Cat missing since Tuesday

[francis223]

We went to work on Tuesday, came home and she's vanished. We've had her almost a year and she usually stays very close to home, just on the next door neighbour's fence or garden or onto the very next street, so always comes running straight back when she's whistled for.

We often have other cats in our garden but she is usually good at staring them off her territory.

We've done everything recommended, flyers, posters, FB, vets and microchip firm. Hoover contents and litter in garden. We've been out walking every few hours to whistle and call, day and night but there is no sign. We've got a good view of our neighbours gardens and no movement. I've also been round to look into some of the gardens. We've knocked on a few doors and have several neighbours keeping an eye out.

One neighbour is convinced she saw her yesterday at midday just on the next street - she should have known her way home from there so I'm so confused as to why she just won't come back to us. We went out straight away after this sighting but no sign, yet again.

It's awful, can't concentrate on anything, just feels like a black cloud of dread hanging over us.

I am so sorry. This has happened to us several times.
One of ours was found in a garage 2 streets away after 3 nights. Another was inside a neighbours house. She had got in through their cat flap & couldn't get out (they were away)
We actually found both. We went out at night, in the quiet, called around the streets, shook the cat food box. Both times we heard meowing & found them. & got them back.
Some Cats do wander, is she a pedigree? Or moggie? Have you microchiped?
From experience flyers & posters are not that effective, however knock on your neighbours doors and ask for them to keep a look out.
The more people 'aware' the better.
Good luck, post back if you find her

Could you put notes through the letter boxes of the street she was seen in and ask them to check garages and sheds in case she is there?

She's a moggie, a gentle Tortoiseshell, we miss her so much. Just keep expecting her to wander through the door or see her face at the back door, but nothing.

We've fliered all the houses near to where she was possibly seen and knocked on the doors of the closest houses. We'll do this again today and over the weekend. She's microchipped and the company have been informed that she is missing.

I spoke with one neighbour who is just moving in, he let me have a good look in his garden, this row of houses back on to our garden, and also to the houses and gardens where she was seen, but no sign. If she was there though, she'd know the way home, as she's explored there before.

Just wanted to share sympathy - when one of my boys went missing overnight I was distraught: as I couldn't sleep anyway I went out at 5am and heard his mewing from inside a warehouse and after tracking down keyholders got him back, but I had passed that warehouse at least 20 times previous day without hearing him, so hopeful you'll find soon

Frances - any update? Sending positive vibes to help her find her way 🏡 home

None. At the moment I'm putting blankets and her bedding on our back garden fences and front garden. I've got some sardines, salmon and pilchards to put out tonight and I'll leave the door open. It's freezing here :-(

If you are not working tomorrow could you get up early whilst everything is quiet and see if you can walk around the neighbourhood? Seems from other posters comments it may be best chance of you hearing each other? Really wish you best of luck 🤞

My little man just returned, or rather we caught him, on Monday after 13 days away! He escaped one evening when I came home from work late. He was spotted a few times from neighbours and we thought well if he is there he should be able to find his way home. But he had found a nice shed full of food and was tucking into that every day! We eventually caught him wandering around looking abit confused and brought him home! He is now happily at home and grounded after his big adventure. I was sure I would never see him again, but I did. Keep hope and good luck

Thank you all for your kind messages of hope. I can't accept that's she's gone forever and can't quite believe she's gone at all.

The sardines were left untouched both front and back. Our streets are very quiet after 10pm and so I was out for a while with no sign of life. We'll keep trying all weekend.

Wishing you good luck OP

I do hope you find her soon .

Another few hours searching at dawn - sunrise is around 8am and so walked surrounding streets, no sign. Feeling very helpless.

Keep at it OP

Keep talking to neighbours, local businesses and anyone you can think of .

I know it's difficult but don't give up yet. When you are walking speak to dog walkers: they tend to go out walking a couple of times a day and most of them will be happy to keep an eye out for your cat if you ask. Fingers still crossed here 🤞🤞

Not to be gloomy but have you rang local council? I have been informed before that they aren't obliged to scan for microchips if they find a deceased animal.

Sort of defeats the object to me as I assume loving owners want their pets back regardless of the situation found. I hope she is back safe and sound soon. .
I do know how awful the not knowing is.

Keep going OP. I know it's soul destroying but really important to keep at it in the early days.

Once our cat (also a tortie) was trapped in a neighbours garage only a few doors up. We'd walked past there countless times calling her and tapping her food bowl but it was a few days before she meowed back and we got her released. She must have been too frightened to make a sound before then.

Getting into as many gardens as possible is great as other people won't get on their hands and knees to look like you would for your own cat. Also check under hedges and bushes, take a torch when dark so her eyes will reflect back.

Is she confident enough to have jumped into a delivery van?

Best of luck

francis it's so horrible, isn't it - I know exactly what you mean about it casting a huge blight over everything. You feel you can't settle to do anything else. One of my cats went missing for 10 days and I remember how awful I felt - I struggled even to eat properly - but she came back. Don't give up hope.

I'm just out again as it's dusk and I'm beginning to find it hard to believe she is close by, as there is no sign of her.

She is timid, she's never been known to wander further than a few gardens away. I can't imagine that she'd have the confidence to jump in a van out of curiosity, if she was out a few hours in the garden, she'd always scratch at the door or hover close by under a garden chair until we opened the door. It just feels so strange.

I agree with MsMimms that your best bet is to get into as many gardens as you can. Ask people if you can check in their shed/garage. It is possible that she is shut in somewhere.

Also is there any building going on nearby? Any houses being done up? Cats often seem to get shut in empty houses by builders.

YY to shut in. The house next door was an empty rental and one of ours got in. The other got shut in a garage too.
Good luck OP.

We've got one house nearby who are away. I've checked their garden and whistled outside several times over the past few days, day and night. Nothing so far.
We do have building work further down the estate where they are building new houses. She's never ventured that far - I left my number with the site manager and also walked and checked the houses today, but no sign. They work during the week so would have thought she possibly would have been released if trapped on Tuesday or Wednesday with the work ongoing during the rest of the week.
How long can a cat survive without food/water?

It feels like a hopeless search as it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. We're on an estate where the houses are packed in, lots of sheds/outhouses, another big estate next to ours, woodland, a disused quarry etc. Argh!

I'm hugely reliant on the neighbour's goodwill but not everyone is particularly neighbourly here.

Has your town got a Facebook spotted page? Ours does really well at reuniting lost pets. People put a 'have you seen' picture up and often get replies quite quickly.

Sending good vibes your way. the not knowing is horrible.

Yes I've used our local Lost and Found fb page and our local hub which covers the four/five villages nearby with 10,000 members.

Just popped to our immediate neighbour's where I know she visits their garden. He let me check his garage (no shed) and no sign.

Yes I've used our local Lost and Found fb page and our local hub which covers the four/five villages nearby with 10,000 members.

Just popped to our immediate neighbour's where I know she visits their garden. He let me check his garage (no shed) and no sign.