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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

Can cats swim?

17 replies

hiddenhome · 10/09/2013 16:20

I am just thinking that, if my cat panicked when he was attacked or someone tried to catch him, could he have swam the river to get to safety on the other side?

The river, at the point where he went missing, is at it's narrowest and was low last week before all the rain.

On the other side is a large golf course, a hotel and a couple of houses.

Am I clutching at straws or does this sound feasible? I'm beginning to think that it would have been very difficult for a human to have caught him as he's so quick and there is no way he would have voluntarily gone to somebody.

If he has got over to the other side, he will find it very difficult to get back across as the only way is via a road bridge about a mile along the river.

Could he be stranded? We've been over to the hotel and left details, but I really need to get to the houses on the golf course (don't know how to do that yet).

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urtwistingmymelonman · 10/09/2013 16:23

cats are naturally very good swimmers.
they just don't really like it unless they have to!
how long has he been missing?
how old is he?

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Fragglewump · 10/09/2013 16:23

I don't think they can swim. Sorry that your cat is missing.....hope he comes home soon.

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hiddenhome · 10/09/2013 16:27

He's about 5-6, been missing a week now and is in good health and strong.

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chickydoo · 10/09/2013 16:28

Still no luck then Hidden?
My cats all swim, they are bengals and like water. Although hate rain.
Have you phoned up local vets?
There are a couple of websites like animal search that you can list your cats info on for free, and it goes nationwide. They were fantastic when I lost my cat.
Also notices outside schools are good too
Good luck

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hiddenhome · 10/09/2013 16:33

Yeah, I've done lots of phoning and advertising etc. I'm just looking at the Map app and trying to figure out what direction he might have headed in if panicked. Across the river seems reasonable. My eldest cat gave him a good swipe the other day and they got in a tussle and the collar came off. Kids could have removed the ID tube out of curiosity and it was a nice colour. We saw kids playing down there the other day.

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cozietoesie · 10/09/2013 16:35

hidden

You need to stop grasping at straws my sweet. I have my fingers crossed that he comes back to you - but he may not.

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hiddenhome · 10/09/2013 16:54

I know, but I can't sleep at night until I know that I've done everything within my power to search for him. He could be out there trying to make his way home, but lost.

Me and dh are going for another walk later on and I'll shout for him a bit. I need him to know that we're out there and that he's not far from home.

I just don't feel that he's dead ifyswim. Well, some days I do and others I don't. I can't sleep though and I have a uti now because of all the stress.

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youbethemummylion · 10/09/2013 17:04

Cats can swim in as such as they would do everything it could to keep its head above water. What are the banks of the river like? Could it get back out? Realistically though if its been a week he may not be coming back, doesnt mean he is dead though as if chipped more than likely you would know by now.

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hiddenhome · 10/09/2013 17:05

The banks of the river aren't steep.

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cozietoesie · 10/09/2013 17:12

hidden

Let it go.

I've not shared this before but Secondcat (who went outside) was caught up on the nearby main road. We spent days seeing this Tom and Jerry type squashed cat pancake there - before he was 'cleaned' off the street.

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hiddenhome · 10/09/2013 17:22

We haven't found a body yet, so I can still believe that he's alive and I have to do what I can otherwise I'll never forgive myself.

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cozietoesie · 10/09/2013 17:48

Do what you can of course. Just don't let it take you over

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chickydoo · 10/09/2013 18:09

Hidden
I so understand how frantic you must feel,I know it is eating you up inside. At least whatever happens you know you have done your best for your cat. Have you put reward notices up? Just thinking if it is kids who have fallen in love with your cat, and taken it home as a stray. Notices with a reward of £50-£100 might help.
Just a thought.

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hiddenhome · 10/09/2013 18:14

Yes, I've offered a good reward. Nobody could have picked him up and carried him because he's too big and hates being picked up and would fight until you put him down.

I've been to the newsagents and the pet shop in the town and they've put up my Lost notices. Dh did them and they're really good with a nice photo and laminated too.

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urtwistingmymelonman · 10/09/2013 18:41

fraggle. cats CAN swim.
and hidden don't despair.
all the male cats ive ever had have roamed.
one I had used to go off for weeks on end and casually wander back in and sniff his food bowl!
theres still hope but don't worry too much as to them its perfectly natural and cats are born survivors.

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MissManaged · 10/09/2013 18:52

Have one last shot at a leaflet drop (include the gof course houses, as it will make you feel better) across the widest area you can manage.
Cats are often trapped in sheds and garages.
I have known cats return to families after more than a week away, so I would not say that you should give up hope yet.

As for swimming. Yes, cats can stay afloat and move in calm water for short distances - Bengals are water lovers and do better than the average, and do love water! I knew a siamese who would swim out to a fixed lounger in the middle of a friends pool in Florida but it was the craziest strangest siamese I have ever met and the behaviour was very well known as she had done it from kittenhood.
In the main, although they CAN, cats almost never choose to be in water so I think it highly unlikely that he would have taken the river route even if attacked. Any tree in the vicinity would have been a preferable choice.

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hiddenhome · 10/09/2013 21:04

We've been along down by the side of the golf course (other side of the river) and there's quite a lot of land to cover

There's a place to park, so I can drive down there. The walk isn't too bad and I can get along as far as the sewage works.

I'm going to print out some more Lost posters and put them up in the park and along the golf course.

I think that the accident that resulted in him losing his collar has happened during the night, as the place is full of anglers at dawn and dusk and none of them have seen a cat around, so I think he keeps a low profile normally. Perhaps he's encountered another animal and there's been some sort of fracas, he's lost his collar and run off in fear.

I also don't think anybody could have grabbed him as he's mega quick and I can never manage. We have to corner him in a room in order to get him into the basket to go for his vets visits. Dh has to help me.

I hope he can find his way home as I fear we won't be able to locate him in such a large area.

The angler said that the river is low by the sewage works and he could have crossed if he was scared enough.

There are plenty of trees he could have run up. I don't understand why he hasn't come home though as he's always been so good at coming back each morning. Is he so spooked that he can't face us or something?

His friend has been looking for him. A little female called Betty who lives a few doors away. She's been coming around yowling near our house at 3am and she never used to do that before, so I'm wondering if they used to knock around together or something.