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Cat missing ... any tips for keeping watch overnight?

7 replies

blossomwilloughby · 08/04/2020 20:06

We got an 8yo cat from a rescue two months ago. She's settled in, is eating & pooing well but remained very timid and rarely came downstairs preparing to spend her days asleep under a bed, her afternoons/evenings on a bed, having the zoomies about 10pm before looking embarrassed, curling up on our bed and transitioning to the window sill in the middle of the night.
We hadn't let her out in the garden yet as she was downstairs so rarely (other than to eat and use her tray) that I hadn't really figured out how to let her out. She hates being picked up so picking her up, carrying her downstairs and then out into the garden was an option.
We haven't seen her since about 11pm on Monday night. We've hunted the house high and low and there's no sign of her and there is an image of a cat just like her on a neighbour's CCTV so we think that, due to a mistake in which bedrooms had windows open and a door open, she made a bid for freedom.
We left clothing, food and her litter tray out last night and windows open and DH and I went out every 30 mins until 1am but no joy. The neighbour's CCTV has more images of a cat just like her at 1.30am and again later in the night.
If it is her, she is alive and local. We just need to get her home and I think my best chance is to stay up and keep a look out. How? Where? Do I actually need to spend a night in the garden? How do I make sure I'm looking in the right place at the right time?
DH and I both have jobs which have got insanely busy since Coronavirus so both also need to be able to do a productive fall day of work whilst also supervising two primary aged children so I want to get some sleep if I can.
We're all so desperate to have her home.

OP posts:
thecatneuterer · 08/04/2020 20:09

Firstly try not to panic. You've had her two months. She will almost certainly come back. I take it you don't have a cat flap? And, even if you did, she didn't go through it so it probably wouldn't help much anyway. I would just leave food and water outside your house, day and night, and she will start coming to eat. It may take a week or so but she will hang around more, waiting for food, and will eventually just come back in through an open door. You don't need to sleep in the garden.

Oldestchild90s · 09/04/2020 10:14

Any news? 🤞🏻

Want2beme · 09/04/2020 15:06

It sounds like you're doing everything you can. Keep hollering for her, shake some cat biscuits and hopefully she'll come back when she's readyFlowers

blossomwilloughby · 09/04/2020 21:35

Yes! She re-appeared through our bedroom window in the middle of the night. She's just gone out again through the same window completely ignoring the cat flap which we fitted today. Now I know she can come back, I'm relaxed about her coming & going... although hope she learns to use the cat flap as that is less likely to wake me up than coming through our bedroom window is

OP posts:
Enough4me · 09/04/2020 21:40

You fed her and met her immediate needs. Now she has chosen to come back to you and in effect owns you. She'll prefer an open window if available, cats like all windows and doors open unless there is a threat outside, but will use the flap is she has to.

Want2beme · 09/04/2020 21:52

Oh, that's great news. The little missy Grin

Enough4me · 10/04/2020 19:46

OP how is it going with your new cat coming and going?

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