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- Jul 9, 2015
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Hello all. I am thankful to find your forum with active members. I live in San Diego and my cat Jasmine went missing on June 30th. She is indoor-only and has never been outside for longer than 15 minutes in her 10 year long life. I have five cats, two dogs, a conure, and a human toddler, so although she went missing the evening of June 30th, I didn't notice she was gone until breakfast the next day. It turns out she was hiding in the neighborhood for several days, but she would not come when called. I searched for several hours a day, posted and handed out flyers, talked to my neighbors, but nobody had seen her. We live close to a wildlife area that is just crawling with coyotes. I thought that might have been her fate until my neighbor told me on July 5 that she was in their back yard two days previously. They were not home when I made my first round, and it seems their flyer was lost somehow and they didn't know to call me.
I spent three more days searching my neighborhood and setting a live trap. I used mackerel, catnip, my stinky clothes, and I even ran a slow cooker with chicken on the back patio for a couple of days. I got word on July 8 that Jasmine had been spotted at a shopping center over a mile away from our house. I'm guessing it was the fireworks that sent her that far away. She saw Jasmine on July 6th, but didn't see my posted message until yesterday. I drove down there immediately and handed out flyers to the businesses and searched the entire property (thankfully it's pretty small). I went back last night around 10:30, but unfortunately there is a sports bar on the end of the strip mall where Jasmine was seen. The bar is quite loud, so I doubt she would come out when it's open if she is even still there. I left small piles of mackerel in different corners of the parking lot to see if she was there. I went back in the morning and the mackerel in one corner was still there, but in the other corner it was gone. It's possible it might have been her, but I also saw a friendly black cat at the town homes next door and there were also crows in the area. I can go back late at night, but it would have to be after the bar closes, which is really difficult with the little one sleeping.
And that is pretty much where my story ends. I have no idea what to do next. The search area has increased to several square miles now, and I just can't cover that much area on foot. I have posted as many flyers as I can between naps and toddler meals and snacks. She could have gone anywhere. East takes her across an overpass above the interstate, although it's really loud, so I don't know if she would want to go that way. Apparently she had been attempting to cross the overpass in early afternoon when she was seen, but instead ran back into the bushes. South takes her through densely populated town homes and apartments and then a hotel, but it also runs right along the interstate, so it's pretty loud too. West takes her back to my neighborhood, which is quiet, but quite large. She will not be able to find her way home. North takes her along another main road and leads to coyote territory. I don't even know if she will want to cross any streets. They are 3-5 lanes wide and busy during the day, but they are mostly quiet at night. She has been hiding this whole time, so I don't know what would convince her to expose herself like that other than fireworks.
She could also still be there. I know that indoor only cats tend to stay put, but does that still hold true for cats that have bolted in fear and are a mile away from home? I don't know how far she would even travel in any given day.
This is the most horrible thing I have ever had to go through. Sometimes I feel like I have done everything I can, but other times I just go crazy waiting for the phone to ring with Jasmine sightings that will probably never happen. My husband things I am "over invested" and that I should accept that she just ran away. Sometimes I think he's right, but then my heart starts to ache when I imagine her still alive, terrified, dirty, starving, and alone. I feel so lost right now.
I'm sorry this was so long. I only have a few people to talk to about this and it's tearing me to pieces. I welcome any and all advice, encouragement, comments, and kind words. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I spent three more days searching my neighborhood and setting a live trap. I used mackerel, catnip, my stinky clothes, and I even ran a slow cooker with chicken on the back patio for a couple of days. I got word on July 8 that Jasmine had been spotted at a shopping center over a mile away from our house. I'm guessing it was the fireworks that sent her that far away. She saw Jasmine on July 6th, but didn't see my posted message until yesterday. I drove down there immediately and handed out flyers to the businesses and searched the entire property (thankfully it's pretty small). I went back last night around 10:30, but unfortunately there is a sports bar on the end of the strip mall where Jasmine was seen. The bar is quite loud, so I doubt she would come out when it's open if she is even still there. I left small piles of mackerel in different corners of the parking lot to see if she was there. I went back in the morning and the mackerel in one corner was still there, but in the other corner it was gone. It's possible it might have been her, but I also saw a friendly black cat at the town homes next door and there were also crows in the area. I can go back late at night, but it would have to be after the bar closes, which is really difficult with the little one sleeping.
And that is pretty much where my story ends. I have no idea what to do next. The search area has increased to several square miles now, and I just can't cover that much area on foot. I have posted as many flyers as I can between naps and toddler meals and snacks. She could have gone anywhere. East takes her across an overpass above the interstate, although it's really loud, so I don't know if she would want to go that way. Apparently she had been attempting to cross the overpass in early afternoon when she was seen, but instead ran back into the bushes. South takes her through densely populated town homes and apartments and then a hotel, but it also runs right along the interstate, so it's pretty loud too. West takes her back to my neighborhood, which is quiet, but quite large. She will not be able to find her way home. North takes her along another main road and leads to coyote territory. I don't even know if she will want to cross any streets. They are 3-5 lanes wide and busy during the day, but they are mostly quiet at night. She has been hiding this whole time, so I don't know what would convince her to expose herself like that other than fireworks.
She could also still be there. I know that indoor only cats tend to stay put, but does that still hold true for cats that have bolted in fear and are a mile away from home? I don't know how far she would even travel in any given day.
This is the most horrible thing I have ever had to go through. Sometimes I feel like I have done everything I can, but other times I just go crazy waiting for the phone to ring with Jasmine sightings that will probably never happen. My husband things I am "over invested" and that I should accept that she just ran away. Sometimes I think he's right, but then my heart starts to ache when I imagine her still alive, terrified, dirty, starving, and alone. I feel so lost right now.
I'm sorry this was so long. I only have a few people to talk to about this and it's tearing me to pieces. I welcome any and all advice, encouragement, comments, and kind words. Thank you for taking the time to read this.