When Should I Move On..?

I'm 17, and my cat Coraline has been missing for almost two weeks now. She is not fixed, and is an indoor/outdoor cat who usually comes in twice a day. I meant to keep her inside until she was fixed, however my mother kept procrastinating the event and I didn't feel right keeping her inside when she wanted out so much.
Some people's cats, I know, come back after months, however I don't have that long. Coraline is my emotional support animal for my anxiety and depression, and I was planning on taking her to university with me when I leave this August. I need an emotional support animal, and that choice would be another cat. I would like to know how long I should wait before I look at new kitties? I've been advised a month, as cats stay in heat for two weeks and then after that point it might take her a while longer to wander in. I live in a small town. I have gone door to door, posted on the town's website, and gone out searching. My neighbors and family say she is around, and some cat is eating the food that I put in the garage (her usual hang out), but if it is her, she is just not coming inside.


I love and miss her, and do not want to start over. But I also need an ESA, and if I had to start over, I'd like time to bond with said cat before we make the venture off to school.

I am sorry your kitty is missing.  Yet two weeks is not very long.  I would certainly give her more time.  Have you thought of placing a humane trap in the garage where you are leaving the food?  You also could look into a trail camera that you set up to see who is coming into the garage.  

Also do you have a plan for if she comes home and is pregnant?  She really needs to get spayed as her hormones will rule her body.  You will have a very difficult time controlling her while at university if she is not spayed.

Here are some articles that have some great tips on finding lost pets.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/248019/tips-for-finding-a-lost-cat

http://www.missingpetpartnership.org/recovery-tips/lost-cat-behavior/

https://www.petfinder.com/cats/lost-and-found-cats/tips-for-finding-lost-cats/

I don't think moving on has a time stamp on it. My cat has  been missing for more than 10 weeks now, everyone here told me i shouldn't hope for her return anymore, even i had moments when i thought it's time to move on...but i can't. I still look for her everywhere i go, stay out for a couple of minutes every night, and hope that she is around, and will come back home eventually.

On the other hand, i think you should get a new kitten. You'll have a new furbudy, and when Coraline comes home, she can stay with your mom, if you can't take both of them with you.

However, if by August you meant the August 9 months from now, you should wait at least 2 more weeks, looking and trying to find her.

If you read similar posts here and on the web, you'll find a lot of helpful tips on finding an adventurous cat, and some happy stories to cheer you up.

If you need someone to talk, people here are extremely nice and  supportive, so feel free to reach out.

Best of luck to you and little Coraline.

matearss14 said:

I don't think moving on has a time stamp on it. My cat has been missing for more than 10 weeks now, everyone here told me i shouldn't hope for her return anymore, even i had moments when i thought it's time to move on...but i can't. I still look for her everywhere i go, stay out for a couple of minutes every night, and hope that she is around, and will come back home eventually.

On the other hand, i think you should get a new kitten. You'll have a new furbudy, and when Coraline comes home, she can stay with your mom, if you can't take both of them with you.

However, if by August you meant the August 9 months from now, you should wait at least 2 more weeks, looking and trying to find her.

If you read similar posts here and on the web, you'll find a lot of helpful tips on finding an adventurous cat, and some happy stories to cheer you up.

If you need someone to talk, people here are extremely nice and supportive, so feel free to reach out.

Best of luck to you and little Coraline.

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Have you ever found your cat?

draev_xx said:

Have you ever found your cat?

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No..But i found out what happened with her. After...5 months, my neighbour told me that she found her at the side of the road the next morning, probably hit by a car, but she didn't want to tell me to spare my feelings. But then i found out that a lot of things from what she told me were lies, and most likely it was her who killed her. I felt really angry and sad, but i couldn't do anything about it. I have two new kittens now and thankfully they are staying far away from the neighbour.

matearss14 said:

No..But i found out what happened with her. After...5 months, my neighbour told me that she found her at the side of the road the next morning, probably hit by a car, but she didn't want to tell me to spare my feelings. But then i found out that a lot of things from what she told me were lies, and most likely it was her who killed her. I felt really angry and sad, but i couldn't do anything about it. I have two new kittens now and thankfully they are staying far away from the neighbour.

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What a terrible person! Why are people so afraid to tell you upfront? I would a million times appreciate it more than trying to 'spare my feelings' neighbors are so shitty sometimes. Sorry for your loss.