Cat missing - where should I be concentrating on?

[SafetyFootwearMustBeWorn]

He always comes in at night Didn’t come home on Tuesday. Unheard of
Have searched the garden and this is the neighbours. Out every night calling him and with his bowl of food. Posters up and flyers delivered
where oh where is he wise Mumsnetters?

Facebook.

Local groups, set it to share so that other people can share it.

Mine went missing and was seen by someone on my road who messaged someone else who said I saw a missing cat on Facebook.

Yes to Facebook.
local group plus sharing as much as possible through friends.
was he microchipped?

Does he have a litter tray? If so, put it in your garden.

Go out at dusk and call him but then wait before moving on. Check under bushes, hedges etc.

Yes he’s microchipped and I’ve notified the vets.

I really miss him

How might the litter tray help?

Go to your neighbours and ask them to open their sheds and garages and let you look inside. Your cat is more likely to come out for you. Plus some people say they will check and don't.

We found ours stuck in a row of garages across the road, had to crowbar it open a bit to get him out. Went out calling him, with a pack of dreamies

They can go missing for days and days., weeks sometimes, and still come back. I keep mine as indoor cats now.

Check if anyone is having construction work done.

As another PP said pop the litter tray out plus some worn items of yours so that he can smell your home as it may entice him back.

Assuming you haven't cleaned it out since he went missing, if he's a bit disoriented the familiar smell can help him find his way back.

Free missing pet posters

www.doxdirect.com/help/free-missing-pet-posters/

Mine has a habit of wandering into other peoples houses/sheds and garages and getting herself locked in. Maybe a flier through doors to ask people to check their outbuildings.

Also is there a road he wouldn't normally cross? Ours was missing for nearly a week and DH found her sat on a wall in someone's front garden on the other side of a main road too scared to cross back over again. She is very friendly and we think she had followed someone who was giving her some attention.

Have you posted on your local FB and missing cat groups OP?

Well if he was my boy, and I have name changed for this as this would out me on here, he would be sitting under a neighbours sofa 7 doors away.
He was trained that with two quick claps he would come running home so when he didn't we knew he was either dead or trapped.
So I would spread the word via street Whatsapp, local Facebook groups and then go door to door in the surrounding streets showing photos and looking in sheds etc.
The litter tray is so they can scent their way home.
Really hope your boy is home soon.

Thank you all. He’s still missing. We’ve flyered and postered. Im currrntly going through all the undergrowth with a long stick abd intermittently crying

I'm so sorry he is not back yet. If you have not already done so get on your local Facebook groups with a picture so everyone is looking out for him. Also every street WhatsApp too in the surrounding area. They don't tend to go too far but when they are scared they hide. We went out at 5am when it was quiet hoping he would hear us and emerge. Do keep us posted.

Thank you. It’s 10 to 1 in the morning as I’ve been out in the quiet of the night looking for him and listening. Still nothing.

I really appreciate your ideas

Scenting works really well for missing cats.

Litter tray in the garden.
Empty the contents of your hoover.
Dirty washing or his bed on the line or outside so that the smell travels as far as possible.

We've had two go walkabout for several days before! It's horrible but they do generally make their way back again.

I Found the neighbours cat in my shed. It just have hidden in there and I locked him in. I felt awful but it so easily done.

Our cat has gone missing a few times and IME doesn’t go very far. It’s most likely they are within their ‘normal’ route- so go where you think they mostly would go normally and search there well. Put up posters or through doors in the area a little bit larger than where you think they normally roam. The most likely is they are stuck or that they aren’t missing and you just haven’t noticed them as routine or route has changed! Are they chipped? best of luck x

Hi. Yes he’s chipped. We’ve flyered a wide area. I’ve been giving flyers to dog walkers too- they are out and about plus I guess their dog might react if it comes across cat’s body (am fearing the worst now)

So sorry. Most likely locked in a shed or garage. I’d ask neighbours to check. I’ve lost a cat- it’s devastating for the whole family. We never found him, but I pray he is purring away on someone’s lap, being fed fresh salmon on a regular basis.

i did hear of someone whose cat reappeared in their kitchen SEVEN years later!

Any update @SafetyFootwearMustBeWorn ?

Sadly no cat still. A lady saw our poster and rang n with a possible sighting. She even sent a photo of the location. But nothing came of it.

I miss him and his routines and I keep scanning the garden in case he comes trotting back
I think we are facing the worst outcome now.