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?

Deedee was Evie found close to where she went missing or had she wandered further afield?

Oh gosh I'm so happy for you all! It just shows the importance of persistence (and of course microchipping - although that wasn't what did it in this case). Well done to all concerned.

Evie is definitely grounded for the moment! She is back to her normal self - just needs to put on a bit of weight. I went back to see the women who found her this evening, with flowers and chocolates and sweets for her children. She had (unbenown to me) videoed me being reunited with Evie in her garden, and played it to me and my DDs - we were all in tears!
Brucey it's just amazing that we got our dear girls back within a day of each other. What a miracle!

Can you put it on Youtube so we can all see it?! I've been thinking about you today. Evie must be so relieved to be home.

Was she far from where she went missing?

timtam She was only a few streets away, but goodness knows where she had been during those 6 weeks. I had lots of calls during that time, with "sightings" over quite a wide area, but they had all proved to be false alarms - the problem was that there are quite a few similar looking cats in the area. Maybe one or two of them had been her, but by the time I got there she had gone. I always knew if she had survived she'd be hiding out in back gardens. There are hundred of terraced houses in that area, with no way of accessing the gardens, so no matter how many times I walked the streets calling for her, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Funnily enough the garden where she was found belonged to a house that looked very much like mine from the back, the brickwork painted white and with exactly the same fencing. Bless her - she was trying to find her home!
catneuterer the lady sent me the video from her phone but I can't get it to play - I'll look into it and try to get it sorted,

Oh Deedee, I am SOOO pleased for you! :-D lots of kitty snuggles now I bet :-)

dobby you're so right! That's what I'm doing right now!

Yes amazing deedee - and so pleased Evie is home . Holly's tick bites look sore now so am worried she'll get infected as she occasionally scratches her head. Found a few more earlier and used the tick removal tool I bought from the vet but they are horrible. If there are any left am not sure how long the Frontline we had applied at the vets will start to work. Can only think she hid out in some fields or wooded areas to catch them. I hope Evie didn't pick up any!

She's tick free Brucey, thank goodness. Here she is , the naughty girl, chilling out on her blanket!

Thank goodness! They are horrible and poor Holly is so itchy. What a lovely picture of Evie . Here's one of Holly in front of the fire

Lovely thread...so happy that Evie and Holly are home safe.

I came to this thread while searching for 'hope' and how many cats eventually come home, as my cat has gone missing. Although it's only been two whole days, it feels like he's been gone forever. I can't believe how bereft and useless I feel not knowing what to do about it, other than posting his photo on Facebook, putting flyers through neighbours doors, constantly calling him and crazy as it seems, looking up spells to help locate a lost pet. I can't sleep nor eat, my work day is hazy as all I can think of is poor Doogle, and why did he decide to disappear. Seeing that the OP found her cat after 4 weeks, I'm not giving up hope yet (it's very early days obviously) but the emptiness I feel upon arriving home from work and he's not on the doorstep is awful. I'm beside myself with worry, and although I do not want him dead, if I knew that that's what happened at least I could start to try and get over it. Not knowing is the worst :(

Sorry @el1zabeth :(

Do you want to start a thread so we can listen? Sometimes things get lost on other threads. But yes don't give up hope x

Hello Languid, yes I will if I can work out how to!

I so share your pain deedeelondon as my lovely cat went missing 10 days ago. I live in a country lane and she was used to going out late evening but also came straight home when I whistled her and called her name. This time she did not return. As she had been out overnight once before in the warmer weather and was on the doorstep the following morning I did not feel too concerned. This time she has not returned. Her last sighting was from a neighbour the night I let her out who saw her walking back down the lane to my house. I feel devastated and keeping weeping as if grieving for her. I have done everything you have yourself to try and find her and to no avail. I pray we get them both back soon. I adopted my cat 18 months ago and she has been a loving companion ever since as I live alone.

PaulaCath, happily deedee did find her cat (this thread is from 4 years ago). So sorry to hear your cat is now missing - maybe you could start a new thread just for your cat? There are lots of us to listen if you'd like to talk about her. On these long and very old threads it's easy to overlook a new post. I hope your cat comes home very soon

Should have reported here. www.pawmaw.com
They could have found him Easily.

I shifted to a new Residence which is located in the woods... I had to put my cat in a covered basket since he's very Jittery being in a car.. throughout the journey he growled and tried to claw his way out of the basket.. it was a long journey which when it ended was a relief to me and my cat too for sure.. I got him out of the basket and placed him on the ground.. The mistake I did was that I didn't hold him and take him into my new home.. I got busy carrying my luggage in and when I came out again my cat was gone.. totally displaced in a new environment.. I am positive that a stray dog tried to chase him.. and at nights we have foxes visiting because we stay near the woods..it's 5 days now since I last saw my cat..in India we do not chip our pets so I am even more worried about him ..I call his name and I also make sounds which he would recognise but no luck..two days back I heard him meow at night..I ran out calling him but after a while he stopped meowing..it's been raining continuously I don't know where he's hiding..I am worried about his health and what if he's injured...I am out of my mind with worry.

I can barely believe that post. You took him to a new place, took him out of the carrier and put him on the ground without even taking him inside the house?! Well of course he has disappeared.

He should have been safely secured inside the house and kept inside, with windows closed, for at least three weeks.

The only thing you can do is to continually leave food outside the house, morning and night, for weeks probably. He may find the food and hang around, but unfortunately there's a good chance he won't.

Well aren't you a charmer @thecatneuterer

Also - rtft. The cat disappeared 5 years ago.

@Silvercatowner - I was responding to Pluto who bumped the thread. I should have namechecked.