Hi All ... I'll start with the finish ... Paddy is currently missing. And it's a really strange, out-from-under-our-noses type of disappearance (and I may be nervous a bit prematurely).
With it being a gorgeous, crisp day, this lunchtime my bro and I decided to take a walk round the field that adjoins the farm. It's broadly a rectangular shape and, with the farm being about 35 acres, I'd say the full perimeter is between 1.5 and 2 miles.
As is her endearing way, Paddy decided to join us for the walk and it didn't take her long to flush out a glorious pheasant that, fortunately, got away. My brother has never seen Paddy in this mode and he was laughing away at her following us around like a dog, clearly a happy little soul with her tail in the air, scampering around the place.
When we turned the first corner (so just under 25% into our stroll), I noticed Paddy was lagging a little and she let out a meow to me. At this point I remember saying to my brother 'I think she wants to go back'. But she continued to walk near us.
And then, when I looked for her 20-30 seconds later, she'd gone. I had my binoculars with me and checked for her but couldn';t see her. So we continued our walk - I figured she'd just headed back to the farmhouse in the distance (and I should add at this juncture that she has done this walk with me before) but when we returned from our walk about 45 minutes later there was no sign of her in her little hut. For the last 4-5 hours I've retraced my steps, gone all over the farm and even slowly driven the car down the narrow country lane that goes down the side of the farm where we last saw her, but to no avail. For interest, this is the big field in which I saw Ruby about 6-8 weeks ago.
Typcial of a gorgeous, crisp day, it has turned into a very chilly evening here - we must be at 0 degrees C/ 32 F, I reckon. And so I'm getting a little worried - I'm used to opening the back door and seeing her toddle out from her hut for a bit of a fuss and so I suspect she must be quite frightened.
It's too early to get frantic, but I'm certainly more than a little concerned.
Any ideas on what might have happened/ what I can do? It was a 'turn your back for 20 seconds' affair, and I feel terribly guilty (although, as my brother has said, how could we stop her from following us?) If she's not about in the morning, I'll get fly-postering locally ... but any other suggestions appreciated.
With it being a gorgeous, crisp day, this lunchtime my bro and I decided to take a walk round the field that adjoins the farm. It's broadly a rectangular shape and, with the farm being about 35 acres, I'd say the full perimeter is between 1.5 and 2 miles.
As is her endearing way, Paddy decided to join us for the walk and it didn't take her long to flush out a glorious pheasant that, fortunately, got away. My brother has never seen Paddy in this mode and he was laughing away at her following us around like a dog, clearly a happy little soul with her tail in the air, scampering around the place.
When we turned the first corner (so just under 25% into our stroll), I noticed Paddy was lagging a little and she let out a meow to me. At this point I remember saying to my brother 'I think she wants to go back'. But she continued to walk near us.
And then, when I looked for her 20-30 seconds later, she'd gone. I had my binoculars with me and checked for her but couldn';t see her. So we continued our walk - I figured she'd just headed back to the farmhouse in the distance (and I should add at this juncture that she has done this walk with me before) but when we returned from our walk about 45 minutes later there was no sign of her in her little hut. For the last 4-5 hours I've retraced my steps, gone all over the farm and even slowly driven the car down the narrow country lane that goes down the side of the farm where we last saw her, but to no avail. For interest, this is the big field in which I saw Ruby about 6-8 weeks ago.
Typcial of a gorgeous, crisp day, it has turned into a very chilly evening here - we must be at 0 degrees C/ 32 F, I reckon. And so I'm getting a little worried - I'm used to opening the back door and seeing her toddle out from her hut for a bit of a fuss and so I suspect she must be quite frightened.
It's too early to get frantic, but I'm certainly more than a little concerned.
Any ideas on what might have happened/ what I can do? It was a 'turn your back for 20 seconds' affair, and I feel terribly guilty (although, as my brother has said, how could we stop her from following us?) If she's not about in the morning, I'll get fly-postering locally ... but any other suggestions appreciated.
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(let them foxes find their food somewhere else, and preferably mices and such!)
