Missing Cat ...question might upset some

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.

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!

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!

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:

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.

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.

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...

Yes, adding more vibes!

!!!!!!!

I haven't given up hope either. Many times a day, I think of Mike, Sasha, and Yogi, and I say a little prayer that they come home. I'm not a "pray-er" and years go by when I don't pray. I'm an agnostic, at this point, but I hope at least Basket is listening. I pray that these 3 come home, as Dusty and Gemma did. I understand what you are going through, and I'm so sorry that you have to go through this pain and anxiety.

I'll keep up the hope and prayers.

Come on, Mike, find your way home!

Robin

YES! to all your questions about could he be confused and lost his way and he could be so rattled he doesn't come when you call.

Can you get ahold of an appropriate trap to take to that man's yard to get him? Even if it turns out to not be Mike, it sounds like that cat needs help. And it may be Mike!

Sure hope so.

Robin

Hi Nance I agree with everything Robin said and I would get a trap out there anyway or at least in your yard. Even if you trap this other cat, at least then you can get that cat some help. Mike might be so scared at this point and just be frightened of everyone. If he does hear you calling him, he just might be to leary to come to you. So the trap might be the answer, at the very least, it is worth a try. More to you tonight. I feel your heartache and know it is so hard, the not knowing what has happened to them.

Nance,

This sounds just like what happened with Gemma (and I WAS able to trap her, and bring her home, so please keep trying--you will succeed!). That site I recommended said that most stray cats will have only a 1-5 house range of territory (Gemma was across our street, BTW). It sounds as if Mike is doing the same thing (you may have a lot more space between your houses that I do, which may account for the 9 number. I wonder if the 1-5 houses really means the average space that would take up in land?).

Coudl you borrow or rent (maybe offer a donation, if they don't rent) a humane trap from a local cat rescue? When we trapped Hobbes years ago, we had no trap. A neighbor, who didn't know us, BTW, worked as a volunteer for a small animal rescue, and heard about our plight, and let us use the trap for 2 weeks.

I know it's very frustrating for you, and you want your baby back. I know just how you must feel. If you are persistent, you WILL get your cat back. Enlist the help of every neighbor you can. Get people talking about your cat, and looking. When we went out for our nightly "search for Gemma" strolls, we had almost everyone we ran into asking about her, and they said they were looking for her. And these are neighbors we hardly ever see/talk to. Gemma was actually spotted many times by the kids across the street, who kept searching for her when we weren't able to. If it weren't for them, it would've taken much longer to find her.

BTW, does your cat like catnip? I tried strewing my fresh stuff around to attract Gemma. Not sure if it actually works (I think hunger was the motivation for her to go into the trap), but it may help. I had an idea to make cloth bags with dried catnip in them, and tying them to the trap. As we caught her before I did this, I don't know if it would work, but it's worth a try. You need to make the trap irresistable for your kitty!