Rescue cat missing after 48hrs.

[DobbyTheHouseElk]

My neighbour adopted a timid cat from a rescue place at the weekend. Last night it disappeared through a window.

I don’t know where to start to look for it. I’ve suggested putting the litter tray outside and some food. But other than that I’m clueless.

So calling on the advice of the litter tray!! What on Earth can I do and where to start looking? We are rural.

I’m concerned for the welfare of this poor kitty.

Oh no. It doesn't seem to matter how much we tell people not to leave windows open they still do it!

They need to leave food out day and night, for weeks if necessary. And of course leafleting and posters.

I know, my heart sank.

They have lost their cat recently and this was to help with grief. They are elderly and upset. They can’t go walking looking. So I’m going to try, but I don’t know what I’m looking for.

I’m so worried for the cat, who must be so scared.

After such a short time in the new home, no way it will know where it lives.

Is there any chance a cat would return? I’m thinking it will get hungry. I’m going to leave food outside too, to see if we can tempt it back, but we also have wildlife at night, so they might eat the food.

There's not much point in going looking. Posters and leaflets and door knocking are your best bet.

I know other things will eat the food but regardless they have to leave it. Foxes tend not to eat dry food so that's a good bet, plus water of course. And also wet food as that is more attractive. And they need to do it for at least three weeks, even if there is no sign of the cat.

If the cat isn't too nervous there is a good chance it will come back. There is also a good chance the neighbours will see it, but they need to know it's missing and what it looks like.

Have them contact the rescue, the cat may be familiar with someone there ie a foster.

Yeah food is the only thing that's going to tempt it back and only then when it's hungry and picking up the scent of what you've left out.

I assume it's microchipped? Hopefully someone will notice it hanging around and take it to be scanned.

Do they live far from the rescue centre? It may make it's way back there?

I don’t think there are any photos. Actually I know there aren’t.

I did ask my neighbour to call the rescue place and tell them, but she isn’t keen on that idea.

I’ve posted it on the village FB page. Told as many people as I know locally. We are directly onto fields. So she could be there.

Neighbour thinks cat will be miles away by now, so all hope is gone. I’m hopeful the cat is nearby. I haven’t seen the cat yet, so won’t recognise it. No idea if it’s chipped.

Rescue place is quite far away. I would think 45 mins drive away. It’s a long way away.

I work in rescue and she is obligated to inform the rescue! They will be familiar and have a good chance of retrieving the cat. I’m actually angry at her attitude, very selfish.

The rescue will almost certainly have a photo. They need to call to get a photo (unless the cat is all black - in which case not much point). And no, it's unlikely to be miles away. Food, posters and leaflets and perseverance are what's needed. And all hope most certainly isn't lost.

22 miles according to google maps.

Ok, I’ll pop round and have a chat. I’ll ask her to call the rescue place.
I did suggest that this morning, but I’ll try again.

I’m sure the cat is nearby. I’ll put food out too, and see if that helps.

If they won’t ring the rescue then you should do so , they sound completely irresponsible .

I’ll find out of it’s chipped too.

I’d call the rescue myself if I was you as she’s unlikely to. Does she not care about the cats safety?

She’s elderly and upset. She thinks the cat ran away because it didn’t like her. Bookworm4

Yes, she does care. She’s very upset.

You should call the rescue. If this was one of our fosters we’d come out to help look for the cat, I’m sure.

@DobbyTheHouseElk
Call the rescue ASAP
I’m a bit concerned at the rehoming process as from your account I’m not sure they’re the right fit for the cat. The cat got out because they left a window open 🙄

I did ask my neighbour to call the rescue place and tell them, but she isn’t keen on that idea.

Hmm, can't think why? 🤔

They need to put the cat first and tell the rescue place, so they can keep a look out too/share photos etc.

The cat's safety is more important than their embarrassment at leaving the bloody window open!

The window is a high vent window. It was to give the cat fresh air. She didn’t realise the cat could reach it.

I wouldn’t have used the rescue place personally. I use the CP, they do home visits and loads of checks. They also brought the cat to us and checked we had got all that we were told to get. Things like feliway were recommended. They also check up the cat is ok and have a fantastic back up team. But, that’s none of my business. My only concern is for the cats welfare.

No answer at the moment so I’ll try again later. I’m hoping the rescue place will come and help.

THTis happened to me - cat got out of a locked cat flap. It was hiding nearby, literally metres away probably. After three weeks’ of putting food out (try hot tuna) we managed to trap it and bring it back inside, using a trap borrowed from the rescue centre (who I contacted as soon as it happened for advice).

All is NOT lost and the cat almost certainly will not be miles away but hiding nearby too scared to show itself. Google ‘lost cat behaiour’.

The cat didn’t leave because it didn’t like her but it was too early for it to know it had a new home.

Tuna is your friend.

Hope it returns soon.

I don’t think the cat is far away.

Can I make it clear that this isn’t a reverse. This is my elderly neighbours cat. Not mine.

We did advise all windows to be closed at the weekend. She hadn’t realised the cat could escape through the vented window. I’m not sure the name of the window style. But it’s not a wide open normal window.

Is she absolutely sure the cat is not in the house? I ask because new cats are very good at finding hiding places. I was sure that I had lost a foster cat only for them to reappear apparently out of thin air in the house. We often look for our current foster for ages, and he’s neither small or well camouflaged!

Actually yes. What chemenger said. They also need to leave food and water in the house. They might find it mysteriously disappears.

I think so. It was confined to one room. The tray wasn’t used overnight or food eaten, so that’s why she thinks it’s escaped.

It was confined to one room but they left a window open! Jeez. That is so utterly stupid I'm not surprised they're embarrassed to contact the rescue. They still need to though.