My kitty is missing.

[luckystar112]

And I feel like it's all my fault.

I let him out in the morning a couple of days ago before I left for school. He's an outdoor/indoor cat who is extremely loved by our neighbors. I've known forever that it's a bad idea to let your cat be an outdoor cat, but I don't know....I guess I always just felt bad for him because he wanted out so bad! We adopted him when he was a year old, so he may have been used to going out at that time.
Normally he just stretches out on the pavement in our backyard and stays there for hours. Our backyard is fenced in, but he's been known to go under the fence to the neighbors yard behind us. The only other place he goes is across the street to another neighbors house who has a kitty that he likes to play with. In three years of me letting him outside, those are the ONLY places he's ever gone.

And now he's gone. I just don't know what to do. I've hung up signs in the neighborhood, called a local animal shelter, informed the neighbors, posted an ad on craigslist. I'm at my wits end. I miss him so much.

The thing is, he's not the type to run away. He's overweight and can't run very fast. He also walks with a little bit of a limp that the vet said was due to his weight. We had him on diet food that was starting to help....but now he's missing. I don't know where he could have gone. All these thoughts are running through my head, like maybe someone decided to "adopt" him because he's so friendly. Or maybe one of the many dogs running around without fricken leashes attacked him...or maybe some sicko kid stole him and did mean things to him. The possibilities are endless.

So, stupid thing number 1: letting him outside.
stupid thing number 2: Not replacing his collar IMMEDIATELY after it was lost a couple of weeks ago. Even if someone finds him, they aren't going to know who he belongs to. I'm just a mess. I miss him sleeping on my head at night.

I'm a bad pet parent.

 

[musey]

Oh, luckystar! I''m so sorry. I''m crossing my fingers that one of your neighbors finds and recognizes him...

 

[chrono]

Oh no! I''m so sorry about your missing kitty, Lucky. With lost cats, sometimes, something frightened them and they sorta got "lost" or hurt and is actually nearby. I know you''ve probably already done this but have you walked around your yard/neighbourhood calling your kitty''s name? Searched nearby bushes and shrubs? Left some food outside to "show" the way home?

 

[oshinbreez]

I''m sorry to hear your kitty is missing.

Comet is an inside/outside cat. We live out in the country, and there have been several times that he''ll be gone quite a few days. I get worried about him, but will go outside and call him several times a day. Then, around day 5 or 6, I''ll go to call for him, and he''ll be sitting on the porch waiting for me. When I grab him up, he''s like "What''s your problem"...lol. I''ve learned he''ll come home when he''s ready....not when I''m ready.

Does your cat still have claws? They''re good at defending themselves. I''ve seen Comet take on several dogs at once. He''ll get in a few good swats, then head for the nearest tree or other place for shelter.

I hope your kitty comes home soon.

 

[Gypsy]

Oh honey I''m so sorry. This is going to sound crazy... and I''ve never done it myself, but I have heard that sometime if cats stray farther than they normally do they lose thier way, and their scent trail back. So what you can do if drive slowly or walk around the neighboorhood dragging a blanket or something else that smells like you guys behind you to lead him home by scent.

Sorry I don''t have a better suggestion. I''m so sorry your kitty is missing!! Big hugs (((HUGS)))

 

[ellaila]

I''m so sorry, luckystar. I know it''s hard but you can''t beat yourself up over it -- animals have minds of their own, and as much as we think of them as our "babies," they still have animal tendencies from time to time, so maybe he just acted on one and will come home once it''s out of his system.

I''m actually on the opposite side of this problem right now -- we''ve "found" a cat and are trying to locate its owners. We''ve posted on Craigslist, put up posters on street poles and at the police station, and spoke to neighbors, so it def. sounds like you''re looking in the right places too. I''d suggest you call the police and put in a "missing cat" poster if they''ll let you.

I hope you and kitty reunite very soon!

 

[fleur-de-lis]

Oh Luckystar, that''s awful.

I hope somebody finds your kitty, sees the poster, and you make contact. I have been on the other end of it-- finding and taking in kitties, dogs, and rabbits running across busy city streets-- and have had a pretty remarkable success rate at finding the owners. However, in none of the times were they reunited in the first day. It takes A LOT of fliers in far more places than you might think. The best way to illustrate is the most recent, when a little white rabbit ran across Wilshire Blvd here in WLA. (Say what you will about the unfriendliness of people in LA, but nearly a dozen people stopped their cars to help.) Anyhow, once the rabbit was caught, one woman said she''d take it in, one person said she''d pass out flyers at the local vets, and a couple of us were going to put up hundreds of fliers in the area. That weekend, as I was putting one up right by the grocery store, a woman and child came up, looked at the flier, and said, "I don''t know if this is anything, but I saw a lost bunny flier outside my dry cleaners 2 miles west of here. It couldn''t possibly be the same one, could it?" I checked, I called, and it was.

Anyhow, here are my tips:

-- It takes A LOT of fliers; major intersections need 4 per, not 1 per. Be sure to also post them near grocery stores, fast food exits, shopping malls, and schools. Many times, it is the family with young kids that will take in strays. I had been put up around 200 fliers when the connection was made, and with one dog I had taken in, I had put out nearly 500.

-- Fliers need to be simple and effective: "LOST CAT" in large letters, a photo or two beneath, brief description in small letters, your phone number.

-- For cats more than any other animal, most people will wait a day or two before doing anything significant. They''ll casually put food out, and if the cat comes back a few days in a row, they''ll wonder and decide what to do. Typically, the first thing people do when finding a cat or dog that they may decide to take in is... take it to the vet! Thus, take and give a copy of the flier to *EVERY* vet in the area. It''s time-intensive, but for many, it''s the connection point between owners. (The only animal I''ve not successfully reunited was a cat, when taken into the vet, who had been determined to have been surviving on the streets without an owner for at least 6 months. We gave up the search after that, and she lived with us until she passed 6 years later.)

-- Keep in mind that the radius may be a lot larger than you think, even for a tubby cat with a limp. My family had once taken in a champion Irish Setter that had somehow made it over a mile away from home in maze-like streets, and that wee little bunny had made it over 2 miles in heavy city traffic.

-- Update those Craigslist ads every day for a month. It could be a woman in her 60s or 70s who finds your cat, and until someone like her younger niece comes over, notices, and thinks to look online, it''s for naught. Keep at it.

Luckystar, I want to wish you luck in your search. I would be devastated if my little dog got lost too.

 

[Evelynn]

Oh Luckystar, my heart goes out to you! We have furbabies too, and I would be hysterical if one were to go missing!

The advice posted is a great start...I never would have thought about dragging something with your scent around so they can smell their way home, what a good idea!

I hope your kitty makes his/her way back home safely!!

 

[Kaleigh]

Luckystar,
I am so sorry your kitty is missing. Did you check with your neighbors??

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Oh no! I fear this too. I hope your kitty comes back quickly and safely. Have you put up photos/signs in your neighborhood?

 

[Efe]

Date: 10/5/2007 1:44:34 PM
Author: Gypsy
Oh honey I''m so sorry. This is going to sound crazy... and I''ve never done it myself, but I have heard that sometime if cats stray farther than they normally do they lose thier way, and their scent trail back. So what you can do if drive slowly or walk around the neighboorhood dragging a blanket or something else that smells like you guys behind you to lead him home by scent.

This is how my brother and sil got their cat back. It had gone missing and lost its scent back because of a rainstorm. The cat showed up the morning after. I also think it is helpful for people to put the name of the pet on their posters. Some animals won''t come to someone unless they call their name. I really hope you find your kitty.

 

[wolftress]

Oh lucky, I hope and pray your cat comes home. We had an inside/outside cat who would sometimes disappear, but he always came back. I''m hoping the same will happen for your cat. One good thing about not replacing the collar is if someone ''took'' him, they won''t be able to bond with him without knowing his name and may eventually just let him come home.

 

[luckystar112]

Thanks for your support everyone. I''m seriously devastated. FI is staying positive--he thinks the cat just needed a break from the new puppy.

Anyway, it''s supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow so I made a bunch of new waterproof posters and hung them up everywhere. At least I hope they''re waterproof. I just put the pasters in those page slip cover things that I get to turn in reports at school.
I just wish I wouldn''t have had to WORK all day today!!!!

I took some time to drive around the neighborhood again. It sounds sad but I''ve even been looking in ditches!

I also went into the backyard of an empty house, and noticed that their garage was partway open. I think I''m going to look in there tomorrow when it''s light out.

I think the vet idea is GREAT. I''m also going to call the emergency animal hospitals in the area to see if they know anything. I really really just want my cat back...so bad. It''s just so bizarre. Everyday it was the same thing--let him out before I go to class, come back two hours later and let him in so he can eat...then he''d go back outside in late afternoon for a few hours, and he''d wanna come in by the time we went to bed.

I guess I''m expecting the worse when it really hasn''t been that long in "cat time". But what''s making me even more paranoid is the fact that I saw on craigslist that someone''s two dogs went missing the same day my cat did...in the same neighborhood we live in. I wonder if the dogs roamed around and found my cat and chased him off somewhere or attacked him. I wonder if animal control came for the dogs and took my cat too since he didn''t have a collar? I don''t know if animal control cares about cats though.

This is him on the left:

 

[luckystar112]

I FOUND HIM!!!!!!

I am SO RELIEVED!!!!!!!!!!! The power of posting really worked!

I still can''t believe it. He''s been in our neighbor''s GARAGE this whole time. I''ve noticed that they had been parking their cars in front of their garage instead of in it, but I didn''t think too much of it at the time. Turns out the cat got in there and has basically just sat in the dark for the last three days!!!!!
He''s so hungry. I just refilled his bowl and gave him so water. I am SO thankful and happy. HAPPY TEARS!!!!

I seriously would have been so bummed if I never saw him again. He''s such a big part of my life. I''m going to go cuddle with him now!

 

[somethingshiny]

YAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!!!!!

 

[luckystar112]

The way I found him:

I decided to go out and call him again....just in case. Each time I''ve done it I''ve always *thought* that I heard a faint meowing someplace, but I dismissed it as my imagination and really WANTING to hear a meow. Plus, our area is pretty noisy. We''ve got train tracks nearby, we''re sort of close to a main road so we hear a lot of trafic during the day, airplanes constantly fly overheard because we live relatively close to an airport, and my OTHER cat always meows like crazy whenever I leave the house. So any faint meowing I heard I just blew off as wishful thinking or thought it was my other cat''s muffled meow from in the house.

So anyway, I''m outside calling his name, and I hear a faint meow. It''s pretty quiet outside, so I decide to investigate. I realize it''s coming from my neighbor''s garage! Their garage is seperate from their house, so it''s not like they could hear the meowing at night. Poor kitty. I keep picturing him meowing his little tail off whenever I went out there calling his name, except I couldn''t hear him!! So I let myself in their gate and opened the door to their garage....and there he was!!!! So then I knocked on their door to let them know I was there, but no one answered. The wife is a really jealous type and I don''t think she likes me too much, but FI and her husband get along well. One time the husband brought me to pick my dog up at the vet when my car broke down and she FREAKED OUT on him. Anyway...as I was leaving with the cat I saw their porch light come on, so I called them once I got home to let them know it was just me and she did NOT seem to like that I was calling her husband''s cell phone. LOL.

I called from FI''s phone. But once I explained to her the cat situation she seemed to calm down.

So I guess that''s the LONG version.

YAY!!!!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Oh luckystar - I''m SO GLAD you found that sweet baby! What a terrifying experience for both of you.

Maybe letting him outside isn''t the best idea from now one - I would encourage you to at least consider keeping him inside as he really will be much safer. I hate to say it but he could have become dangerously dehydrated, injured, or sick while trapped in your neighbors'' garage.

This link has several excellent information sheets on keeping cats indoors and how to safely let them outdoors without endangering their health. Once the trauma of your ordeal is over, please take the time to give them a look and I sincerely hope you and your kitty have been reunited for good this time.

 

[Kaleigh]

YAY!!! So glad you found him!! I had a feeling he was at your neighbors. Especially when you said how found they were of him. You must be soooo relieved!!!

 

[luckystar112]

Date: 10/5/2007 11:07:40 PM
Author: AmberGretchen
Oh luckystar - I'm SO GLAD you found that sweet baby! What a terrifying experience for both of you.

Maybe letting him outside isn't the best idea from now one - I would encourage you to at least consider keeping him inside as he really will be much safer. I hate to say it but he could have become dangerously dehydrated, injured, or sick while trapped in your neighbors' garage.

This link has several excellent information sheets on keeping cats indoors and how to safely let them outdoors without endangering their health. Once the trauma of your ordeal is over, please take the time to give them a look and I sincerely hope you and your kitty have been reunited for good this time.

AG, I'm about to click on the link, so forgive me if this question is already answered in there....but do you have any tips on how to get an outdoor kitty to want to stay inside? Even after this whole ordeal, I just went outside to let our dogs go to the bathroom, and my cat was at the door wanting to go outside!!!! I really don't think I want to let him out there anymore!

Edit: Darn it. Should have listened to the little voice...it addresses it in the link!!! YAY!

 

[decodelighted]

I''m SO SO SO glad your kitty is home safe! I feel really stupid about not posting earlier now -- because actually the only time one of my used-to-be-indoor/outdoor cats ever went missing she was trapped in my neighbor''s garage for a couple days too. She took shelter during a quick thunderstorm and then they closed the door & left it shut. We figured it out when they saw paw prints on their car INSIDE the garage. If I''d posted maybe you''d have thought to look there sooner!!! SHOOT!

The reason I *didn''t* post was because FRESHER in my mind is some quite tragic happenings around our neighborhood involving coyotes. NONE of our cats are allowed outside any longer -- and my tiny dog only goes with supervision. DID NOT want to scare you with those stories while you were so upset!

My cats still BEG to go outside, but seem okay with windowsills etc. They''re inside all winter anyway -- winter just came early this year & will last FOREVER!

Yea for happy kitty news!

 

[marvel]

YAY!!!

I'm so happy for you and kitty!! I have a feeling kitty will not be as anxious to go outside any more. I had a similiar situation with one of my cats. She got out and was missing for about a week. After that, she never tried to go outside again. I think she realized how good she had it inside.

ETA: I just read your post about him wanting to go outside...I wish I had some good advice

 

[Gypsy]

YAY!!! I'm so very very HAPPY you found him!! So happy for you!

Mine are all indoors, and I know it's hard when you have a cat that demands to go out, but it's ever so much safer, so if you can... maybe consider keeping him in from now on.

ETA: I'm so glad you are considering keeping him in from now on. ((HUGS))

 

[Lorelei]

Late to this but thank goodness you found him! I have turned previously outdoor cats into indoor ones, and the transition has been easy, keep them loved and occupied and they will settle down to life indoors.

 

[Efe]

I am so HAPPY that the kitty is back home safe and sound!!!

 

[musey]

Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[isaku5]

YAY!!!!! Your handsome boy is home!!

I missed this thread last night, but being a kitty lover myself it''s just as well. I would have worried all night too.

SO SO HAPPY

 

[strmrdr]

glad too hear ya got ya kitty cat back!

 

[AmberGretchen]

luckystar - I''m really hoping that link is helpful, and yes, it does address what to do about kitty wanting to go outside. They have two handouts with good ideas there, and if they don''t work let me know and I''ll see if I can find others. It does seem like outdoor time for indoor kitties can be done safely, it just has to be done in pretty specific ways.

I''m so glad that your kitty is home safe and sound and that you are considering keeping him as an indoor-only kitty - it is much safer, and I have no doubt he will settle down to it in time.

 

[portia]

luckystar,

I was just reading your thread and was going to post how sorry I am and that I''m saying prayers that you find him... and then I scroll down to see that you found him. I''m so happy for you! You must be so relieved to have him back safe and sound. I''ll bet kitty is getting some serious loving and spoiling right now. What a cutie!

 

[Skippy123]

Yay Lucky! I am glad you found your cat!!! How scary!