missing cat

I have a one year old grey tabby who is an indoor/outdoor cat she usually goes out for part of the night and then comes back in to sleep with me, Last sunday she came into the room early then ran back outside, That was the last time i saw her. She has been gone for a week today, I hear stories of cats who stay gone for weeks only to come home. She has been "fixed" so that is not a reason. I am afraid somethiong has got her and killeed her, but I don't want to give up hope that she may come back. How long should I wait and has anybody else had this situation happen to them?

Please Advise.

Thank You

Joe

P.S her name is laura

Hi Joe,

Myself and another member who had to go through this type of situation, got together and wrote an article to help others. You can find it here-

http://www.thecatsite.com/cat_care/care.php?a=lost

Just don't give up hope. I had one cat gone about 6 months, and another one gone for over a year. They do come home when they can- but don't give up looking for her, and when she does come home, take her immediately to the vet and don't let her outside again-

Best of luck!

Hey Joe...I am no expert but this is what I have read:

Lost Cat Behavior
The silence factor. A lost indoor-only cat WILL NOT come when called, will not answer an owner's call, and will not meow until the 7th to 10th day. They will not show themselves, will not emerge during daylight hours, and will not allow themselves to be seen or found during this time. In the few instances where owners or neighbors have gotten a glimpse of their lost cats, the majority of cats immediately fled. This behavior in some cases will continue up to seven weeks, possibly longer.

They're closer than you think. Research indicates that most lost indoor-only cats are hiding much more closely than most people realize, generally within a 2-3 house radius from their home. They hide in sewers, under storage buildings, between fences and under decks - in the smallest and most unlikely places you can imagine. These cats are frightened and revert to feral cat like behaviors - hide, stay quiet, and don't move.

What To Do If It Happens To You
The single most effective way of getting your cat back is through the use of humane traps. It is imperative that you begin the trapping process as soon as possible after losing your cat. At Feral Friends, we recommend the use of two traps strategically placed, baited and set nightly for at least four weeks. In the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, we have humane traps available for your use for a fully refundable deposit of $25.00 for one trap or $50.00 for two traps. Please call 972-671-0429 or e-mail us at [email protected]. Outside the Metroplex, contact your local animal shelter or feral cat group for humane trap lending information.

Whenever possible, talk with each and every one of your neighbors as soon as possible and ask them to be on the lookout for your cat. Distribute flyers to each and every house within a 3-black radius. Post larger flyers in each block. Get everyone involved. Talk to the postman, the paperboy, and all the kids in the neighborhood, too. Search thoroughly day and night in your own yard and that of your neighbors. Be sure to bring along a flashlight to look under decks and in dark, cramped spaces. Look in, over, around, and behind everything. Drop off flyers at every veterinary office nearby. Contact all the local rescue groups, and deliver flyers to every shelter and animal control facility in your town. Post your cat's information at pets911.com, petfinder.org, and any local lost pet clearinghouses

Again...this is what I read here:

http://www.feralfriends.org/lostcat.html

Since your cat is an indoor/outdoor cat...some of the suggestions may not be applicable.

When I went through the same thing I put my student skills into action and searched through many websites for tips and tricks for help.

This is one I HIGHLY and STRONGLY reccommend to anyone who has a dog or cat that goes missing. The reason being is that it has tips that are focussed not only to the type of cat that you have, say indoor/outdoor but its personality as well.

Lost Pet! How to Find

Joe, I'm sorry Laura is missing. You have had some great advice from other members and I'm sending vibes for her speedy return.

he was missing since oct 31 or so... i was wonder would he come back home ?? someday ....

I had an outside cat once named Bobby (RIP) He was a stray that I looked after ( I was only about 11) he came inside to eat, but then he wanted back outside> anyway, he came up missing once for over a month, I had given up hope for his return I was away visiting a friend of mine for the weekend and when I came home ( this was like 2 months since he went missing!) my dad said there was someone there to see me, well when I opened the door the most dirtiest, filthiest, stinkiest, skiniest most beautiful cat I had ever seen came running down the hall, all the way from the kitchen and LEAPED from the other side of the roon into my arms. It has been 10+ years and I still remember the love and warmth of his spirit that day when he came back. It was the most joyeous reunion ever!!!!!!! We dont know where he was or what happened but he was pretty dirty???? Maybe he got locked or stuck in an abandoned house or something???? Sorry for the long story I just wanted you to know you should never give up hope!!!! Laura needs you to pray for her safe return> The kitties and I will be praying as well!!!!! COME HOME LAURA!!!!!!!!

Excuse me, but my cats ALWAYS have come when I called them (accidental 'escapes') even if it takes 20 mins. or more and embarrasses the heck out of you with the neighbors. Call spritely tho', as you would when feeding, not anxiously or meanly. And consider keeping her as an indoor cat in future.

I forgot something... if and when they do show themselves just very gently keep calling, do NOT chase them, or pounce even if they're right at the door or you can lose them all over again. Let them come inside - if they're used to the sound of a box of dry food being shaken, shake one outside the door as you're calling.. it's magic! Have you called the SPCA (shelter) or put up signs, or anything?

"... the most dirtiest, filthiest, stinkiest, skiniest most beautiful cat I had ever seen ..."

Awww. What a perfect description, and what a wonderful moment. Thank you for sharing it.

And Joe, I'm so sorry your Laura is missing. I hope some of the suggestions these folks have made will bring her home to you. Take care...

Yea i once had a cat who would leave for 2 weeks or more and come back. Then one day he got ran over.... We had had him for 7 years

We live on a farm and have several barn cats (all are fixed now). We've lost several over the years from the highway or they just disappear and never return. We do have a coyote and a wolf in the area, as well as red-tail hawks and eagles. One of them may have gotten our cats.

We figured out the resident "queen" doesn't like other female cats - she has a tendency to chase them more then the males (these are either her own daughters or granddaughters). I think the ones that got hit were chased in the highway direction by her and just recently we think she ran off our kitten's mother too.

We will be keeping Ling Ling in the house as her grandmother will probably "kill" her too if she's let outside now.

I would say that if your kitty doesn't return by spring, you probably will not see her anymore. If you really don't need to have them outside, please keep the next one inside all the time.

Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

"... the most dirtiest, filthiest, stinkiest, skiniest most beautiful cat I had ever seen ..."

Awww. What a perfect description, and what a wonderful moment. Thank you for sharing it.

And Joe, I'm so sorry your Laura is missing. I hope some of the suggestions these folks have made will bring her home to you. Take care...

Click to expand...

Thanks Carol! That memory ( over 10 yrs ago) is still as vivid and full of life, and it still brings a tear to my eye as the day it happened. It is like my brain stored it on film (happy tears of corse)


Any progress finding Laura?????!!!!! Please give us an update!

{{{ Prayers and vibes}}} on Miss Laura's safe return, very soon!! Please keep us posted!