How did you find your lost cat?

[PenguinRoar]

Our wandering cat has been gone nearly 24 hours. Food untouched and no sign of him. We live in farmland, surrounded by private woodland and fields.

Have walked all the lanes calling and tomorrow am going to knock the houses to see if they'll let me go look in their sheds or woods.

Posted on FB and will do some posters.

Although he often stays out for hours, he always comes back for food.

He's a bit of scrapper with other cats and lots of dogs and game shooting here.

Really worried now. What else can I do, and what worked for you?

There's a thread on p2 called 'my cat has been missing for 4 days' by a poster called rainbowcakes where she tried several methods to get the cat back (she did), it would be worth having a look.

Hope he comes back soon Penguin, don't fret too much tonight

I just did posters on lamp posts around my area. Within a couple of hours I got a call.

(The little sod had crept into an open window of an old lady's house, who also had a cat. My cat took an immense liking to this other cats expensive posh food, and wouldnt leave! The old lady couldn't shift the stubborn little git. She was relieved to see the posters as her own cat was bloody starving!)

Thanks Bullet!

Farmer - that is most likely what my soft idiot cat is doing. He likes being warm and eating food... preferably at everyone else’s houses

Get neighbours to look in sheds and garages, put up posters and leaflets through doors. Put a post on your local FB pets lost page. Do a google search to find one.

Poster in the vets did it eventually.

One of my cats went missing one afternoon, all night and came back the following day. He did that a few times, but came back of his own accord. I could've cheerfully strangled him, but,.of course, I didn't, just cried buckets at the sight of him. Your lad will come back when he's done enough gallavanting.

Thanks all. Day two, no cat. It's a horrid feeling.
More biscuit rattling, posters and knocking doors.

Just keep at it, Penguin. Go for walks around, remind the neighbours he’s still missing and to please keep an eye out. Ask if they went into their shed yesterday and if they did, could they possibly check he’s not shut in. Give them a little leaflet with a clear photo and your phone number on it (unless they know exactly who you are). Hang in there.

I hope he’s home soon, yes I am familiar with the knocking on doors and biscuit rattling routine! Perhaps he’s shut in somewhere?

Hope you find him soon

Spoke to a few people earlier - all know the cat, as he's been in their houses!

They've not seen him either, but will keep an eye out.

Vets and rescue centres all aware.

Just keeping on, keeping on.

Thanks for your support all.

Hope he turns up soon
My neighbours cat went missing for 10 days but came back safe and well. Another one used to go off for months , came home for a while then dissapeared again. I think he had two homes.

Hope he returns soon.
You acan also ask in the local schools.

Yes to asking local schools, esp if you offer a reward. Cats can get trapped down in gaps between hay bales, so that is something to check if there are barns near you. Also walk the roadside verges in case he has been hit and is injured. Friend's cat missing for over a week was found on someone's windowsill, shut out, with no way back in, or off the sill. Dehydrated but alive. Cousin's cat trapped between hay bales found after ten days. Damaged her kidneys, but otherwise she recovered. Try and get an idea of his regular movements, cats have a territory they tend to cover. Looking at the houses he visits on a map might give some idea of where he goes, then you can walk it, calling. Taking a dog out who might look for him is a good idea if you know one. My dog found my missing cat, only one house away but lying seriously injured, in shock, hiding under a large boulder. Too shocked and weak to mew. I wouldn't have found him without the dog as I expected him to reply when I called, being a v vocal cat. (He recovered). Leafelt everywhere but also knock on all doors, as people are more likely to help if they've met you. Hope he is home soon.

Thanks all. We live v. Rurally and can’t get into most of the private woods near the house. Doing leaflets tomorrow. Have checked all the ditches. It’s a miserable task.

Do as much publicity as you can (but I know you've already done a lot). Leaflets through letterboxes, posters on lampposts, Facebook.

I am a veteran of cats going missing and I know how stressful it is. I have also used the www.animalsearchuk.co.uk website, and have once paid the extra for the upgraded service (standard service is free) and this made the difference to finding our cat last time - they put it on their FB which has a bigger reach than mine, and someone rang the hotline.

Good luck!

Thank you! I’ve paid extra for the petlog service to send out mailers to their network but will have a look at animal search too.

Did knocking on doors and leaflets tonight and will do more in the morning. Met a lot of farm dogs that weren’t happy with me going down their drives! Eek.

Need to laminate some posters for the lampposts as loads of dog walkers,runners and cyclists here.

We found him! Two weeks' later! Huzzah! Thanks for all your support.

Omg! How did you find him? So happy for you.

Brilliant. I’m so pleased for you. Is he ok? Where was he?

Fabulous news!
Where was the little tinker 😄

Woo-hoo!!!! That's brilliant news OP . Where was he? And do we get a picture of him? (Pleeease...)

YAY! Where??

He's fine. Only lost a teeny bit of weight. He was miles away living outdoors and someone called when they saw a poster. He's not left my side since.

What a relief - he looks pretty chilled, even if you're not. so pleased for you as it's such a horrible feeling. Your perseverance paid off.