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Original poster

Missing cat- happy ending stories?

34 replies

Phifedean123 · 14/04/2020 07:49

So my 5 year old cat has been missing since Saturday morning. He is a rescue cat (Neutered and microchipped) and not used to the outdoors at all. He is extremely shy and nervous and I'm beside myself with worry. Already struggling with lockdown with a very active two year old and financial problems due to waiting for furlough pay and now this. Been out as much as possible looking for him local and done all the tips like putting his tray and bedding outside but no sign. Made posters now and it's been shared all over Facebook but I could really do with some positive stories of missing cats finding their way home right now Sad I'm so worried for him now and sad I won't ever see him again. Anyone had a cat go missing for a while and find them again?? Give me hope 🤞

OP posts:
caringiscreepy · 14/04/2020 07:51

Absolutely, my 1 year old cat has taken to buggering off for up to 2 weeks at a time and then just comes back when it suits him 🤷🏼‍♀️ he was booked in to be neutered but then lockdown came in so we had to cancel. I was wondering if that's our problem. We did the same as you the first time, Facebook etc but now we know he just comes back eventually

BlueGheko · 14/04/2020 07:54

Mine recently went missing and was found in a neighbours garage! She'd snuck in whilst he was getting his motorbike out. Lots of people at home doing gardening etc, It's very likely your cat is stuck in a shed/garage. It was actually another neighbour who found mine after hearing her miaow, which I'd missed due to the noise of heavy rain. Also far fewer cars on the road so less likely to be a car accident. Could you put notes through all your neighbours doors asking them to check sheds etc?

DCICarolJordan · 14/04/2020 08:05

My parents recently moved to my town and the cat disappeared about three weeks in. My mother was distraught, it was the middle of winter, snowing and storms. 3 months later, the local vet called - he’d shown up in a random backyard about 5 km away! He was skinny and straggly but he’d made it.
A friend from school had a cat disappear for 2 years and then randomly returned to their back step one day. It’s early days yet, don’t give up hope 💐

BovaryX · 14/04/2020 08:11

Hi OP, it's really difficult because of lockdown but you need to make a concerted, daily effort to find him. Don't give up. Contact all the local vets, put posters online, but most important, keep actively searching for him. Is he trapped somewhere? Walk around the local streets in every direction calling him. Ideally, talk to neighbours but that's not possible. I found ours after 3 weeks. I would never have found him without active searching.

BovaryX · 14/04/2020 08:13

Mine did not and could not have found his way home. He was lost and way beyond where familiar scents could guide him. But I did find him through active searching.

AintOverUntilTheCatLadySings · 14/04/2020 08:13

Pee in a glass and leave it out overnight. Your scent will help him find his way back.

Original poster
Phifedean123 · 14/04/2020 08:13

Aw thank you for the replies. Wow two years Shock I think I need to remember cats are very good survivalists and mines probably a lot hardier than I think. I know it seems silly to worry so much already but he's such a nervy little thing (rescue cat)
He could well be in a shed there's quite a few on my back road, i'm going to post some fliers today. Thanks all I absolutely won't give up hope Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
Phifedean123 · 14/04/2020 08:16

Will definitely keep actively searching too, it's just bad timing I suppose can't really approach people for obvious reasons but my local newsagents has put a poster up of him

OP posts:
BovaryX · 14/04/2020 08:18

Don't give up, that's the spirit. Think about your local area. Where could he be? Walk around calling him and think about his travel through gardens back and front, where would it take him?

Mumsnut · 14/04/2020 08:19

Join NextDoor and post a picture if it is active near you. Then your neighbours will all be looking

JonHammIsMyJamm · 14/04/2020 08:21

My boy went missing for four days, this time last year. Very, very unlike him, as he ‘checks in’ every hour or so when he’s out, so we knew something was up. The day after he went walking I posted on our local Facebook missing pets page, local community board, put posters up in lampposts and phoned around all local vets practices. He turned up 4 days later absolutely stinking of musty shed (hungry and thirsty but fine), just jumped through the kitchen window like nothing had happened. Both DH and I were in bits Blush. It was the first weekend of lawn mowing weather and he must’ve gone into someone’s shed for a nosey and then got shut in. Then let out a few days later when that person went back into their shed or heard him making a fuss.

People have had cats disappear for years on end and then stroll in like nothing happened.

JonHammIsMyJamm · 14/04/2020 08:26

Does he have a litter tray? If he does, put that in a corner of the garden, cats have an amazing sense of smell and will be able to use that to guide them home if lost.

Inform your microchipping database company too.

Check your pet insurance if you have it. Mine has a clause to pay costs incurred searching for lost pets.

The ‘Litter Tray’ board in here is quite helpful for missing cat tips Smile

Advice from Cats Protection re lost cats www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/lost-found-and-feral-cats/lost-a-cat

Aloe6 · 14/04/2020 08:26

It’s lovely when cats just turn up home after being missing but in many situations they need you to go and find them. He is likely to be trapped in a shed or garage. If he’s shy he may not call out. I had a cat trapped in a neighbours garage for a few days before she eventually made a sound. You really do need to be out there asking to look in people’s sheds/ garages/ under decking and hedges in their gardens. I’m not sure how that’s going to work with the current situation but if you knocked my door I’d happily give you access to check.

Go out at night too with a torch incase he’s outdoors, the light will reflect on his eyes.

Good luck.

iamabox · 14/04/2020 08:29

My mums cat went missing last Wednesday, she was distraught, but he came home on Sunday night. He is fine, he must of just fancied a few days away.

Last year my boy went missing for 2 weeks!!! I was beside myself. Posters, Facebook post calling vets and animal charities....then he just walked back in as cocky as you like screaming for food!!

lynsey91 · 14/04/2020 08:31

We had a cat go missing for 6 months and then turn up on the doorstep. We think he had got into a lorry and travelled a distance and then walked home. The pads on his feet were very rough and had obviously been bleeding at some stage. He was also very thin.

We lived next to a farm and lorries would be there quite often. Our cat was quite nosy and had been found sitting in the cab of a lorry before.

Do you have a local facebook page? We often get posts about missing cats and asking people to check their garages, sheds etc

BovaryX · 14/04/2020 09:46

It’s lovely when cats just turn up home after being missing but in many situations they need you to go and find them

Aloe6

Absolutely agree with this. When ours vanished for three weeks, I knew the reason he didn't return was because he couldn't. He had got lost and would never have found his way home on his own, he had wandered miles. OP, the best of luck and just keep actively looking and trying to think of where he might have gone.

Original poster
Phifedean123 · 14/04/2020 11:00

Yeah he's posted on local groups and the animal rescue I got him from have posted him too. This has been really useful thanks all I am going out soon to look again just having quite the morning with the two year old 🙈
I know the type of cat he is and the hiding in a shed nearby would be exactly what he would do he's so nervous except from with us at home poor thing. Hopefully the neighbours won't mind having a look cos I'd completely understand them not wanting me to right now. Awful timing kitty 😩

OP posts:
Oldestchild90s · 14/04/2020 20:18

Any news today?

SlothRunner · 14/04/2020 20:47

My friend had a very nervous cat, she went missing and about a year later a vet called to say they had her. She had basically found life at my friends house way to stressful and moved in with an old lady a few doors down. When the old lady died, her family took the cat to vet and her chip was scanned. She ended up staying with the new family in the end, as she just wasn’t happy in my friends busy house and hid all the time.

I hope your boy turns up soon, I’m sure he’s in a shed somewhere. That happened to my cat, she was locked in next doors garage. She was only gone one evening before we heard her

Original poster
Phifedean123 · 14/04/2020 21:21

No news today but posters are up everywhere and a couple local shops have kindly put him in the window. I've just been out as it was getting dark then and tried my best to have a look in bushes but nothing bar a few neighbours cats following me thinking I was going to give them treats haha. Neighbours have said they'll keep an eye out and check their sheds too. I'm thinking about going really early as the sunrises tomorrow when my toddler and dp are in bed.
Try again tomorrow 🤞🤞🤞

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 16/04/2020 18:17

My friends had cat fo missing 4 years ago. They gave up hope of ever seeing her again. Yesterday afternoon she walked right back into their garden, like she'd never been away!

Windyatthebeach · 16/04/2020 18:22

1 dcat went for 6 months. Found her sat under a tree at our very local shops.

Original poster
Phifedean123 · 30/04/2020 07:32

19 days later guess who pops out of a bush over the road whilst on my nightly search Grin veryyy skinny but absolutely fine otherwise I can't believe it!

OP posts:
Aloe6 · 30/04/2020 07:53

Amazing news Phife

Well done on persevering in the search for her!

SallyWD · 30/04/2020 08:00

I remember my childhood cats would occasionally disappear for up to 2 weeks and would stroll back in as if nothing happened. Hope he comes back soon OP. I know how upsetting it is 💐

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