Oh bugger - DS's cat has disappeared

[stealthsquiggle]

She is not officially DS's cat, she and her brother are family cats. However, GirlCat, aka Touchmeandyoudiecat, has chosen 11yo DS as her default person and he is actually allowed to tickle her occasionally.

DS left at 5am on a school trip for 3 days. At 8am it became clear that BoyCat was very stressed about the non-appearance of his sister. I have checked every room, opened every door, etc.

She hasn't got a collar on (we did try, she shredded it until it broke), is not microchipped and is a hunter (we live in the middle of nowhere, she brings home shrews, mice, rabbits and occasional birds) so I am horribly afraid she has been hunted herself.

There is nothing I can do, is there ?

[cozietoesie]

When did you last see her, stealth ?

[stealthsquiggle]

Last night. She was around early evening, but when I went to feed them before I went to bed only BoyCat was there - not that unusual as touchmeandyoudiecat often heads out to massacre the local wildlife at dusk, but it's very unusual for her not to turn up for breakfast, and BoyCat is clearly anxious and being clingy

[cozietoesie]

It's not that long for a hunting cat in summer to go AWOL, although hard on you when she varies her routine. Is she spayed ? (Just in case she's seen a handsome bit of stuff on her travels and is out on the razzle.)

DS is back Wednesday evening?

[stealthsquiggle]

Yes, she's spayed. Done before we adopted her - God only knows how they caught her to get her to the vet .

I know it's not really a long time for a hunter, but she's never done it before and I am worried sick. She is teeny tiny too so would stand no chance against anything that decided she was trespassing

[stealthsquiggle]

Yes, DS is back midnight on Wednesday, so she has until Thursday 7am to get her little tortie paws back home without him finding out (as long as I can put DD off the scent so that she doesn't blab)

[hellymelly]

I would go walking and keep calling for her. Sheds nearby? Dogs? Do you live in the sort of rural area where people set traps? How far are roads? I think that going out and having a good look is the only thing you can do unless you have lots of neighbours to give leaflets to. It is worrying that your boy cat is anxious, but maybe he is just missing her, was he out with her last night? If you have nearish roads then check the verges in case she has been clipped and crawled into grass but can't get home. Good luck, I hope she saunters in shortly in perfect health.

[stealthsquiggle]

I will go round to see the only near neighbour later. One very fast road, which I have checked for a short distance either way. Neighbour has lots of cats, and I am 99% sure that she normally heads out across the fields because going the other way (towards the road) involves crossing other cats' territory, and those cats own a dog too.

[stealthsquiggle]

News Flash. DH has just stuck his head round my office door to say that she is now asleep in her bed ( she must have snuck in since I last checked about 30 mins ago). Clearly a good party happened somewhere last night. I will be having the "and what exactly did you think you were up to, young lady?" conversation later.

Gah. Why do we let them do this to us? BoyCat is still in my office so either he doesn't know she is home or she has told him to sod off and let her sleep .

[hellymelly]

Phew! What a relief. I am not having a great day, and I was all teary at the thought of a tiny little cat lying injured in the heat....(vivid imagination). I remember the stress of cats going walkabout. Have a .

[cozietoesie]

Either a really good party or a really good hunt. Either way - little madam.

(Glad she's back though - and at least you can tell the truth to DS tonight if he rings and asks in passing how she is.)

[stealthsquiggle]

Thanks for the empathy, Helly. I hope your day improves. Imagine if you will me remonstrating with teenage cat who will, in true teenage fashion, shrug and ignore me.

[stealthsquiggle]

Here she is - innocence personified.

[stealthsquiggle]

Thanks, Cozie. I am now suspicious that it was deliberate revenge for me having shut them out in their room (utility room, with cat flap) overnight because I was fed up with washing the blood and entrails of small mammals off the kitchen floor in the mornings. Sigh. If so, then she is going to win that battle, because my nerves can't take it.

[hellymelly]

Oh ! She is the absolute double of my Granny's cat when I was a child. I saw her being born, and we chose her for Granny because of her pretty markings. I've not seen another cat quite like her until yours! She looks suitably "talk to the paw" in the pictures.

[stealthsquiggle]

She is incredibly pretty - we didn't really see her markings until we had had her a while, as she was cowering in a corner at the rescue place and when we first brought her home. As you can see, she's not cowering any more . Her brother is a big handsome ginger stripy monster and has become as soppy as anything (having started out cowering just as much as her).

She did actually let me stroke her, and even purred, when I went to check on her, so maybe she has given herself a bit of a fright and is glad to be home?

[timtam23]

She's a beautiful cat. Glad she came home safely.