My cat is missing- need advise

My 2 year old cat Diego has been missing for six days now. He is fixed and has never spent a night outside. He is an indoor cat, that I let him and his brother goes outside in the evening to play in the grass. I live in the country, so there are a lot of woods around. I have searched every single day, constantly calling him and going into the woods. My dad says he just found a girlfriend and is taking his time coming back. Can house cats survive outside without food or water, not to mention this heat wave where I live. I am very worried and will at this point do anything. I have already put up flyers where I could, now it's all like a waiting game. Is there some way to call him or to attract him back home, just wondering?

Well, I had a cat do this when I was younger, when we lived on the farm and the general thought of my parents was that it was okay to let animals outside. Now, he wasn't fixed so he went out wandering... he was gone for a week, but we went out and called him daily, and took walks in various directions calling him, so that our voices carried further. Eventually he came home.

My Mau got outside and it's pretty much impossible to pick her up.. she was out for three days, went to ground, and we finally got her back inside by cooking a chicken with the windows open so she could smell it, and she eventually came back inside.

I'd try walking outside with a dry food bag if he's used to the sound.. mine usually come running if they hear the sound of the food bag shaking...

I wish you the best of luck and I'm sending lots of vibes your way to bring the youngster back home quickly and safely.

If he's an indoor cat with little exposure to outside (especially unsupervised) then he may not know how to really survive. As far as gf? He's neutered, he wouldn't have any interest.

He may be hiding somewhere afraid or something chased him off the property. Keep looking and calling him. Hopefully he will turn up unhurt. I'd put some flyers out for his return. How close are your neighbors?

Originally Posted by chloe3404

I live in the country, so there are a lot of woods around.

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I had a similar experience as a teenager while at home. We found my cat in the top of a tall tree in the woods. She apparently was the one and only cat who couldn't climb back down a tree once she went up. Maybe a walk through the woods or by the woods might find him. Good luck! Keep us posted.

Don't forget to check with all the local shelters and humane society's.

I have posted flyers at several different vets offices, and the nearest convienant store and I call the animal shelter every day. I actually have a friend who works there and he will let me know if any new cats come in. Today is the eighth day he has been gone. It is driving me insane, but I have faith he will be back soon. If a cat has been gone 8 days, will they still regconize their names, their owner and especially their own brother. Both cats live inside and are very close. I adopted them both at just 2 weeks old. They were abandoned. I think he will probably hiss at his brother and be grumpy towards him. Is that a somewhat true accessment as to what will happens when he is reunited with his brother. If it is, I can deal with that, just as long as he is back.

When he comes back you may want to seperate the two of them, and let the wayward boy have time to clean off all the scents from "outside" and then give them a little time to sniff each other through a door for a few minutes. There's a product called No Mark that's available at most pet stores...or online through PetSmart.com, which is the cheaper but still effective generic imitation of Feliway. It just gets sprayed around.. you'd want to spray both sides of the door that Diego is behind so that they both smell it and associate something positive with each other...

Or, they might just be fine and none of that may be needed.

I hope you find him soon! Sending lots of good luck vibes your way.

And tell yourself he may well have found a very good new home with people who just haven't either seen your flyers, or called the shelter because they're afraid of having to give him back, etc. It's not a perfect situation, but it may be good in terms of safety, food, etc.

Keep hope. My first cat disappeared for 8 or 9 days once, and we were sure we would never see her again. Then one day, she just showed up meowing at the door. And smelling of perfume. I agree about shaking the bag of food. Whenever I look for my Javie if he gets out, I shake the treat bag and if he can hear it, he always comes running.

I truly feel for you! How much anxiety you must be going through! I would just say keep up the calling for him and searching, assisting him to find his way home if he did stray off. It is unlikely a neutered male will stray from home for other cats, especially for that long. This doesn't mean it can't happen, or other curious things that caused him to loose his way. Prayers towards his way home.......

Any luck yet??

Nope, no luck so far. Not even a single sign of anything. Although, a funny somewhat refreshing thing happened today as I was out again in the woods looking and calling for him. I went down so many trails in the woods in my area and was about to come up the hill to make my way back up to my house and I turned around and called my cat Diego one more time before I left and I heard a meow. I just about freaked out. Once I heard it, I kept calling him and as the meows got louder, I bursted into a patch of rough branches and briers and trecked up through so much dirt thinking I found him and then look up and it is Diego's brother ZO-ZO. My mom had let zo-zo out on the porch, he heard me calling for Diego and ran all the way to the woods and thought that I was calling him. I was so devastated that it wasn't Diego, but I picked up zo-zo and walked back home. ZO-ZO is a good cat, he listens very well and is a little on the goofy side, were as Diego is more rebellious and defiant, but still a good little boy. I'm still trying and still waiting for my boy to come home. I appreciate all the good luck and advise.

You might take a look at this site to get ideas of looking for him. http://www.lost-pets.org/

Aww, sorry that it wasn't him. I'm still sending good luck vibes to find her.