Help me please - Need insight!

I could really do with some advice. I don't have a cat myself, but my brother is besotted with his little fellow Charlie.
Now, Charlie has gone missing and my brother is absolutely distraught. He spent over 6 hours looking for him today... He's convinced the 'worst' has happened. I live a fair way away so couldn't get over to help him look for Charlie but I've been looking online for tips about how to look for a missing cat.

The thing is, as I don't really understand the behaviour of cats, at what point is he actually considered missing?
He was last seen for definite on Thursday night, and my brother's fiancee is pretty sure she saw him on Friday morning. It's Saturday night now, is that long enough for him to be "missing" or is there a chance he's just had his eye caught by something and may still be home of his own accord? I'd really like to be able to give my brother some hope...

If I get chance tomorrow I'm going to go over to his house to help look, maybe canvas the neighbours with a photo etc. Any other tips? I really want to help him, he's absolutely devastated.

Is charlie neutered? If not he may be wandering looking for a female, if he is neutered, he could show up when he's had enough of the outside. Is he an indoor cat or an outdoor cat? One of my cats is an indoor only cat and he slipped out the door, he was gone for hours, luckily he is neutered and after he had enough he came back. Your brother could put his picture around the neighborhood maybe someone will find him and bring him back. Good luck. I really hope you find him, please keep us updated.

Fax or hand-carry a picture to every vet, animal control, pet store, and shelter in the city your brother lives in as well as the surrounding areas. Post pics in the local neighborhood.

Borrow a have-a-heart trap, set-it-up in the kitty's yard and bait it with something really smelly (tuna is a good one). Sprinkle cat nap lightly in the front of the trap and a little more heavily in the back. Then cover the trap with a blanket, leaving the entrance clear, of course.

Good luck to you!

Originally Posted by aswient

Is charlie neutered? If not he may be wandering looking for a female, if he is neutered, he could show up when he's had enough of the outside. Is he an indoor cat or an outdoor cat? One of my cats is an indoor only cat and he slipped out the door, he was gone for hours, luckily he is neutered and after he had enough he came back. Your brother could put his picture around the neighborhood maybe someone will find him and bring him back. Good luck. I really hope you find him, please keep us updated.

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Ooh, I don't know if he's neutred or not, that's a good question. I remember for a while they were thinking of keeping him as a house cat so weren't going to bother but I tried to convince them to have him neutred anyway (even my house rabbit is neutred!!) so I'm not sure whether he took my advice or not. Do you think if he isn't neutred he could be gone for good? Or will he impregnate some unsuspecting neighbourhood cat and then come back when he's finished??
He is an outdoor cat now but I think he usually comes back every morning to crawl into bed with my brother and his fiancee... That's why they're so worried.
I'll have to find out more when I go and visit tomorrow. I'll keep you all updated. Please post on here if you think of any more tips or if you think 48 hours isn't too long for him to be missing to be this worried!!

If he is not neutered that is probably what he is doing looking for a female, eventually, he probably will be back. If he does come back he really should be neutered, its much healthier for them and mostly, because there won't be poor little unwanted kittens. Good luck.

I had a cat go missing for MONTHS and he decided to come back on his own. He was obviously well-fed and in great shape but we took him to the vet anyway to be sure. The vet told us that cats that go outside often have "vacation homes" -- and in fact there may be another family somewhere now frantically looking for OUR cat! This is extremely common. So I decided, no more outdoor cats. I can't deal with the stress when they go "missing". Also it's better for the cat. Being outdoors, there are so many dangers, cars, poisons, other animals, etc.
The point is, we had given up hope after a few weeks, only to have our little darling come waltzing back months later, good as new, if not a little heavier! Also the point is, try to keep cats indoors.

Thanks to everyone for your advice and understanding.
Charlie was found today, alive and well! My brother canvassed the area with flyers and one couple had seen him sniffing around a school that is being renovated. They had the keys for the builders so they let my brother borrow them to have a look around, and Charlie had somehow gotten himself stuck in the basement of the school, wrapped up in fishing line and trying to get out through a coal hatch!! My brother said they refused to take a reward because "they were animal lovers and just glad to help" but he said he would've given them everything he had in his wallet.
So, happy ending this time. Phew!

Originally Posted by KittKatt

Those kitty hormones are gonna take over again, and there won't be any stopping him. Next time, he may not be so lucky. Getting him neutered is better for him and healthier, and also prevents more unwanted homeless kittens.

Tell little brother he needs to listen to his sister!

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ABSOLUTELY!

If for no other reason, if he likes the cat that much, it should be considered that the life of a roaming, "intact" tom is generally not easy or long.

Glad Charlie was found (my Oci's name is Charlie too). But he should be neutered now and really should only be supervised outside. Train to a harness/leash or build/buy a cat enclosure.

Next time Charlie may not be so lucky!