An article about Italian fashion? Niente affatto! Mr. Black cares nothing for fashion. He wears the same beautiful golden black coat every day … and night. Mr. Black is, in fact, un piccolo gatto nero a pelo lungo (a small long haired black cat) who came to live with us about a year and a half ago. He really is one of the sweetest, gentlest creatures you could hope to meet, and we love him dearly.

So we were much distressed when, for no apparent reason, he suddenly disappeared. It’s not unusual for one or the other of our cats to occasionally go off on an adventure for a couple of days. But after a week we were beginning to come to terms with the idea that maybe we wouldn’t be seeing him again.

And then, as suddenly as he disappeared he turned up again. I was woken by an insistent mewing at the back door. My first thought was “Mr. Black?” But for the whole week I’d been hearing and glimpsing imaginary Mr. Blacks, and I quickly tried to banish the hope so as not to be disappointed.

Telling myself that it wouldn’t be him, I quickly went downstairs and peered through the porta a vetri (French doors). And there he was!

As I picked him up per fargli le coccole (to give him a cuddle) I immediately noticed how light he was. But if he’d lost weight, he certainly hadn’t lost his purr, which he now switched on full power. Mr. Black was back, and we were both very glad to see each other.

Mr. Black has spent most of the last week chilling out on the bed! During the day, he particularly likes to sleep on my pyjamas.

But where on earth did he go? I guess we’ll never know. Here are a few of the thoughts that passed through our minds while he was missing:

è rimasto rinchiuso in qualche cantina e non riesce a uscire
he’s got shut in some cellar and can’t get out

è stato preso da una volpe, ce ne sono tante in giro in questi giorni
he’s been caught by a fox, there are lots of them around at the moment

è stato portato via da qualcuno che stava qua per il weekend e poi è tornato in città
he’s been taken away by someone who was staying here for the weekend and has now gone back to town

si è ammalato e si è nascosto da qualche parte
he’s fallen ill and has hidden himself somewhere

ha mangiato del cibo avvelenato
he’s eaten some poisoned food

As you can see, dear readers, our imaginations really tortured us. But I guess only Mr. Black really knows the truth, vero Mr. Black?

Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr …