Looking For Leo
Our Cats newspaper
03/04/2006
Maureen Martin has asked readers of Our Cats to help look for her lovely boy, Leo. Maureen writes, "Mariols Leo Of Keelokan is the stunning Chocolate Point Siamese boy that I imported from Germany from Mrs Corinaa Kelvink's cattery, Mariols. Corrina took Leo to the European heights winning The World Winner 05 title in Italy (Fife). He is also an International Champion and JW.
"On the 21st March at 11am a friend of mine came for coffee and as she went to the car to get her phone, she left the door open and did not notice that Leo had slipped out. At 4pm I realised that Leo was missing and a frantic search began. I searched almost all night - it was freezing cold. The next morning I contacted the police, vets, dog wardens, RSPCA, cat protection and made 200 leaflets and posted them in houses and on lamp post...All to no avail.
"I have since found out that he went to a neighbours house at 3.30pm and they put him out as they don't like cats. He has been in the local newspaper, the Daily Record and the Sun. Also, the local TV (Grampian) did a story on him, but still no news.
"I live beside a golf course, woods and a housing estate and have walked every inch of the area. There were two reports of Siamese being found. One turned out to be a Blue boy and the other, a Chocolate Point in Invergowrie. I also got a call that turned out to be a Tabby.
I have had cat traps out and caught many a cat, but alas, not Leo. Unbelievably, someone even stole one of these cat traps. I have done another 400 leaflets, with a £500 reward offered. My other Siamese, MAx, comes with me on his lead, or if we are in woods off the lead, he walks to heel shouting his head off for Leo. All the local schoolchildren are looking, as are other neighbours. It is well known that he is missing.
Where is he? It is a mystery! I am trying to contact a good psychic now, to see if they can help.
"Please can I ask readers to help me look for him? Maybe somebody has taken him in because he is a slim cat - they may think he is a stray and don't know that I am looking for him. I phone the council every two days to see if his body has been picked up and I have also asked window cleaners, the fire brigade, postmen, golf attendants, all vets, all cat rescue centres, Asda, Tesco, Lidl, and local children.
"The support I have received is fantastic, emails from many a good-hearted cat breeder and lover of cats, and The Cat Chat Group run by Kat Waddon - she got all the members to email Grampian television and that is why they did the story on Leo as the emails came from all over the world, over 100 of them. I thank all of them so much. We are emailing Paul O'Grady now, to ask him if he can help. Without the help and support I have had I would be in even 'bigger bits' than I am now. I still can't sleep and go out at dusk, dawn and though the day. I WON'T GIVE UP. Please telephone 01382 900094 or email me at keelokan@blueyonder.co.uk if you have any information."
There has been a website made for Leo by Kat & Graham Waddon of Schimmel Siamese. The address is www.leocomehome.com
Leo on Film |
Watch the local television news footage of Leo |
Please take a look at other media coverage of Leo's dissapearence..click here |
Leo on Film |
Leo can be seen here in the World Show 2005 Video. He appears between 26 and 35 secs. |
Daily Record
1 April 2006
EXCLUSIVE: I SHOULD HAVE SHUT THAT DOOR
Exclusive Larry Grayson of the cat world is stolen by thieves
By James Moncur
A GANG of catnappers may have stolen a world champion tom for breeding - not knowing that he's gay. Flat-eared Siamese Leo has even been dubbed the feline Larry Grayson, after the camp former Generation Game host with the "Shut that door" catchphrase. Leo's now been missing for 10 days - after a friend left a door open while visiting owner Maureen Martin in Dundee. But Maureen says anyone hoping to cash in on his pedigree for breeding is in for a disappointment.
Fourteen-month-old Leo has a harem of five female cats but has decided on his purrfect partner - a neutered Tom called Max. Maureen, 50, who paid £3000 for Max three months ago, said: "Leo will be useless to anyone who's pinched him because he's just not interested in girls.
"He's the Larry Grayson of the cat world.
"I've caught him doing the business with Max in one of the back rooms but he stays away from the ladies even when they're gagging for it.
"I originally bought him to breed with and a lot of people know exactly how much he's worth.
"But from time to time, a male cat comes along who just doesn't want to know - and he's one of them.
"He's now part of the furniture and is like a soulmate to me and I just want him back. I used all my savings to buy him and he's not insured, but he'll be useless to anyone who's got him."
Last November, Leo beat nearly 100 cats to the prestigious FIFe - Federation Internationale Feline - world title in Italy. Maureen has spent every waking hour since Leo went missing searching for him - and even takes Max on a lead to help her. She added: "Max has a loud cry and I hope that Leo will hear him.
"It's unusual because, apart from a couple of quick sightings, there's been no sign of him. I've even looked at the sides of all the main roads. "Someone has definitely got him in their house or lock-up. He's a really distinctive cat and if you saw him, you'd recognise him." Maureen added that a microchip implanted in Leo would expose the catnapper as not being his real owner. And even if he was able to breed and produced offspring, his name could not be used on the kittens' certificates for the same reason.
She added: "If someone is that desperate for a Siamese, I'll give them one in return. I just want Leo back."
Frantic search for missing Dundee show cat
03/04/2006 11:21
A world champion show cat worth several thousand pounds has been missing from his home in Dundee for more than a week.
His owner is frantic with worry. Maureen Martin has been breeding Siamese show cats for 14 years. But Leo has been missing for well over a week. Maureen and her friends and neighbours have been frantically searching for Leo around the Trottick and Claverhouse areas of Dundee,
Maureen searching nearby woods in the dead of night for signs of the Siamese. Leo is not just a loved pet though. There have been pleas for help in finding this famous feline from New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and the US and countless other cat breeders in the UK. Maureen and her friends have gone to incredible lengths to find Leo the cat.
As well as those night-time searches, Maureen has left two of these cat traps outside her house in case Leo decides to make an appearance and she's even left out one of her night gowns in the hope that Leo will pick up her scent and make his way home.
Those searching for Leo say they won't rest until he's found.