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Beloved cat missing, really upset

58 replies

Concerned2024 · 23/06/2024 06:48

My cat has been missing since Thursday early hrs when I last saw him jump out about 1-2am. He's very timid and it's unlike him to be gone this long and go far. I'm worried I'll never find him or anybody else as he's probably hidden or been injured and hidden himself. He's microchipped and I've made sure his details are updated and it's logged that he's missing, I've contacted local vets, social media and have put up posters. We've been out each night walking all locally calling him to no avail and are very worried. We live on main roads but nobody has found him including us. My theory is he's been injured by whatever and gone off to hide himself and died so it'll be hard to ever find him. Usually every little noise or spook makes him come running home so this is very worrying. It's agonising not knowing what's happened to him.

I can't see that he's gotten into a garage as he went out about 1/2am when I last saw him and it's unlikely anybody would have a garage open at that time and also they would most likely have opened it again by now and he'd have come out. He's also scared of many objects such as our kitchen bin, cardboard boxes etc let alone going in garages. I can't understand what's happened, it's like he vanished into thin air. I can't believe nobody has seen him or he hasn't come out to us calling him. He wouldn't have been stolen as he is too timid and aggressive to go near, and I doubt he got into a vehicle either for the same reason and the sort of time he went missing. I 100% think he's hidden and died unfortunately and am broken. Nobody has reported him as deceased yet thankfully so am stumped. Nobody has seen him, potential sightings but they were another cat. He's tabby so blends in well to bushes etc.

I'm just very worried with him being timid that we won't ever find him.. I'd like to hear your stories if possible of possibly ever having had a timid cat who disappeared for a long time out of their character and came back a while later/was found safe and well please? I'm really struggling 😢

OP posts:
FuzzyPuffling · 23/06/2024 07:23

I'm.so sorry it's such a horrible feeling. I have two cats and get really jumpy if they don't behave as per their habit.

I once had a cat go missing for three weeks who was found by a postwoman. Walking round the area regularly meant she knew all the local cats.

I really hope yours comes home very soon.

FlaminHeckAilsa · 23/06/2024 07:28

I’m so sorry. Such a worry for you. Just keep posting on SM as often as you can. DM was contacted over a week after her cat went missing to say he was hanging around their garden, they caught him for her and brought him back.
A friend had a cat missing for 2 years! He went a bit far and just got lost it seems. Someone posted one day saying ‘is this anyones cat?’ Because they’d spotted him hanging around.
Have you walked the street’s midnight-ish to call him? If he’s a scaredy cat he might hide in the day but would hear you call at night with less traffic noise and may come out of hiding or you might hear him meow. I hope you are soon reunited Flowers

PickledMumion · 23/06/2024 07:29

I'm so sorry, it's horrible. My fairly timid cat did go missing for 3 days once in a storm - she'd been scared up a tree, and was then too scared to come down. Our neighbour heard her in his woods when he went out to clear the trees that had come down in the storm (but it was still a bit of a mission to get her down...!)

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RubyGemStone · 23/06/2024 07:33

How awful for you, this is my nightmare. He may come back, our neighbours cat went missing for several weeks and returned, injured but alive. I've since put trackers on my own cats.

I would consider putting the poster through the door of a few surrounding streets. So many people miss the posters on lamposts etc and might not be active on social media.

Call him at night. Do you have a camera you could set up outside, and put some food out. He may be coming near to home (not sure how he would usually get in), at night.

Coolblur · 23/06/2024 07:35

I'm sorry your cat is missing. It's awful not knowing their whereabouts.
My cat (no longer with us) disappeared once for 3 days after going out one evening. She came back absolutely starving but otherwise well. I think she must have been trapped somewhere. Hopefully, yours will find it's way back to you too

MushMonster · 23/06/2024 07:44

We had one going missing for six months! Yes, 6 months. I did not recognised him straight away when he came back home as he had lost so much weight. We were so happy!
I hope yours come back in soon. 💖

Concerned2024 · 23/06/2024 07:49

Thank you for all the lovely messages of support, it's really kind ❤yes we go out every night calling him and have tried shining torches and shaking dinner packets and nothing. It's so out of his character he's normally running in at every fear and never away from home for long so it's gutting.

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needhelpwiththisplease · 23/06/2024 10:00

Aww when mine went missing for 5 days. I was beside myself with worry.
Turns out he had climbed in the back of a neighbour's van and was living his best life on a camping holiday.
They found him when they got to wales.

Concerned2024 · 23/06/2024 10:27

needhelpwiththisplease · 23/06/2024 10:00

Aww when mine went missing for 5 days. I was beside myself with worry.
Turns out he had climbed in the back of a neighbour's van and was living his best life on a camping holiday.
They found him when they got to wales.

It's horrible isn't it? I'm glad yours came back though, what a relief!

OP posts:
FabricPattern · 23/06/2024 10:30

One of mine went missing for two weeks - it was horrible

Another, an indoor cat, jumped out of a window at night and took a couple of days to come home. I said on your other thread to leave a litter box outside I think they can smell it from a few miles away!

Vets, update microchips, leaflet all the neighbours... Good luck x it's such a worry x

Mitsky · 23/06/2024 10:33

Have you put posters up everywhere? Posted daily on next door and any local Facebook groups? Put flyers through doors?

A cat on our road ended up a train station down the track recently because he’d clearly got spooked and ran down the line. That search area was was out of what the owner was looking for. A Facebook post brought him home.

Mine went missing for two nights and I was destroyed. Again a next door post meant someone spotted her in an area I’d never have looked in.

Autumn1990 · 23/06/2024 10:35

Knock on doors and ask people to check sheds etc. He may have got in someone’s van or car and not everyone is good enough to bring them back. We got an amazing cat 30 years ago that way, with a micro chip he should be found
They do usually turn up and locked in a shed or garage is the most common place to find them but you almost have to force people to check

cryinglaughing · 23/06/2024 10:38

Is he neutered?
If not, he is probably off schmoozing the local queens.

Ours went missing for a month once. Don't know where he got to as we live very rurally but he didn't look great when he returned. Only did it once and now seems to stay round the farm most of the time.

Concerned2024 · 23/06/2024 10:43

Yes he's neutered which also worries me as I know neutered boys still like the lady cats but they don't go off for weeks on end to make unlike ones that are, do they? I've put posters up locally, haven't put any through doors yet but will do this as I will do anything to increase my chances. I'm gutted and hope he'll be safe and well. I've been posting regularly on social media and contacted all local vets, RSPCA, cats protection and logged him as missing on his microchip ensuring my contact details are still up to date. It's horrible the being in limbo 😔 x

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Allthehorsesintheworld · 23/06/2024 10:46

Put lots of posters around, run off leaflets and put through doors asking people to check sheds, garages etc.. my cat went missing for 5 days, never happened before. He came home of his own accord and I suspect had got shut in somewhere as he was ravenous.
Hope your boy comes home soon.

meeeeeee1234 · 23/06/2024 10:49

Our beloved rescue cat went missing for 9 weeks! They were the worst weeks of my life with worry...

We had a local facebook page dedicated to missing pets, I looged her details on there.

I eventually got a call from a lady who said a cat had turned up at her door. It was our cat. It turns out she had got trapped in an unused building site, and it was only when the workmen turned up with machinery to start building that our cat managed to escape.

We took her straight to the vets, she had lost half her body weight, from 5kg to 2.5kg, but she was ok and gradually put the weight back on and lived a healthy life for another 2 years until she became poorly with cancer.

We honestly didn't think we would see her again when she went missing, and as the weeks passed we felt sadder & sadder, but it did have a happy outcome.

Also our cat went missing New Years day, she endured snow, rain & the cold whilst she was missing. Keep positive, thinking that at least the weather now is milder and more easy to cope with.

I'm hoping you little boy will be home soon....

Concerned2024 · 23/06/2024 10:51

Allthehorsesintheworld · 23/06/2024 10:46

Put lots of posters around, run off leaflets and put through doors asking people to check sheds, garages etc.. my cat went missing for 5 days, never happened before. He came home of his own accord and I suspect had got shut in somewhere as he was ravenous.
Hope your boy comes home soon.

Thank you. These posts are giving me a tiny bit of comfort as I've really been losing hope. My next step is to try and put flyers through doors, I really hope he's well. I'm thankful that there is no social media post/contact he's been killed by a car yet or anything.

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bloodyeffinnora · 23/06/2024 10:58

I've heard that you should hang dirty washing on the line as the smell can attract them back also same with a used litter tray, leave it outside. hope he comes back soon.

Concerned2024 · 23/06/2024 10:59

meeeeeee1234 · 23/06/2024 10:49

Our beloved rescue cat went missing for 9 weeks! They were the worst weeks of my life with worry...

We had a local facebook page dedicated to missing pets, I looged her details on there.

I eventually got a call from a lady who said a cat had turned up at her door. It was our cat. It turns out she had got trapped in an unused building site, and it was only when the workmen turned up with machinery to start building that our cat managed to escape.

We took her straight to the vets, she had lost half her body weight, from 5kg to 2.5kg, but she was ok and gradually put the weight back on and lived a healthy life for another 2 years until she became poorly with cancer.

We honestly didn't think we would see her again when she went missing, and as the weeks passed we felt sadder & sadder, but it did have a happy outcome.

Also our cat went missing New Years day, she endured snow, rain & the cold whilst she was missing. Keep positive, thinking that at least the weather now is milder and more easy to cope with.

I'm hoping you little boy will be home soon....

Wow 9 weeks, that's crazy. I'm so glad you got her back though. I've been worried because it's hot that he is dehydrated if he is alive and starting to die. This is what's awful isn't it, the not knowing and stewing worrying.

OP posts:
FuzzyPuffling · 23/06/2024 13:02

bloodyeffinnora · 23/06/2024 10:58

I've heard that you should hang dirty washing on the line as the smell can attract them back also same with a used litter tray, leave it outside. hope he comes back soon.

I heard the contents of your vacuum cleaner can work. Never tried it..

CalicoPusscat · 23/06/2024 13:10

Hoping kitty comes back soon 🙁

I expect you've tried all the usuals like leaving litter tray outside etc

Concerned2024 · 23/06/2024 15:23

CalicoPusscat · 23/06/2024 13:10

Hoping kitty comes back soon 🙁

I expect you've tried all the usuals like leaving litter tray outside etc

Yes we have, thanks I hope so too it's frustrating

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LoobyDoop2 · 23/06/2024 16:13

Mine went missing for three days once, I think he got scared by kids letting fireworks off and hid. When I found him he was only about three houses away, but he was really freaked out and took a lot of coaxing back. It’s the most awful thing, I hope you find your boy soon.

Claysta · 23/06/2024 16:19

Keep positive! It’s early days and cats are so resilient .. my beloved pampered cat got into a van and disappeared for 15 long nights! I knocked on doors/ put posters up and saturated all the social media sites … I was beside myself. I did get her back through social media as someone found her in a school playground across the other side of the town we live in and posted a pic on Facebook. Have a word with your local postman to keep an eye out. I hope he turns up soon.

TheresNoFudgeHere · 23/06/2024 16:19

My very old, frail and medicated cat went missing for 2 whole days a few years ago. She only ever used to sniff about the garden then come back in. We were absolutely frantic with worry about her.
Then one night she suddenly reappeared at 2am. We left her litter box and food out.
It’s an awful, terrible feeling but keep doing these things, checking Facebook etc. I’m certain your wee cat will return, it’s maybe the warm weather that’s encouraged them to stay out!