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Original poster

Cat missing . what next?

88 replies

dobby2001 · 27/03/2013 00:06

One of our cats has been missing since this morning. Its the more timid of the two we have, and she rarely goes out more than an hour at a time. I have been calling her all day, and our other,bolder cat has been out looking for her, as we'll as DD and I going out around the block calling and asking friends to check gardens.

I don't have a good feeling about this. She is easily spooked and has always gone out to our back garden, which backs onto other gardens, has never been near a road. If something has spooked her she could be anywhere,and she is not a vocal cat,so would be unlikely to call out.
Is it worth contacting vets in the morning? Do the council bother to check for microchips if they scoop up cats from the road? Poor DD has been down twice as can't sleep and having tweeted her photo locally, and been out calling her and roaming streets, I am at a loss as to what to do next Sad

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StuffezLaBouche · 09/04/2013 10:25

Oh my god, what a nightmare! And how awful for you. She really is in the best place now, massive finger crossing.

FreckledLeopard · 09/04/2013 10:31

Just seen this thread! So glad you've found her...wishing her all the best. Keep us updated!

ShoeHorn · 09/04/2013 10:32

oh that is fantastic news, let's keep everything crossed that she fully recovers and doesn't go on any more adventures. What great neighbours for spotting her in the house.

Darmont · 09/04/2013 12:22

Hi Dobby, I have been following your thread with fingers crossed and hoping for good news. I'm so happy and relieved for you, and so impressed with your perseverance in finding her. She's a lucky kitty to have such a lovely owner. Wishing you and Florrie all the best for a quick and full recoverySmile

Original poster
dobby2001 · 09/04/2013 12:58

Thanks guys. Have been out with the kids taking down some of the lost posters from lamposts this morning - best feeling when people have stopped to enquire to say she is alive Smile I am still anxious about her loss of fluids and lack of food though - the vet did say that as she was mewing and moving around lots (trying to get away from Vets!) that was a good sign, but there was a noticable gasp when she saw the scale reading Sad. I had hoped when we went into the building that i would see builders lunch remains that she could have eaten but there was nothing - old cardboard and broken glass on the floor,not a drop of water anywhere Sad

Have to wait until 4.30 to phone the vets for an update - time is going to drag sooooo...

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cozietoesie · 09/04/2013 13:02

She's only young, dobby, and cats are great physical survivors. Fingers crossed for you all.

Smile
out2lunch · 09/04/2013 13:13

good news x hope all goes well

thecatneuterer · 09/04/2013 15:33

The first thing I did today when I got access to a computer was to check this thread - I was so hoping for good news. Gosh poor Florrie! I do hope she's OK. She's done amazingly well to last this long without water. She must have found something somewhere.

You have done so well to find her. Well done to you and to the people who helped you.

Have you any idea how she might have got in there in the first place?

QOD · 09/04/2013 15:50

Oh I hope she's ok!!

Sparklingbrook · 09/04/2013 16:40

What a relief. Poor Florrie,. Hope she's ok, and makes a recovery. x

boofted · 09/04/2013 16:55

I have been watching this thread and have been worried sick! I am so glad you found her and I really hope she recovers fully. Little baby. xx

Fluffycloudland77 · 09/04/2013 17:23

Any news?

QueenStromba · 09/04/2013 17:37

I've been following this thread but didn't have anything constructive to add. I'm so glad you've found her and I hope she recovers. I was really hoping she was off being spoiled by someone.

Original poster
dobby2001 · 09/04/2013 17:59

Sorry ,work keeps getting in the way of cat stuff Grin Florrie is doing OK. She freaked out when they went to put her in a cage, so the vet nurse sat with her to calm her down , and is consequently smitten by her lovleyness Grin . She has responded to the IVs well and managed to eat some high nutrition wet food mid morning. She has since had some dry biscuits at lunch time and is happy to socialise with humans. They are going to give her a little more wet food tonight and review her input/output tomorrow morning. They have no major concerns but she is very underweight so that is the focus of care for now.

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Fluffycloudland77 · 09/04/2013 18:05

Oh that's such good news.

Perhaps she thought she was going get trapped again in the vets cage.

cozietoesie · 09/04/2013 18:06

That sounds very positive, dobby. I'm not surprised she freaked out after what she's been through - it's a sign of your strong bond that she managed to get out to you when you sat still in the place.

It's early days yet but I guess you'll be considering grounding her when she gets back?

Pleased it's going so well so far.

Smile
thecatneuterer · 09/04/2013 18:06

That's a relief! And now I can go out - I was waiting for news Grin

QueenStromba · 09/04/2013 18:07

That's such good news. Do they think she'll make a full recovery then?

Original poster
dobby2001 · 09/04/2013 18:33

Hopefully Queen. She is such a wee thing anyway that until I spoke to the vets this afternoon, was was not sure myself.

And cozie, if I could find them, I would be buying a cat sized ball and chain to ensure that nothing of this sort happens EVER again! Grin

Catneuterer, we think she got in as there is building work going on at the property and they have had various doors and windows open, according to where they have been working. Florrie and Twinkle go scampering off in the backs of the gardens when they go out - and that includes the gardens behind the shops. Think classic south london back to back terraces and many of the shops have flats above them, some with terraces and in a very small area you have maybe 40/50 families whose property they could be walking through/on.

I am just so grateful we found her today - seeing the condition she was in, I really dont think she could have made it many more days Sad and yes, we have all had a bit of a weep - more than once Smile

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cozietoesie · 09/04/2013 18:57

Ah well - she's back now. Just thank your (and her) lucky stars that it wasn't in high summer with temperatures in the 70s and 80s.

QueenStromba · 09/04/2013 19:11

We've only had our rescue cat for a month and she's gone from quite thin to pretty normal in that time. Ours hadn't been eating much because her teeth were in a state when she came to Battersea. We were feeding her about a quarter of a pouch eight times a day when we first got her because anything more than that would go to waste. She's fussy with the freshness her food so will turn her nose up at food that had been there longer than three hours but wouldn't manage more than 20-30g of food in a sitting. We give her more like 100g at a time now and she eats it before it gets too old for her. I hope Florrie isn't such a fuss pot with the freshness of her food. If she is you might have to sit in with her until she gets back up to her normal stomach capacity. I'm in wimbledon and if you're close to me I'd be happy to pop in and feed her if she does need the little and often feeds that Rice did.

demolitionduo · 09/04/2013 19:59

I am so pleased you found your baby Florrie. Wishing her a full recovery-it is sounding positive.

thecatneuterer · 09/04/2013 20:17

Yes Dobby it sounds as though she probably wouldn't have lasted another day.

I just posted this on another thread in reply to someone who was worried about losing their cat when it starts to go out. Perhaps, given the scare you've had, you might like to consider it too:

If you are very nervous about her going missing you could always buy a tracking device for about £70 which fits onto their collar and has quite a long range www.loc8tor.com/uk/ The signal on your locating device gets louder the nearer you get to your cat. When one of my cats was going a bit senile she was forever wandering off and not being sure how to get home, so every evening I would start walking around the streets until the thing started beeping. I would then have to knock on someone's door if it was indicating that she was in their back garden.

sleeton · 10/04/2013 14:40

Oh dobby2001 I have just caught up with this thread. I am so glad you have her and that it sounds like she is responding well to veterinary treatment, but I have to confess I was so upset reading the post It was heartbreaking as she sounded in a bad way and so desperate - but determined as she had never mewed so hard in all her life .

Well done for being a loving and determined cat owner who just did not give up! Lucky Florrie to have such a family.

Original poster
dobby2001 · 10/04/2013 15:35

Hi everyone. Thought you would like an update Smile We managed to get to see Florrie last night - it was past visiting hours and the vets is the local "emergency out of hours" centre for the area, but when I rang the nurse took pity on the fact we hadnt actually seen her for 3 weeks and told us to sneak in for 5 minutes Grin. Well, it was lovely. When we first walked in she was just lying motionless in the corner of her cage. As soon as she heard our voices and my DD put her hand out for her to smell, she came alive! No strength to purr, and you could tell she was a little wobbly on her legs, but lots of face rubbing and pushing against our hands - such a differance from the morning. The nurses were delighted with the reaction!

I have put some photos of her from last night on my profile if you want to see Wink

We have spoken to the vets today and although she is making progress, she is still on the drip. They are also not committing to a coming home time yet. DD was a bit upset, but I reminded her how long Florrie has been without food or water. Its also quite a busy,noisy house here until my day off on Friday, so that would be the best time to get her back if neds be. Thank goodness for pet insurance too! DH has taken her out for lunch as a distraction, and they have come back with posh cat food and a tonne of Florries favourite cat treats Grin (and yep they might not suit at present but I wasnt going to spoil the smile on DDs face when she brought them home)

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