Neighbours away. We feeding cat. It is missing. What do we do?

[wotnopulling]

We are minded to tell them.

They're away for a while - back next weekend. Cat hasn't been seen and food not been touched for a few days. DH been up there to feed let it in/out at least twice a day, religiously.

There's not much they can do but it might be chipped or it might have returned to previous address - if we had more info we could check this.

Fairly new neighbours so we don't know then very well hence indecision. They have no children so might be child subsitute - ie a real big deal.

At the moment we are coming down on 'tell them'...but over to cat lovers of mn...

Cats do this sometimes when the owners go away. The cat will come back probably when the neighbours do.

i really hope so! we're worried that because it's a new house it'll be freaked that they've gone and think it's been abandoned.

the real Q is - should we warn them we haven't seen him?

Our cat went missing when we were away in the summer. She had been run over and taken to the vet's by a kind neighbour. Unfortunately, she died. It might be worth contacting local vets as they are only obliged to keep dead bodies for 7 days.

Also check bushes near the road as if hit, the cat may have crawled to the side. Also garages. Might have got shut in.

May be fine, of course, and hope that is the case. None of my cats have ever disappeared when we were away other than the one that got killed.

Sorry. Gloomy post.

no, don't apologise, that has sealed it. we'll ring round vets and warn owners as tactfully as we can that cat hasn't been seen. we'll also check verges.

horrible thought - but one well worth having under the circumstances.

thanks!

fwiw, our cat (much hated by my father) was also run over whilst we were on holiday. Our lovely teenage neighbour was distraught. My dad paid her extra

Suspect that doesn't fit me into your cat loving group

No problem.

Hope moggy is found safe and well.

I think that you should stress that you are doing everything possible and there is no need for them to worry unduly.

Tell them that you have heard of loads of stories of cats going missing whilst their owners are away, but as they are new to the area you thought it was worth asking if the puss could have gone to a previous address.

My cat used to hate being fed by the neighbours and regularly buggered off for a week when I went away so it is quite possible that this one is the same.

Good luck.xx

it's perfectly possible that the cat has taken excepion to dh (who wouldn't?!), or more likely, our 3 year old dd1 who went with him to see 'her friend' the cat the first few times. stupid idea. cats and toddlers don't mix.

we will indeed be as optimistic and low key as we can be when we text them. bit dire making decision for someone else. hate to spoil their travels.

Putting the shoe on the other foot..if I were on holiday and my cat went missing. I would rather finish my holiday and return home to be told that the cat was missing and the minders had done their best to track it down. Than to spend the rest of my holiday worrying about the cat (and the minders) and not be in a position to do anything about it.

Agree with uptomyeyes, I would rather be told my cat had disappeared when I got back from my hols.

One of our 2 cats always does a disappearing act when we go away, much to the consternation of MIL who feeds them . He usually comes back 24 - 48 hours after we return.

The cat may well have just gone to ground and will reappear when they get back.

Agree that you should leave telling them until they get back, though. It will only stress them and they will feel completely helpless.

You could contact the local cat rescue places too, incase it has been handed in.
Also the local council. Apparently they can be called to dispose of cat bodies, so of you phone them with a description they should be able to say.

The cat might just be keeping a low profile, and reappear when the owners come back.