Missing Cat ...question might upset some

My cat got out of the house yesterday (thursday) at 6 am....No matter what I seem to do he gets out..my house is very busy ..I run a childcare business...And he got out when one of the mothers came ..He has gotten out b4....but always comes home..And he is easy to get back in the house but the weather is finally getting nice and he stalks the doors ..so when he got out he bolted this time..But I didn't worry because he always comes back....within an hr or so..However not this time.. I've searched ...had neighbours searching..placed ads at local stores and on the net ...And haven't heard anything....Now let me get to the question....
A friend called and said she saw a tabby on the road dead..It was fairly far from my home and I thought nah he wouldn't go all the way there...about 1.5 miles from my home..But I had to check to see....Well it didn't look like him to me...my b/f says it did....MY cat is very thin this cat wasn't..my b/f says the get swollen when they get hit by a car and are on the side of the road....I am sorry if this is morbid...I got mad at him saying I think I would know my cat..And this cat seemed more brown than black....I swore it wasn't my cat ..he is doubting me ...Do they actually look that much different after they die ?

I am sorry your cat got out, and I do hope the one on the side of the road is not your kitty

I am not sure about deaths of cats, but I wanted to send good vibes.

Well, I know that after death, bodies do bloat. It happens within a certain time period of death and then the bloating goes away. I sure hope that wasn't your kitty. I'm so sorry. This must be really hard, not knowing.

Thank you both....its torture not knowing...I don't know what else I can do except go look for him again..I am losing hope as the hrs tick by

Aw, I'm so sorry. I can't answer your question either... but I do hope it wasn't your kitty. I don't imagine their colors change, but I really don't know.

I'd post links and suggestions about what to do, but I saw you posted in MargeCat's thread, so you've seen those already.

you're able to find him or he comes home!

Thanks LDG...I have such a headache from worrying...I really was just wondering about the size of that poor cat..not really the color..Its going to be one long weekend I think...At least during the week days I have children to keep my mind occupied..I went for another walk...calling for Mike the whole way but didn't hear him.. thats was what I was going for that walk...He is a very vocal kitty and he talks to me ..so I thought if he was hurt some where he would call out to me....but nothing :*(

Sadly, I can answer this as we live by a very hungry road now. They can become unrecognizable when hit by a car. They can appear darker because of the asphalt and the gravel and skinny kittens can look plumper depending on how they are hit.

If you have other cats in the area, you need to take this cat off the road because others will follow the scent and they too will get hit. Give it a proper burial if you can or at the very least put it to the side of the road into the weeds or trees if there are any-

I am so sorry your cat is missing. Now I do think it takes a few days for them to get that blown up look to the body. So if your cat just got lost yesterday not sure if that cat could even be yours. I sure hope not and again sending you many, many vibes that he returns home safely.

I sure hope that wasn't your cat. And I hope he comes home soon. It's such a worry.

It hasn't happened to me in a very long time, but when I did have cats get out, they did come home. But it took a couple days. And I was worried sick.

Robin

I am so, so sorry for what you're going through right now... I sincerely hope that was not your kitty. We have had barn cats that were hit by cars and it's just a horrible, horrible tragedy.

Best wishes and vibes for your cat!

I wake up in the middle of the night and go outside and call him...I wake up early am to see if he is waiting to come in like a few times in the past...still nothing..He isn't the type not to come home..or stay away more than a few hrs..something is preventing him from coming home..I would like to think its something like some has taken him in...because everyone loved him he is a very friendly cat..He was the one cat that showed love to every other animal I brought home,instantly..never fought with any of them dogs included...Sadly I do know that the worst thought in my head is the most likely scenario..My b/f says I am driving myself crazy with worry...not sure how to stop that :*(

Its been 4 full days now basicly...and no sign at all of Mike...I don't know what more I can do..I go for a walk daily with my dogs calling for him ....I've had one person call she got my number from my flyer...But she just wanted to tell me about the dead cat I saw already ..I'll call around to animal control and the humane society again ...keeping my fingers crossed...I repost my ad online daily so it stays on top and doesn't get buried...I just wish he would just come home

Just sending you more caring vibes..... I am so very sorry for your kitty being lost and I sure hope that he finds his way home to you very soon. :vi bes:

Thank you....still nothing...I called shelters and so on again today....I had one say oh no we don't house them if someone finds them...we can just let you know where they were seen last.. unless the person actually holds them for you....I thought what good is this place if they don't even let you bring a so called stray or missing cat..It was the OSPAC...thought that was something they did....learn something new everyday I guess....I was looking thru my camera today and I had taken a pic of three of my cats sleeping together including Mike..just the other day..shouldn't have looked at those pics :*( I can't believe how hard this has been on me.....NEVER EVER again will I let a cat outside without a harness ( and only when I am out with it ) or an enclousure...I wanted my b/f to build one for the past 2 yrs...he thinks its silly...I might have to soon conceded he is dead...I find it so hard to deal with ...the wondering what happend to him....did he get hurt....is he out there dying ...is he already dead...suffering...:*(

Boy o boy! I'm feeling so sad for you and the others here who have lost cats in the last few days. I'd just despair.

Cats do come back after a week or more. And they do get locked in sheds, or people find them and take them in, especially if they are friendly. Keep making the effort to bring him back. I've had cats get out and return after a few days.

Part of the problem is it can be hard to know if a cat that is outside belongs to someone who lets their cat out, or if it is a lost cat, or even a stray cat. When there were loose cats visiting my yard, I was always wondering if they belonged to someone.

I'll keep on hoping for Mike to return home.

Robin

I once had a cat named Ming, who was 16 years old when she went missing. She was Mom's cat, and an indoor/outdoor cat (we had over an acre of land, so we could safely let our pets outside). We thought she was dead. We gave up hope. Six weeks later, I hear a meow at the back door one night. It was Ming! She smelled like motor oil and dust a bit, and she had lost 20% of her weight, and had an eye infection, but was otherwise fine. She must have been accidentally locked in a shed/garage/basement.

Its always nice and upsetting at the same time to hear those kinda stories...It would be great if Mike makes it home....but thoughts of him trapped someone is also upsetting to me...but again nice to know he might come home eventually..
I talked to the animal control guy yesterday ...where I live there are a few fields and also a smaller river that has on occasion brought wild life into my area...like bears and deer....However the animal control guy said there is a fox in a field near my house killing ground hogs...and they have known to go after a cat but usually not because cats are alot of work for the fox and will fight back...He asked if Mike was sick or if anything would be wrong with him that he could have become some kinda prey...I said I didn't think so..
I have searched those fields and didn't see any sign but my b/f will go and check again..there is an old fire house in that field where the fox has been seen...I live beside an old abandon school and my daughter jumped the fence again yesterday and went in thru a broken window but I wouldn't let her go to far in..its a terrible mess ..with mold and all kinds of critters in there..She called and listened but again nothing...I feel kinda helpless...I don't know what more I can do :*(

I have doubts the cat on the road is your cat. Depending on heat, it would take some time for a cat to become bloated. I think you would still recognize your cat unless he was mangled up badly. Also, cats usually don't go far when they escape. I would leave the dogs home when I look for Mike. Go alone. Also just try sitting outside quietly. Your cat may just be hiding.

I spend my days outside...I really don't think he is hiding...he isn't scared being outside...he has to be locked up somewhere or something terrible happened to him...in a few hrs it will be one full week of him being gone and not seen..this is so hard ....I feel there isn't anything I can do but sit and wait....the walking around and calling hasn't turned up anything...and to be honest its making me even more upset...each time I hear nothing upsets me more..:*(

So many hugs to you tonight, I am so very sorry Mike has not come home yet. I am still hoping for this to happen I do know how you are feeling, if that is any comfort, you are not alone...