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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Cat lost in house

26 replies

Tiddlybear · 30/11/2011 19:22

Hi

I am a panic and need some constructive advice. Got a vert friendly 2 year old cat from resuce centre last week. She has settled in really well.
Yesterday came home from work and couldn't find cat - found her evually trapped in safe cupbaord in bathroom , she wasnt upset.

Today came form work she was fine, eat her dinner, played with dc. Noted when I was in kitchen that I didn't see her anywhere. So checked everywhere obvious and not so obvious including the cupboard she was in yesterday. Nowhere, have gone round house shaking her food, still cant hear or see her Checked everywhere I can think of - except up the chimney.

I am not used to cats so am really worried about, trying to stay calm as I upset the dc yesterday and dc2 is saying he has a sore tummy worrying about her.

Will she be ok, will she come out when dc go to bed (they are noisy but she usually wants to play with them).

Where else should I check, door and windows closed, washing maching and all kitchen applicances closed.

OP posts:
usualsuspect · 30/11/2011 19:25

Wardrobe,under the beds,washing basket,behind the sofa

don't worry though she will come out when shes ready

Northernlurker · 30/11/2011 19:26

Have you looked up - on top of book cases etc?

Also in things - suitcases/boxes/toy boxes. If she can't get out she's obviously found somewhere safe and snug inside. Of course she isn't in the bathroom - she knows you know about that one!

Tbh though I would leave her to it. She just wants her own space for a bit. It's great she's settled so well. This doesn't mean she isn't settled, just means she wants some peace!

mycatsaysach · 30/11/2011 19:26

ours like to get under the bath and even under the floorboards

Northernlurker · 30/11/2011 19:27

Are your dining table chairs tucked under the table? If so look under and see if she's sitting on one. Ours does this and it's a big shock when you pull out the chair to find her there.

usualsuspect · 30/11/2011 19:27

My cat was asleep in the recycling bag yesterday Grin

tabulahrasa · 30/11/2011 19:29

She'll be anywhere you can fit a cat - and that's a surprisingly large number of places, lol

If she starts miaowing, she's stuck somewhere and you'll hear her, otherwise she'll just appear when she wants to.

Original poster
Tiddlybear · 30/11/2011 19:30

Thanks for all the suggestions - I am a cat novice! dcs are being very noisy and she may br fed up with them . I will get them to bed and see if she appears.
Thanks for the reassurance!

OP posts:
usualsuspect · 30/11/2011 19:31

Check any bags ,mine can squeeze into my handbag if I leave it open

Northernlurker · 30/11/2011 19:34

Look right under the dcs beds - and in drawers. Ours likes to jump in an open drawer then over the backof said drawer in to the space behind. Means you can't get her OR shut the drawer. Little monster!

Fluffycloudland77 · 30/11/2011 19:53

Top of the kitchen cupboards?

Under the kitchen units behind the base boards?

fastweb · 30/11/2011 20:31

Take one tin of cat food.

Bang it with a fork.

(Or shake a bag of dried cat food althpugh mine will only saunter rather than dash for dry food)

Walk around house while banging alert for any frantic attempts to exit a hidy hole that has had a door accidentally closed on it.

fastweb · 30/11/2011 20:33

Oh and do rummage in the laundry basket and any bags of clean washing.

But try the tin first.

GrimmaTheNome · 30/11/2011 20:38

Cats can hide in astonishingly small places. When I was a student, a friend brought their cat to my flat (I think we had mice) and it disappeared while shut in the small kitchen. It was in the narrow gap behind the cooker.

MummyDoIt · 30/11/2011 20:42

I lost my cat for several hours once. There was no way she could have got out but I could not find her anywhere. Turned out she had climbed onto a bookcase and then fallen down the back of it so was trapped between the bookcase and the wall. The gap can't have been more than a couple of inches. Poor thing was so frightened, she couldn't make a noise. Check behind all your furniture!

Original poster
Tiddlybear · 30/11/2011 20:46

Was in middle of posting in panic again, having looked everywhere you suggested when 5 minuted after house went quiet she appeared like magic at my side, I have no idea where she was!

OP posts:
brabbinsandfyffe · 30/11/2011 20:49

We spent ages trying to locate the cat by its plaintive miaows, and she had gone to sleep in the big draw full of sewing stuff in the base of the sofa and got shut in. She was fine, though definitely cross that we were laughing at her :)

brabbinsandfyffe · 30/11/2011 20:49

Glad she's back Tiddly

Original poster
Tiddlybear · 30/11/2011 20:50

I think i have an awful lot to learn about cats Smile

OP posts:
fastweb · 30/11/2011 20:51

Oh I love it when they come back.

Little Prodigal Miaow.

Sacrifice the Whiskas and rejioce!!!

usualsuspect · 30/11/2011 21:19

They often appear out of no where

glad you found her

Catsmamma · 30/11/2011 21:24

You could try putting beds for her in set places, some cats will use them, others not so much! Makes it easier to check if you know she will use them.

One of ours often is MIA, we are all freezing with the window open, imagining him to be out, waiting for Reuben to appear when he will saunter into the kitchen from the house! Faerie is usually found in one of the baskets or on the sofa, Oscar sleeps on the beds and rarely leaves the house at all.

You will get to know her hidey holes though.

Selks · 30/11/2011 21:30

Cats are good at finding quiet corners when they want to!

Bless your Dc2 for worrying about her - he sounds like a poppet.

oreocrumbs · 30/11/2011 21:37

For future reference the two places that really stumped us with cats over the years were behind the video (in the tv unit thingy), how we missed that sitting staring at the damn thing all night i'll never know! And under the sofa cushions - the big ones you sit on! Also drawers under the wardrobe! Love cats I do Grin

StrictlySazz · 30/11/2011 21:40

Mine loves curling up in DD1's underbed drawers. Freaked me RIGHT out when i opened it one evening to get out a pair of tights for school the next day....

maddiemostmerry · 30/11/2011 21:43

Cats get everywhere. Our neighbours were most surprised to open their loft hatch and find a pair of Amber eyes peering at them. I think they thought they had some kind of loft monster Grin