Old boy has gone missing

[PinkSparklyElephant]

Nearly 3 months ago my Mum adopted the stray cat who had been living in the service road behind my house. He was skinny with bald patches when he went to her (I'd tried to look after him but couldn't take him in because of my cat) but he'd put on wait and his fur had grown back. We think he'd had a stroke or been hit by a car at some point but for the last few months he's had a warm home, food and love.

He disappeared today. DH has cat proofed the garden, the poor cat is too old and stiff legged to climb a fence but we can't find him in the house, garden or neighbouring gardens. He's gone away to die hasn't he? I can't bear to think of him out there on his own again, I just want to know what's happened to him. He didn't deserve the sort of life he had in the past and I wanted him to have a few years of love and comfort.

I'm sorry this is a ramble but I'm so upset - I've grown to love him over the last few months.

Oh no, please don't give up hope.

If you go out at night with a torch and shine it into the shrubbery etc their eyes reflect back and they are easier to find.

I hadn't thought of that, definitely worth a try - I'll suggest it to my Mum. Thanks.

He's got so many issues and has no sense of danger so I worry about him - he walked under my car when I turned into our road and I had to get out and move him. He's also put his head in the oven when it was on and stood under the shower until he was soaked. He's shown no sign of trying to get out of the garden which makes this all the more strange.

Last time I lost my cat I found curled up inside a duvet. Could not see him.

Time before that he was asleep in my knicker drawer.

They get in places you've not thought of.

DH went round this afternoon and I went after work and looked everywhere we can think of. I'm going back tomorrow so I'll look again to try and find what we've missed.

Thanks for your replies and I'm glad your boy turned up.

My old boy disappeared for 24/36 hours (we knew he had a tumour) then came back but at least I was able to get him PTS. I hope you find him very soon x

Some positive thoughts being sent your way. Hope he turns up.

Thanks everyone. I phoned Mum this morning and still no sign. She doesn't have a cat flap (he couldn't use it) so she was sitting up until midnight with the back door open.

DH is going round this morning and I'll go this evening but it's more for moral support for Mum as I can't think of anywhere else to look. He can't even get up on the sofa so there's no way he climbed the fence and DH blocked in every gap we could find and the poor old boy's eyesight isn't good (he walks into the wheelie bins) so he won't find a small gap.

The more I read this the more I wonder if he should have gone out. He was happy pottering around and sleeping in the sun and showed no signs of wanting to get out of the garden though. He didn't even explore.

Right, is there anything else I could be doing? I'm at work at the moment but DH is on standby.

House and garden searched
Registered as missing with the local vets
Missing cat posters made and will go up either tonight or tomorrow morning
Registered with cataware.co.uk

I'll get his microchip details from Mum tonight and see if I can register him as missing with them (it's a different brand to Harry's).

The only thing I can think of is leaving some food out and hope he is tempted.

Check neighbours sheds and garages
Sending positive vibes x

We have a lot of foxes here so they will probably have the food - definitely worth a try though.

Hopefully the posters (which I will also put through some of the doors) will job people's memories if they have seen him and they will check their sheds etc.

Thank you for the hand holding and the positive thoughts x

He's back! He'd got through the gap in the fence and couldn’t find his way back. The house has been empty for 2 years but someone keeps an eye on it and saw him sitting on the grass. He tried to chase him off but noticed he couldn’t see him so he took the number off the collar tag and phoned my Mum. He then picked him up and carried him home to Mum.

Thanks for all the kind words x

Thank goodness he's back!

Oh, hooray! Great news

So pleased x

Wine for you
Dreamies for puss

What a huge relief. I'd only just seen this thread and my heart was sinking.
I know exactly the same worries and was fearing the worst.
We took in a very elderly and abandoned cat who'd just been left and nursed him back to health, you really do want them to have some nice time in life to try and make amends for the rubbish stuff they've been through don't you.

I'm going round there tonight and he can have as many Dreamies as he wants!

enrique, that's exactly how I feel about him. He was obviously someone's pet once as he'd already been neutered but we think they left him behind. He lived in the service road behind our house for a few years (we thought he belonged to someone but found out they just had a very similar cat) and then he adopted me earlier this year. We couldn't take him in because of our cat so we bought him a cat kennel and then Mum took him in when her dog was PTS.

I've just told DH the good news, I thought he was going to cry!

That's such a relief. Time to block that gap up I think?.

William is under house arrest until DH has cat proofed the garden completely - I'm thinking of corrogated iron and a roof!

Seriously, we didn't actually know there was a gap as it was so overgrown - DH only found it when he pulled the weeds out of the way with a rake!

That's so lovely to hear that you've found him. Lots of strokes for William

Wonderful! I think that that calls for a for all concerned.

Did the Dirty Stop-Out have a good night?