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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

Lost cat - what to do next

119 replies

leotardrock · 25/11/2021 08:35

I've posted on the local lost pet forum on Facebook, shared it on my own page & asked people to share it.
Been walking round the estate shouting him last night and this morning!
I've phoned the local vets hospital - he's not there
I'm going to make some flyers & posters,
He is microchipped - will fish out the paper work and see if there is anything I can do there.
What else can I do? Please help

OP posts:
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9
icedcoffees · 27/11/2021 13:48

@leotardrock

Oh I'm so pleased she's home! Give her a squeeze from me! 😻
Aww, I will! She's in her basket next to me snoring her head off Grin
SpangleWhorl · 28/11/2021 19:21

Just to say I'm still thinking of you, @leotardrock, however it works out.

Plump82 · 28/11/2021 19:51

I'm just popping on to see if there's any update?

Original poster
leotardrock · 29/11/2021 14:20

No update! Feeling very sick & sad today!

My posts are all over Facebook, the posters are all over the estate, leaflets through as many doors as we can!
No reports of anyone seeing him, no news from the vets - just like he has disappeared off the planet!
Losing hope fast! 😭😭

OP posts:
Santaischeckinglists · 29/11/2021 14:24

Our dcat was away 10 nights one freezing October.. Had just about lost hope. His db woke me up howling at the window... Dcat was back. Badly smashed back leg but he managed fine on 3 for years. A few people assumed ownership he was so spoiled!!
Don't give up op. Vet said us shouting had kept him going. So keep looking and shouting op..

icedcoffees · 29/11/2021 15:28

Oh, I am so sorry you haven't got any news @leotardrock Sad

I have a friend whose cat disappeared for six months in winter once - she had pretty much given up hope when he turned up one morning wanting his breakfast like nothing had happened Hmm Grin

I hope you get good news soon.

Original poster
leotardrock · 29/11/2021 16:15

Thank you for the positive stories, it does help! A scan of the lost pet posts on Facebook shows that so many turn up!

I'm also heartened by the fact that he pitched up with a mouse on Tuesday night - so as long as he is mobile he won't starve

I'll keep looking & shouting and shaking his biscuit box at the usual mealtimes
He was the best cat I could ever have had - he's been around longer than my husband has - I won't let him down! 💪

OP posts:
icedcoffees · 29/11/2021 16:41

Have you registered him on www.catlost.com yet?

Original poster
leotardrock · 29/11/2021 22:47

No I haven't!

Is that a useful thing to do? I seem to have put my details in to so many websites over the past few day!

OP posts:
icedcoffees · 30/11/2021 07:32

I would pop him on as many sites as possible!

Have you spoken to all the vets in the area too?

violetbunny · 30/11/2021 10:13

Do as much physical searching as possible. Covid permitting, as much as you possibly can I would ask to check in gardens, sheds, under houses etc. Don't rely on others to keep an eye out or make a connection with a flyer or Facebook post. If your cat has been spooked it may not make noise or come when called (even if normally very friendly) so it's very important to do a thorough physical search yourself.

My cat went missing for 2 weeks, he was only a couple of streets away but that's how long it took me to thoroughly check each and every property. He was in someone's garden behind their massive fence. I'd even dropped a flyer at their house the week before, and spammed the local Facebook page with posts, but the house owners never noticed him. We think he got spooked by something, scarpered, and then couldn't find his way back.

I spent every waking hour I wasn't working for 2 weeks knocking on doors and asking to look in gardens, under sheds, and in houses. There is a lady who has done a proper study on missing cat behaviour, it's well worth a read and definitely changed my approach to searching:

www.missinganimalresponse.com/lost-cat-behavior/

violetbunny · 30/11/2021 10:14

*under houses - not in.
I must have crawled under hundreds of them!

OnceUponAThread · 30/11/2021 10:47

If you're insured, many companies will pay out if you offer a reward for lost pets. Check your paperwork and see if it's covered. If so - update the posters with reward info. Also try Twitter - people are very good about sharing lost cat info.

Original poster
leotardrock · 30/11/2021 12:02

This is all great thank you!

OP posts:
Momniscient · 30/11/2021 17:30

@violetbunny that's a fantastic article!

icedcoffees · 30/11/2021 17:52

Don't rely on others to keep an eye out or make a connection with a flyer or Facebook post.

God, this x 1000.

The morning after my cat went missing, she was in next doors' garden shed and I could easily have popped round to get her if they hadn't decided to wait 48+ hours to let me know Hmm

Igmum · 30/11/2021 18:40

Great article and I totally agree. When elderly DCat went missing she was hiding in a large plant pot under NDN patio (right at the back). Good luck Leotard, thinking of you

violetbunny · 30/11/2021 23:35

The irony is, I work in marketing! I printed and hand delivered more than 1,000 flyers, and targeted all the high-traffic pedestrian areas in our village with posters.

I really hope your find your cat OP, my thoughts are with you,

Original poster
leotardrock · 30/11/2021 23:42

Well we've had an eventful night! He's still not home but...
A random bloke banged on the door and said his friend had shared a video on TikTok of a cat that looked like ours! He's just seen our poster! Showed us the video It was our cat but the video was from last night!

So we did an hour, came home for some tea, charged head torch batteries etc & went out 10 til 11!

Still no sign but he was alive & well yesterday!

He seems to have made his way round the very edge of the estate - he was almost at the opposite end to us! the bloody daft begger! I'm going to to take a days leave, we have recruited some friends & will try and find him tomorrow! 🙏

OP posts:
Original poster
leotardrock · 30/11/2021 23:53

That's all abit garbled - it's been a long night - the fella who banged on the door took us to the exact spot to video had been taken!

OP posts:
Plump82 · 01/12/2021 03:17

Well that's promising and at least you have an area to start searching. I so hope you find him.

LifeAdvice · 01/12/2021 03:51

Promising news! My fellow went missing a few weeks ago (back now!) and I read up on all the things to do - have his litter tray and rugs that smell like home outside (as apparently they can smell a long way, and get themselves home that way), and also to call out in a normal voice, not an upset voice, as they won’t recognise it.

To use some of these ideas, if you drive over to this place, perhaps you could take some litter and blankets in your car and leave someone there as a smelling “home base” for him, whilst others look?

Crossing fingers and toes for you. I was beside myself when my little man went.

Whywonttheyletmeusemyusername · 01/12/2021 06:07

Placemarking for positive vibes and good wishes. I so hope he comes home soon Op

Santaischeckinglists · 01/12/2021 07:26

I bet your dcat is having a good laugh at all the new slaves he has running round after him!
Well done that man!
Fingers crossed for you op.

Igmum · 01/12/2021 08:28

Good news and fingers very firmly crossed for you OP (and yes he is probably snickering at all this effort). Here's to finding him today and getting him safely home 🤞