Cat left in house by previous owner

Hi -

When we bought our house, on the day of our purchase we thought we saw a cat in the window.  We found out that the previous owner could not find one of her cats on move day, and assumed it had run away; the cat was the super shy cat that often hid away.  We looked through the empty house, the owner's daughter who was still in the area brought over a cage and food which we left out over night ... and we could find neither hide nor hair of the cat, which is good as we have cat allergies in the family - so we assume the cat did run away, and we probably saw a neighborhood cat perched on the outside ledge (which was highly possible).

We had carpet redone, walls painted, we had ducts cleaned, all to remove any cat residue. We moved in.

We wonder if we should have done more, as there is still a slight lingering cat pee odor, and our allergies are acting up - but figure with time and open windows things will clear up, and it's not too bad, except in the basement (where the cat litter and food were before).

Almost three weeks to the day we moved in, the cat is seen in the unfinished part of the basement - and quickly jumps up into the rafters, behind all the duct work and into an area which is nigh on impossible for us to get into (above the ceiling of the finished part of the basement). We have no idea how this cat has survived with no food or water for so long!

So now have a super frightened cat, who is starving, who is super shy, and no idea how to get her to come out, how to trap her, or what to do with her once she's found - and we know that we have cat pee and dander all through a part of our house that is going to be virtually impossible to clean up. The previous owner is hundreds of miles away, and we have no way to reach her or her daughter, so if we do catch the cat, we can't return her to her previous owner. While I am stressed about the cat and feel awful it's been hiding so long and is probably super stressed out and really hungry, I am also stressed that we have this huge mess that we never ever should have had because of the negligence of the previous owner.

So cat behavior people

a) how do we lure a super shy cat out? At this point we're hoping food may work

b) how do we catch her? Is there a humane trap I can get?

c) who do we give her to? We're in Chicago if that helps...

d) how do we clean up the mess it made living in the ceiling of the partially finished basement? Will time get the smell out?

I'm all for hiring an expert if there is one, just to make sure the cat is found and taken care of

Thanks in advance for any guidance and suggestions!

- New Home Owner

If the cat is too afraid to come near you, your best bet may be a humane trap. You might be able to borrow one from a local shelter, or a TNR group if there is one in your area. http://www.catsinthebag.org/ has a lot of tips for finding and catching cats. There's a link on the left side of the page called "the humane trap" that explains how to use one. For bait, I recommend not using cat food but something really strong smelling that will appeal to a cat, like roasted chicken or canned fish. Warm the food to bring out the scent more. Don't give up if it doesn't work right away, sometimes a cat will need to get used to the presence of the trap before going near enough to get the food.

As for what to do with her, maybe search online for no-kill shelters in your area and ask if they can take her? Or try vets in the area, they might have suggestions or be able to take her in.

Welcome to The Cat Site, sorry it's under these circumstances.
And, wow. Just wow. Thank you for caring.
This is a similar thread, some of the tips might help.
Cats can live several weeks if they have access to water; only a few days if no food. But cats don't need much food--one or two mice a day is sufficient. And water from condensation from water pipes is enough to keep a cat going for weeks.
To get some kind of idea where the cat is, you can sprinkle baby powder/flour/cornstarch around the areas you've seen/heard him. Look for paw prints.
Also, he may be getting outside; if he can fit his head into an opening, he can fit his entire body. I helped foster a cat who escaped into the rafters of the co-fosterer. We didn't hear/see him. Two weeks later he ended up back where he was originally removed, two miles away (the community cat colony I take care of--where he was removed for socialization).
Regarding trapping: this may involve staying up late at night, but I would try to rig a drop trap (cat carrier) or small humane trap and put smelly, stinky food in it. Wait until the cat makes an appearance, goes into the trap, and pull the door shut. I'm not mechanically inclined, but there are directions on the internet.
I would try to locate/contact the owners of the cat, who might be concerned about their cat and offer some hints (favorite food?) as how to get the cat. And if their cat was an indoor/outdoor cat. Presumably the Sellers had to sign a lot of documents, which should list some type of forwarding address (release of note/deed if nothing else). Alternatively, did they have a real estate agent/broker? He/she would have a forwarding address. Regarding what to do with the cat when you do trap her: I'd start calling around your local humane societies, cat rescue, etc. Explain the situation.
You might also contact an animal trapper; while they more often trap birds caught inside the walls of a house (happened to me), they also might have tips on how to catch a cat. And how to erradicate smells.
Good luck, and keep us posted.