One of the felines missing from Stuart has been found, but the location of another remains a mystery.
Thomas Stuart, a mascot of sorts in the Uptown Stuart area, was found on Sunday, Dec. 10. He had been missing since Nov. 30.
Erica Cipko Wade, who is one of the humans caring for Thomas, said “it seems that he just walked up the street.”
James Edwards and Doug Stiller spotted Tom as he walked up Main Street from the area of the Visitor Center, Wade said. The two “snagged him and kept him until” Town Manager Bryce Simmons arrived with a cage to hold Thomas for the time being.
Shortly thereafter, Chris Corbett arrived at the office of his law firm to let Thomas inside, said Wade, who attends church in Collinsville.
“I was down there trying to orchestrate/coordinate his return to the office,” she said of the law firm. Thomas splits his time between there and Divine Designs Salon, often visiting other businesses along the way.
When found, Thomas “was basically clean and his feet were white, and fairly dry even though it was raining,” Wade said. “He lost about 5 to 6 pounds and was fairly dehydrated.”
In his usual style though, “he was so happy to be with people who loved and missed him,” Wade said, adding that Thomas also “had lost his voice from yelling so much before he was noticed.”
On Monday, Thomas was checked out by a veterinarian, Wade said.
“He has a mild upper respiratory infection and is getting fluids. His nails are broken, and he has scratches on his feet, likely from trying to get out of wherever he was,” she said.
For now, “it seems like there are big details missing, but only Tom will know the truth” about the circumstances of his 10-day absence, Wade said.
Wade and others also spent part of Monday “working on collecting all the pledged reward money,” which was last reported on the salon’s social media to be $1,000.
Meanwhile, Marcy Boots, one of Thomas’ offspring, remains missing, according to Susan Branham, owner of Quilted Colors in Stuart.
Like Thomas, Marcy had the same routine for nearly five years, Branham said.
“She mostly stayed inside the store,” but Marcy sometimes went outside during the day, Branham said, adding that Marcy almost always returned at night, until Monday, Nov. 27.
The appearance of the two cats is remarkably similar as well, Barnham said.
“A lot of people would ask me ‘was that Thomas,’ when they saw her in the window” of the store on Main Street, Branham said, and explained that the biggest difference is the white spot on Thomas’ nose is on the other side on Marcy.
Additionally, Marcy is spayed, but she is not as big as Thomas.
“She has a little bit of extra fluff on her, but not much,” Branham said.
Thomas’ return has given her new hope that Marcy also will find her way back. That, combined with the fact that “she did this once before. She was gone three weeks to the day,” Branham said. “So, it’s possible” that she will return.
Anyone with information about Marcy’s whereabouts is asked to call the store at (276) 694-3020.
