These 2 cats have had an epic journey. They were unhandleable semi-feral / strays in the extensive gardens of my works, when I started caring for them. S had a broken leg, and was starving. B was doing his best going through the bins. The RSPCA helped me trap S and my vet put a plate and pins in the leg, on the understanding that I'd confine him whilst he rehabilitated. So he spent the next 5 weeks in my living room in a cage. Whilst S was confined, I continued to feed B back in the works grounds. S and B were eventually reunited back in the grounds, where they happily lived with as much food as they could eat. I then noticed one day that B was limping. Eventually I managed to trap him and he went off to the vets. His hind leg was broken and couldn't be saved, so they amputated. He then spent a good while locked in my works office, whilst he recovered and learnt how to walk again.

Then, the business was being sold. I knew I couldn't take these cats home, as I have 3 others cats. Plus the area I lived in was urban, and it just wouldn't work. They wouldn't have coped with this. I couldn't leave them behind. I knew they wouldn't cope in an animal shelter. I'd been thinking of moving anyways, so this determined it and over the next 18 months I strived to find a house which would suit us all. So, they were again trapped and re-housed at my new house, in a new area. This was in June 07. I had a shed built in the garden, with a small run. They were locked in there for 5 weeks whilst I built up enough courage to release them. I did let them loose, and they weren't seen again for over a week.
Then one evening they came back, went back in the shed, and ate the food.

They've semi-lived in my shed ever since. They have beds in there, and a never ending food supply. There's a heater and they have hot water bottles in the winter. The shed has a cat flap so they're free to do as they please. They spend a lot of the rest of their daytime in a barn of a local farm. The farmer's happy about this as they're good mousers.

As you'll have gathered, I've built up a lot of trust with these cats. S has ultimately changed from wetting himself when I put my hand near him, to a loving little boy. B is much more timid, but on a good day I can manage a little tickle on the back as he darts past. I know he wants the affection, but is scared. Probably of me trapping him again !

So we've been at the new house for 2 years now, and during this time, they have been gone for a week at a time on probably 4 or 5 occassions. It's now 3 weeks though since I last saw them, and I'm so worried.
My only comfort is that they went missing when the weather turned for the better, so maybe a spring jaunt ..?