When do you stop looking for a lost cat?

[deedeelondon]

My beloved cat went missing two weeks ago, and I am in agony - I miss her so much and have been searching for her day and night ever since. I can think of nothing else. I have put up posters, posted flyers through doors, called all the vets and cat rescue charities in the area, knocked on doors and combed a two mile area on foot, calling for her and looking under bushes and cars. You hear stories of cats returning home months or even years after disappearing, but I know they are few and far between. How long before you give up hope and accept that you have to move on?

Brucey she is absolutely gorgeous. So sorry for both you and deedee, hope the missing cats return home soon

Thanks timtam. Yes, just hoping there's good news soon and for deedee.

Brucey she is beautiful - there's something about her that really reminds me of my poor girl. Any news for you yet? I've been out leafleting again this afternoon, and did have a call from someone who thought they'd seen her. When I got there the cat had gone , but I don't think it was her. I've had a couple of sightings of a similar looking cat in that area before. I've spent the evening trawling the internet for missing cat stories with happy endings to try to keep my spirits up. Been feeling really low today. The combination of grief, helplessness and worry is very hard to deal with. Let's hope the New Year brings us good luck.

Don't give up hope.

No news for me deedee ... been out today leafleting too and following up another lead which turned out to be a very similar tortie to Holly. I have heard even more good news stories today so I'm very quietly hopeful that we will have happy endings too. More leafleting tomorrow and over the weekend before going back to work and just hope that someone somewhere will find her. Yes, let's hope that the new year will bring us some luck x

And I know what you mean re feeling helpless and worried ... every time I think of her out there, especially when the weather is bad like tonight, I get that horrible sick feeling in my stomach.

I hope so much that we all find our missing cats. I had such a vivid dream the other night that mine returned home with a friend in tow. We've moved 10 miles away and I worry so much that he turns up at the old house. It's empty at the moment and he'd wonder where we'd all gone.

I will never get over losing him. I think about him all the time. We never found a body, I feel that he's still out there.

I really feel for you hidden - I dream about Evie coming home, miaowing outside the back door and it's horrible when I wake up and realise it's not reality. I'm going out again tomorrow to put some more flyers through doors with a lovely lady I met whilst out searching who's offered to help. Is yours chipped ?

Can I just add, PLEASE, PLEASE keep the chip details up to date. I have the most beautiful cat staying with me; he was found injured, taken to my vets, and scanned. Unfortunately, although he is chipped, his details have never been filled in, apart from his name. He's with me as a long term foster because my vets know what a soft touch I am, but I will never stop looking for his owners, he's so gorgeous, someone somewhere must be looking for him.

Any news deedee, Brucey and anyone else with missing cats?

Excellent news ... Holly is home!! Walked in at 11.15 last night out of the blue!! Apart from being hungry and a tick infestation she seems fine. No idea where she could have been but apart from the ticks which we had removed today, she was clean and not particularly underweight. Absolutely amazing as we really thought we wouldn't see her again. Deedee ... keeping everything crossed that you get Evie home soon. I've heard so many good news stories whilst we've been searching for Holly of cats returning home after numerous weeks/months that there is definitely hope for you. I did mean to post an update earlier today but it's been manic with work etc that I've just remembered to update the thread. Will keep checking back and hoping for the same for you deedee x

Just re-reading your last post deedee ... yes Holly was chipped and whilst at the vets today checked it was working ok just in case she disappears again. I know I've said this already but keeping absolutely everything crossed for you. Thanks timtam too x

Clearly tiredness has set in ... hardly any sleep last night but can see now you asked hidden about the chip. Doh!

Fantastic news Brucey! Fingers crossed for Deedee

Evie is home!!!!! Can't believe it. I got a call yesterday from a woman who had seen one of my posters to tell me that she'd seen a similar cat in her garden, and it was one she hadn't seen in the area before. She called me again today to say that she had seen her again and left food out for her, but that she had run off when she tried to approach her. I still wasn't getting my hopes up as I've had so many false alarms. Then this afternoon she sent some very blurry pictures that she'd managed to take through the window. It was definitely Evie - without a doubt!! I rushed straight round there as soon as I got out of work, and we went together into her back garden, but there was no trace of her. I started to call her name and immediately I heard her crying in the distance! She came running along the fence tops onto a shed roof, and though she carried on miaowing, she was terrified and wouldn't come to me. It took about half an hour to get her to come down from the shed roof, and I finally lured her to me with a bowl of food. She knew it was me, but she was petrified. She gradually came close enough for me to stroke her face, and she was sniffing my hand like mad as though she couldn't believe that I'd found her. As soon as she started eating the food (she was clearly starving) I grabbed her and got her straight into the cat carrier - she's home now! She's very skinny, but not injured at all, and talking to me non stop as if she's telling me all about it! Thank you everyone for all your lovely messages of support and I hope this happy ending gives other people hope. Never give up!
So happy for you too Brucey!!

Thank heavens for that. I'd ground her for a month.

Poor thing must have got herself terribly lost.

That's wonderful news, so happy for both of you x

Aw I've only just seen this thread and what a fantastic happy ending!!! So happy for you . Give her loads of cuddles and a stern talking to! IME though kitties get a bit more clingy once they've been lost. Mine did anyway and never strayed far from home again.

Oh wow this is fantastic!!!!! So happy for you and Evie xx

Oh I'm so pleased to see the wanderer's returned! I've been checking regularly and she's been on my mind, especially when the weather's been bad! All's well that ends well, it brought a tear to my eye to read she was back home. :) Here's hoping all the other lost cats find their way home too.

Deedee that is absolutely fantastic!! Such good news! Oh the relief!

And so delighted for you too Brucey!

My cat also became quite clingy after going missing and although he enjoys going out, he has lost the burning desire for an all-nighter and tends to stay quite close by now.

Thank you everyone! I am just ecstatic - and so is she! She's curled up on the sofa beside me at the moment and follows me every time I get up. If only she could tell me what she's been up to for the last 6 weeks!

Oh that's just fantastic news deedee!! I'm so delighted for you. Blimey I can't believe that Holly came home and now Evie has too! What a great week . Holly is definitely a lot more clingy and has sat with me on the sofa more than she would usually and wants lots of attention. She used to be more aloof but she's completely the opposite. We think she must have fended for herself all the time she's been away given the number of ticks that were on her and that she wasn't too thin but so glad she's now out of that horrible weather and am so pleased for you deedee that you can now have peace of mind having Evie home. I have grounded Holly but not sure how long for though, although the Cats Protection suggested at least a week but think I'll be nervous about letting her out after that!

Thanks timtam