Someone will doubtless say it wasn't since she had no control over
what happened but the way she handled it I think qualifies it for the
award

Got home last night, Dave mentioned he was a bit worried about Sarsi
since the last time he saw her was about when I let the builders in to
finish off the bathroom and usually she comes into the living room
about 5 for a good session of nose skritchies...

So I said "I'll find her" and put some food down...nope Dunzi appeared
but not Sarsi

Now Sarsi does not do "outside" occasionally when Dunzi makes her
escape attempts, Sarsi follows then she stops dead looks around as if
to say "WHAT was I thinking of?" and comes back . She's not at all
keen on the idea through not as bad as Isis (RB) who hid whenever our
door opened, we could have both been standing there with buckets of
prawns but if that door was open, she was not to be seen, of course as
soon as the hated door was shut she would come out but she had a real
dislike of open doors

I think "Odd" and go looking round all of her hidey holes I know of (I
am sure she has others)...No sign

I search high and low for her opening cupboards just in case someone
shut the door on her....nothing

I even thought "The builders put the new bath panel on today...Surely
not!" but I went and banged on it and called her then again she hides
when strangers come into the flat so she wouldn't be behind there

So I go out and check the stairs....nope....I even look in both front
and back gardens even through she would have to have opened the bolt
on the top of the back door downstairs to get out whilst she's smart
she wouldn't be able to reach

By now panic is setting in.............I go out again with a bag of
catfood so about 10.15 at night locals were treated to the sight of me
wondering around outside with a bag of Purina One (The week I have had
I didn't get to the vets for some Hills) calling oiut "Sarsi! Sarsi
fella!" you could almost hear them thinking this sort of thing should
have been in the past around here since they closed the local
psychiatric hospital!

I get back upstairs, by now, Dave is hallucinating, he was sure he saw
her on the top of the wardrobe but he didn't also he think he can hear
her outside, which keeps sending me downstairs to no avail I've even
asked Reg if he saw her and he's saying if a black cat has run into
their flat he would have known she was one of mine and brought her
down

I'm in tears and he's saying "She's not in here she must have got out
" We are both sure she has got out and hasn't stayed around, Dave says
she wouldn't go on the main road because she doesn't like loud noises
(apart from rock music) and I say it doesn't matter where a car hits
her in a quiet street or not it can still kill her. He's so distraught
he says "She could get pregnant" and I have to point out if she did
I'd either sue the vet or call the Vatican

I go out and have another look and very nearly keeled over, by the
basement of the house next door there is a small black shape with what
looks like eyes....Gritting my teeth I go and have a look if she tried
to crawl home and died there then at least I will know...Turns out to
be a bin liner with some junk on top..by now we're hysterical

We allocate tasks I will design a flyer...also I want to ask for some
get your furry butt home purrs from people here....of all the days to
lose Sarsi...a year to the day since Dave was admitted to hospital!
And the week I've had!

First of all I pop to the loo, Dunzi follows me she's the only one
around here that is calm, I even say to her "When you get out Sarsi
lets us know can't you have done the same?"

Then I hear scratching noises...I say "Dunzi we have just got this
brand new bathroom and you're already scratching the floor?"

I look....Dunzi isn't scratching the floor.....I say "Sarsi?" and hear
a faint noise that can only be described as "Raaaw-awwwp!"

That's Sarsi she could trademark that noise....but where is she?

Then I realise, "Dave I think I've found her"

He runs in as fast as a wheelchair will allow "Where?"

"I think she's got behind the new bath panel!"

"But we checked"

"Twice"

"Are you sure you're not imaging it?"

I am not I kneel down and put my ear to the panel I can't hear
anything....there's only one thing to do..I grab a screwdriver and
start to undo one of the panels..nothing...by now I am calling her
some names that cannot be repeated by anyone ...ever

Finally I manage to get the top of the panel loose enough I can pull
it slightly open..

OUCH!!!

A little black paw just took a swipe at me, ungrateful little so and
so (Well that's the censored version of what I said)

Problem: Our screwdriver won't get the screws right out. We could call
the housing but they'll take until tomorrow at least. I don't have
anything to crowbar the panel off with

Solution: Our poor friend Dave Mallett is about to have a bath and
just before he gets in he gets a phonecall asking him if he has the
right stuff to get the panel out without doing too much damage? He
does and I offer to pay his fares

An hour so later, the panel comes down and reeking of tile grout
etc...Sarsi walks out, looks at us and saunters past as if to say
"What's happening?"

The panel has a couple of cracks in it but the main thing is she's
okay

That has got to win some kind of award!!! Especially after ignoring my
banging on the bath panel twice!

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs