Positive stories please - missing cat

[PurpleSweetPeas]

Out beautiful 5 month old kitten escaped out of a window on Wednesday night and hasn't been seen since.
We miss him so much.

Please let me know your positive stories of cats who come back home. Please nothing sad as I can't deal with the thought at the moment.

My old girl disappeared for a month, turned up skinny and angry (but v grateful)

I adopted a new cat just before Christmas, she went awol and I was beside myself with worry. I spent three days searching for her on foot and in the car, I even went back to her old home 5 miles away in case she'd gone back there. Boxing day, she just rocked up hungry and wanting a cuddle. Little shit

He’s probably exploring, have you put his litter tray outside so he can smell home?.

If you can go out at night with a torch their eyes reflect in the light.

Oh he’s gorgeous. Is he chipped?

6 months our tortie queen went away for!
Had a few smashed teeth and a bit skinny but non the worse really.

Is he neutered?

Sorry posted too quick. If he’s not neutered he’s maybe gone tomcatting. Have you tried all the lost and found/Facebook/Nextdoor type places? Sorry you’re going through this.

Had a tortie girl who was missing for 2 weeks. We door knocked and letter box dropped. Finally found her and she was holed up in our neighbour's house by the neighbour's cat.

Another tabby girl.... she slipped in to another neighbour's weekend holiday rental. We found her after a few days and rang the (off site) owner and with his permission broke the window so we could gert her.

Fore-mentioned tortie has just ambled into the sitting room and pushed the dog off the sofa.

Definitely! Siamese cat went missing for 48 hours. Was stuck on a bungalow roof and couldn't get down. Another cat went missing in my child hood shortly after moving house - came back after 7 weeks. Don't lose hope.

Thank you all. The rational part of my brain wants to believe he will come back but the emotional side is saying I'll never see him again.

He is chipped (and I've notified them), he isn't neutered yet as the vets would only do it at 6 months. When do males become sexually active? It's a long time since I had a kitten.

Litter box is outside along with the bag of old litter that is now spread over the flowerbeds and stinks to high heaven.

We've posted endlessly on Facebook, have posters to put up, leaflets to put through letter boxes. Notified vets and adoption centres. Anything else I'm missing?

I lost my female cat once for 3 days. We sent out flyers knocked doors, searched every where. The last day I was in the kitchen literally crying and calling her name when I heard a faint miaow. I flung open every door and drawer, they she was in the bottom drawer. I remembered I'd been folding up tea towels and putting them away, she must have jumped in and then down to the (fairly) empty drawer below! I have never been so happy. My male cat often goes missing for a day or two, usually found in someone's shed. Hope your cat returns soon. Does it usually go out?

The council waste team (or whatever they’re called). Worst case scenario if he’s been hit by a car and they’ve been called they don’t (or didn’t when my cat was hit) have scanners. I left a description with them and they called a few days later.
However my other cat went missing for five days - I was really worried she’d never been out before! But I found her.
Another cat was gone for a few weeks - had been locked in a building site judging by how dusty she was.
They have a surprisingly large territory that they roam around.

It's crazy I know but I've heard that taking a bottle of your own wee out and sprinkling it near your house can help guide them back. My cats go walk about all the time, and one young lad was gone 11 months then walked back in demanding food as if he'd been gone a few hours! I just stared at him in shock as I'd been through a huge grieving process for him. Then swore. Then opened the cat food and hugged him for hours once he'd eaten. He's missing again at the moment but he and his father do it all the time and I've given up worrying now, and instead am writing a book about all the adventures I imagine they have whilst away.

My mum and dad had two rescue cats. Both active tabbies, brother and sister.
The brother went missing 5 years ago and turned up again last month!!!!!! Wandered into the house like he'd never been away!!

FIVE YEARS!!!!

Imagine his adventures!! 5 years. The little bugger!!

Most missing cats are found within 5 houses of home (I read somewhere). Knock on doors and ask to check in sheds and garages. One of ours was in a shed 3 doors down for 2 days. In this weather people do gardening etc, cats wander into sheds to nose around, then someone closes the door not knowing they're in there. Cats can live an incredibly long time without food or water btw.

Another of our cats, many years ago, came back after a week away, incredibly hungry and thirsty but fine. We reckon someone went away on holiday and didn't realise they had locked him into their house. (He was a cheeky cat who strolled into other houses.)

And finally... a 3rd cat. Lost for about 6 weeks; not our cat but we'd seen the Lost Cat notices on local lampposts. One day I saw a cat raiding our dustbin who answered the description; when I got close enough to read her collar medallion I realised it was her and phoned the owner. She is now home safe and sound. The owner had given up hope because the cat had escaped from her carrier at the vet's and could not have found her own way home.

My house cat snuck out of an open window and wasn’t seen for 3 days, neighbour saw me leaving food out for her and it turned out she’d been hiding under the shed next door. I was beside myself and distraught so I know how you’re feeling, fingers and toes crossed for a safe return for you

One of mine went missing for 2 days this week.
I found her in a garage a few houses away.
Fingers crossed for you

My one cat went missing many years ago. Put out posters walked everywhere, nothing. Came home a week later well fed. Put my number on his collar got a call a while later. Turns out he visited a lady nearby and she fed and kept him indoors for a week because her antisocial cat liked my cat. He then always visited her and when we moved abroad he had a good home to go to.

Any news, Purple?
He might be frightened and hiding, it really does help going out at night and calling. Checking under cars, in gardens. My wee bugger just did this to us too.

To answer your question, they can become sexually active at five months - so that might be the problem. All good vets will now neuter at four months.

Anyway - don't panic. Make sure you leave food and water outside your house day and night. Carry on doing that for at least three weeks. He will be searching for food and, hopefully, will find it and then keep returning.

No, nothing yet. We've been putting posters up today and flyers through doors. We were out until 9pm tonight but do you think we should be out later?

I'm trying very hard not to panic TheCarNeuterer. I just want him back home and then he will never go near a window again!!
Trying to stay positive

Old girl cat was stolen.
She came home 6 days later - long story
Old boy cat got himself jammed in a garage for 4 days

pilchards in tomato sauce are an excellent incentive

Having a hard day. Struggling to believe he will come home 😞