My Cat is Missing

[Chainsaw Hobbit]

Just over a week ago, my beautiful precious cat Peashoo went missing. He is always incredibly affectionate and friendly and loyal. He is a pacifist, and has never clawed or hissed at or bit anyone. He is friendly and loving and sweet. And I fear I may never see him again.

Fortunately, I live in an area that is, for the most part, forested and uninhabited - so he probably didn't get hit by a car. It just isn't like him to leave for more than a few hours. He has always been an outdoor cat, but has never really been fond of nature.

UPDATE: I got my cat back! Yay!

[SiuiS]

Ouch :smallfrown:

With luck, He'll make his way home and just got slowed by terrain.

[Juggling Goth]

Ack, I'm sorry. Ours went missing for months, and it was horrible. If you have any neighbours, try asking them to check their buildings in case he got stuck.

[Morph Bark]

What is the longest he's been gone before? Cats, even in city areas, can wander about up to 6 miles away from their home to explore and hunt.

[KenderWizard]

That sucks. :smallfrown: I agree that you should ask around, if he's used to being given food he might be a couple of miles away a bit lost and someone might be feeding him, or at least seen him.

[Phishfood]

Well, the good news is that cats get very attached to their homes and have been known to travel hundreds of miles to get back to them.

My cat used to do this every so often, disappear for a few days and then magically turn up safe and well.

Worrying as hell every time it happened.

[Eldan]

How long has he been gone? We had a cat that used to vanish for up to a week sometimes and always came back.

[Killer Angel]

I really hope you'll have more luck than myself, when it happened to me... :smallfrown:

[Ranger Mattos]

Aw, that's terrible. Hope you find him.

[Mindfreak]

I hope you find him.:smallfrown:
Like Juggling Goth said: ask your neighbors, put up posters, maybe even bundles of catnip in the woods around your house(I don't know if it would work or not, but perhaps your cat would be able to smell your scent on the catnip(which cats are attracted to like flies to honey) and know it's close to home and be able to follow your scent back?)

Again, I hope you find your cat, Twilight.

[Scarlet Knight]

The shame is that even if he has a collar, neighbors don't think anything is wrong when a cat wanders by, since so many people let their cats out.

[Chainsaw Hobbit]

What is the longest he's been gone before? Cats, even in city areas, can wander about up to 6 miles away from their home to explore and hunt.
Three days is his previous record. He prefers the indoors to the outdoors, and has always been just a bit chubby.


I hope you find him.:smallfrown:
Like Juggling Goth said: ask your neighbors, put up posters, maybe even bundles of catnip in the woods around your house(I don't know if it would work or not, but perhaps your cat would be able to smell your scent on the catnip(which cats are attracted to like flies to honey) and know it's close to home and be able to follow your scent back?)

Again, I hope you find your cat, Twilight.
I have asked around and put up posters, but since about two thirds of the population has outdoor cats, I don't think it will do much to help. He hates catnip, because the one time he had it, he ended up on top of the fridge with his tale between his legs, looking around wildly at his mind-conjured attackers.

[Asta Kask]

*hugs*

Hope you find your cat again.

[Arminius]

That sucks. I hope he turns up again.:smallfrown:

[Mystic Muse]

Good luck finding the poor kitty.

[neoseph7]

I've had cats for a couple decades now, and I've seen this end good and bad. In most cases, when a cat doesn't want to be found, they are remarkably good at staying that way. I once spent half a week looking for a cat that was hiding behind a shoe box in my own closet. Presumably they just find new hiding places when I'm not looking and eating when I'm asleep or otherwise occupied. And everytime it's more than a day or two I start to get that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I very much hope you find your cat.

[Asta Kask]

Anyone else feel they have to check up on their cat when they see something like this?

[Bhu]

Hugs for twilight

[tigerusthegreat]

The good news is indeed that cats are great at finding their way home. There's at least one story of a cat travelling halfway accross Canada to make their way home.

Then there's the old joke:

A husband hated his wife's cat, so while she was out one day, he put it in the car, drove across town, dropped it on the street corner and went home. When he got there, the cat was sitting on the stoop.

A few days later, his wife was out again, so he put the cat in the car, and drove it to the next town over, dropped it on the curb, and went home. When he got there, the cat was sitting on the stoop.

The next week, his wife went out again, and he took the cat, drove into the next state, going deep into the woods along a twisty path.

Three days later, his wife was at home. She received a call from her husband, who had been missing for a few days. He asked her "Is the cat there?" She answered "yes," and he replied "Good, put the cat on, I'm can't find my way back home."

The morale of the story is that cats ask for directions...or something like that.

[Savannah]

Find out where your local shelter is -- whichever one takes strays. Go there in person immediately. They'll be able to tell you how often you need to come in to check (at my shelter, we would hold strays for three days, so that's how often you'd need to come in to make sure you'd find your pet). They should also know what cats are being held at local vets and any cats that people have found and reported but are keeping at their house (although not everyone reports that they found a pet, unfortunately). Here's some more information on finding a lost cat. (http://www.missingpetpartnership.org/recovery-lostcat.php)

[Alaris]

Ugh. No offense, but I just absolutely CANNOT understand how people can have their cat be an "outdoor cat." All of my cats that I've ever had have always been indoor. My parents have taught me that way, and we have never let our cats outside.

Sure, a cat might be curious about the outside world, but it's far too dangerous for him to wander out like that. There are cars on the roads, one little mistake and the cat will be gone.

There are also sadistic little ****s, who find fun in torturing a cat, be it with knives, or with fire. With knowledge of these things, I can't find ANY understanding as to why someone would let their cat outside. I mean... you let it outside, and, even if it doesn't get killed, it could wander off and not return. I don't know if I could deal with caring for a cat a lot, and then never seeing it again after letting it out for its "morning walk."

ALL OF THAT ASIDE, I do wish you the best of luck in finding your cat. Regardless of how I feel about letting cats outside, I don't think you deserve to never see your cat again, but I do hope that you will make him/her an indoor cat when you do find them.

The best you can do is to ask around, make a network of people who will keep an eye out for a cat with X Description, and eventually, you'll find him.

[Chainsaw Hobbit]

Yay! I got my cat back!

Last night, I found him scratching at the door. I let him in and fed him, and hhe ate almost two full bowls of food. He is thinner and has a small tear in his ear, but if in one piece and healthy! Woohoo!

[Asta Kask]

Congratulations. I think that's wonderful news. My cat, he doesn't care.

[Ranger Mattos]

Huzzah! 10chars

[Mono Vertigo]

Hurray! So glad your cat found his way back! :smallsmile:

[Aedilred]

I can't understand why anyone wouldn't let their cat go outside, unless there are specific reasons for doing so. Cats are meant to be outside, to roll around in the sun, lie around in the shade, chase mice, birds, climb trees, generally explore and play and establish a territory. Of course, I live in the UK, where there's very little in the way of dangerous fauna that will hurt a cat - foxes will only attack them if desperate, and the biggest threat to a cat is probably other cats and the occasional dog.

I can understand not letting a cat out of the front door if you live on a main road, but cats are not stupid creatures (for the most part; I have met some very stupid cats) and will avoid traffic where possible anyway. Not letting a cat into the garden, especially when the cat can see said garden through the window, seems a bit sad. When we moved house our current cat was confined to the house for quite a long time and refused to go outside when given the opportunity. She became very depressed (and was actually medicated for it) until we spent some time with her exploring the garden. She now spends her time in the garden, adjoining gardens and field, and seems very happy.

All of the cats I have known have been "outdoor" cats (that is, they are free to come and go as they please, although they do tend to sleep indoors) and the vast majority of them have lived to ripe old ages, and what's killed them has been an internal rather than external factor. Nor, in most cases, has it made them less affectionate towards their owners. It just means the cat has more scope to entertain itself when the owners aren't around.

[Asta Kask]

I agree. When I moved my cat was kept inside for three months... and the joy when he was let out! He would run simply for the sheer joy of being able to run without having to turn.

[Eldan]

One reason I can, at least, see is the ecological factor. House cats are a pain, ecologically speaking, and in the process of exterminating a large part of all existing bird species.

[Skeppio]

UPDATE: I got my cat back! Yay!

Yay! Glad to hear it! :smallsmile:

[turkishproverb]

Ugh. No offense, but I just absolutely CANNOT understand how people can have their cat be an "outdoor cat." All of my cats that I've ever had have always been indoor. My parents have taught me that way, and we have never let our cats outside.

Sure, a cat might be curious about the outside world, but it's far too dangerous for him to wander out like that. There are cars on the roads, one little mistake and the cat will be gone.

There are also sadistic little ****s, who find fun in torturing a cat, be it with knives, or with fire. With knowledge of these things, I can't find ANY understanding as to why someone would let their cat outside. I mean... you let it outside, and, even if it doesn't get killed, it could wander off and not return. I don't know if I could deal with caring for a cat a lot, and then never seeing it again after letting it out for its "morning walk."

ALL OF THAT ASIDE, I do wish you the best of luck in finding your cat. Regardless of how I feel about letting cats outside, I don't think you deserve to never see your cat again, but I do hope that you will make him/her an indoor cat when you do find them.

The best you can do is to ask around, make a network of people who will keep an eye out for a cat with X Description, and eventually, you'll find him.

The can can probably handle it better than you can. :smallsmile: They're tough. Heaven knows, mine took down a few badgers back in her day.

we had to take her to a new owner (one of my older relatives) years later precisely because trying to turn her into an indoor cat after so long as an outdoor one was practically killer her.


Yay! I got my cat back!

Last night, I found him scratching at the door. I let him in and fed him, and hhe ate almost two full bowls of food. He is thinner and has a small tear in his ear, but if in one piece and healthy! Woohoo!


YAY!! Good for you!

And the ear's not that bad a sign.


Congratulations. I think that's wonderful news. My cat, he doesn't care.

Sounds like a Cat.

[Serpentine]

Re. indoor and outdoor cats: I'm in-between. My cat (and my Boy's cat) can come and go as he likes during the day, but at night they must be brought in.
I prefer that my cat be able to go outside - I think it's good for him, and I'd feel bad keeping him away from fresh air and grass and the like. If I had to choose, however, he would definitely be an inside cat. No way am I happy with him being outside at night.
There's a bunch of reasons for that. For starters, it's the law in Australia: cats are not allowed outside at night. For seconds, it's dangerous for them: just this year my boy's previous cat died after being hit by a car when he got out one night. For thirds, it's better (granted, probably only slightly) for the ecosystem: a lot of Australia's native small, furry animals (most of which are endangered) come out at night.

More importantly: I'm so glad your cat came back :smallsmile: Is she microchipped?

[turkishproverb]

More importantly: I'm so glad your cat came back :smallsmile: Is she microchipped?

If not I imagine she will be soon.

And I feel for you on Indoor vs outdoor, it's just the only time our cat WANTED indoor was after having kittens, and after her not-coincidental getting fixed. And forcing her wasn't exactly possible.

[Serpentine]

Why not? Do you not have doors? :smallconfused:

[Asta Kask]

Cats meow when they don't get what they want. Constantly. At least mine does - it's a very effective method akin to Chinese water torture. Just one meow at a time... but it drives you INSANE!

[turkishproverb]

Why not? Do you not have doors? :smallconfused:

She knew how to use her claws if you tried picking her up. :smallamused:


Cats meow when they don't get what they want. Constantly. At least mine does - it's a very effective method akin to Chinese water torture. Just one meow at a time... but it drives you INSANE!

This too.




...

I wish I hadn't developed an allergy. I'd love to have a cat nowadays. :smallfrown:

[Asta Kask]

Mum is redoing her kitchen and thus has rolled up all the carpets. One of her cats like to hide inside the carpet and ambush her as she walks by.

[turkishproverb]

That...is...adorable!

[H Birchgrove]

Glad to hear the cat is back!

[The Succubus]

Any chance we could have a piccie of the wayward kitteh?

[Killer Angel]

Yay! I got my cat back!


I'm gonna join the chorus of "Horray!" :smallsmile:



I can understand not letting a cat out of the front door if you live on a main road, but cats are not stupid creatures (for the most part; I have met some very stupid cats) and will avoid traffic where possible anyway.

Sadly, many cats (when scared by cars' approaching lights and so on), try to commit suicide crossing quickly the road, jumping out of nowhere just in front of you... :smallsigh:

[Rising Phoenix]

Give your kitty a big hug :) and hurray for getting them back.

As for cats being predators. I hear that many fancy cat breeds are absolute dunces when it comes to hunting... We had a persian cat who would purr, yes purr, when he was outside our bird aviary...

When we were cleaning the nest boxes we had placed some baby budgies in a bowl he snack up to them when we weren't looking sat on them and started purring... The chicks where fine... a bit confused, but fine.

Man I miss my pets... :(...

[Helanna]

Hooray! That's good to hear.


Cats meow when they don't get what they want. Constantly. At least mine does - it's a very effective method akin to Chinese water torture. Just one meow at a time... but it drives you INSANE!

In addition to meowing, one of my cats took to lurking next to the door and trying to dart out whenever we opened it. Which sounds easy enough to avoid, but he was sneaky and we have dogs that have to be let out every couple of hours. Note that this was a cat that was born in our house and had never, ever been outside in his life. We tried keeping him in for as long as possible, but that cat was gonna get out one way or another.

[Gator]

Cats, like children, often want things that are not good for them.

I used to work at the local Humane Society, and having had the dubious honor of photographing dead animals that were brought to us by Animal Control in the event their owners came looking for them, I can say I'm firmly on the "keep them indoors" camp. People often say that "cats can take care of themselves," and it's true that they can hunt and fight. They can get in fights with each other and even small predators like raccoons and badgers, but they can't fight cars, alligators (I'm in Florida), diseases like FIV and rabies, and those sickos out there who leave poisoned food out for strays or catch them in traps to use them for dog fighting (again, Florida).

[Aedilred]

Fortunately that sort of thing happening here is vanishingly rare. Nation of animal lovers and all that... and the laws on animal cruelty are pretty ferocious. Ecology isn't such an issue here either (although I see how it would be in Australia etc.) as little of our wildlife is sufficiently endangered in areas where cats are prominent for the presence of cats to cause much concern. Animals vulnerable to cat predation were wiped out a long time ago. Traffic would be my only real cause for concern, but even then, I'd only be overly worried if I lived on a main road.

I've read/heard somewhere that the "meow" is a noise cats have developed specifically to communicate with humans. Wild and feral cats don't do it, other than a small amount of mewing as kittens. I don't know the science behind it but I gather the frequency of a baby's cry is evolutionarily programmed to be difficult for humans to ignore - I wouldn't be surprised if the noise a cat makes is deliberately pitched at the same level. It would certainly explain why it's such a bloody annoying noise.

[Serpentine]

I think it's basically: we respond to it, so they use it. I've heard something about the imitation of human conversation thrown in there, too - with my cat, that seems believable.

I don't really have strong feelings about keeping cats inside all the time, but I certainly do about keeping them inside at night. If nothing else, how are you meant to get bedtime snuggles if they're outside? :smallfrown:

[The Succubus]

I've read/heard somewhere that the "meow" is a noise cats have developed specifically to communicate with humans.

It's actually a sorceror spell: Command Human.

[Asta Kask]

The results from my cat's blood tests came back - and he has a clean bill of health! No thyroid problems, no malfunctioning kidneys or liver, no diabetes.

*happy dance*

[Rising Phoenix]

I think it's basically: we respond to it, so they use it. I've heard something about the imitation of human conversation thrown in there, too - with my cat, that seems believable.

I don't really have strong feelings about keeping cats inside all the time, but I certainly do about keeping them inside at night. If nothing else, how are you meant to get bedtime snuggles if they're outside? :smallfrown:

Yes... a lit fireplace, a mug of hot chocolate and a purring cat on your lap... pure heaven...

[Dr.Epic]

YAY! Good to hear you found them. A lost pet really is something sad.

[H Birchgrove]

It's actually a sorceror spell: Command Human.

Pray that there aren't cats who are "skin fans"; it's bad enough with dogs who try to hump your legs! :smalleek:

[KenderWizard]

Yay! That's great news! :smallsmile:

And also yay for Asta's cat!

I think cats enjoy being outside, but I wish very much that my cat had been more of an indoor cat. He mostly lived in the utility room, could go outside during the day, but was supposed to be inside at night, but wasn't allowed in the house proper unless me or someone else was with him because my mother didn't want him inside all the time. The last time I saw him he was sitting in the window outside and I thought about bringing him in for a while, but I was busy writing goodbye cards for the people I liked in school and he was not a conducive presence for productivity. Then he hopped down off the window, and when I finished up and went to call him, he didn't come. I called and called and eventually left the window open so I could hear him if he came back and meowed or played with his jingly ball, but he didn't. Next morning my father found him dead in the road. I feel like it was my fault, because I could have let him in, or I could have finished sooner, or he saw me walk out the front gate one time so maybe he thought it was okay because I did it. I miss him so much; that was over three years ago but I'm crying to think about it. He did love being outside, though.

[Talya]

I didn't eat him. I'm allergic to cats.

(I thought about saying this initially after it was posted, but ended up waiting until you got your cat back.)

[turkishproverb]

It's actually a sorceror spell: Command Human.

...

That makes way too much sense.

[THAC0]

Glad the cat's home. Would kill me if mine went missing!

Mine's an indoor cat, except that he is allowed outside but only on a leash. Fortunately, he thinks he's a dog and doesn't mind this at all. Mine will never be allowed outside unleashed, there are just too many things that can go wrong, even if you don't live in Alaska.

Funny thing on the hunting side: got some mice in the garden last spring. I took cat outside to see what he would do. Couldn't catch one, largely because he got engrossed with a hole that went into the grass and came up in the garden. He'd stick his paw in one end and then think that his paw coming out the other end was a mouse.

[Traab]

Heh, my cats have always been outdoor cats. I also highly sympathize with the whole, "How are you going to stop them?" argument. My cats tended to not only chain meow, they would scratch, and scratch, and scratch. Until they managed to build their own pet door practically. lol My last cat was cross eyed, half blind, and im pretty sure he was mildly retarded. (seriously, he was one screwed up kitty stray we found) He was still an outdoor cat once he was full grown and we felt he could find his way home. I never knew what they did or where they would go, but they always came home frequently to eat drink, and be pet by their loyal servants. (us)

[Brother Oni]

I don't know the science behind it but I gather the frequency of a baby's cry is evolutionarily programmed to be difficult for humans to ignore - I wouldn't be surprised if the noise a cat makes is deliberately pitched at the same level. It would certainly explain why it's such a bloody annoying noise.

To be more precise, a baby's cry is difficult for the parents to ignore. Just we imprint on them, they imprint on us.
Given that cats are social animals as well, I agree that they've probably adapted or learnt that making particular noises gets the attention of the two legged slaves when they want it.