Marci Shaver, of The Laundry Basket in Chatham Square Office Park, brushes Miss Chatham, a stray cat who made the business her home. View and ORDER more photos.

Miss Chatham, a cat loved by many in southern Stafford County, is missing

By KIM BAER

Date published: 11/5/2006

A gray stray cat who made a southern Stafford County laundromat her home has been missing for two weeks.

Miss Chatham has lived at the Chatham Square Shopping Center in southern Stafford County for at least nine years.

For more than a year, she's been most comfortable at The Laundry Basket, the laundromat owned by Marci Shaver.

It's unusual for a cat to survive so long in an urban environment like a shopping center. So unusual, in fact, that Miss Chatham was featured in an article in The Free Lance-Star in March.

But early one morning two weeks ago, Shaver opened the door to the coin laundry and Miss Chatham wasn't there. Shaver looked around the shopping center, concerned the cat might have been hit by a car. Shaver didn't find her, and she hasn't been seen since.

Miss Chatham had become well-known to many in the community.

"I have people who just came to see the cat," Shaver said. "I have one customer who comes in every two weeks to do laundry and twice a week to see the cat."

Miss Chatham is between 10 and 15 years old. It isn't uncommon for animals who are feeling close to death to sneak away to die. But Shaver doesn't believe this is what happened to Miss Chatham, who was chubby, bright-eyed and seemingly healthy.

Dozens of customers have asked about the cat, Shaver said.

"She has many fans," she said.

One of those fans put up fliers in the shopping center, a nearby office park and around a nearby subdivision.

Miss Chatham is gray with a crooked tail. Anyone who has any information is asked to call The Laundry Basket at 540/373-9546. There is a $100 reward for her safe return.

To reach KIM BAER:540/368-5028
Email: kbaer@freelancestar.com

Date published: 11/5/2006