My cat has gone missing, should I get another cat?

[StuntNun]

My cat doesn't normally spend much time outside, she goes out for a short time but comes back quickly and stays in the house at night. We haven't seen her for a few days so we have been out looking for her, put up notices and a put note in the vet's lost and found book. She is microchipped so if she was found she can be identified. BUT she is the fourth cat to go missing on our road in the past year or so. So what I'm wondering is if she doesn't turn up, should we get another cat or assume there's something sinister going on round here?

I keep expecting to see her wee face pop up at the window or for her to come running up when I open the door. I really hope she does turn up soon.

Do you have a cat bed or anything? put something outside with her smell etc. will help her find her way back if she can (i did this when i lost my mums cat - it worked!)

Wait a while - it's been horrible weather, she may be hiding in someones shed.

Oh no, just get a new cat if you get the same colour you'll hardly notice!

It does sound a bit strange, that they're going missing, I would think its just coincidence though maybe.

I hope your cat turns up soon, its awful just waiting to see if they reappear. My mum's cat used to disappear for days at a time, it was very unsettling.

LEM I don't think that's what the OP meant! I read it as she never comes back would it be foolish to get another eventually, given cats are going missing locally - sounds as if OP suspects foul play and doesn't know if she is being silly.

I personally wouldn't get another, if there are cats going missing.

I hope your cat turns up soon, having one go missing and hearing no news is horrible.

Its a bit soon to be thinking of replacing her is it not?

Cats can go for weeks or months at a time. Also, if cats keep going missing is it really fair to keep getting them and risking whatever it is happening to them?

It's that judgement of whether it's coincidence or something nasty going on. You hear of dogs being stolen for dog fights, I have no idea whether cats are stolen too. Most cats round here are moggies so it's not as if they're pedigree cats being stolen to order.

My oldest DS1 has autism and is already very upset about the cat being missing. Also DS3 while just a toddler seems very attached to the cat. And DH can't imagine a home without a cat. So if, heaven forbid, Lucy never comes back then I would be likely to want another cat, but not if there's something untoward going on round here.

Yes sadly cats are being stolen to train fighting dogs its one of my fears for my 3.

You could always get an adult house cat from a rescue, I wouldn't get another indoor/outdoor cat though.

I have spoken to one of the owners of the other cats that went missing and she now thinks her cat was run over so maybe there isn't a massive cat-stealing conspiracy after all.

She showed up this morning! We're so happy to see her again.

Oh great. Did she give you the 'What's your problem?' look?

Yes, she said: why is everyone cuddling me?

HURRAH!

Yay!! So glad you got her back. I think they do it to keep us on our toes

She knew you'd posted this thread and thought she should make an appearance!

Brilliant.

Yay!

Brilliant news! So glad she's back.
I posted a very tearful thread a few months ago in exactly the same situation as you, and the dratted cat reappeared on the morning of day 4, he wouldn't tell us where he'd been