My Kitty dashed out the Door and disappeared!

Last night, when I came home from work... one of my 2 cats darted out the small gap of the front door as I opened it. She ran down stairs very fast and I couldn't even stop her. Now she's now no where to be found. She's been indoors since I took her in for about a little of 2 years and has never been out (except when she goes to the vet, and she hates it out there). I am so worried that she won't know her way home. I've been looking for her last night and on and off all day today, but she's no where. I live in a pretty big size apartment complex so I am worried to death that she will get lost and scared. I found out that she had diarhea early and pooped out side the litter box. She used to have a pooping problem the first year of her arrival but not since then. I know she's probably scared and just wanted to run, but now my baby is gone. I don't know if she can survive out there, since she's very spoiled. Does any one know if cats will know their way back home if running out? Night's coming again, and I don't know where she'll hide from the cold... I hope she will find her way home... I don't know where else to look, I looked everywhere in the complex. Are cats smart enough to go back to their own homes? And indoor cats? Any one know? Please let me know... and pray for me that she'll find her way back. Thanks.

Can you put signs up on the notice boards in the apartment complex? Or put leaflets in the letter boxes? It's possible that someone close by saw kitty and took her in thinking she was lost/stray.

You hear a lot of stories about cats who find their way home over huge distances, so they a pretty smart like that I think.

Best of luck and positive thoughts for you, I hope she comes back to you soon, please keep us updated!


Naomi

This is my biggest nightmare. Boo! is such a curious little girl... She loves to do the dart-out-the-door trick, too. The other day she made it downstairs to my neighbor's apartment and I had to chase her through their place until I caught her. Usually a stern "no!" will get her to stop and I can head her off, but I'm afraid that one day she won't stop.

I certainly hope your kitty comes back and that you can all sit back and laugh about this all some day.

Thanks Naomi. There are other cats (stray and other resident's in/out door cats)around the complex... so I am not sure if posting notices around will help. My kitty(Milukhu) is really shy and paranoid at strangers, noises, cars, etc... so I think it'd be really hard for others to catch her. Normally, when she's scared of something, she hovers close to the ground as she moves, but if she's outdoor, I don't know where she would hover to... She's so spoiled that I don't know what's going to happen to her if she stays outdoor. I went out with the flashlight to look for her some more, but no luck. I just hope she'll come back on her own. I put out a bowl of food by the front door, maybe she'll come back this way eventually. I feel so helpless and sad because I looked everywhere, and I miss her so much but I don't know what else to do....

Do your kitties eat treats? I know the Pounce treats come in a container that you shake, and if your cat knows that sound, they might come running. You might want to try to walk around the neighborhood shaking a treat can... hopefully she'll hear it and respond. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you find her.

your best time to find her is between 3:00-4:00 a.m. Most cats will go to ground when they get outside, what I mean by that is they will hide very close to their house. Wait until it gets quiet outside and the world is asleep and go and look for her. Call to her, shake a treat can, play a recording of a can opener opening a can of cat food, take a can with you and pop the top somewhere that you know the sound carries. Use a sound she will identify with. Don't put any stress or panic in your voice, call to her softly, use the words you always use with her.

Put on an old tee shirt tonight and sleep with it, in the morning, take it off, turn it wrong side out and hang it somewhere that the wind will carry the scent to her. Leave food and water and shelter outside your door for her. Make up fliers, and call the vets around your area, drop off a picture of her at the vets office so they know what she looks like.

Good luck, I hope she comes home.

Thanks for all the suggestion. I looked again with treats at 3am this morning, but no luck. I saw lots of stray cats around the complex and now am more worried that they will attack Milukhu. I just hung the shirt I wore during the night out on my balcony (i live upstairs). It's been 36 hours since she's missing and when tomorrow comes, I have to go to work and won't be able to look any longer. I am worried about what if she comes home during the day and I'm not there to open the door for her? Will she just leave again? Also, since Friday night (after she dissapeared), her sister - Bumpy seems to become very attached to me. I am sure she's missing her sister too, but the only signs of change are that she meows and purrs a lot at me, following me around, waiting for me by my bedroom door, needing a lot of attention, etc... which she didn't often do before (she was pretty indpendent, now I feel that she's insecure about something). I worry that she'll be sad and alone when I go to work tomorrow. She's never been apart from her sister ever! What will happen to Bumpy?

Take some of her clean kitty litter and sprinkle it outside your door-put her litterbox outside as well. If you can, put a cardboard box outside, flip it upside down, put some weight on the top of it and cut two holes so she can get in and out easily.

Also, when you go to put flyers up, put them at eye level.Talk to bus drivers, people who walk their dogs, the mailman, UPS drivers anyone that has a route on your street and show them her picture.

Don't lose hope, there it always hope.

Thanks Hissy, I'll do that. I don't want to lose hope, but as time goes by, I think the further away she'll travel and I am so scared for her. I know it'll be very difficult for her to survive out there. I looked in trash bins, corners of the complex, bushes and everywhere else I think she'll hide at... but no signs of her. I can't do anything else except look for her, I just want her to come home...

Honestly,

They don't travel, they really don't. They hide, quite effectively and always nearby. She could be inside somewhere just waiting for when it is safe to come out. Is she spayed? Put food out for her and her litterbox- to heck with what the neighbors say! You can also take off your shoes and walk barefoot up and around just outside your door and leave your scent that way. Good luck!

I just came back from searching again, and attracked 3 strays! They came upstairs after I closed the door and that's when I heard meowing. There were 3 stays wanting to eat the food I left outside for Milukhu. I've seen these cats around when I was looking for my kitty, so I am wondering why Milukhu hasn't came out from hiding if my scent and food attracted other cats. Because the strays came up the stairs, will Milukhu now shy away from the entrance to her home?? Or do you think the strays will help to lead her to where there's food?

She was spayed before ever being in heat, so I don't know what will happen or do to her psychologically if some mean male cat chase after her. She's already a very emotionally unstable kitty as it is...

Thanks again hissy, if it wasn't for this site, I wouldn't really know who to ask questions and for support.

If you follow this link, you will see lists of Pet Detectives. Their websites are very informative, and Sherlock Bones has a really effective ebook you can download for a minimum charge. I have spoken to this man several times on the phone, he is a really nice guy! He is the one who gave me the hints I pass on every time I hear of a cat gone missing. Good luck!

Pet Detectives

I lost my indoor only cat for a month. She was timid just like your cat. The chances are very good your kitty is very close by! Your kitty HAS to be somewhere. Don't give up.

Here's the website I put together to help others in the same situation.

Maui-

That is a great website! You should go over to Meowhoo.com and add it under the category of Specialized Pet Services sub category of Lost and Found Pet Information, so other cat owners can benefit from your experience.

Thank you Hissy It's a labor of love for my kitty and any other kitties that may get lost. . .

I just saw the Meowhoo listings when I clicked on your Pet Detective link -- great idea, I will post the web page there -- thanks!

Hope your cat comes home soon.

I was looking after a friend's cat many years ago while she was on honeymoon. Trevor came to live with us in our flat for the three weeks, as my friend's house was too far away for me to go round and look after him there (I don't drive).

Trevor had been with us for about 2 days when he escaped early one morning. Unfortunatly we didn't notice him missing until the evening when I got home from work (he was an older cat and didn't get up very early in the morning). Argh!! Out I went, trolling the streets looking for him, shouting his name and shaking his Iams. No Trevor. After about 5 hours of searching we gave up and went back into the flat. I was really beating myself up that I had lost my friend's beloved cat. At about midnight I decided to have a quick shout out the window and got a "meow" back! I ran outside to find Trevor sat in a neighbours garden, safe and sound, acting as if he'd just been out for an quick stroll. HUZZAH! He got tuna.

Great site, Maui! I have bookmarked it.

Any update on your missing kitty?

I made up fliers yesterday and put it up in the laundry rooms of the apartment complex, left some more fliers around the direction my kitty ran off to...(the complex is really big). So far, I received two phone calls from neighbors, saying that they saw a cat that fits the description. However, I was disappointed at one lead when I showed Milukhu's photo, the neighbor said it wasn't her. Another neighbor said she saw one similar walking around the outside of her building and tennis court. How I wish that is Milukhu! I went looking for her after coming home from work, it was dark already so it was really difficult to see. The frustrating thing is that all my efforts is attracting all the stray cats around. They came upstairs to eat the food I left for Milukhu. And when I go into the bushes to look, I end up seeing a few strays. I am so worried that these strays will hurt my kitty. I plan to look again at 5am tomorrow morning before work. I wish I can take a leave until my kitty is found, but I just started a new job and I don't have the privilege yet. I just don't know what to do anymore. I've been looking day and night for her, but she's no where to be seen. If she is around here, why won't she come out by now? All I can think about is Milukhu... and her sister is so insecure now that where ever I walk to, she will follow. Is there something more I can do?? I will be so happy when Milukhu comes home.

Actually the strays are a good sign. She will join up with them as cats are very social creatures.Outdoor cats always find others to join eventually. They had a story on the news tonight about a man who lost his cat for two years and was recently reunited with her! It was a wonderful touching story!

flimflam -- what a relief that must have been to find Trevor!! Thank you for the compliments

nhlee -- you asked, "If she is around here, why won't she come out by now?" it is VERY typical of timid indoor only cats to not show themselves. They can sometimes go into a complete cover mode and not show themselves. It is an instinctive reaction to what they perceive is a life-threatening situation.

I found it easiest to seach at night with a flashlight, because the kitty's eyes reflect back. When you search, stay in one place for a long, long time. Sit outside and call only a few times, and very softly. Then listen for a long time. Bring out a book and read or have a little snack outside. Make yourself very small and vulnerable. That increases the chance that Milukhu will come to you.

If you are still unable to find her and you have searched everywhere, you may have to trap — like I had to — in order to bring her home.

Here's the website I posted earlier if you had not seen it. It describes how the behavior of skittish and indoor only cats can be very different from mellow relaxed kitties. Sometimes trapping is the only option left to bring home a kitty that may be in danger of starvation.

I hope you find Milukhu soon.