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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

One of our boys is missing - is there anything else I should be doing?

78 replies

oddfodd · 25/05/2015 19:50

We went away overnight on Saturday - gone less than 24 hours. One of our cats (brothers, 18m old) has not been seen since. He's a rather skittish homeboy, neutered and not out for more than 2 hours at a time generally.

I've walked the streets calling him at random times, made signs and put fliers through doors asking people to check their sheds/garages. I've also posted on our town's facebook page

I'm going to call the vets tomorrow just to let them know he's missing (he's chipped).

Is there anything else I should do? I'm just so sad - my DS and the cat's brother are bereft :(

OP posts:
girliefriend · 29/05/2015 18:46

Have you contacted the cats protection league? The were really helpful when one of my cats went awol for a few days.

Don't give up cats are funny things and can vanish without trace for a few weeks then wander in without a care!!

thelionsleeps · 29/05/2015 18:47

Odd have you tried emptying your hoover bag into your garden. One of ours went missing and I read this on one of the websites. It sounds mad but something to do with the smell of your house scattered in your garden can help them find home.

We printed off leaflets and put them through all surrounding roads and also went out late at night when it was quieter to hope she could hear us and us her.

Ours came home the day after the hoover bag trick! Sending out good wishes as I know how it feels.

Original poster
oddfodd · 29/05/2015 19:06

Yes I have done the hoover bag thing but it chucked it down today so will do it again tomorrow. I've done some leafleting (about 50 houses) but am going to expand the area we've covered tomorrow.

We're on a corner with the back of houses on another road opposite plus a different road backs onto our garden so it's quite difficult.

Not tried the CPL girliefriend - will give them a ring. Thanks for the suggestion

OP posts:
ladybird69 · 29/05/2015 19:15

I found my cat thanks to CPL they have lost and found on website also if you're on FB post on there too. Hope you find your cat soon.

MadamG · 29/05/2015 19:21

We lost a cat for 3 months, she wasn't far from home but had got lost, we found her one day she recognised our voices and miaowed. Don't give up.

BettyCatKitten · 29/05/2015 19:37

Loving the Hoover bag emptying theory, keeping a mental note of that for when one if them go awol again.

AnneElliott · 29/05/2015 20:10

Sending you good luck vibes as one of mine has also not been seen for 2 days. We're on holiday and I'm trying to be hopeful and seeing if I can get back early.

When one of my older ones disappeared, I went out at midnight so I could hear her reply to me.

Try local vets as apparently they have a list and found book.

The website animal search UK was also helpful. And local FB sites are also good.

It's a horrible feeling and I hope you have good news soon.

timtam23 · 29/05/2015 20:22

Fingers & paws still crossed here. Keep going with the leaflets, I think I did about 150 through doors altogether

I already mentioned upthread about my young cat going missing but my much-loved old boycat went missing for over a week and a half when he was a young adult cat. This was over 10 years ago so no Facebook etc and I don't think I did any leaflet drops etc - I had well & truly given up hope of ever seeing him again but he turned up one evening out of the blue, very hungry & very very dirty so I think he had been stuck in building works/roadworks. He then lived to 18 so must have used up only a few of his 9 lives on his escapade.

Original poster
oddfodd · 29/05/2015 22:17

Thanks for the hopeful stories. I've printed another 100 flyers so that will completely deluge the neighbourhood. Will try CPL in the morning too

OP posts:
ladybird69 · 30/05/2015 20:25

Any news yet? Fingers still crossed for you.

AnneElliott · 30/05/2015 20:59

Any news? Really hope you hear something soon.

Original poster
oddfodd · 30/05/2015 21:59

No news yet though thanks for asking. I think he's out there somewhere.

OP posts:
Bollard · 31/05/2015 15:41

I'm taking a cat to the vet tomorrow to see if it's been chipped. It's been hanging around ours for about a week. Don't suppose it's yours? Whereabouts are you?

AnneElliott · 31/05/2015 17:22

Bollard it's a long shot, but I'm also missing one if my cats. My one is white with black ears and tail. Went missing from Sidcup in Kent.

If not then hope it is Offdods.

AnneElliott · 31/05/2015 17:23

Oddfodd sorry got your name wing in the above post.

Bollard · 01/06/2015 00:22

No, we're in the NW. I'm dreading taking it to the vet tomorrow - we've all fallen for this cat and will be gutted to have to say goodbye. We've been putting it outside as much as possible in the hope it finds its way home, but I'm worried I haven't done enough. Half term has meant my first chance to get to the vet will be tomorrow.

Hope you both find your cats.

timtam23 · 01/06/2015 22:25

Any news, oddfodd & AnneElliot? And bollard did your "found" cat have an owner?

Original poster
oddfodd · 01/06/2015 22:43

No news :( but people keep telling me that they have had cats that suddenly disappeared for over a week and then returned so I'm still hoping.

OP posts:
Bollard · 01/06/2015 23:58

He's not microchipped but the local vet has put his picture on their Facebook page so we'll sit tight. If we keep him, we'll want to get him microchipped but not sure how long to wait before doing so...and if we get him chipped and the old owner turns up...
Hard to know what to do.
Sorry the missing cats haven't turned up.

CloserToFiftyThanTwenty · 02/06/2015 00:19

I was told not to keep walking around and calling them because they can hear over such long distances that by the time they have come or called out you are likely to have moved on. So stand in one place, call and call and then wait a few minutes

Good luck, hope he returns home soon

Original poster
oddfodd · 02/06/2015 08:22

That's interesting Closer. Thanks. I will try that.

OP posts:
Original poster
oddfodd · 02/06/2015 09:31

Bollard- you might also want to post a photo on your local missing cats and strays FB page.

Then you'll have covered all the bases. You sound so fond of him that I'm glad he's not my cat ie I hope you get to keep him

OP posts:
Bizkit · 02/06/2015 10:25

Have you found your cat yet?
My 18 month old female Daisy has been missing for 2 weeks now :-(
Scouring the internet for ideas, more I can do whilst I'm holed up at work.
Have put posters up, leaflets through doors, social media, out whenever I can calling her, so upsetting, she just seems to have competely vanished

timtam23 · 02/06/2015 14:10

So sorry for all of you with lost cats. There have been threads on here where cats suddenly reappeared after 6+ weeks so please don't give up hope. Main thing to do I think is to try to remind people to keep an eye out for the cat. It is really hard to keep the momentum going - after 3 days of mine being missing I was in tears thinking that I had done everything & still no sign of him. I was very lucky in that he then turned up the next night, no idea what I would have done if it had gone on for more than a week.
Flowers for you all

Bizkit · 03/06/2015 10:50

Thanks timtam, I've not given up hope yet, more posters put up or replaced yesterday, will be out and about looking again tonight, its exhausting but until I know whats happened I can't give up Sad

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