I Spent Ten Years Taking Photos of Lost Cat Notices

​These photographs were taken over a ten year period. I started by taking pictures of Lost Cat notices in case I saw the cats and needed to contact the owner. I love cats and I’ve had a cat go missing for weeks myself (luckily he came back), so I know how horrible the uncertainty feels. Over time, I became fascinated by the details in those notices and what those said about the communities and cities in which they’re posted – the cats’ names, their stories, the different styles of the posters. For all the variations though, the ritual and the feeling of loss remain the same.

I travelled to Venice recently, and realised there’s a tradition of posting similar notices around town after the death of a loved one. This isn’t something you really have here in Scandinavia, but I found a similarity in the notices – the very public sharing of very private feelings. Looking at all the posters together brings out a lot of emotions in me; positive as well as very sad. In general, I think pets bring out the best in people.

Finally, sitting down to compile this set after so many years came about because I just finished my first feature film and wanted to make something simpler. The photographs were mostly taken around London, in areas I’ve lived or worked, in Newcastle where I grew up and on trips to New York and Venice.

See more of Garry’s work ​​here.