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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Cat has been missing a week... should I give up hope?

39 replies

MooChops89 · 08/04/2021 23:23

My 4yo big boy has been missing since last Friday morning Sad he's very much an outdoor cat, out most of the day and just pops back now and again to be fed. Occasionally stops out overnight but we suspect he's been taken in by people across the road as their kids love playing with him. He's never been gone more than 24h before and I'm swinging between "maybe he's just wandered a bit too far and got lost" and "he must be dead"
Somebody has said they've seen a similar cat hanging about some allotments about a mile up the road so I'm going to have a look there tomorrow but it's probably not him.
Anyone had a cat go missing for a long time and they've eventually turned up?

OP posts:
TamaraDeLempicky · 08/04/2021 23:24

My friend's cat came back after 13 days only last week. Never give up hope!!!

Original poster
MooChops89 · 08/04/2021 23:24

Just to add - there's no way his "other family" have kept him in this long as he makes such an awful racket when he wants to get out and he's an escape artist!

His sister is starting to get restless and clingy and she spends the evening sitting in the window looking for him Sad

OP posts:
chinchin77 · 08/04/2021 23:26

I'm sorry to hear, and hoping for his safe return. I've had many a cat go missing for days, but the most amazing one was for three years, turned up at a home, and carers took him to vet - was microchipped and I got a phone call, was like winning the lottery as he was a much loved burmese cat. Don't give up hope!!

HerMammy · 08/04/2021 23:32

Post flyers around the local area, update his chip to missing in case he’s found and scanned. Ask neighbours to check. she’d and garages, he could be shut in. Call vets within a few miles to let them know should he be handed in.
Post him on local FB groups.

Beamur · 08/04/2021 23:33

I wouldn't give up hope yet!

TaraR2020 · 08/04/2021 23:34

Also contact local shelters and post, with photo, on local fb groups.

I really feel for you, its awful when this happens. Dont give up, he might be caught in someone's shed or garage, or maybe got a little disoriented.

Flowers
snappedandfarted123 · 09/04/2021 21:03

My cat came back on about day 12, I guess when the hunger really started to bite. We had been out flyering and door knocking every day for about 10 days and no word, sightings, nothing. We had given up, but she did come back. Hold out a bit longer id say.

Nandakanda · 09/04/2021 21:06

Three weeks here. He did a number of two week stints.

HumphreyCobblers · 09/04/2021 21:13

Our beloved cat came back after eight days. Don’t give up hope

thecatneuterer · 10/04/2021 10:51

Have you been knocking on the doors of all your neighbours asking them to check sheds? It's a time of year when lots of sheds are being opened and closed. Have you put posters up on the street and leaflets through letterboxes? If you haven't then do all that today. If he is trapped somewhere then there is no time to lose.

Social media has it's place as an extra thing - but posters/leaflets and door knocking are way, way, way more likely to find him.

thecatneuterer · 10/04/2021 10:52

And if you suspect the people across the road then surely you've been to talk to them?

kittensarecute · 10/04/2021 10:54

Missy went missing for nearly 2 weeks once and just strolled in one day like nothing had happened! I hope you find your kitty soon.

SirVixofVixHall · 10/04/2021 11:01

Leaflet everywhere , knock on every door and ask people to check their sheds or garages, Spring is when people tend to start their gardening and have. Shed open for an hour but then closed again for weeks if it turns colder.
Friend’s cat missing for a week was on a windowsill of a nearby house, still a mystery as to how she got there. Cousin’s cat missing for nine days was trapped in a barn where she had fallen down between hay bales. She was alive but left with kidney damage.

Jocasta2018 · 10/04/2021 11:05

Never give up hope!
I know of several local cats that have buggered off for a couple of weeks & returned to their owners, starving & a bit bedraggled (the cats that is - not the owners).
Ask your neighbours to check garages & sheds.

pippitysqueakity · 10/04/2021 11:08

Nope don’t give up hope yet! Have you tried next door on Facebook? Posters on lamp posts, knock on neighbours, wander local streets shaking crunchiest? Worked for me this time last year.🙂

Original poster
MooChops89 · 10/04/2021 22:56

Thanks everyone - haven't got access to a printer so not been able to leaflet yet. Have posted on our local community page and a local lost and found cats page. Husband is off tomorrow so I'm going to wander up and down our road with some treats to see if I can hear anything and I'll try knocking on doors (2 small children so haven't been able to get out yet!)

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HopingForOurRainbowBaby · 10/04/2021 23:28

A Cat I knew returned after 6 weeks, he'd been locked in somewhere. We all looked everywhere for him and then suddenly one afternoon he just appeared at the patio doors very thin and very stinky. 2 Cat of ours also disappeared one had gone back to the old house and then walked all the way back to the family home and the other one well god knows where she tootles off to. She has stages where she stops at home and then suddenly she'll disappear for days and days on end. Might return when she's bored, kicked out of somewhere or hungry

FastandLoose · 10/04/2021 23:31

Good luck. It’s really rough. But as others say, definitely don’t give up hope. Both our cats went missing at one point and were found again after 3 and 5 weeks.

Original poster
MooChops89 · 11/04/2021 10:35

A silly question but is it allowed to post leaflets through doors once I've managed to print some? Or can I only put them up on lampposts?

OP posts:
FastandLoose · 11/04/2021 10:59

We put flyers through doors. We’re getting advertising flyers most days. We also knocked on doors when we had a definite idea where they were. Stood well back etc.

thecatneuterer · 12/04/2021 19:03

Of course you can put leaflets through doors. And knock on them too. Any luck?

Crappyfridays7 · 12/04/2021 19:13

Our girl came back after a week smelling of lemon air freshener so had been kept somewhere as a big fluffy thing and would’ve been a riot if out for 7 days. Didn’t seem hungry. She’s a crabbit cat so can imagine she escaped fast. Don’t lose hope op hope your wee cat comes home. I do find boy cats wander more, my girls (have 4) stay close to home and boys wandered far and wide.

Mummaofboys93 · 12/04/2021 19:23

One of my dads neighbours cats went missing for a whole year then ended up on the doorstep one morning. God only knows where she went lol. Don't give up hope. Hopefully he has just wondered a little too far.

Original poster
MooChops89 · 16/04/2021 18:31

Thanks all - he still isn't home Sad have been out leafleting, putting up posters, have been this evening to look on the fields near our house but nothing. Have had a few people message me with possible sightings but they've come to nothing so far, there are a few similar looking cats around.

OP posts:
Hill1991 · 16/04/2021 18:53

Don't give up hope one of my mums d cats went missing for