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Original poster

Lost cat has been found... Help?!

71 replies

returnofthecat23 · 06/12/2023 14:52

This is quite outing as many IRL people know this story, so name changed.

In spring for 2013, our cat went missing. She was only 2, was out in the garden when we left for the school run, came home and she never returned. I spent months trying to find her, my children then aged 10, 7 and 5 were devasted. My youngest cried herself to sleep every night for a month, my eldest would search our estate after school, we went anywhere there was a potential sighting, but found nothing. We had another cat who was incredibly bonded to the one that went missing. We still have that cat now, but could never replace the cat that went missing, instead we now have a house rabbit who is bonded to the cat we have. He is now 12 as we had them both as kittens, but from different litters.

Imagine my surprise yesterday when i got a call, that nearly 10 years later, my cat has been found! From what i can gather she was taken in as a stray by an older lady, who can no longer care for her, or the other cats she had, they were taken in by a charity, who had the cats scanned, which flagged my details as her microchip was still registered to me.

My children are over the moon, my now 15 year old daughter is beside herself and cannot wait to go and collect the cat - who is around 30 miles. But im worried, im worried for her coming into a home again if shes been a stray and bonded to other cats, im worried for my cat we have still, who has spent 10 years in a house without another cat, im worried how the missing cat will respond to the house rabbit and vice versa.

But i cant just not try. I gather from the charity that the cat is unwell, some kind of renal failure possibly, and that is something im willing to take on, and my children all understand that she may not have a whole lot of time left, but if she can live out her final days back in a home with people who love her and care for her, then thats what we will do.

But how do i go about reintroducing her, in a way that is going to be the least stressful for her, for my other cat, and the rabbit?

Any advice would be very gratefully received. Thank you

OP posts:
InviteIsAVerb · 06/12/2023 14:55

I don't know about the introducing aspect, but stress can cause urinary problems in cats (ours has had repeated bouts of it but we're now sorted having adjusted her food). It would be a good idea to find out more about the renal issues.

Beamur · 06/12/2023 14:56

Oh my goodness. You don't expect a cat to turn up after 10 years.
If the cat has been living with other cats, I guess that's a good sign it can still live with others.
I think that the advice is to bring a new cat in and keep it alongside but seperate from the resident cat. Swap scents and let them get used to each other and then gradually introduce. Supervised time which you gradually increase if they're not hostile to each other.
But rabbits I have no idea about I'm afraid.

Original poster
returnofthecat23 · 06/12/2023 14:57

InviteIsAVerb · 06/12/2023 14:55

I don't know about the introducing aspect, but stress can cause urinary problems in cats (ours has had repeated bouts of it but we're now sorted having adjusted her food). It would be a good idea to find out more about the renal issues.

We are hoping to collect her on Sunday and i have a vet appointment prebooked for the next day to get her checked over and see what is going on and what our option are with her health

OP posts:
Original poster
returnofthecat23 · 06/12/2023 15:00

Beamur · 06/12/2023 14:56

Oh my goodness. You don't expect a cat to turn up after 10 years.
If the cat has been living with other cats, I guess that's a good sign it can still live with others.
I think that the advice is to bring a new cat in and keep it alongside but seperate from the resident cat. Swap scents and let them get used to each other and then gradually introduce. Supervised time which you gradually increase if they're not hostile to each other.
But rabbits I have no idea about I'm afraid.

Its absolutely incredible, we were all in so much shock yesterday, my daughter wanting to give up all of her christmas presents to get her cat back - which i obviously wont do, but she is desperate to have her home. Unfortunately i cant before Sunday as im working nights so unable to get up to where she is, and getting her Sunday means i have a few days off work with her too

OP posts:
Thelmsie · 06/12/2023 15:04

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TheCatReallyDidComeBack · 06/12/2023 15:13

This happened to us! Our cat went missing in 2012 and came back in March this year. We got the call from a vet where she’d been handed in as a possible stray, she was 18 years old when we got her back! It’s such a shock isn’t it?

We also had an existing cat, who we’d only had a year so still young. We did the standard introducing cats thing. Kept our returned cat in one room while she settled in, let them smell each other through the door. She didn’t seem to have any interest in our existing cat and they just sort of slotted in. He followed around incessantly for a long time but now they just ignore each other. They are in no way bonded, but they coexist ok.

Our returned cat spent a long time just hanging out in our bedroom, I was convinced she was going to immediately die on us or something. But she didn’t! She did start to roam around the house more, eventually I braved letting her outside although as soon as summer ended she went back to being indoor only. She has renal failure and is meant to be on special food but she doesn’t like it so we’re a bit stuck. I don’t think she’ll be with us much longer, but I’m so glad she’s home.

Be prepared to spend the first months just looking at her and saying “where have you been?” a lot. Keep her in one room for a while until she seems settled. I hope the intros go ok.

Beamur · 06/12/2023 15:30

I wonder if the cats will recognise each other!

Toddlerteaplease · 06/12/2023 16:47

Similar thing happened to some friends of mine. The cat had been missing for years, and just walked into their garden one day demanding breakfast! They had also had new cats, but I think things worked out well for them.

FatMumSlimDad · 06/12/2023 16:52

Following this. What an incredible story.

I hope it works out well. Will be a rocky start but I'm sure with time and patience it'll be worthwhile.

pashmina696 · 06/12/2023 16:55

How amazing and i live in hope this will happen to me as I lost a cat in 2020 and still have her sibling... I would keep her in a separate room and plug in some feliway and scent swap as much as possible- maybe introduce them again through glass initially but as they were previously bonded hopefully it will go well really quickly

Floopani · 06/12/2023 16:59

Our rescue is a 2 year old cat who went missing and then turned up 6 years later, having been stray all that time. I can quite believe he could look after himself, he is a right bruiser with a skill for breaking and entering other people's houses to eat their cats food. Unfortunately he couldn't go back to the original home as they had since got several other pets and it wasn't thought best for him.

He is a little bugger, but now a total lap cat. Still engages in fighting and will visit the local takeaway for supplies despite being very well fed at home, I think he must have used to charm customers for bits of food as he is very partial to pizza and kebab!

I'm sure your cat will settle back in and that you will all take care of him. It really is a Christmas miracle as PP said!

OhpoorMe · 06/12/2023 17:43

God what an awful thing that woman has done to your family! 'A stray' indeed but never even had him scanned?! Selfish!

InviteIsAVerb · 06/12/2023 19:48

Yes, I did wonder how many of her other cats were nicked rescued.

Doyouthinktheyknow · 06/12/2023 20:43

Oh my word, what an amazing thing to happen😻

I sincerely hope your cat settles back in and has a lovely comfortable life with you. I’m a sucker for a happy ending😉

Ostryga · 06/12/2023 20:48

Not quite as long but we lost our eldest cat for 2 years, she just disappeared.

One evening I got back home at around midnight and I looked through the kitchen door and she was just sat there in the middle of the kitchen waiting for me. I’ve never cried so much in my life, I thought a fox had got her.

She came back as if she’d never left. My other 2 cats didn’t even bat an eye! Just sniffed her a bit and got on with it. I don’t know if it will be the same after 10 years, but you never know.

Merry Christmas! What a lovely surprise for your family.

TastyLikeARaindrop · 07/12/2023 08:47

Incredible she's been found but how sad that you had wondered where she was for so long 😞
It's heartbreaking when they vanish without trace.

I really hope all goes well and you get as much time as possible to get to know her all over again.

LadyDanburysHat · 07/12/2023 08:52

Wow what a story. I'd definitely get a Feliway and plug it in asap, for your current cat at least. I do wonder if cats remember each other after that long. I hope the reintroduction goes well.

Igmum · 07/12/2023 13:45

Wonderful news ❤️ I feel quite emotional on your behalf. One of ours was missing for a long weekend (possibly stuck in a shed) and when she got back her brother didn't recognise her and was convinced she was a stranger (he's not the brightest of boys). He did come round after a few days

NigelHarmansNewWife · 07/12/2023 13:51

Well I'm looking forward to your updates. Local Facebook pages are always full of posts about cats that have turned up. Non cat owners don't seem to realise 1. cats don't always hang out in their own back yard; 2. they're opportunists and really not actually hungry; and 3. if you let them into your house and don't let them out they can't get home!

BaronessBomburst · 07/12/2023 13:53

Please keep us updated, and post photographs!

Original poster
returnofthecat23 · 09/12/2023 13:34

Thank you for all the replies, it really is a miracle she has been found.

So just a small update, we arent getting her today. She is having treatments for something (i forgot the name of) that she could potentially pass on to my other cat. She is being fostered currently by a vet who has said she would prefer to keep her until this course of treatments is finished just incase. I agreed that that made sense in the long term. This course finishes on Tuesday, then she will recheck and contact me again. If this treatment has worked, then hopefully we can get her on wednesday, if not, its another 5 days of treatments, so will have to arrange after then. She sent me some photos and she is just as pretty as she was 10 years ago - the pictures have the vet in them so i cant upload any yet, but once she is back home, i will share some.

OP posts:
Thelmsie · 12/12/2023 16:49

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Original poster
returnofthecat23 · 13/12/2023 20:37

Another small update, she is good to come home, however, me and my children have all been struck down with a stomach bug, so we are going on Sunday when hopefully we can all keep even water down and i dont risk infecting my mum or the lovely Vet taking care of her :(

OP posts:
Willowcat77 · 14/12/2023 17:12

What an amazing thread! Sorry you're all ill but good luck with the reunion on Sunday! Cats have surprisingly long memories so it will be fascinating to see if she remembers you and her old cat friend. One of mine did after a 3 year separation, but 10 years is such a long time! Please keep us updated, I hope it all goes well x

MadeOfAllWork · 14/12/2023 17:57

What an amazing thread. Nothing to add but thank you for sharing.