Should I Still Be Hoping My Missing Cat Will Come Home?

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Norachan

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She's back!



After 10 days missing in the worst snow we've ever had Lizzie came back! I woke up this morning to find her sitting on the doorstep,  crying to be let in.

She looks fine, not injured or dirty and she still has her collar on. She's very hungry but can't decide if she wants to eat or be hugged. She keeps going to her food bowl, taking a mouth full then coming back to rub against my legs.

Bless her.

I'm so happy I'm going to be doing this all day.  

 

amice

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She's back!



After 10 days missing in the worst snow we've ever had Lizzie came back! I woke up this morning to find her sitting on the doorstep,  crying to be let in.

She looks fine, not injured or dirty and she still has her collar on. She's very hungry but can't decide if she wants to eat or be hugged. She keeps going to her food bowl, taking a mouth full then coming back to rub against my legs.

Bless her.

I'm so happy I'm going to be doing this all day.  

 Yay Lizzie! So glad she's back. She must have missed you (and food!) so much, and what a strong little soul, braving through the snow. 

Come on George, follow Lizzie's example and come home! 
 And best wishes and lots of love and support to all of the other missing kitties and their owners out there. 
 
 

shadowsrescue

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She's back!



After 10 days missing in the worst snow we've ever had Lizzie came back! I woke up this morning to find her sitting on the doorstep,  crying to be let in.

She looks fine, not injured or dirty and she still has her collar on. She's very hungry but can't decide if she wants to eat or be hugged. She keeps going to her food bowl, taking a mouth full then coming back to rub against my legs.

Bless her.

I'm so happy I'm going to be doing this all day.  

Oh thank goodness!!!  I am so happy she is home safe and sound and only hunger to show for her long journey!!!  What an adventure she must of had.  So happy she is back!!!!
 

winkie

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Great News Norachan...And now be ready to give us the news that George is also back home....

And you are such a blessed person to have so many cats and caring for them...

Stay blessed!! Love and hugs to all your cats....

@Shadows Rescue : Patches knows you wish him to be at home and believe me he will come.....He needs you for sure....And wait for the miracle to happen...
 
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Norachan

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Thank you everyone.

Lizzie is doing really well, she has spent the past two days eating and sleeping. We're all really glad to have her back. To be honest I kind of gave up on her after that last blizzard. I didn't think anything could have survived being out in that but she surprised me.

I'm still waiting for the highways to reopen and connect us with the rest of the world. We've been cut off for five days now but we're doing OK, so far.

Here are a few pictures of Lizzie sunbathing.



 And sleeping with a few of her friends.

 

roxie

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Norachan, I haven't been on in a while. Had a lot of reading to do to catch up on the latest. I'm so happy Lizzie is home. I looked at the pictures. That's a lot of snow! If we got that it would shut our state down until summer. I've got bad news. Toby Kinney went out yesterday morning and hasn't been seen since. He never leaves the area. I've called neighbors, drove down the road both directions, walked the property, still no Toby. I've cried most of the day. I don't have a good feeling about this. I've called until my throat hurts. Sissy didn't come in for supper tonight. She's usually in by 7:30. All seven of them stay in at night. I went out three different times with the flashlight calling and hunting for sissy. I opened the front door around 1:00am and shined the light. I heard a pack of coyotes in the field across from the house. They were tearing something apart. I thought I heard a cat screaming, but it was hard to tell with that much noise. I took off out there with no shoes on. Shined the light and saw a bunch of them. I ran back to the house and got shoes and a shovel. I started running across the field screaming at them and shining the light in their eyes. They normally run if I shine the light on them. They actually started coming closer. Finally they took off. I counted eight sets of eyes, there was probably more than that. I didn't even think about the danger. I'll have to wait until daylight to see if it was one of my cats. My heart is breaking. I feel like I'm going to throw up. I keep going to the front and back door every ten minutes to see if one of them has shown up. I've prayed and prayed. I can't take losing two of my babies in 2 days. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. They're the reason I get up in the morning. Now I'm terrified to let any of the others out.

This is sissy.

This is Toby
 

roxie

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Update: I went back to both doors to see if either one had came home. Sissy was sitting right by the back door! I grabbed her, hugged her and started bawling. I was so happy to see her. I just knew she was dead. Woke my husband up! Still no Toby. I know two days isn't long compared to how long George has been gone and some of the other cats. Toby is tame and a big sweetie. He never misses a meal and will eat the other cats food if he can. He stays on the back porch most of the time. Whatever happened to him happened in the daytime. I'm going to keep praying. I just can't get rid of this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Is he alive? Is he hurt or lost? I know he's hungry.
LuvNickles, I'm still praying for Kuzons return. Keep the faith.
ShadowsRescue, I'm so sorry about the other patches. I could tell by the pictures it wasn't the same cat. You knew it too. Sometimes we want something so badly that we ignore our inner voice. At least you gave love, food and shelter to a stray that might not have gotten it otherwise. I hope this is the real patches. Prayers and hopes that it is.
Norachan, stay out of the snow! That's deep enough to get lost in! I don't know how Lizzie made it home. George is still in my thoughts and prayers.
 
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Norachan

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OMG Roxie! How terrifying! I didn't realise that coyote hunted in packs like that, I thought they were stealthy loners like foxes are.

I'm so glad to hear that Sissy is OK. If Toby went missing during the day it's more likely that he got locked in somewhere or has gone into hiding, isn't it? What's your neighbourhood like? Any barns or garages he might be exploring? Has anyone moved house or had any construction work done in the past few days?

I really hope he turns up safe and sound.

 

roxie

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It was horrible. I was shaking all over. They do hunt in packs. It's awful to hear them when they get hold of something. I live in the country so there's not many houses around. There's nowhere close that he could have gotten locked up in. I keep the door to the garage propped open a little. It's not connected to the house. My husband has closed a couple of the cats up in there before. I would find them when it came time for them to come inside for the night. No construction is going on. He doesn't have what it takes to be on his own. He was probably four or five months old when he came here. It took some time and a lot of patience before he would let me touch him. He's been spoiled rotten ever since. Could a hawk pick a cat up? I've noticed a couple hanging around the last few days. Coyotes don't usually come out in the daytime. He went missing during the day. I have saw a few in the day, but they were by themselves. A dog could have chased him off or killed him. There's a stray tom hanging around. He sneaks up and eats the food outside when nobody is looking. I've caught him doing it a few times. I'd like to trap him and get him neutered. Almost all the cats in the neighborhood are gray and white, just like him. I don't know if he could have beat Toby up so bad that he couldn't get home or not. I'm at the end of my rope. I don't know what else to do. When Zeus disappeared a few years ago I felt like he was still alive. He showed up three weeks later starved and tired. I don't have that feeling about Toby. If you have any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your concern. This was the only place I could turn to. The people on here are great.
 
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Norachan

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The hawks we have around here have a one meter wingspan and can lift up to 2 kilos in weight but they generally go for other birds, mice and fish. They could take a kitten but not a full grown cat. What kind of hawks do you have? I think ours are called kite hawks.

One of my cats got bitten by a feral tom last year and hid for three days. She had a fever and some infected puncture wounds when she eventually came home. If he's been in a fight he's probably shaken up and hiding somewhere. He probably hasn't gone far, do you know where his favourite hiding places are?

I found the best time to go looking was at night when there are less people around. Take a big flash light, their eyes glow in the dark and you can see them even if they're hiding under something.

Check these out too, there is some good advice here.

http://catsinthebag.org/

http://www.missingpetpartnership.org/recovery-lostcat.php

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.

 
 

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Oh Roxie that is just horrifying.  I am so happy Sissy is home safe and sound.  Toby just has to be out there.  I agree with Norachan that if he was in a fight they sometimes hide out before coming home.  Two of my ferals have been in fights before and stayed hidden away for 1-3 days.  Don't give up hope. 

We have coyotes here too and I live in the middle of suburbia.  I see them in my back yard a few times each year.  They run in packs at night in a nature preserve near my development.  During the day, I usually see them alone.  They scare me to death.  The first spring I had Shadow we were out enjoying a spring morning.  He started acting spooked and at first ran under the deck.  Then he ran as fast as he could straight up a tree.  I then heard rustling and running through the yard came a bunny being chased by a coyote.  Shadow sensed it coming and got to safety. 

We have hawks in the area and I don't think they could manage a cat.  I have seen them try for a squirrel and end up dropping it.  I really wonder if the tomcat got him.  They love to fight. 

Also sometimes when cats are injured they will only come out at night.  When Shadow was hurt and missing I was beside myself.  I have outdoor cameras and the next morning was able to see that he had come on the deck looking for food.  He didn't stay and most likely went back into hiding, but at least I knew he was alive.  I use a wireless ip camera, but others use trail cameras. 

I will be thinking of Toby and hope he comes back very soon.

Last night around 7pm I saw a cat eating in one of the feeding stations.  At first glance I thought it was Shadow, but I had just seen him in the shelter with Stellar.  I thought he must have jumped out of the shelter and gone to eat.  When I took a closer look, I realized it wasn't Shadow.  It was skinny with a bushy tail.  As soon as it saw me, it bolted so quickly.  I didn't even get a good look.  This exact same thing happened last Wednesday.  I was worried that I have another cat hanging around.  Now this morning when I went to check the camera action from last night, I find the new Patches was here again.  This same thing happened last Wed.  Cat comes up on deck around 7pm to eat, disappears when it sees me and then returns during the night.  I do believe now that it's the same cat and probably Patches.  At least last night he got a bit of wet food. 

I have an animal communication session next week.  My beloved samoyed, Misty has cancer of the urethra.  She goes for a CT scan next week to see if we can treat it with radiation.  We first have to be sure it hasn't spread.  I need to talk with the animal communicator and see how she is doing with pain and mentally.  A plus for her is that she acts completely normal. 

Thoughts and prayers to you all.
 

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Such a lot of news since I was last on.   Wonderful to hear that Lizzie turned up safe!  And terribly relieved about Sissy.  What a terrifying thing for you, Roxie.  I know it would be gruesome, but did you go back out to the scene to see if there were any remains?  It is very possible it isn't Toby and that he got scared off and just doesn't feel safe enough to come back.

Toby will now be added to my prayers.   Thanks for thinking about Kuzon.  I am trying to stay strong, but it will be 4 months on Saturday and I am feeding so many ferals that I can't help but think if he was still alive, he would have made it to that colony. 

Norachan, I can't believe how much snow....it is no wonder it is difficult to look for lost kitties.  I am so hoping that George turns up when the weather gets nicer.

ShadowsRescue, I am so sorry to hear about your Misty.  Please let us know how she is doing.  The weather is really beginning to turn here...it feels like Spring is upon us and there is something hopeful in the air.  I'm afraid to let it overwhelm me though for fear of being disappointed but I too hope that George and Patches and Kuzon are spring Miracles.  And now adding Toby to the list too.  We love them so much - if there is any higher power guiding them, please let them come home! 
 

roxie

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I did check where the coyotes were at. No sign of whatever they were ripping apart. They terrify me too.
I do have wonderful news! Around 7:00 pm last night, Thursday, I opened the back door to take the trash out. Toby was sitting there! It took a minute for it to sink in that he was home. Him and Bubba could be twins, but I knew Bubba was inside. I made them all come in right before dark. I wasn't taking any chances with those coyotes. I was so shocked and happy to see him. I screamed, a happy scream, and spooked him. He came in and ate and ate. I had to take the wet food away to keep him from getting sick. He was starved and scared. He meowed and cried for a while. He finally settled down and curled up in his bed. He's sound asleep now. Poor baby. I don't know where he's been for three days. Maybe some dogs chased him off and it took a while for him to find his way back. I'm not letting him out today. I don't want him disappearing again. I may have to take him to the vet. His tail looks swollen and he yelped when I tried to look at it. I don't know how you all do it. He was only gone three days and I couldn't eat, sleep or get any peace of mind.
Norachan, I'm not sure what kind of hawks we have. I think one of them is the red tailed hawk. They get pretty big.
ShadowsRescue, I'm so sorry to hear about Misty. I hope they can treat it and she makes a full recovery. At least Patches is being consistent! Good luck with the animal communicator. Hope you get good news.
LuvNickles, don't give up hope! My prayers were answered twice with Sissy and Toby. I just knew he was dead. I had such a bad feeling. At least I'll be able to get some sleep now.
Norachan, I hope your snow melts soon. I don't think I could handle that much snow!
Thank you all for your prayers and support, it means a lot. You're all great! Praying for the safe return of all your precious kitties.
 
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Norachan

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Fantastic news!

I'm so happy for you. It's just great that he made his way home again.

It sounds like he might have been in a fight with another cat, they often get bitten on the tail when they try to run away. My vet tells me this is a good thing. If their wounds are on their back legs and tail it means they're running. If they've got torn ears and scratched up faces it means they are standing their ground and are likely to get more serious injuries. Good for Toby for doing the smart thing and running away.

Give him a hug for me. I'm glad your prayers were answered.
 

roxie

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I will, thank you so much. Toby says thank you too! I can't even begin to describe how I felt when I saw him. I'm sure you've felt the same way, probably when Lizzie came home. I know when George comes home you will be ecstatic!
 

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Such good news Roxie.  I am so happy Toby made it home safely!  It has been a very good week of returns.  Let's keep them coming.  Come on Kuzon and George and Patches, get yourselves back home!!!
 

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Ahhh wonderful to hear Toby made it home :clap:, now for Patches to see sense and for George and Kuzon to turn up safe and sound.

There is a large property bordering the creek nearby that is about to be developed. I had visited the house when tenants were living there, asking about Kuzon but they hadn't seen him. They informed me that the house would be pulled down for the new development and they have since moved out. I have been walking the property in the morning to let my dog run off leash a little while the property is still open and this morning as I strolled near the house I saw a tabby run into an opening under the house. I know the development is about to start any day and have been expecting to see the demolition crews there to take down the building. I have put food out and a trail cam to see if I can confirm who is coming and going from under the house and am hoping to trap the cat I saw this weekend but it usually takes a while to trap train and I don't know how long I have! I have called the city to try to get any info but won't hear from them until Monday earliest. This property is huge and perfect for prowling cats. There may be more under the house than the one I saw.... Any advice on what I should do? Not sure how to find the owner over the weekend and worried Monday will finally bring the demo crew. Do I have any options if they get there before I can get the cat???
 

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Ahhh wonderful to hear Toby made it home
, now for Patches to see sense and for George and Kuzon to turn up safe and sound.

There is a large property bordering the creek nearby that is about to be developed. I had visited the house when tenants were living there, asking about Kuzon but they hadn't seen him. They informed me that the house would be pulled down for the new development and they have since moved out. I have been walking the property in the morning to let my dog run off leash a little while the property is still open and this morning as I strolled near the house I saw a tabby run into an opening under the house. I know the development is about to start any day and have been expecting to see the demolition crews there to take down the building. I have put food out and a trail cam to see if I can confirm who is coming and going from under the house and am hoping to trap the cat I saw this weekend but it usually takes a while to trap train and I don't know how long I have! I have called the city to try to get any info but won't hear from them until Monday earliest. This property is huge and perfect for prowling cats. There may be more under the house than the one I saw.... Any advice on what I should do? Not sure how to find the owner over the weekend and worried Monday will finally bring the demo crew. Do I have any options if they get there before I can get the cat???
I guess I would just go ahead and set the traps now.  You can them keep them in a safe location in the trap until Monday when you can get them to a vet to see if they are microchipped or just get them spayed/neutered.  I guess it would not be a good idea to release them back to this same area with all of the construction.  Yet if you release the cat elsewhere it will find its way back.  Do you have any traps?  You could just set one now and keep checking throughout the day.  I would use some really stinky food and not keep out any other food.  Hopefully the trail cam will help you to determine if there is more than one cat there.  How sad for this poor thing.  I hope you are able to help before the demolition begins. 
 

shadowsrescue

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Last night around 7pm again the skinny cat appeared and came to eat in one of the feeding stations.  Yet as soon as it saw me moving in the house, it ran.  I had set my cameras around 6:30 so I  could get a better look.  If sure looks like Patches.  I took more food out and called and called for him.  Of course my other two knew he was under the deck and kept putting on a most uninviting show!!  It was mild last night and lots of our snow has melted!!!!  The cats were absolutely crazy last night.  I kept a close watch for hours and Patches ventured back onto the deck 2 mores times.  He was absolutely petrified.  He would grab a large mouthful of food and run.  I was so sad.  He is so very very very skinny.  I couldn't leave any food out because of all the wildlife.  He did venture onto the deck again around 4:30 am, but was frightened by Shadow and Stellar.  Which is very comical because both Shadow and Stellar are scared of everything!!!  Tonight I will take out food and put it right by the entrance under the deck.  I just want him to be able to eat and not be so afraid.  It just breaks my heart.  I got a good look last night and this cat does have an ear tip!!!  I do believe it is my real Patches. 

On a side night, the wildlife in my yard last night was out of control.  My two crazies (Shadow and Stellar) were bouncing off the walls all night long.  We started with an oppossum, then Patches, then another stray cat, then raccoons, then 8-10 deer, then a few skunks and finally a few rabbits.  Only the cats were on the deck, the rest were in the yard.  It was the first mild night without snow on the ground since sometime in December.  It brought out everyone!!
 
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