When a cat lover woke up covered in her moggy’s blood, she thought he was dying – but he had been dabbling with her special effects make up

When a cat lover woke to find herself covered in her moggy’s blood, seeping from a livid red gash across his neck, she feared her treasured pet was a goner.

It was only when she rushed him to the bathroom to wash his wound that special effects make up artist Imogen Cookie-Bailey, 42, realised her Canadian Sphynx cat, Morbo, had fancied a go at making himself up – creating the illusion of blood and gore by raiding her bag of tricks.

Imogen, of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, said: “I woke up to find blood everywhere and I couldn’t catch Morbo to figure out what was wrong.”

She added: “I was crying because I thought I was about to lose my boy. He’s like a child to me. I got him six years ago after my previous cat, Mr Fish, passed away at 16.

“But, I realised when I got to the bathroom that he’d raided my make up bag and the blood washed off.

“Clearly it’s very good quality make up because it fooled even me!”

Also a personal trainer and fitness model, Imogen’s main job is in the mental health field and she learned to be a special effects make-up artist to help with paramedics’ training.

She said: “It was something I did on the side, which is why I had so much special effects make up in the house.

“When a paramedic was still learning for the job, I would use make up to fake certain injuries on dummies, so they could figure out what was wrong and how to treat them.”

She added: “I had a bag full of different special effects make up and fake blood that I kept in the bathroom, so that I could practice recreating different injuries.”

But, one summer’s evening after she left her make up bag open when she went to bed, she woke to a terrible shock.

She said: “Because I’d had a late night, I slept in and Morbo came into the bedroom to wake me up.”

She added: “I was dragging my feet about getting up and he was probably hungry for his breakfast, because he was being extra cuddly that morning, nuzzling his head into my neck.

“I was giving him a pat on the head and struggling to get my eyes open because I was so tired, but as I did, I noticed there was something red on my hand.

“I blinked and realised that I was covered in Morbo’s blood.”

The expensive make up is designed to have the same consistency as real human blood, and as Morbo is a special breed of hairless cat, it had stuck to his body as if it was seeping from a deep wound.

She said: “I was still half asleep, trying to work out what was going on. Then I saw Morbo’s bloody neck and jolted upright.

“I tried to grab him, but he ran off downstairs.”

In a panic, Imogen chased after him.

She said: “I thought he had a serious injury and I was trying not to frighten him. I knew that I needed to be patient and was attempting to keep the desperation out of my voice when I called out after him.

“I was trying not to cry, too, but I couldn’t help it. I thought I was going to lose my sweet Morbo.”

Getting hold of the moggy, who is normally so tame that she dresses him up in little outfits, Imogen rushed him back upstairs to the bathroom.

She said: “I wanted to get a better look at the wound and thought I should wash some of the blood off.

“But as soon as I set foot in the bathroom, I noticed the make-up bag and fake blood everywhere.”

She added: “Morbo had made a terrible mess and there were even little bloody pawprints across the floor. That’s when the penny dropped and I realised he had raided my make up bag.”

Luckily, on this occasion, curiosity had not killed the cat – rather, he had been playing dress up with Imogen’s make up.

She said: “I couldn’t even be mad at him, because I was just so relieved that he was OK.”

She added: “To be honest, I just sat down on the bathroom floor and wept like a baby with relief.

“I’d had visions of whatever terrible thing had happened to him, but in fact, he’d just been messing around with my make up.

“I was so glad that he was all right.”

And dabbling with make-up artistry has done nothing to curb Morbo’s mischievous streak

Since the incident last summer, he has been constantly on the prowl for more trouble and strife, according to Imogen.

She said: “Luckily, we haven’t had any more incidents like that, but he is always getting up to mischief.”

She added: “Sometimes, he’ll make some noise and cry like he’s stuck when I’m eating my dinner.

“Then he darts off past me, so I run to the other side of the house. By the time I get back to my food he’s trying to eat it!

“I’ve now learned to make sure I cover my dinner before looking for him.”

She added: “I really like dressing him up and he loves a Halloween costume, so I have a lot of fun taking pictures of him.

“He’s my baby boy and I’d be lost without him.”

Luckily, Morbo is too busy these days for another ghoulish makeover.

Imogen said: “I work in mental health and Morbo has recently started joining me as a therapy animal.

“People I work with find him very comforting. He’s such a little character that he can brighten up anyone’s day.

“And while he gave me the fright of my life that morning, he’s normally an angel.

“But I keep my make up out of reach now – just to be on the safe side.”