Thirteen ways of looking at a cat
And counting.
The following is a chronicle of some of the cats I’ve met along our journey. I receive about a lead a day, usually at dusk, when cats tend to venture out. I respond to EVERY lead I receive and visit the plausible ones in person.
Conclusion: There are many ways to look like (and at) a gray tabby.
8/21/24 - 1:00 p.m. - Whittier Heights
Osge reported this handsome, friendly cat that she ran in to on Alonzo Ave NW south of NW 70th. I was pretty sure it wasn’t Linus but I followed up just in case. After seeing him in person, ruled out at Linus, scanned for microchip, and posted to Cats of Ballard.
His people responded right away. Meet Kevin!
8/20/24 - 7:30 p.m. - Loyal Sunset
While Frederic and I were out walking, we met Paul and Karin, who reported that they’d seen our poster and noticed a tabby cat near their home that they hadn’t seen until recently. We exchanged numbers to stay in touch, and Paul sent me this photo and their address.
I followed up a bit later, after walking Frederic home. I located the spot where this photo was taken and walked around the area a few times slowly, dropping treats and listening, but I didn’t see this kitty but after looking more closely can rule out that it is Linus.
8/16/24 - Dusk - Ballard Yards/Ship Yards
NW 54th Street between 24th Avenue NW and 30th Avenue NW, where it intersects with the entrance to the Ballard Locks, is a vibrant juxtaposition of a space.
Decades-old shipyards, machine shops, moorages, and the shortest railway, sit across a dirt tract of abandoned buildings, razorwire fences, nighttime rabbits, rats junked machine parts, brambly junkyards, and one upscale apartment complex.
Here I met Morgan, who lives on the ground floor of Ballard Yards and who has seen a cat (maybe Linus) in the wee hours.
8/10/24 - Noon - Adams
Meet Perro! A tenacious, sweet, skinny boy who convinced his finders (Jade and Noah) that he was a stray. They called me after seeing my poster, and we scanned his microchip, called it in to Home Again (the microchip company) who called the owner on file. While we were waiting to hear back, we decided to try to get him into a carrier in case we needed to bring him to the shelter for safekeeping. That didn’t work, so we ended up using my humane trap, which he was not happy about, but it was effective.
I also posted him as “Found” to the Cats of Ballard Facebook group and his person contacted me within about 10 minutes. She confirmed she’d just gotten a call from Home Away and she came over to retrieve him. By that time, he was expressing his displeasure with being held captive. Poor thing!
It turns out that she lives around the corner and that Perro (yes, “dog” in Spanish) is getting used to his new catio but still sneaks out and roams freely on hot days. Apparently, he’s quite the neighborhood character, and many neighbors know him, but Jade and Noah are new to the neighborhood, so they erred on the side of caution (and compassion) and made sure that he was being looked after.
Although this lead didn’t end up with my reuniting with Linus, it was still a positive experience overall: I got to meet some neighbors who are kind and care about community and cats.
I’m also gaining experience with the humane trap in the event I need to use it to catch Linus. Several resources have advised me to be prepared to do this because he’s so timid that he may not come to me if we see each other.
Another benefit was that I got to witness how (and that) the microchipping process works in real life. After working in tech for many years, I appreciate the difference between “how it’s supposed to work” and “how it actually works.” Good marks for microchips!
8/7/24 - 8:00 p.m. - Sunset Hill
Received text from Sunset Hill, NW 64th and 37 Ave NW near the tunnel under the railroad tracks about a possible match. Neither the reporter nor I were very confident it was Linus (the coloring is a bit darker than Linus’ but lighting can make a lot of difference.)
But, I check out every plausible lead, and, we think there are trains nearby wherever he is hiding and so I stopped by on my way home just in case. The cat, of course, was long gone. I called and shook the treat bag, no luck.
Zoomed in on the photo the reporter sent and felt confident ruling out a match.
8/7/24 -7:00 p.m. -Ship Yards/Ballard Yards/All The Best Pet Care
After dinner with friends at Ocho, walked down to All The Best Pet Care and asked to post a Lost notice on their bulletin board (I don’t know what I hadn’t thought of this before!)
Stocked up on tuna filets to spread around down along Shilshole/NW 54th/24th Ave NW/NW 26th area (where we have a potential lead.) It’s so industrial/wild/abandoned there and there so many places to hide! Spent around 45 minutes walking and looking around, calling, leaving out bits of food.
8/7/24 -6:30 a.m.-Ship Yards
After leaving food, treats, and scent trail, returned in the morning to scout for cats (without Frederic.) No cat sightings.
Went up to the office of PFI and met Cheryl and her dog, Jax, there, who took copies of my flyer to share in the office and yard.
This shipyard is Ballard famous for the neon signs it collects and displays of former Ballard businesses. There’s even a jigsaw puzzle featuring its image. Cheryl gifted me a copy.
8/6/24 -9:00 p.m. - Ballard Yards and Ship Yards (with Frederic)
This pile of scrap metal is about 10 feet from where Rahul reported seeing Linus. I decided to scope the area out at dusk, with Frederic. I had him in a carrier and walked around speaking softly to him and left smelly cat treats (Vienna sausages) and tied bits of Linus’ favorite cashmere sweater (originally mine, now moth-eaten and cat claimed) to fences.
Saw lots of bunnies, no cats.
8/5/24 -8:21 p.m. - Loyal Sunset
On my way back home, I received two voicemails about the same cat at 28th Ave NW and NW 69th St who was resting under a black car in a driveway. This home is across the back fence from me, and I suspected and confirmed by speaking with both the dad and his daughter who called, that the cat they saw was an older girl tabby that Frederic and I see on our walks. I appreciate this family’s diligence and their excitement about potentially finding Linus. I’m grateful for every lead!
8/5/24 - 8:00 p.m. - Sunset Hill
Carson texted a photo of this cat he’d seen earlier in the day and wondered if it was Linus. It wasn’t, but I appreciated his reaching out and sending a photo so I could rule out a match that way.
8/5/24 - 7:30 p.m. - Honoring Captain Jack - South Adams
This beloved neighborhood kitty went missing around the same time Linus did and so his people and I crossed paths on Cats of Ballard on Facebook. Was saddened to hear of his passing, but enjoyed learning about his long, adventurous, and well-loved journey.
Left some flowers for him on behalf of Frederic, Linus, and me.
8/5/24 - 6 p.m. - Salmon Bay and the Locks
Back down to Ballard Yards, the shipyards, Ballard Locks and Botanical Gardens. Walked around, checked on posters, put treats at posters, found spots to add a couple more posters along Market Street. As I was taping one up to the metal pole in front of the climbing gym, a man called out “I texted you, I saw your cat!” A lot of people have been texting me about Linus, but this turned out to be the same person, Rahul, who had seen a cat outside of Ballard Yards apartments. He showed me the exact spot he’d seen the cat, and which direction he’d run off to. Promised to keep his eye out and keep in contact.
Photo of Ballard Terminal Railroad locomotive on its evening run.
8/5/24 - 4 p.m. - Adams
Received a lead m NW 60th/between 24th and 26th Ave NW. When I followed up, the cat wasn’t there, but I was able to locate this precise location send by the reporter.
Spoke to the next-door neighbor, Ryan, a fellow cat lover, who said there was an outdoor gray tabby known to this area. He’d also had a cat go missing in the past who returned after a few days. Took my flyer and website info. (Thank you!)
Called, shook treat bag, and doled out fish sauce along the block.
Returning to my car, I met Doug and his dog out on a walk. He took a flyer and promised to be on the lookout since he’s often out and about.
8/3/24 - Evening
Potential sighting behind Ballard Yards apartment block on 8/1, reported 8/3. Visited, walked around the area between the 24th Ave NW and 28th Ave NW street ends parks. Spread fish sauce and treats around telephone poles I’d previously postered, my rationale being, maybe the cat would come to that poster to eat and someone would see it AND the poster?
I didn’t see any cats, but encountered about 6 bunnies.
8/3/24 - Morning
Followed a general “is this your cat?” lead from Nextdoor (photo courtesy of the poster.) Long shot, but close by and worth ruling out. I saw no cats, but a friendly bunny walked through the alley with me.
26th Ave NW between NW 59th and NW 60th.
8/2/24
Was pretty sure this wasn’t a match but decided it was worth checking/getting steps in as I’ve had a couple other leads in this block, which is only two streets away.
Encountered a sweet black cat with white socks and a Frederic doppelganger about 2x his size. No tabby sighting.
26th Ave NW between NW 67th and NW 70th
7/31/24 - Adams
NW 62nd Street just north of Adams Elementary playground, 8:30 p.m. A woman noticed him right after passing his “missing” poster and waited and kept eyes on him until I got there. Was able to interact with him briefly (approached to get a treat) and give him a quick pet. We followed him around the neighborhood and he moved and was tentative like Linus. I was 95% sure it was him. Returned in daylight to confirm and determined he was owned by someone on the block. Glad this kitty has a home and is well-loved but it was heart-breaking nonetheless.
💔
7/30/24 - Loyal Sunset
27th Ave NW between NW 65th and NW 67th. This cat was hanging out in the backyard and the lead called me. Kitty was gone by the time I got there but I saw her on the parking strip as I was getting back into my car. Wearing a collar and friendly, plus had white socks. Posted to Cats of Ballard on Facebook in case she’d wandered a little further from home than usual.
7/28/24 - Loyal Sunset
27th Ave NW between NW 67th St and NW 70th St. Cat looks too dark (and its stripes too diffuse) to be Linus but I went by to check anyway. Walked around the yard and block shaking treat bag. Did not see the cat (photo is from the person who reported him to me) but have earmarked that location to keep checking to be able to rule it out (or in, if lucky!)
7/25/24
Facebook DM from someone who had seen our poster. Seen on July 12 (before Linus disappeared), reported July 25th.
7/19/24
Lead from Seattle Animal Shelter who called me with the description of a possible match. He seemed too young (and small) to be Linus and was found in Greenwood, quite a distance away from us. I went to visit him at the shelter on 7/20 because I had to be sure.
See this post for the full story.
7/18/24
Text lead from someone who had seen my FB post. This kitty had been hanging around the dumpsters at their townhouse for a few days. In Ballard between 22nd Ave NW and 24th Ave NW below NW 65th St. Visited this sweet kitty who turned out to be a she and had white socks, which Linus does not.
See this post for the full story.
Land acknowledgment: We are on the unceded ancestral lands of the Duwamish, a people that are still here, who are continuing to honor and bring to light their ancient heritage. Place names used here and throughout this site are those in current use by non-indigenous peoples as a result of a historically imposed and tragically successful language gap.