Author Topic: Lost Cat (Read 6139 times)

bunnyruth · « **on:** August 11, 2009, 11:14:33 pm »

Hello folks,
We are cat lovers and over the past year two have died, one at the age of 20 and one at the age of 11 from heart disease. After a few months we adopted two new cats from a shelter, an 8 year old male and a three year old female.

On Saturday they were both out with us "helping" in the garden. The male (Slim) was lounging in a shady grass patch and we went inside to bring some of our harvest in. When we came out he was gone. We assumed he went to explore the woods around our house, which he does enjoy on occasion.

It is now Tuesday and we have not seen him since his disappearance. We frequently walk around our yard and in the woods calling him, tapping a tin of cat food. I have notified all the animal shelters in the area, our local animal officer and the local vets. We have posted photos posters around the neighborhood and talked to all of our neighbors. I read that lost cats can take quite a few days to return home, sometimes weeks or even a few months.

Just recently we had him microchipped so that if someone finds him and brings him to a shelter or a vet they can scan him to identify his owner.

We have not given up hope but are very sad. Has anyone here had any experience with lost cats returning? Do you have suggestions of things we could not do that I have missed? By the way, I live in the US so agencies might have different names.

Any advice or encouragement is most welcome,
Ruth in New Hampshire

Roxy · « **Reply #1 on:** August 11, 2009, 11:37:50 pm »

Sorry about your missing cat. Please don't worry too much - I know its hard not to, but I have 20 cats around the farm, and some of them, male and female, go off hunting in the fields. Sometimes they are gone over a week - obviously finding birds and rabbits etc. while out. I think they only return once they are hungry!!

Hopefully thats just what your cat has done. I am sure he knows where home is, and will return soon. One of my cats walked 8 miles back to our old house. It took him six weeks, but he was fine, and looked in good health. Cats are survivors, and will stop at other houses where cats live to get food.

I would keep checking with neighbours though, just to make sure he has not gone in garages, sheds etc......cats are so nosey, aren't they, that they do sometimes go in places they are not supposed to.

doganjo · « **Reply #2 on:** August 11, 2009, 11:59:36 pm »

When I moved here I took my two ginger cats with me. Rio goes off hunting rabbits at a farm where there are horses and I sometimes don't see him for a week, occasionally more, but I know where he will be and sometimes I go up there, call him and take him home to be wormed or de-flea-ed. His sister was the opposite - only went out during the day, never far away and always came in at night. Then one night she didn't come in - it's now 3 months and I have asked everywhere, checked the roads around for a body, I emailed Network Rail and they asked their maintenance team to check and they didn't find anything in the bushes either side of the track. I am assuming she found someone who gives her tinned or sachet food as I only feed dried. I hope one day she will come home, but cats are free spirits, you can't restrain them like you can dogs - they are independent creatures

marigold · « **Reply #3 on:** August 12, 2009, 01:08:41 am »

We have known several cats who go walkabout for a few days. They seem to come back full of rabbit and needing to be wormed.
I once had a cat who always disappeared if we went on holiday for a few days. I was convinced he was punishing us and proving that he had friends to see and places to go too.
I hope your cat comes back soon. Its difficult to not worry

Tullywood Farm · « **Reply #4 on:** August 12, 2009, 11:02:35 am »

Tom Cats can smell a girl cat in season from a good distance.

We have a tom called Tommy Walsh (a funny story behind that name) and he goes on the walkabout for a few days, or even two weeks, then comes home a bit thin, but quite content with himself at least twice a year.

I would worry if it was a girl, but boys usually come home. My old saying " anything with balls gives trouble"

Julie

bunnyruth · « **Reply #5 on:** August 12, 2009, 02:20:03 pm »

Thanks to everyone for your words of encouragement. We still have not seen our Slim but we remain hopeful. He is neutered so we were surprised that he went walkabout but I guess "boys will be boys" whether he can produce or not. Each morning I have a dream about him coming home so clearly hope still reigns secure ... thanks to all the encouragement we are receiving.

Thanks
Ruth in NH

little blue · « **Reply #6 on:** August 12, 2009, 03:28:34 pm »

one of ours, a neutered tom called Claude spent a month away at Easter, and has gone again for just over that now. We worry, And report him but he seems to wander back when he's ready and the weather gets cooler!
Wish I knew where he goes, and that he's safe, but I'm hopeful he'll return
and so will Slim...
Keep hoping, but try not to worry too much cos they do their own thing I've concluded!

marigold · « **Reply #7 on:** August 26, 2009, 10:28:40 pm »

Any news? Has your cat been found?

doganjo · « **Reply #8 on:** August 26, 2009, 10:33:28 pm »

My Candy has never appeared back. I've checked the main road in the bushes and network Rail very kindly sent a team of maintenance and checked the railway line bushes. So I think she must have found a better home. Her brother is in his usual place on top of the wardrobe in the study as I type.

jameslindsay · « **Reply #9 on:** August 26, 2009, 10:37:03 pm »

Cats are such funny animals. My sister has a house cat and they are just back from 2 weeks holiday and for the first day the cat ignored them. I thought dogs were the only funny ones! Your one will probably turn up at sometime and leave another family stressed looking for it.

marigold · « **Reply #10 on:** August 26, 2009, 10:48:13 pm »

My husband goes quiet for ages after I've been away for a few days. I have always thought of it being cat like trait.
I'm sure you're right about cats though - they certainly have a mind of their own.

bunnyruth · « **Reply #11 on:** August 27, 2009, 05:30:22 pm »

Sadly, our cat Slim had not turned up. It has been just under 3 weeks now and we were beginning to get back to life as usual, hoping he had found a new happy home when we had two false alarms in one day. We received a telephone call from an electric meter reader who thought they saw him (saw our signs around the neighborhood) and told us where. We went to the house and it turned out they had a cat with similar markings. Later in that same day, around dusk, I saw an orange and white cat on our deck! But when I went out he ran away. My husband came out with the tin of cat food which we tapped to lure him up but he would not come near. With closer examination my husband determined it was not our cat, just another orange and white cat. Turns out there are three other cats in the area with the same colouring! I never realized how common the colour combination was until now.

But, we remain hopeful as we keep hearing stories of cats gone for weeks and then returning. In the meanwhile, our small calico female is actually enjoying being an "only child" and has blossomed with all the extra attention. She won't be happy to see him return! Oh well, they will adjust.

Thanks for you concern!
Ruth in New Hampshire

doganjo · « **Reply #12 on:** August 27, 2009, 05:50:54 pm »

Quote

our small calico female is actually enjoying being an "only child" and has blossomed with all the extra attention. She won't be happy to see him return!

I've found that with Rio. He's staying in much more since CAndy left, and is very cuddly. I'd still want ehr back but after 5 months it#s getting less likely