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Original poster

My cat has gone missing.

64 replies

hiddenhome · 05/09/2013 16:07

He does go out hunting, but he loves his home too Sad

48 hours now. I can't concentrate at work and I'm trying to get someone to cover my shift tomorrow as I just don't want to see people.

Where the hell is he? I'm worried he's stuck down a rabbit hole as he goes rabbiting.

I've put leaflets through peoples doors and the local kids have been out looking. We've been out searching and driving around and everything. He could be anywhere, there's loads of fields around. It's like cat heaven, but I'm so scared that he's stuck or hurt and needs us and we're not there.

What do I do? I can cope if they're knocked down and I have a body, but this is just agony Sad My mind is racing.

OP posts:
thecatneuterer · 05/09/2013 16:12

Oh how awful for you. The chances are he will just amble in as if nothing has happened. You're doing everything you can. Is he chipped?

Original poster
hiddenhome · 05/09/2013 16:21

Yes, he's chipped and has a collar. I phoned two vets surgeries up and gave his description in case anyone hands him in.

He's very nervous, so I doubt anybody has captured him. I don't know if he goes into the neighbour's houses, but he spends all his daytimes with us, so I can't see it. He goes out from 8pm to 8am, has his breakfast then sleeps on his chair or in the garden.

OP posts:
thecatneuterer · 05/09/2013 16:25

in your note/poster did you ask people to check their sheds/garages?

Original poster
hiddenhome · 05/09/2013 16:32

No, they were just hastily written out notes asking people if they'd seen the cat - with a brief description - and my mobile number. I wondered about the shed/garages thing, but thought that they might check them if they knew a cat in the area was missing Confused

I hope I can get the day off tomorrow then I can do the posters and keep looking. I'll do some proper things to put through doors as well.

OP posts:
thecatneuterer · 05/09/2013 16:36

Yes I think proper posters and notes through doors are the best idea. And I think you need to spell out the sheds/garages thing. It's not something that occurs to everyone.

chickydoo · 05/09/2013 16:36

My cat was gone for 4 days, stuck in a garage. They opened the door she shot out. They caught her. & called us.
I am keeping everything crossed for you op.
Keep us posted.

Original poster
hiddenhome · 05/09/2013 19:27

I don't know whether to clear his stuff up and put it away. I keep looking at it. I can't stop crying. He never goes off like this. My eldest cat has even been looking for him.

OP posts:
thecatneuterer · 05/09/2013 21:44

don't put his stuff away. One of mine disappeared for six days and was found in someone's shed. Get a proper search going with the neighbours and don't give up hope.

chickydoo · 05/09/2013 22:27

Still crossing fingers for you!

timtam23 · 05/09/2013 23:52

So sorry to hear about your cat. I've said this on other missing cats threads but one of mine went missing for well over a week once and I had almost given up hope when he came back very hungry, dirty and stinking of tarmac so I think he had maybe been stuck in a hole in the road or something like that.

He is still around, over 10 years later!

I had to go to work while he was gone and I remember it being awful as I worried all the time about him

I hope you find him

Original poster
hiddenhome · 06/09/2013 12:42

Thanks for the kind messages.

I'm at work this afternoon/evening, but me and dh are going to go out around midnight to see if we can hear anything. There are garages and sheds around, so we'll investigate those. We've more or less exhaused the fields and open areas.

OP posts:
Mabelface · 06/09/2013 12:45

I have a missing mog too, although he does have a 2-3 day wander off now and again. I'm going out searching this afternoon.

Lovethesea · 06/09/2013 21:07

Hope he turns up soon, one of mine disappeared Friday evening last weekend and finally came home Sunday evening. We had leafleted all neighbours that day with a photo of her and asking them to please check sheds and garages.

She's running a temperature so don't know if she was being stoical under a bush somewhere or locked in a shed but she hadn't responded to all our searching and calling and food bowl clanging.

Thinking of you.

Original poster
hiddenhome · 06/09/2013 23:30

More searching has turned nothing up. The place is full of joggers and dog walkers, you'd think that if he was injured or dead somebody would have found him and seen his id on the collar.

It's as if he's just vanished. I'll print off the missing posters tomorrow and put them up all around the neighbourhood. It's been raining heavily this evening, so if he is stuck down a rabbit hole, perhaps the moisture might help him to get out.

I'm also worried that somebody has enticed him into their house and now won't let him out. You hear about it all the time on here Sad

OP posts:
thecatneuterer · 06/09/2013 23:33

Oh dear I'm so sorry. I was hoping you'd have some good news. Yes plaster the neighbourhood with posters, it normally works wonders.

MexicanHat · 07/09/2013 13:42

So sorry there's still no news OP - it's just horrible not knowing where they are Sad

Mine went missing for 5 days in February so I know how you must be feeling. She turned up at the back door hungry, smelly and dehydrated. She was obviouly locked in somewhere.

We live in quite a small village and I did the whole poster/leaflet thing but she just came back on her own. When I was walking round with the posters/leaflets many people told me there cats had been missing for longer and then suddenly turned up.

Reallly hoping that he comes home soon. Fingers crossed for you x

Original poster
hiddenhome · 07/09/2013 14:54

Well, we have news of sorts.

I took ds2 and we went for a walk along the river (next to the sewage works).

We found his collar! It was attached to the anti car barrier! The ID tag is missing. Someone has removed the ID tag ? why

We can't gain access to the actual sewage works, but we've investigated the entire perimeter and can't see anything. We've shouted for him. I'm scared in case he's locked in one of the buildings there.

I'm also thinking that someone has him. Why would they have removed his ID tag (which was hard to remove from the collar and couldn't have been done by accident) and then left the collar there?

I've reported him missing to the RSPCA shelter where we adopted him from and also the microchip people.

The RSPCA advised me to call the refuse department (in case they've picked up a body) and the water board to get someone to have a look round the sewage works.

OP posts:
Original poster
hiddenhome · 07/09/2013 14:56

We've also put up 15 posters around the area. They're good quality and laminated - put up with wire so they can't be blown away etc.

OP posts:
Original poster
hiddenhome · 07/09/2013 18:17

Somebody has taken him I think. His collar wasn't far from home. He would have returned by now. He's either dead or stolen Sad

I'm devastated. What the fuck am I supposed to do now? All I want is to be left alone with my pets and now this has happened. Are you supposed to keep them in or something? He was so stressed when he was kept in at the flat. He hated it. He loved being outdoors. I have loads of photos on my phone and I don't want to look at them. I can't stop crying.

OP posts:
chickydoo · 07/09/2013 18:36

Oh you poor thing
Don't give up hope, your cat still might be found

Lovethesea · 07/09/2013 20:50

So sorry you are having to go through this, it is the risk of having wonderful half wild free range cats, but you have given him a great life so far and he may well have much more of it to share with you. Take it a day at a time. You've done a great job of loving and caring for him, and are still doing so with posters etc.

Leaflets in local doors asking people to check their garage and shed?

And If I were to take a cat I wouldn't bother leaving a collar and taking off the ID, I'd just bundle the cat in a car and sort collar etc later on. Or take the whole collar off and chuck it.

timtam23 · 07/09/2013 21:07

I'm so sorry, it's awful to have a snippet of information like this and to be turning it over and over in your mind, it just adds more uncertainty doesn't it? But I do still hope that you find him.

Original poster
hiddenhome · 07/09/2013 23:28

The only strange thing that I did notice about the area is that there was a whole lot of plants that had been trampled over. Quite a bit if it was squashed. I am lying here wondering if a dog has attacked him and that's what all the trampling has been about. Perhaps the dogs owner has my cat and is worried about coming forward.

I honestly don't feel that he's still in the area. It was only a little way from home. He would have made his way back home if he was still alive. There's no body we have searched and searched. He's white and stands out.

OP posts:
WhereHasSheGone · 07/09/2013 23:30

Awww Hun

I hope he returns home safe soon.

Original poster
hiddenhome · 07/09/2013 23:33

Thanks.

Does my thoughts about what might have happened sound reasonable or a bit nutty? I'm going back down there tomorrow morning to see if I can find any clues on the riverbank where the trampled plants are.

OP posts: