Bear the resident cat at Dargaville's Boarding House Antiques and Collectables, is a "bit of a local legend". Photo / Anita Evans
When Bear, the antiques shop cat, went missing from Dargaville for six days, half the town went looking for him.
Owner Gordon Walker feared his lion-like buddy might be gone forever.
Bear, a ginger Maine Coon is more than just a pet – “he’s a bit of a local legend,” some say.
Known as a homebody, Bear has always been content with life in and above Boarding House Antiques and Collectables, where Walker lives and works.
Weighing 9kg, the hefty moggy with his fluffy tail and tufted ears, likes to stretch out on the shop’s counter and is renowned for putting customers at ease.
“He’s just a beautiful, very affectionate cat,” Walker said.
“People often bring him treats and catnip, so he’s quite spoilt.
“I have lots of kids say, ‘oh, is Bear here? Can I see Bear’?
“If Bear likes someone, he’ll sit on their foot.”
Bear’s sudden disappearance a fortnight ago was perplexing and distressing for Walker. He and others searched high and low – behind shops, along riverbanks, and even on rooftops. Nearby storeowners checked their security footage for clues, and social media posts about Bear’s absence went viral. Walker offered a reward.
“I probably had more than 1000 contacts [from people] about his disappearance,” Walker said.
Then, miraculously, “he just turned up” last Tuesday night.
Walker firmly rejects any suggestion Bear was simply out springtime prowling.
“He’s a neutered male, loyal to the hilt – like a dog that way – and quite content with his lot: perching on the shop’s counter, chirping at passers-by (Maine Coons are big talkers and don’t really meow), and patrolling his rooftop – often to the amusement of cafe customers across the street.
“He’s too well looked after to be bothered [wandering],” Walker said.
Since returning, Bear hasn’t been downstairs, preferring to sleep on Walker’s bed.
“In fact, when I go to bed, I have to move him,” Walker said.
Bear didn’t eat much when he first got home, adding to Walker’s suspicion that someone had opportunistically grabbed him. A vet check-up was scheduled to make sure he’s okay.
And perhaps tellingly, Bear came home with fleas. Walker said he liked to think it was “natural justice” if the culprit’s home is now infested.
Six-year-old Bear – who Walker has had since kittenhood – is still agile and an able hunter.
“Put it this way, I have no rats,” Walker said.
He recalled being woken recently at 3.30am to find Bear had wrangled a seagull into the shower booth. Fortunately, the bird went back out the open bathroom window.
Walker suspects the culprit who took Bear eventually realised the cat’s “world-famous-in-Kaipara” status, meant someone would soon recognise him.
Since Bear’s return last Tuesday, the shop has been abuzz with locals sharing their relief and swapping theories about where he might have been.
Walker said he’s been inundated by well-wishers wanting to tell him how pleased they are that Bear is back.
Local Anita Evans told the Northern Advocate: “Bear’s safe return is honestly the best news we’ve had in ages, especially with everything else going on lately.”
“We really do have an amazing community here,” Walker said.
He enjoys the hub-like atmosphere he and Bear have created at his shop, where friends regularly stop in for a chat and a rest on old cinema seats.
“It’s a bit like The Last of the Summer Wine,” Walker said, referring to the British sitcom about a group of retired mates who spend their days getting into gentle mischief and reminiscing.
Walker and Bear shifted from Auckland about four years ago – a retirement move back home for Walker, whose family first settled in the area in 1864.
The SPCA says thousands of animals go missing each year and offers advice on its website to help find them.
Most importantly, the SPCA says, don’t give up.
“Animals - especially cats - can go missing for days or even weeks before showing up again.”
With Guy Fawkes night approaching, pet insurers are reminding the public how distressing fireworks can be for the nation’s 4.4 million pets, who hear at higher frequencies and greater distances than humans.
Dr Cath Watson of Healthy Pets New Zealand has seen injuries ranging from torn limbs and broken teeth to dogs hit by cars and horses tangled in fences.
“Add flashing lights, the risk of fire from stray fireworks, the danger of animals being deliberately targeted, and increased traffic, and it’s easy to see why pets may bolt, panic or get injured,” she said.
“If your pet is showing extreme reactions to loud noises, especially if it’s worsening over time, don’t wait for them to grow out of it. Talk to your vet about medication, non-drug tools and strategies,” Watson said.
PD Insurance recommends warning neighbours about backyard fireworks events, creating safe indoor spaces, covering aviaries and using calming tools.
Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, most of which she spent court reporting in Gisborne and on the East Coast.