Afraid so, Sam. She is being incredibly elusive. Have not had a sighting today, but last night spoke to a cat communicator. We spoke at some length, and her descriptions of Madeline's personality and those of my own animals were uncannily correct so have to assume she was reasonably reliable. The more so as she did not have pictures of Shadow or Esther or their names, but said that Maddy sees the dog as a big black shadow. She said that Maddy is still in the immediate vicinity and comes to sit in the garden at night, so today, having run myself ragged all week looking for her, I sat in the garden for a couple of hours in the hope she would turn up, but to no avail.
The communicator says she said she had run away because the house was dark and silent, and it made her afraid. Later she said that 'home' means darkness and being closed in and bad smells, so she is inclined to be tempted to the gypsy life because she can look after herself with her hunting. But the word 'winter' gave her pause for thought.
My own animals are still showing signs that there is something concerning them and they are travelling in the direction from my place that the communicator said Maddy is in - an not as far as usual. So maybe there is something to it.
She certainly described my back garden and that of the house next door quite accurately as well as the doors themselves. He has a glass panel in the door and I have a solid timber one, painted. She gave the same description, as well as details about paving and bark chips in the garden (his, not mine).
So I am hoping and praying she is right. But in the mean time, tomorrow I will ask around once more and see what folk have to say.
I am reluctant to leaflet any more as it seemed to stir up a bit of a frenzy of activity in the neighbourhood with people wanting to be the first to catch her, which is not the right approach. But if I ask strategically, I may find something useful and can recruit more discreetly ...
