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Original poster

I've lost my sisters cat

26 replies

LewisLittUp · 15/08/2022 17:37

Dsis dropped her cat off at our flat this afternoon as we are cat sitting. She put her in the kitchen and closed the door as I was at work.

So I get home from work, instruct the children not to open the kitchen door because of said cat and I then unload the car with the front door open.

Come to the kitchen, door fully closed and cannot find her anywhere 😭 I have searched the cupboards, on top of the units, tried to pull the washing machine out to see if she was behind there, I cannot bloody well find her!

I have called Dsis and my nephew has insisted he closed the door behind him. My children have sworn they didn't open the door (it's an awkward handle which the youngest can't open anyway so couldn't have been her) but what if she wasn't shut in the kitchen and escaped through the front door while we were unloading the car?!

She is a house cat and likes to be left to her own devices. The plan was to feet and water her, clean her litter and let her be and so far I cannot find her!!

The backdoor was closed when I got there, her food doesn't look touched, I have shaken her dry food and called for her and not heard anything. I have left ham out because apparently she loves it but its untouched.

What the hell do I do if I have lost my sisters cat!? Please tell me some cats are just really good at hiding and being very very quiet? I'm panicking, my sister will never forgive me if anything has happened to her!

OP posts:

djdkdkddkek · 15/08/2022 17:39

Is she behind the washing machine? For some reason all cats who have visited my house have made a run for it for behind the bloody washing machine and I’ve found them hours later!

please don’t stress if they’re sure she’s in the kitchen she’ll prob still be there but just hiding and bit scared

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 15/08/2022 17:40

Cats are exceptionally good at hiding and being very quiet.

Have you pulled the kickboards off to see if she's under the cupboards?

FionnulaTheCooler · 15/08/2022 17:41

Cats are brilliant at hiding, I didn't see one of mine for about 3 days when we first brought her home. Chances are she's in the kitchen somewhere in a gap you won't have thought of.

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Cats

Original poster

LewisLittUp · 15/08/2022 17:41

I've tried to pull the washing machine out but it's so heavy, and I couldn't remove the kickboards. DH is home now to try and help move the machine because there is a gap she could have gone through (she's only a small thing

OP posts:

Original poster

LewisLittUp · 15/08/2022 17:42

My god she is being the kickboards 😭 thank god!! Trying to entice her out with ham, she is so shy and likes to be left to her own devices!

OP posts:

Original poster

LewisLittUp · 15/08/2022 17:42

*behind

OP posts:

ChatterMonkey · 15/08/2022 17:43

So glad you have found her!!

djdkdkddkek · 15/08/2022 17:45

Sp glad you found her
visiting cats can be so stressful!! I think tne I know how worried you are as well… it amuses them I’m sure

Floralnomad · 15/08/2022 17:46

She would probably have been happier at home with people visiting , poor little thing must be petrified, hope you get her out soon .

Original poster

LewisLittUp · 15/08/2022 17:47

I was worried about having her, we don't have any pets and I have given the kids warnings about leaving her alone because she doesn't like people. Wish I had a room that I could make as a little safe haven for her so she isn't stressed out.

OP posts:

something2say · 15/08/2022 17:50

Ah bless you, thank goodness you found her!!

MushMonster · 15/08/2022 17:51

Thanks goodness you found her! This very same thing happened to me when catsitting my boyfriend's (now husband) cats! I went crazy thinking one of them had escaped somehow!

MumTrain · 15/08/2022 17:53

I would leave her there and she will come out in her own time. Cars don’t like new environments, it’s very stressful for them.

Sally99 · 15/08/2022 17:54

Put a notice on all the doors to remind the children not to let out. So glad you found her

WinterMusings · 15/08/2022 17:55

So glad you've found her!

Now I'm older (mid 50's) I find looking after other peoples pets is MASSIVELY stressful. I've just got home after looking after my friends menagerie for 4 days (I look after them so often it's like shared care!!). Two cats, one is 21 and I'm terrified she's going to peg it on my watch! The other is a 4 month old kitten who would find trouble in an empty box!!

the puppy is 11 months (GS). He's a good dog in many ways, but he's been a little bugger this time! He's very heavy now and has been trying to hump me constantly, very difficult to get off me. He pulled like a fucking train on his lead & found his Big Boy voice, which he's had fun trying out.

fortunstely he's very good & has always slept in the kitchen/utility overnight, so at least there was a bit of respite.

but the mess! Oh holy god! I'm assuming he's got some teeth coming through as he barely stopped destroying stuff balls, tug toys, logs (not sticks) .... everything else is nailed down!! 😩😂

Original poster

LewisLittUp · 15/08/2022 17:59

Floralnomad · 15/08/2022 17:46

She would probably have been happier at home with people visiting , poor little thing must be petrified, hope you get her out soon .

I wish I had thought of this, it's a bit of a drive but at least she wouldn't be scared or stressed and we wouldn't be worried about losing her. I don't have a key for my sisters house, not sure if else local to us has one (no other family nearby) otherwise I would suggest it.

I'm not used to cats and if I'm honest a little bit apprehensive around them (bad experiences with cats) so we'd rub along well ignoring each other. I have given the children strict instructions to just leave her be and the back porch and front porch doors to be closed.

OP posts:

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 15/08/2022 17:59

Oh, so pleased you found her!! And
she's gorgeous!

Do you have a place you can make for her, if not a whole room? A big box you can cut a little hole in for her to hide in?

Original poster

LewisLittUp · 15/08/2022 18:14

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 15/08/2022 17:59

Oh, so pleased you found her!! And
she's gorgeous!

Do you have a place you can make for her, if not a whole room? A big box you can cut a little hole in for her to hide in?

Unfortunately not, I might put her box and litter tray under the kitchen table in the corner so she feels a bit more sheltered. Silly question but should I move her water and food bowl to just under the cupboard so if she wants to eat she has food nearer to her? It doesn't look like she has touched what is in her bowl and I don't want her being hungry but feeling too scared to venture out to get anything!

OP posts:

ImAvingOops · 15/08/2022 18:18

I'd put the food in the kitchen but not under the cupboards. I think she'll venture out when she's left alone in the kitchen

Gobbolinothekitchencat · 15/08/2022 18:21

Glad to read you found her. My DP did similar with our two cats. We had moved house and rather than leave them in a room to settle, he let them roam the house. They vanished. I was travelling from work so had no idea. A washing machine was being delivered so DP had to warn delivery guys about missing cats while he proceeded to remove all kick boards in kitchen….no cats. He searched house and eventually discovered them hiding in the boxing in bathroom covering waste pipes. Previous owner had created a tiled in cupboard/ cubby hole between toilet and basin but had left a three/four inch gap by the toilet into which the liquid-like cats had squeezed themselves. Unfortunately, the male cat was bigger and had wedged them both in there. They escaped when DP opened the lid to the storage area.

Gap by toilet was barricaded after that.

Greatfyl · 15/08/2022 18:48

If she’s like my cat she’ll come out at the dead of night to eat, drink and use the litter tray.

Talk quietly and reassuringly to her while you have to be in there but otherwise you’re doing the right thing by leaving her alone. Don’t worry too much, it’s a bit of an adventure for her.

maxelly · 15/08/2022 19:00

I would just leave everything as is now, understandable that you panicked looking for her and moved everything around but she'll do much better with peace and quiet and being left to her own devices. Cats can go a really long time without much in the way of food and drink, like, weeks, so don't worry about her not eating anything or disturb her trying to tempt her out, she'll do better left to her own devices for now. I expect she'll sneak out when everything is quiet overnight and have something to eat and use the tray, then be back hiding by morning! If you are lucky she might get a bit more confident and venture out to say hello to you in a few days but if she mainly wants to hide, that's pretty normal too. Every cat I've had has done the hiding away thing for between 2 days and 2 weeks when they move home, it's totally normal behaviour for them, they're not like dogs that need/want to play and socialise, they seem happy enough in a dark corner and their own company 😎

Original poster

LewisLittUp · 15/08/2022 19:54

Have been avoiding the kitchen as much as possible, she decided to come and say hello while DH was plating up the girls dinner. She is now exploring our living room and has come for some tickles.

I'm not sure if cats can sense when someone is nervous but I'm a little bit terrified of being bitten!

OP posts:

TheYearOfSmallThings · 15/08/2022 19:59

She is lovely!

If she is part Siamese, they tend to be more attached to their owner than the average cat, so they may find it more upsetting to be away from them and home.

2pinkginsplease · 15/08/2022 20:05

Looks like she is settling in quite all right.

If men come into our house (bar dh and ds) our cat hides too eg under kickboard, back of cupboards etc. we have had her since she was a kitten and she is quite a nervous cat.

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