Lost my cat--please advise - she's back!

Gemma got outside accidentally, over 24 hours ago. We didn't know until 3:30 Am today (thought she was hiding inside). DH said she came to the back door, and he put food out--she grabbed a tiny bit, than ran off. Our back yard is fenced; however, it is lattice-work; she's a climber when she's scared, and small and lightweight enough to do that easily. What really worries me is the gate. When DH made it 3 years ago, he made it too short--a6"-8" gap under it--more than enough for Gemma to get out into the front yard, right next to a busy street. She could be under the deck, but I've spent the day looking--not there, nor anywhere I can see. When DH told me this AM that he saw her, I showered, dressed, and ran out to block the space under the gate (he wouldn't bother). There was enough time for her to get out under the gate before I got there.

I even took the day off work to try to find her. I put out the humane trap, with food, near the deck--no luck. I've seen no evidence of Gemma all day. I'm sick with worry.

Can anyone advise me on how to search for her, attract her back, etc?

On top of it all, DH and I had a big fight. I'm so angry at him for the gate. I've been begging for 3 years for him to at least nail a board to lower it. I was so afraid one of the 9 cats would get out accidentally (they're all indoor cats). I've been awake since 3AM, I'm exhausted, I've been in pain in my abdomen (lady's problems), I've been crawling around on my belly, trying to fee under the deck. I had started to make lost cat posters, told DH that I was offering an award(and told him, since it was his fault, he'd pay it). He got angry that I was offering a reward for "a cat". He always says he loves our cats, nbrings them home, then says THAT? I chided him for not helping more to find Gemma; he said he was going upstairs to pack for a reenactment this Saturday. I said, "So I guess that's more important than finding Gemma?" "Yes."

Thanks for your advice.

oh no!!!

Please see this site: http://www.catsinthebag.org/

and this one: http://www.lost-pets.org/content/view/3/1/

Good luck!!

I'd diminish your anger for your DH, and work with him in finding your kitty. Keep his favorite food out. Is your cat collared or chipped? I'd call the shelters in the morning and let them know you lost a cat, they will keep an eye out, especially for those that people bring in as strays.

I'd also keep his food out (water it a bit to make it smell more), and keep an eye out. While I never had experience with lost cats, I am under the impression that they'll come back when they are ready to.

I apologize for sounding rude in this post, but I see the real issue is a missing cat, not who's angry at who.

I wish you best in finding your kitty. Please do keep us posted.

I am SO sorry sweetie, I can only imagine your worry.

Cats that escape outside are usually within a 3-block radius (and usually closer to home than that). But they can hide, and small. If she's scared, calling her won't work. Sometimes popping a can of food will (if they're used to that sound), and some leave out a litter box - a familiar scent to help lure them home.

But basically you need to enlist family in friends - and neighbors - and go looking for her. That's your best hope of getting her back home as soon as possible. Hissy's site, lost-pets, has great advice. Read the whole article. I hope it helps.

http://www.lost-pets.org/content/view/3/1/

Carolina got the link up! So just more

"
I apologize for sounding rude in this post, but I see the real issue is a missing cat, not who's angry at who."

Yes, I realize that--if I hadn't, I wouldn't been up since 3 AM, frantically searching for Gemma, doing everything I could think of to find her, nor would I have posted here. I am sick with worry about her. I really don't need to be judged right now--I just found out my Mom has cancer, on top of all of this.

And my husband is useless for helping to find her. He seems to that we should just go about our normal lives, and she'll just show up at the door in a few days.

Originally Posted by MargeCat

He seems to that we should just go about our normal lives, and she'll just show up at the door in a few days.

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You must be extremely frightened for Gemma; and of course you are worried and searching for her, but it is actually quite common for cats to get out and then return several days later as though nothing had happened. Cats have a very strong home instinct.
Anyhow, I really do hope you find her safely!

We still haven't seen her, but I think there's some good news:

Around 4:40 AM, I was in bed, awake. I swore I heard a cat wailing in distress just for a second. I yelled at DH (he was up & downstairs, and dressed) to go outside and look. Of course, he tried to tell me I heard a cat from a few streets away (?!?!), and didn't want to bother. After I yelled at him, let's just say he changed his mind (I was frantically trying to find something to cover myself up with, so I could run outside to look). We didn't see anything, but the sound came from the side yard, not too far away from where I was sleeping.

The really good news is that I had put food out, near the back door, around 11 PM last night. I just noticed a stream of vomited cat food by the dish--it had to be from a cat, not a smaller animal--and it was the type of wet food and dry that we put out, also the other type of wet food (that Gemma would have had in her system from before). I think, given that I've had the gate blocked off since early yesterday AM, had been searching every hour, that another cat would not be in the backyard. I think they would've run when I checked outside repeatedly. I really think it is Gemma. At least she's contained in a fenced yard, and that stupid gate (which is still going to be fixed--by me) is blocked. Theoretically, she could still climb the fence, but I highly doubt it. I feel a lot better going to work knowing this. I was terrified that she got out under the gate, and into the HUGE neighborhood (400 houses!).

I got up 2 hours early today, so I could distribute missing cat posters..postponing that, happily! I'm still going to move and re-set the humane trap, near the back door this time.

Thanks for all your good wishes, & I'll keep you posted.

I know that sick feeling when one of our furbabies goes missing. I can only add vibes for her safe return. If you possibly can, get up around 3-4 in the morning as that is a time when lost cats often return for food, sit outside very quietly and speak/read to yourself and to her in a soft voice. She is more likely to respond if she is around than if she hears feet and shouting for her. All the very best of luck in finding her.

I do hope she's contained in the yard! Continued for her safe return

I'm sorry your going thru this too....I hate this feeling as well...my stomach is even upset worrying so much...I hope your kitty comes home 2

Originally Posted by Nance

I'm sorry your going thru this too....I hate this feeling as well...my stomach is even upset worrying so much...I hope your kitty comes home 2

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Thank you. And I hope the cat you found on the road is not your precious baby...

No sign of Gemma since finding the vomit this morning before work. I will take the suggestion someone made of being awake between 3-4AM, if I can. I'm very tired today. (Worrying about Mom and Gemma. Mom's cancer is worse than we thought yesterday. I've had a huge headache I can't get rid of, all day, so I may go to bed very soon.)

I am praying for you that Gemma comes back. I wonder if leaving out a litter box, like Laurie suggested, would help? It would have the smell of the other cats and might attract her and make her feel safe. I know the pain you are feeling and I am so sorry, you are doing the best you can to find Gemma. I bet she will come to you very soon.

Originally Posted by Feralvr

I am praying for you that Gemma comes back. I wonder if leaving out a litter box, like Laurie suggested, would help? It would have the smell of the other cats and might attract her and make her feel safe. I know the pain you are feeling and I am so sorry, you are doing the best you can to find Gemma. I bet she will come to you very soon.

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Thank you. I did try this; no sign of Gemma yesterday nor today. I even got up between 3 and 4 AM, and stayed up for 2 hours.

I'm so sorry you're going through this. I know how miserable it is. Hopefully, she'll come home soon.

I'd try to follow as much of the advice given on hissy's site, as you can.

A couple months ago someone wrote here about a cat that eventually came in the same door it went out, after it was kept propped open for a little while. That's sometimes not possible, but if you can arrange it, it's worth a try.

Robin

There is some promising news about Gemma today. I thought I'd post a timeline of what happened, and update it daily, if possible--perhaps this will help others who've lost their cats? I'll tell you what I tried:

Day 1, Wednesday: Escape day! The problem is, we had no idea she did. She must've slipped out the back door as DH was filling the bird feeder (in the early AM darkness). Wondered where she was, but didn't worry--as our cats are indoor, and I could see no way she could escape. Went to bead.

Day 2: DH got up around 3:30 for work. I was still in bed. He called up, "I know where Gemma is--she's outside!" "Huh?!?!" I told him to block the gate bottom in the yard (has a 6-8" gap underneath). He didn't do it. I threw some clothes on, and a few minutes later, did so. Meanwhile, he had tried to lure her in, but Loki hissed at here, scaring her off (she must've exited under that gate). Took day off work to search for her. Every hour, I went out in the backyard, calling her; set the humane trap, put food and water out. No sign of Gemma.

Day 3: Put food out the night before, next to the back door. Saw cat vomit next to the bowl. As the gate was blocked off, it probably was Gemma. No other sign of her. Re-baited trap, strew stalks of fresh catnip around the yard. Put more food and water out before bedtime. Also put a nylon small dog kennel "tent" with a blanket, as it was cold. Put out soiled litter to attract her.

Day 4: Distributed fliers with 2 pics. Put in mailboxes on my street, and in some stores. Ran out of fliers, had to do errands, housecleaning, laundry, hence not having time to do more fliers. Did post 2 signs by mailbox, 1 facing out each direction. Our street is a very busy dog-walking street, and kids-playing street. I saw people stopping to look at the signs. I simply put the flier in a big Zip-Loc bag to protect them. The kids across the street took great interest in the signs, and talked to me. Took the kitty buffet advice in one of the websites, and put out divided tray of tuna, canned chicken and dry food and water. This time, put it outside of the open gate, in front yard. Also scattered soiled litter (glad it was in the trash inside the garage--wonder what the neighbors would think if they saw me digging into the trash bags, and scattering stuff on the lawn! ). I opened the gate on the advice of DH and the neighbor, so Gemma could get back in. I assumed, since we hadn't seen evidence of her (eating the food, etc.) in the back yard, she may have gotten out another way. Also got some of Leo's fur (her best buddy cat) out of the vacuum cleaner, and threw that and more fresh catnip around the "buffet".

Day 5: Saw that the tunna was devoured (nothing else was). The kids mentioned above told DH they thought they saw Gemma running across the street a few houses up, and into the common area between those houses. The little girl's description sounded just like Gemma. Sent DH to Staples to make many more fliers, and he'll distribute them further out of the neighborhood. Need to search that area in which was sited.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thats good new to know she is still around the area....hope u get her soon.

Originally Posted by Nance

Thats good new to know she is still around the area....hope u get her soon.

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Still haven't found her, but the 2 kids again said one of them say a cat fitting her description near his friend's house 2 rosw of houses above ours (we have 490 houses in the development, on over 200 + acres!) That area is right across from this morning's sighting (by them also). They are so sweet--they even came over when we were on the deck, saying they wanted to see if they could find the kitty. We gave out many more fliers, and spoke to some people on that street, who said they'd look for us.

Earlier, we took a walk in the opposite direction, behind our house. (We have "common areas" between the houses.) Someone earlier had told DH that many stray cats congregate down there. When we realized it was a 1/4 mile from our house, we decided that she probably wouldn't go all the way down there. Then, in the opposite direction, we searched the common area that the kids saw her run toward this morning. Another 1/4 mile stretch of wooded area, ending in a swampy patch--lots of brush, etc. We did see a very large, dark cat (I thought it was a black fox!) dart into the brush. Not Gemma, though--nothing like her in looks/size. If she is over there, we think she's much closer to the road--many places to hide there.

BTW, I forgot to say that I'm trying the Feliway-type spray, as the article suggested. Last night, I sprayed it on the gate, the stepping stones near the gate, etc.

Oh, and we did trap a cat in the humane trap this afternoon--poor George, from next door--my gardening buddy--a very sweet, orange male cat! Our backyard and deck see to be his turf. He visit each day,promptly at 11 AM! He usually makes me open thekitchen window to pet him--he's a cutey!

Well, that is a bit of a Mother's Day gift in itself . I am glad she was spotted. I wonder too, along with what Robin said, if you leave the door open a tiny bit would she come back in that door? But, if you have other cat's then you would have to lock them up in a room while you did this. if you would want to try this. Just more "come home Gemma" vibes