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Original poster

Pearl has gone missing

155 replies

hiddenhome · 15/04/2015 17:19

Dh went out to do the school run and she wouldn't come in. I came in from work to a note saying she was out in the garden so I opened the door and there was no sign of her. I rattled her Dreamies bag, but nothing.

We think she may have got into one of the empty houses as we live on a new estate and they're still building. Dh asked some of the workmen, but they hadn't seen her. The doors on the empty houses are left open during the day then locked at home time.

I'm going to make some messages and put them through people's doors. We live on a small estate and there's no main roads nearby.

I feel sick, she's not a year old yet and she'll be frightened Sad she usually never goes out if the immediate vicinity, but the workman said he'd seen her playing at the end of the row possibly with another cat - a tabby whom I've seen around. She is very sociable due to coming from a large family.

OP posts:
patienceisvirtuous · 16/04/2015 17:47

Fingers tightly crossed she shows up soon xx

Ratfinkandbobo · 16/04/2015 19:22

Keeping fx for you hidden, my youngest done this when she was 6 months, turned up 3 days later.

isadorable · 16/04/2015 19:34

Sorry she's still not back. It is early days, don't lose hope. We're crossing fingers and paws here for you.

justonemoretime2p · 16/04/2015 19:45

A few years a go one of my cats went missing, I was felt sick I was so worried.
4 days later about a mile away I saw him rolling on his back with 4 or 5 school girls rubbing his tummy and playing with him. I was on a bike so couldn't pick him up, he turned up 2 days later like nothing had happened.
Then 2 years a go he disappeared for 7 months, it got to the point that we thought he was definitely gone for good. Eventually he showed up without a worry in the world and fatter than when he left.
Good luck OP, cats are resourceful I hope she comes back soon.

Original poster
hiddenhome · 16/04/2015 20:50

Thank you for the kind replies.

No news as yet. Me and the dcs went out earlier on and left a trail of fluff from the vacuum cleaner container around the area.

I feel that it's incredibly bad luck for her to have gone in just a 40 minute window before I arrived home. I can't help feeling resentful towards the people who delayed me. I know it's wrong, but my mind won't sit still.

She's young and sweet looking and someone may just keep her.

OP posts:
Original poster
hiddenhome · 16/04/2015 21:00

Dh has measured the perimeter garden fence though, so the cat protection is going up regardless.

I can't stop crying. I've lost two boys to the road, my third boy went missing and now Pearl's gone. I can't take it in. I take really good care of them. Do everything you're supposed to and still it happens. I don't have any birth family or friends and, along with dh and the dcs, my cats are my family and my life. I can't put into words how much I love them. I've had Old Cat for 15 years now. She came from the Cat and Dog shelter in Newcastle. I only got her to scare the mice away and she's been with me all this time with no missing scares or anything. I've been so lucky with her.

OP posts:
timtam23 · 17/04/2015 09:42

How are you this morning hidden? Paws & fingers still crossed for Pearl.

Original poster
hiddenhome · 17/04/2015 16:47

I've been on a training day, so got on around 3pm. The posters and door leaflets arrived, so we've been out and put 10 posters up and leaflets through about a third of the estates doors.

OP posts:
CtrlAltDelicious · 17/04/2015 16:50

Hidden, you mention Newcastle - do you live there? I'm on the outskirts and would happily join you if you're going to have a big search tomorrow?

Original poster
hiddenhome · 17/04/2015 18:29

Hi, no, I'm in Durham. You're very kind.

Me and ds1 are going to the outskirts of our village shortly to some outlying houses to post leaflets there in case she's gone off across the fields.

OP posts:
QueenOfTheSlipstream · 17/04/2015 18:34

Fingers are crossed for you, hidden. I went through this about 18 months ago with my girl and it's awful. She was gone for 9 days but managed to make her way back to our shed :-). Hoping you get the same happy outcome.

Original poster
hiddenhome · 17/04/2015 18:37

Thank you. I don't know where they get to, it's such a worry. She's too young to be away like this. What if she's shut in somewhere with no food and water? I'd rather someone took her in than she was alone and scared.

OP posts:
babygiraffe86 · 17/04/2015 18:43

Oh no :-( I hope you find her soon.
can't recommend cat proofing the garden enough, we did ours a year ago and other than trying to dig under the fence now and again the kitties aren't too bothered by it. toys in the garden keeps them occupied.
hAve you rang the local vets and left the description? When ours went missing we rang every vet in teesside and after 3 days one of them, about 3 miles away, rang to say our cat was living in someone's garden trying to play with their puppy!!! Needless to say he was grounded when he got home until the cat proofing was up.

RachelRoyce · 17/04/2015 18:47

Those who did it, how did you 'cat proof' your garden? We did ours but they are still getting out, it's an expensive nightmare.

I really hope Pearl comes home soon hidden home.

babygiraffe86 · 17/04/2015 18:49

We used garden netting (from b and m) brackets from screw fix and a staple gun, sun is still out so ill nip out and take a pic :-)

babygiraffe86 · 17/04/2015 18:51

Hope these show up

Pearl has gone missing
Pearl has gone missing
babygiraffe86 · 17/04/2015 18:52

Cable ties around the brackets to hold it in place too :-)

Original poster
hiddenhome · 17/04/2015 18:56

We're going to use Protectapuss DIY products. You buy them from their site then set it up yourself. Dh is good with DIY, so he's going to do it for us. We need about 30 metres for the back garden and it's going to cost us around £300 I think.

I'm going to try and get it ordered tomorrow.

I've phoned round all the local vets and Cats Protection and gave them my details.

I feel sick inside and so guilty that I didn't protect her more. She honestly never leaves the garden area, so I was lulled into a false sense of security. The cats have also only just started playing out recently since the weather improved.

OP posts:
Original poster
hiddenhome · 17/04/2015 19:04

I honestly wouldn't recommend that anyone allows their cats to go out. It's not worth the grief. Cat containment in the garden is the only option if you want them to have fresh air and exercise.

Fat Cat will hate me because she loves sitting on the fence and garage roof, but there's no option now.

The neighbours have been very kind anyway. As well as everyone here. I appreciate everyone listening to me as I can't talk about it in rl. My colleagues think I'm nuts Confused

OP posts:
babygiraffe86 · 17/04/2015 19:08

I couldnt agree more hidden the heartache when they're missing is just too much.
We have made the garden a playground for them, that way they're not as mad at us as they could hAve been :-)
Noone here will think you're mad - they're more worrying than kids sometimes these bloody kitties, at least children come home when they're hungry or need a wee!

RachelRoyce · 17/04/2015 19:30

Thanks for the pics! We need more netting I think, those are deeper than we have.

babygiraffe86 · 17/04/2015 19:34

Close up it doesn't look great but from in the house you cant really see it which is great.
We did the whole garden for under £100 using the above recommendedicated stuff, a friend of mine who works for a car rescue told us where to get the stuff from and I used hers as my example. Can't believe they try and dig under now though haha!

RubbishMantra · 17/04/2015 19:41

I keep coming back to your thread Hidden, hoping for good news. Still early days though. I feel hope that little Pearl will find her way back to you. They usually do.

Bless you and your Little Madame.

Original poster
hiddenhome · 17/04/2015 20:15

Thank you Rubbish

We went out and scattered the contents of the vacuum containers.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 17/04/2015 20:21

hidden only just saw this. Sending a big hug, and sending cat finding vibes xx