Someone hold my paw. Freaking out about the cat.

[lifeissweet]

As a bit of a backstory, my cat was given to me at about the age of 3. He had been living in a house where the family had adopted more cats and dogs and he didn't handle that too well (and he must have been getting into fights as he has quite a badly scarred ear)

He's gorgeous and friendly and my DS loves him so much.

I kept him in for a few months when he first arrived and made sure he was chipped and vaccinated and then let him out gradually, then one day he went out and completely vanished.

We did everything - called vets and rescues, put up posters, went on Facebook groups...but nothing. DS cried about it for weeks and weeks.

Then...a whole year later...a local vet called to say that they had had a cat brought in who was micro-chipped to my address and it was him!

I have no idea where he had been and wish he could tell me!

Anyway. He has now been indoors again for a few months. I have been too scared to let him out.

But today I thought it was about time and thought I'd let him out for 10 minutes then call him back in.

I've been out and he is nowhere to be seen.
I have walked around and called him and now I am panicking.

He can not go missing again. My DS loves him so much. He is at boarding school and quite often calls home just to FaceTime the cat!

I am trying not to cry with fear that he's missing again (I know, I need to get a grip)

And I am kicking myself for letting him go missing again.

Somebody talk me round!

You must be beside yourself. I used to get twitched when the 9pm curfew came and went.

When the vet called you when he was found last time did he say how the cat came to be in the vets, who brought him in and where was he found? Perhaps kitty has gone back there again.

Hope he comes back to you.

Do you know where he was found? Was it close to where you live? Can you speak to the person who handed him in?

The vet said he was brought in by a woman who quite often brings in 'strays' apparently.

She had only just come across him.

The vet thought he might have adopted a family who moved away and left him behind - I don't know why they thought that.

That is all I know.

I have kept him in for too long because I was too scared to let him out.

And now I'm angry with myself for letting him out at all.

I just want him back!

Oh no, sounds like an awful situation! I am by no means an expert, but maybe your cat isn't suited to an outdoor life? Has he been neutered? I think that can make quite a difference in terms of straying. How old is your DS?

Hope your cat returns soon - paws crossed!

I think you need to ask the vet to get in touch with the woman to find out where exactly he was found. If it wasn't that far away that would be the obvious place to look first.

If she is in the habit of bringing in "strays" perhaps she "finds" them and has them longer than she really should if you get my drift. In 27 years of owning cats I've never "found" a stray or one has never turned up on my doorstep and to be honest I don't know of anyone it has happened to either.

I'd ask the vet again.

Troy I've had one turn up on my doorstep. It's not that rare.

Try not to panic too much yet life he might come back in a bit! One of my new rescues was out for 12.5 hours this week. God knows what he gets up to but he does eventually come back.

The Lodger and us, Troys. He'd been abandoned and left to the streets.

We had a stray move in. Current cat chases off all other cats though so I don't think it'll happen again.

I hope you find him.

I hope you get him back soon. Definitely look in to cat proof fencing. It would stop this sort of worry.

Thank you. I will do that if I find him.

I've been out flyering.

I am just dreading telling DS, he will be distraught.

Have you scattered his litter tray around the garden to give him a scent of home?

In the kindest way, I can't believe you let him out again after having disappeared for so long. You're a braver woman than me!

Definitely agree with checking where he was found last time. Fingers crossed he turns up again soon. Would second elegants recommendation of cat proof fencing.

How worrying! Hope he's just gone for nose around in the fresh air and he's back soon x

The bundle of fluff at the end of my bed turned up on my doorstep and never left and I have found a stray which I took to the vet's and it was reunited with its owner as it was chipped. It does happen.