lost cat but I've had to move house

Hi,

My baby boy disappeared overnight 5 months ago.  He was originally a house cat but once we moved to a house with a garden all he wanted to do was go out.  He never went far and even though he would stay away for a week or two at a time he was still just a few hundred metres (if that!) froing m our house and he was watching us.  Then one morning he went out and hasn't been seen since.  The only problem is we had to move house a month after he disappeared.  I keep returning to the old house, have put posters up in the area but he's not reappeared.  Has anyone else ever been in this situation?I miss him so much and just want him home.  It is so unlike him and he likes his home comforts so it's hard to imagine he's living rough.  I think its the not knowing that is the worst part.  Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I'm sorry this happened to you.
The only experience I had is this: a friend and I removed several cats from a community cat colony that I take care of to resocialize them (they had at one time been someone's pet) and adopt them out. Fast forward nine months and "Buckley" was ready to go to his furever home. The co-socializer tried putting him a cat carrier and he freaked; escaped into the rafters of her house; and two weeks later, two miles away, returned to where he was originally removed.
So my suggestion is to keep on checking back at the oldest and newest house. You might try putting some of your smelly clothing around under the food (knowing the clothing might disappear or be ruined).
How far apart are the three houses?
PS: Buckley was much calmer after his disappearance and he has been successfully adopted into a forever home.