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How Frankie Went From Lost to Found

Last updated: October 14, 2024

This is the story of Frankie, a cat that gardeners found wandering around Edwards Gardens in the Summer of 2006.

One day, in the early summertime, gardeners at Edwards Garden saw a white cat hunting for chipmunks inside one of the flower beds.  It was stalking the beautiful creatures and would eventually succeed in killing them along with songbirds.  Since this public garden was a designated sanctuary for wildlife in addition to horticultural displays, they decided the cat needed to be trapped. The gardeners didn’t know where it came from and it didn’t have a pet tag.  It did look famished though…

During the next couple weeks, the cat reappeared again. During their lunch breaks, staff also saw it rummaging for food in the trash bags behind Tim Horton’s at the Esso gas station nearby.

The following week, as the gardeners were driving through the Bridle Path, one of the wealthiest streets in Toronto, they passed by a famous singer’s former house.  Suddenly they saw the white cat run under its gate marked with a sunburst and towards the house. Could the cat have belonged to that musician?

A gardener named Steve drove back to the singer’s former house, where there was a security guard parked in front of the gates. Steve inquired whether the musician still lived there and if the guard recognized the cat.  The guard said that the owners had divorced and moved away.

After receiving this piece of information, the gardeners decided to keep the cat longer and try to find him a home. He lived in the men’s change room in the lunchroom cabin for a week. The change room was small and full of men’s boots but it would have to do.

Every time Steve went to work and picked up the cat, the cat would purr uncontrollably, looking at him with striking blue eyes. He talked to his wife and they decided to adopt the kitten.  The vet told them the cat was only 6 months old and in good health. They decided to name the cat Frankie.  Now Steve, his wife, and Frankie all live happily together in the Beaches. All photos of Frankie were provided by Steve Chadwick.

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