In need of kitty dust . . .

[LAJennifer]

I've seen Pricescope dust do some amazing things and my brother is in great need.

Two days ago, the next door neighbor's children were at his house playing with his children. One of them just up and went home and left his front door wide open. My brother's cat, Apollo, escaped and is nowhere to be found. He is doing all the right things to find him, but he hasn't turned up yet. He has knocked on doors, made fliers, shaken every bush, and stayed on his porch until 2 AM last night. He saw lots of cats roaming around, but not Apollo. I think he must be frightened and is hiding somewhere.

Any dust you can spare is greatly appreciated.

 

[bbziggy]

Sending mounds of kittie dust his way!!

 

[VRBeauty]

I hope Apollo shows up soon! Is he micro-chipped?

 

[packrat]

lots of dust for Apollo!

 

[msop04]

Oh nooo!!! Lots of dust for finding Apollo!

 

[LAJennifer]

I hope Apollo shows up soon! Is he micro-chipped?

He is not micro-chipped. You can bet he will be as soon as he shows up, though. However, the shelters have been notified and are on the lookout.

Thanks, everyone, for the positive thoughts and dust. My brother is feeling really guilty right now, and his kitty brother is just moping around. Fortunately, there aren't really any predators in his neighborhood. Lots of people have indoor/outdoor cats so it isn't unusual to see cats around, so I doubt anyone has picked him up. I'm pretty sure he is hiding somewhere, but it may take a few days for him to come out. He placed his litter box on the porch so maybe that will help.

He is such a sweet kitty. He showed up as a very small kitten that was already ear tipped. My brother took him in, and he was so grateful to have a loving home. It just sucks to not know where he is.

Thanks again, you guys. I'm hopeful, but the waiting is the worst.

 

[distracts]

Dust!

My cat tried to make a break for it the other day, despite having never shown any inclination to go outside before, even when I tried to take him out on a leash, so I was reading all about how to find lost cats. This website is really good:

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

Their key point is that a lost cat is likely to be near home and hiding and the number one thing you should do is conduct an extremely extensive physical search of the surrounding area, including asking your neighbors for permission to go through their yards/under their house/etc. They also recommend putting out humane traps in case your cat comes out at some point. There are also lost pet recovery specialists you can hire to help with your search. Good luck! Hope the little kitty turns up safe and sound.

 

[dk168]

Dust winging across the pond, and I hope the kitty will turn up safe and sound soon.

DK

 

[TooPatient]

That is my worst nightmare. You do everything right and something bad happens anyway...

Sending lots of dust and positive thoughts. I hope he finds Apollo safe and soon.

 

[CJ2008]

Oh, no

He is so cute...

I hope he comes back safely, LAJennifer.

Sending Apollo lots of dust to keep him safe.

 

[lulu]

He probably is very near. I would go outside again when the whole neighborhood is asleep and quietly call his name. I also have had some luck in the past by taking the cat's favorite toy outside-like da bird-and entice them with the toy. Or flick around a laser pointer.

Sending Apollo lots of "go home now" dust.

 

[Calliecake]

Sending truckloads of dust that Apollo arrives home safely soon!!! I feel terrible for your poor brother. He must be worried sick.

 

[the_mother_thing]

Sending lots of Kitty dust that he finds his way home soon. I will share that when my cat - Sir Charles - went missing for two weeks a couple years ago, I did all the usual things as well. Turns out, he had gotten into one of the storm drain things in the street in our neighborhood. My neighbor had been on a walk, and heard him meowing, and put some treats there to keep him in that spot till he could race over to me. Definitely make sure he checks those if he has them near his house. And don't race from one to the next; stand over one and call the kitty for a few mins because it can take the cat a few mins to get through the tunnels, maybe place some food in the one nearest his house so if he makes his way back there, he stays put, and have him check that one often. Sir Charles made a few visits back into the drain after his rescue, which drove me nuts because they are NOT light to lift and move to get to the cat.

Another thing to do - if he has a litter box, place it outside on a porch or someplace near the home where the cat can get to. My cousin who works with shelters & rescues said cats will smell their scent, and it helps them find their way home.

Good luck!

 

[diamondringlover]

hope you kitty shows up soon, dust coming your way.

 

[missy]

Oh no, LAJennifer! I am so sorry about this! I am sending bucket loads of kitty dust Apollo's way and praying for his safe return to his family!!! Tons of safe ***DUST*** to Apollo and lots of hugs to you and his family. I know how worried sick everyone must be.

 

[LAJennifer]

Thanks again, everyone. I'm forwarding all of your tips to my brother. I live 8 hours away, so I can't be there to help. The litter box is on the porch, along with some of my brother's unwashed clothing.

Last night, he combed the neighborhood with a flashlight to look in bushes, etc. Neighbors are allowing him to go through their yards, etc. There are just so many places he could be hiding. The neighborhood isn't dangerous at all, so I really doubt he is injured. I will mention to him about the storm drains - I'm not sure if his neighborhood has them, but that is a great tip.

Yesterday, he was talking to his other next door neighbor and she said she saw a cat on her stoop right around the time he went missing. The cat was looking in her window and her dog growled at it, which caused the cat to run away fast. So, if that was Apollo (probably was), then he may have gone farther than we think.

Thanks for the continued dust. My brother is more hopeful than he was before.

 

[Sunstorm]

Dust sent to you. It has happened to me and after searching in a ten mile radius in the neighborhood, visiting shelters, etc., Niello was sitting under a bush a few feet from my house and at dusk I heard him quietly crying. Fortunately, he was a talker and that helped, otherwise who knows. Another time he jumped out a window at night (from ground floor) and five minutes later I saw him flying over the fence back home.

It also happened to my sister when she moved to Paris for a while and actually her cat was not in a familiar neighborhood and was found near death a month later because a good samaritarian found her on the streets unable to move anymore emaciated and brought her to a vet and her chip was scanned. It took her weeks to recover on IV but she made it and has been fine ever since. Even the worst scenarios can turn out good.

In both cases the cats made it. In your brother's case his cat IS very likely to be near and be able to smell, perhaps place certain familar items a little farther out too so he can find his way back. Unfortunately, while it is great to have our cats indoors, it does make it harder for them to find home and of course they do get a lot more scared once they find themselves locked out. Be patient, it can take a while. Trapping is a good option and alerting shelters and getting additional advice from them. Please keep us posted as we are worried for Apollo what a sweetie.

 

[tyty333]

Come home kitty dust for your brother...hope he finds his way home soon.

 

[mary poppins]

Sending dust for Apollo's safe return home soon.

When our kitty got out one night last fall, we used a laser pointer and flashlight, called her name and shook her treat container to try to entice her out of hiding. It was very stressful knowing she was gone and scouring the neighborhood looking for her. Sending dust to your family during this stressful time.

 

[VRBeauty]

One of my cats once got stuck in the next door neighbor's garage for three days. It's a two-story garage and she somehow got upstairs. Fortunately heard her meowing (very faint) at some point and was able to get her out. A friend's cat got stuck in a nearby garage at the beginning of a long weekend when the "host family" was out of town. My friend broke a window to get the cat out!

Anyhow, your brother might consider going door-to-door and asking nearby residents if they've seen Apollo, or if there's any chance the cat is stuck (or living in) a garage or some other out-building.

 

[LAJennifer]

APOLLO UPDATE -

My brother found him tonight, stuck down in a window well of an abandoned house about four doors down. He and his kids were out looking the neighborhood with a flashlight. When they found Apollo, he started to meow like crazy. My brother gave the flashlight to one of his kids while he lifted the grate off the window well. It was deep at about 4 or 5 feet down. When my brother was pulling him out, he lost his grip and Apollo ran. Because of the excitement of it all, the kids didn't see which way he ran.

So keep the dust coming!

My brother is upset with himself but I think this is great news! He is alive and close by. Now that he isn't trapped, he can come home. Of course they continued to look for him, but the rain was coming down hard and he had to get his children home and put them to bed. My brother is back out looking for him now. He got an animal trap yesterday (he set it last night and caught another cat). He was trying to set it tonight, but the mechanism is slipping and won't trigger in the rain.

I appreciate all of your dust, tips, and success stories. You are all such a big help.

Dust, dust, dust! Come home Apollo!

 

[Calliecake]

Jennifer, I'm sending more dust! At least you know Apollo is close to home. Hopefully he will come home now. The poor baby must be so hungry! Hopefully you will post later tonight that he has made it home safely. Thank you for posting an update.

 

[CJ2008]

OMG that is great news that he's alive but I hate he wasn't able to capture him so he could be home and safe

Sending extra dust to Apollo to keep him safe from the rain and get him home soon.

******** ****** ****** COME HOME APOLLO! ****** ******** *********

 

[missy]

Sending more ***DUST*** to Apollo and that he is found safe and sound and returns home soon to his loving family who is missing him!

 

[iLander]

Sending tons of finding again dust your way! Also sending a great big can of smelly tuna to coax him to you!

 

[LAJennifer]

Thanks, again, for the contiued dust. Unfortunately we still need it. I got a text from my brother (while he was at work) that he is about to have a nervous breakdown. I can't imagine what it would feel like to have him in your hands only for him to get away again. He isn't answering my texts or calls, so I assume he is still out looking.

Here are some photos of where he found him last night, down in a window well with a heavy grate on top. The grate weighed about 70 pounds. My brother was trying to move it with one hand and grab the cat with the other hand, all while lying on the ground. It is so sad that he ran. Apollo must be traumatized. My parents spent all day there today and had taken food over to where he was last seen. Hopefully he is eating until my brother can find him. I think a coworker was supposed to bring over his blood hound this evening, but I haven't heard anything yet.

Thanks guys!

 

[distracts]

Dust! Apollo must be so frightened! It is good that they are continuing to look - they know he is out there and alive now. But how tragic that he ran away when he was getting pulled out. Cats can be so stupid sometimes.

 

[missy]

I am so nervous and worried for Apollo and I am praying and sending lots of continued ***DUST*** his way. Hugs to everyone involved and praying for his safe recovery.

 

[stracci2000]

Oh Dear!! Poor Apollo. I sure hope they find him soon!

I have 2 indoor cats, who both wear collars with tags.
Even they don't go outside, I figure if one does slip outside at some point, at least the tag on the collar has our phone number, and the chances of getting the cat back are better.

 

[CJ2008]

OMG poor baby

iLander already mentioned it, but I think a can of tuna fish is actually a great idea. If he's really frightened food may be the only thing that might get him curious enough to calm down and go inspect it. It may take him a while, it won't be instant, but it's worth a shot to keep him from running away.

I hope your brother and family are able to capture him soon so he's back home and safe.