my best friend's sister. I lived with them for three years, in my early 20's - 15 years ago. Long before Matthew had even been thought of.
This site in her garden is where our dog is burried. Almost 20 year old Maxi the daschund was laid to rest here by us, 4 years ago.
And HERE. Of all places. Is where my precious Lexi sought refuge.
All that extra chonk that she'd gained while living with my mom and being fed tonnes of salmon, had saved her life. She was so skinny when I picked her up, but with a wet nose and not a single indication of scuffles or fights or that she'd been injured by a car or dog or anything else we cradled her gently and loaded her into the cat box, to take her safely home.
When I walked into the lounge with her, Matthew completely broke down, wailing tears of joy.
We took her upstairs and let her go into my room. We all cuddled and cried as we marveled at how lucky we were to have her home. How easily it could have been her on the side of the road.
But is was not ...
And we all shared in the joy of watching her eat her 1st meal at home, most vocally indeed!
She's been home for two weeks now, and we still haven't let her or Squeek out!
I can assure you, that we won't be for some time now... not until I've fully recovered!
What a sweet story ☺️