Heartbroken: cats from Saskia’s cat hotel escaped through torn mesh

She fills up. Not for the first time during the conversation. She has hardly slept for the past few days. Distraught as she is now that five of her babysitting cats have disappeared without a trace. “I can hardly think anymore,” she says through teary eyes. “What should I do?”

The disappearance follows an incident about two weeks ago. When an emergency door, through which the animals can escape in an emergency, was cut. “I put the car on the path and saw cats all around me. There were 25, because the summer holidays are the busiest time of the year. Together with the neighbors we luckily found them all again. Some were in the garden , others in a shed near the neighbors,” says Saskia. “I have no idea who did that.”

Hit again

Last weekend it happened again. Saskia shows the broken fence of the cat run. Chopped, again. The tie wraps have now also been cut and the fence forced. On Saturday morning, Saskia discovered that a total of seven cats had escaped. One of them was still walking on the path and another cat was accidentally found nearby by the owner. There is no trace of the other five holiday guests. “I searched all over the area,” says Saskia. “Neighbors have helped too. I’ve gone through all the pastures around here. But no cat to be seen.“

Saskia has reported both cases. Have they been released – as a prank call – or have they been stolen? Saskia suspects the latter: “Some cats are worth a lot of money. Even laymen know that. Even if they get 100 euros each, that can be quite attractive to thieves. I think they were taken.”

She has informed the owners – who are often on holiday. Some react very angrily, others calmly. This is bad for me, but even worse for the owners. But there’s nothing I can do to make it right, except keep looking. I have asked them for pictures of the missing cats, so I can hang them in the neighborhood.”

The disappearance has dominated her life since its discovery. “You occasionally sleep because you are very tired, but otherwise you are only concerned with this. One thing I do know: hit’s over for me. I’m quitting the cat hotel after ten years. I do not want this anymore.”