Gone for 19 hours... Shouls I be worried? I am :(

Hello All,

Quick background for you... My boyfriend and I recently moved in together, and combined his 2 in/outdoor cats and my indoor cat into one home. Over the past month 1/2 they have lived together (basically tollerating each other) rather well...

My cat, Scout had seen the other cats come in and out, and became very curious of the outside world so we decided to slowly let Scout explore the outdoors. We have been supervising his outdoor play and over the past week he has been exploring the yard and spending longer periods of time outside.

I even had an appoinment this past week to get his lukemia /feline AIDS shot so he would have all the shots up-to-date to be outside and have an appointment for him this Friday to get chipped.

At 11:30am yesterday he was out playing and I was on our porch... He had wandered over to the next door neighbors yard and then the next thing I knew he was out of my sight... I haven't seen him since

All yesterday afternoon and evening I called for him, shook the treat bag, and did the kitty-kissy noises to get him home, but he hasn't come back. My boyfriend and I walked the woods by our neighborhood and then last evening drove the whole neighborhood looking for him. When it became dark and he didn't come home I was very distraught.

I slept on the couch with the window open in case he came up on the front porch during the night but he didn't. It is now 6:40am, and after going around the outside of the house, looking under the front porch and looking into the woods he has still yet to be found... And I just don't know what to do...

I can't stop crying. Why would he be gone for so long? I feel like he has lost his way or his scent from the house and now he doesn't know how to get back. My boyfriend assures me that cats are very smart and they know their scent, that he will find his way back and that he is out exploring this new world... But I just can't help but think something has happened... When I think about him lost in the woods and crying his "skweaky-meow" I just burst into tears

I don't know what else to do. Am I over reacting? Is he just exploring and he'll prob. come back home? Where he was gone overnight I am so worried. Is he hungry, thirsty, scared? I just miss him so much!!!!!!

My recommendation is create some flyers with his picture and start passing them around the neighborhood. Have the neighbors check garages and sheds to see if he was accidentally shut up some place. Check the local shelters.

Go out in the early morning (around dawn) and look around for him. Put out some smelly food to help him find his way home.

Take a look at http://www.lost-pets.org for some more help.

I'll say a prayer for Scout to come home.

Originally Posted by katachtig

My recommendation is create some flyers with his picture and start passing them around the neighborhood. Have the neighbors check garages and sheds to see if he was accidentally shut up some place. Check the local shelters.

Go out in the early morning (around dawn) and look around for him. Put out some smelly food to help him find his way home.

Take a look at http://www.lost-pets.org for some more help.

I'll say a prayer for Scout to come home.

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some great advice ! also put his cat-lit box out - the scent may attract him.

He probably just got a bit adventurous and wanted to have a nose about Cats do leave scent trails so he should be able to pick them up and find his way home to you

Sending lots of come home quick ((((((( vibes ))))) for Scout !

Keep us posted

Yes I agree with Katachtig. Sometimes they can wander a fair way, so drive/walk for a fairly long distance. My neighbours dog went missing once, and we all ( assumed ) too look just within a 1 km radius. I just happened ! too be driving home from the shopping and heard his bark, next too a house...this was 2 kms from home, I know he was a dog..but you can never be too careful. He was too far away and too young and NOT road senced, enough too find his way home. I only use this as an example, I guess my moral is...go a bit further than you might think he may have gone My prayers go out too you, and I know how it feels. Stay positive, keep calling, keep rattling that bag of food, and look afar I wish you the best and I am sure he will turn up

Thank you all so much for your advice! I do have a question about the litter box...

Where the cats now share a litter box and they all "tolerate" each other, do you think I should put the litter box outside since it isn't just his scent but the scent of him and the other 2 cats?

Thank you again for all your support... I am going to make some fliers now...

Praying that he returns soon. I can only imagine how worried you are. Just stay positive.

Originally Posted by MyLilScout

Thank you all so much for your advice! I do have a question about the litter box...

Where the cats now share a litter box and they all "tolerate" each other, do you think I should put the litter box outside since it isn't just his scent but the scent of him and the other 2 cats?

Thank you again for all your support... I am going to make some fliers now...

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he should be able to recognise the scent from the box itself and of his buddies

Continue vibes for Scout and some hugs for you

HE IS HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!



After dropping off flyers all over the neighborhood (in mailboxes) I started walking around door to door to those who lived near by, hand delivering the flyer.

I was just coming up the road back to the house because it was starting to rain, crying again and I hear my boyfriend talking to someone. I came in and he said someone had called at house 62 (we are at 76) seeing Scout!! This was one of the houses I had left a flier with at the door!!!!!!!

We jumped in the car and when we got to house 62, I almost hopped out before my boyfriend could stop the car. The family was on the front porch and said we was under the steps...

I went over and there he was!!!! I called to him and he meowed and came to me. He stopped for a second once out from under the steps and I called again and he came right to me!

I scooped him in my arms, we thanked the family there and came home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He is now back and safe, and I am seriously wondering if I will keep him as an indoor kitty

Thanks to all of you for your advice and support, I appreciate it so much!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!

That is so wonderful.

wonderful, wonderful news...........how is the fella now he's back home was he hungry ? bless him hes gonna get tons of loving today

I think the first thing he did when he got in was eat!

He is now under one of the beds, sleeping and relaxing as well he should!

I'm just so happy he is safe!

I haven't eaten for over 24 hours and am still not that hungry... I think my nerves are still trying to calm... We will all sleep very well tonight!

Thanks again to everyone for your advice, prayers, and support!!!!!

I am so glad he's home. If he likes to go outside, maybe you could get him used to a harness and a leash. Some cats don't mind them at all, and he can go roll in the grass and pounce on bugs, but still be within a safe distance from you.

AWESOME NEWS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy for you and glad the lil guy is safe and home !!!

Originally Posted by Couch Kitties

I am so glad he's home. If he likes to go outside, maybe you could get him used to a harness and a leash. Some cats don't mind them at all, and he can go roll in the grass and pounce on bugs, but still be within a safe distance from you.

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Hi -
Yes, that is now my dilema, do I not allow him to go out anymore?? Do I use a leash? I know he wouldn't let me get a harness on him, because he doesn't even like a collar being put on him.

Do I keep him as an indoor car now? Even with the other 2 going out?

He has already shown intrest of going outside again, meowing and standing by the door. I feel bad since he has now had a taste of it and I have taken that back... sigh. I want him to be happy but don't want to go through being that scared about him again, crying and of course putting my boyfriend through all of that again as well!

Any advice on this is appreciate as well!!!

Originally Posted by MyLilScout

Hi -
Yes, that is now my dilema, do I not allow him to go out anymore?? Do I use a leash? I know he wouldn't let me get a harness on him, because he doesn't even like a collar being put on him.

Do I keep him as an indoor car now? Even with the other 2 going out?

He has already shown intrest of going outside again, meowing and standing by the door. I feel bad since he has now had a taste of it and I have taken that back... sigh. I want him to be happy but don't want to go through being that scared about him again, crying and of course putting my boyfriend through all of that again as well!

Any advice on this is appreciate as well!!!

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I know that feeling of being frantic when you cannot find your kitty. If I were you, I wouldnt let Scout become an in/outdoors kitty. You're going to have a tough time of it if the other kitties in the house are allowed out. Give the leash a try. You may not be able to walk him, but maybe you can take him out to the yard on the leash and drop the leash from him to explore. Give him 15 minutes, then back in the house he goes.

i am soooo glad that he's home !!!

my neighbors around the corner from me are not so lucky. its been at least
a month now and they can't find their cat. its so sad.

so i vote for you keeping him inside.

i have taken too many cats off of our quiet road because they got fatally
hit by a car.

if you let your cat out you are going to have to prepare yourself for the
day he may not return. its not something everyone can do. i couldn't and
so i turned my inside/outside cat into an inside only cat and i live in a studio
apt with a total of 3 cats that used to live outside and now have all become
inside only cats.

at first they objected but no more. now they run away from the door.

you do have the added problem of your boyfriend letting his cats go outside
but that does not mean you have to let yours.

IF you do decide to keep yours inside, i would start talking to your boyfriend
about him making his stay inside.

there are a ton of diseases they can bring back and give to your cat.

not sure if you own a house or rent, but if you own may you could build
some kind of a screened in porch for you and your kittys ?

i tried taking one of my cats out on a harness and he pulled out of three
different kind of harnesses. so i gave up.

my friend tried taking one of her cats out on a harness and her cat did
very well on the harness. BUT her problem ended up being that her cat
would run to the door every time it was opened and she would get out.

so my friend gave up on that idea too and now all three of her cats are
indoor only cats and no longer run to the door when its opened.

so good luck on whatever you do decide to do. i am so happy that your
sweetie is home. i know how sick i would be if my furbaby went missing.

Hi Everyone,

I think keeping him inside will probably be the best way to go. While I get sad when I see him go to the door and meow because he wants to go out, I don't think I could handle him being gone again.

We are getting him chipped this Friday and I have a collar with ID Tag I want him to start wearing, in case he ever did slip out - so I am covered there.

To the person who mentioned an enclosure, I would LOVE to do that, however we currently rent the house we live in, so I wouldn't be able to build anything permanent there.
My boyfriend jokingly suggested a runner, and I actually thought that would be a cool idea, but I don't know if they do those for cats.

We will be looking to buy hopefully summer of 2008 or 2009 so once we own hopefully I can have something permanent put in for him

Thanks again for the prayers and wishes for his safe return and the advice you have given me!!!!!