Crying

Lino is our cat since February this year and he always sits with me by the computer when I do my homework. My son and husband (who used to hate cats before Lino) love him. When we fisrt brought him home, we wanted him to be an inside cat, but he always wanted to go outside and sometimes dissappeared for hours. Sometimes he would spend the night inside and then go out in the morning, and didn't come home till night. We were always curious about where were his other "hang outs" and all I know is that he used the neighbor's house as a shortcut to get to or home (he lives in front of our house) Two days ago he came home without his collar and I was about to get him another one tomorrow (is not the first time) Well, Lino left yesterday at about 6 in the morning, and is been about 28 hrs and Lino hasn't come home.
I'm crying my eyes out and have no idea what to do. I even stayed up all night waiting for him to come home, close to the door so I could hear him mewo if he came home, but nothing.I still have hope he's going to be at our door any minute...
Any advice??? I'M HEARTBROKEN, AND I DREAD THE MOMENT my son wakes up and asks for him. we love that cat with all our hearts... Is it possible that he can still make it home after all this time?? the longest he's been out is 9 hours and I was also worried sick.... PLEASE I NEED WORDS OF COMFORT. advice. anything. I CAN'T STOP CRYING

try putting out a trap by your house for him. It worked for my sister's cat not too long ago after he darted out the door.

but he's not home yet... I went looking for him on foot, calling his name, but to no avail. I walked three blocks, I don't think he ever went much farther.... I feel so depressed, I can't sleep or eat.

There are lots of hints here, but you never know what will work.

Put some food and water on the porch, possibly with something from you or your family, such as a dirty T shirt, anything that smells like you.

Such cats rarely go very far. Look for them at night with a flashlight, when you can see the glow of their eyes. Look under cars, porches, bushes, etc.

Unfortunately, if he's been coming home and suddenly doesn't, it usually means he can't. Worst case, he may have been severely injured or killed. Best case, someone else saw him outside, thought he was a stray, and brought him inside.

Check with Animal Control. Put up posters. Talk to the neighbors.

Cats can stay away for quite a long time and come back home. When I was little we had a cat who took off and was gone for several weeks. He had gone and taken up residence at a day care center and the kids were feeding and playing with him there. I can't remember how we found him but I seem to recall that he just came home. Don't give up hope yet.

This is what I think you, or anyone that has lost a cat, should do: First, keep food and water outside for him. Chances are that he's been back when you didn't see him. I would also keep a window open for him and something under it so that he can get up easily (I had a runaway foster come back this way). If you can get a trap keep it baited with something good and smelly and rig it up in a place where you know he would walk. Lowes sell traps at a pretty reasonable price. You can always sell it later to get some of your money back. Sometimes animal control and humane societies will let people borrow or rent traps too.
Second, go check your local shelters, even ones that are not that close to you. Go check in person. Don't rely on calling. It's not uncommon that you don't get the right information from the very overworked staff which is why you should look yourself. Keep checking every few days since new animals come in all the time and they are only held for a few days.
Call local vets too. Some keep lists of lost and found animals.
Third, put out ads and flyers. Put out ads online on sites like Craigslist and in your local paper. Sometimes they let you put in a lost ad for free. Then put up flyers, as many as you can, far and wide. Put "Lost Cat" and "Reward" in big letters and include a picture as well as a description. It's very important that you put the flyers in a lot of places so that as many people as possible see them. Many lost pets are found and taken in by good samaritans and if that's the case you want to reach that person. Put the flyers on telephone poles in your neighborhood, at the grocery store, library, pet stores, vet's office. All over. A lot of lost pets are found more than five miles from their home so don't just settle for putting up flyers in your immediate area.

Remember that you have to be proactive if you want to find your cat. If he doesn't come home to you you have to go looking for him. Don't give up.

When you do find him it may be a good idea to get him microchipped and make him an indoor cat. You can teach him to go out on a harness and tie-out. My cats have a 30 foot tie-out that allows them to run around in the yard and it works just fine.

Good luck. I hope you find Lino very soon. I'm sending "Lino-come-home"-vibes your way