My Cat has been missing 2 days - Any more ideas on what I can do?

[PushkaMcgee]

I'm a complete mess, my cat went missing very early hours of Friday morning. She must have gone out of the cat flap and for some reason didn't do her usual jump on my bed on her return, instead, she just hasn't returned.

She's 7 and when she was 2 used to go AWOL at times but since then has been a real homey cat and never goes far, hence me not locking the cat flap on Thursday night (which I feel so guilty about).

I've put her details all over Facebook, local groups and lost and found groups too. Put out some posters, been out early this morning and called for her and told everyone in my street to look in their sheds etc. Now I've run out of ideas and feel so useless not doing anything that might help bring her back.

She's been my one constant companion the past few years and I'm a wreck without her (I live on my own) and guess I'm just clutching at straws in case anyone has any ideas of what I can do, or even some hope that she will return soon. Thank you x

@Clymene thank you, yes my cat is chipped and I’ve rung and checked that all of my details are up to date.

I’ve told my vet about her going missing but I’ll also let the other local vets know, thank you and a good idea to put something on ‘Dogs lost’. Thank you 🙏

it sounds very melodramatic but what I’m finding so incredibly hard is that I feel so alone in my constant worry and sadness. My children (grown up) are of course very worried too but ultimate they don’t live at home anymore and so, obviously, the pain of our cat not being about isn’t quite so upsetting. So I’m finding the help and support in here incredibly kind, thank you x

Dont let your worry and sadness stop you from taking action. Go out every morning and evening calling their name. Go to the areas you haven't explored yet plus the ones you have. Keep calling their name. Loud as hearing is their best sense. Take treats with you. Take a friend if you feel vulnerable walking around alone.

@Glumbums thank you, I will.

my next door neighbour saw a cat dash out of her house through her cat flap this afternoon but it was so quick she didn’t know if it was mine or not. She’s never had that before, the only cat that does occasionally go into her house is mine so I’m clinging to the hope that may have been my cat and she’s in the area but for some reason too scared to come home.

Fingers crossed that it was her. My very loving girl went missing for two weeks and kept running from me when she was eventually spotted. I felt like the people who found her would think she hated me and didn't want to come home. Cats can just be assholes sometimes and act like they're scared just cause they've got themselves a bit confused. Hopefully it will be your cat and you'll manage to get her home soon.

Remain hopeful! You are doing all the right things. Keep going out in the late/early hours when things are quieter and she can hear the dreamie packet rustling. We found ours this way after her being out for two weeks.

Cats often get trapped in places, or chased and then go further away than they are used to. Injured cats will crawl under things and hide

This is what happened to my tortie cat last night - she is mainly indoors, never goes out for longer than an hour and is quite timid. Last night we were frantic because she went out at 4pm and didn’t come home. We were up searching all night but she didn’t turn up till 8am with quite a bad leg injury, there’s no way she went far on it, she can’t really walk. The vet thinks she probably got stuck, got frightened and had to wrench herself free. the vet was worried it was fractured, but it wasn’t, and bloods, iv fluids (she was quite traumatised), pain relief, X-rays and an operation to clean things up she’s fine 😀.

My oldest daughter is her favourite and I made her tie her freshly worn PJ top to the deck and call for her herself. I don’t know if it worked but she emerged 20 min later.

Our other cat went missing about 5 years ago and didn’t come back until 6 and half weeks later, his nails and paws were worn down and the vet said it looked like he’d walked a long way. He was skinny but fine, and doesn’t go far now.

It’s days for your cat, chances are all will be well

*early days

My neighbour’s cat was just found alive after 3.5 weeks about 1/4 mile away. She leafletted most streets in the surrounding area, signs on lamp posts, info on websites, friends and family shared her info snd pics on local FB and WhatsApp groups. She was also out calling every morning and evening. She ran such an effective information campaign that people would stop her in the street to ask if she was out looking for [cat]. It was a call from someone who’d seen a cat matching his description looking lost that saw them reunited. As soon as she started calling in the new sighting location he came out of the undergrowth. He is injured but on the mend. Looks like he was attacked by another cat or fox and ran out of his territory while being chased.

I hope you find your girl OP. 🤞

Thank you all for your messages of hope for my cat Scully ❤️

Any news op?

@Glumbums Thank you for asking, no, still nothing, I had a complete breakdown at 4am, all alone in the house feeling desperately lonely and worried for my Scullycat so I went out in the dark and rain searching for over an hour. Sadly nothing.

I'm at my wits end worrying. I've re-put up posters that have got wet in the rain, posted on numerous Facebook pages and just keep praying she'll come home.

All I can think about is her and where she might be and then I beat myself up, yet again, for things I could have done differently. Please continue to keep your fingers crossed for me and thank you again for your kindness x

@PushkaMcgee OP, sorry I haven't read the whole thread so not sure if anyone else has suggested this but... when I was a child our family cat went missing for 3 weeks. We were all incredibly anxious and upset as you can well imagine. My mum cooked some really really smelly fish one day (I think she might have boiled it) and left the kitchen window open. My cat appeared from nowhere looking very bedraggled but otherwise unwell. Not sure why she hadn't come home but whatever had happened the smell was what drew her back. Worth a try perhaps and especially if you suspect she's in the vicinity.

Good luck finding your beloved cat xx

I am so sorry OP. Understand completely. I live alone too and this is my worst nightmare. Have you tried leaving out a strong smelling food like tuna?

Don't give up hope. Keep up the campaign.

Sending warm thoughts.

Oh, snap, listing.

Thank you so much @Words and @Listing I'll try cooking some strong smelling fish tomorrow, only problem is there are lots of cats in the nearby houses so they'll probably all come running, but I'm trying anything.

To make matters worse I just got a text from the vets reminding me Scully has her annual check tomorrow 😢. I have already rung them to say she's missing but obviously this is automated, it all just breaks my heart. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and care x

I know what you're going through. Just to say someone spotted my cat after a month ,he was actually very close by and we went late one night and he immediately came when we called. Go out late at night when it's quiet would be my advice. Keep posting on FB. x

Thank you @MrsPelligrinoPetrichor I'm so pleased you got your loved cat home safely x

So sorry op - I know how worried you must be.

One of ours went missing for a couple of days and the other one went off for a week.

Have you stopped all the dog owners on your street? They go out a couple of times a day and may see her.

One I found a few streets away under a car. She was lost and don't know how to get home. I went out at 1am and called her and she responded to her name.

The other one went into someone else's house and the people had seen the missing post on FB.

Really hope you find her. Xxx

@AnneElliott thank you, yes, I've stopped a lot of dog walkers (and horse riders) I will carry on asking them.

I realised today there's an empty house around the corner, I have had a look in the garden but will ring the estate agents tomorrow to ask them to have a look around it if possible.

I'm sorry you have no news yet. Did you manage to contact the estate agent? I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you

Oh love, thinking of you x

This is awful! My cat went missing a year ago this week!

I still look for him! I still check the lost & found Facebook page everyday incase he turns up somewhere!
hope he's living his best life on someone's sofa!

You have my sympathies, it is utterly heart breaking!

@Blowyourowntrumpet Thank you, I stopped at the house yesterday and walked around it, looked through all the windows and all over the garden calling her name and there was no sign so sadly I don’t think she’s in there.

@Words thank you, the support on here means the world to me

@QueueEtwo on no, so utterly heartbreaking, I really hope your little cat is safe and well and one day will walk through your door as if nothing has happened ❤

I’ve dropped posters around the local vets and my friend is printing out a load of A5 flyers for me which I will drop through doors of nearby streets, though I will knock on as many as I can. I’ve covered most of the local roads already but I’ll go a little further out. After that I really can’t think of anything else to do apart from going out everyday searching and hoping she picks up my scent.

I saw a good friend yesterday as I reaching meltdown and she suggested I use positive thinking, Scully is coming home, she will be back very soon. It’s so difficult though and I know her being missing is all consuming at the moment and I can’t carry on like this.

Thank you all so much for caring, and your continued ideas, I will obviously keep you posted 🙏

I hope your cat comes home soon. I know how it feels. Happened to one of mine. But she's an indoor cat. X

Any news on your cat? It's horrible when they take themselves off. Hoping you're reunited soon.