My cat is inside my neighbour’s wall cavity

[SerenityNowInsanityLater]

So, we’re presently a wrecking ball of anxiety and sadness as my kids and I wait to find out if we’ll ever hold our cat again.

He went out, two nights ago, at 2am. I’d been up preparing for a hearing (divorce). He was sitting at the back door, always an indication that he needs to go out. He’s out every night and home by 7am, sleeping on a patio chair.

He didn’t come home. Didn’t think much of it. Attended hearing (5 hours) and around 2pm asked my kids if they’d seen Gus. They hadn’t. DD had mentioned that she was aware that he hadn’t come to her room for daily snoozy snuggles.

I put out an alert on neighborhood watch and it turns out, he’d wandered into my neighbour’s house and looked utterly terrified to be there. She sent photos her painter had taken of my cat (homeowner was at work). They are having building works. Apparently he was hiding underneath a table, the painter tried to coax him out and grabbed him. The cat got totally spooked and they are pretty sure he ran into an opening of a newly built/plastered basement wall and climbed inside the cavity, they ‘think’. Their last sighting of him was in the wall’s opening climbing an electric cable. It’s all so grim.

I’ve gone over with food, talking to him, tapping, calling for him, chatting to him. I can see into the wall’s cavity. It’s an incredibly tight squeeze and this immediately scared me. The space is limited and the neighbour’s father in law built the wall and explained that the cat wouldn’t have much space to explore as it’s very limited and extremely tight.

There’s been no sound. Nothing. I heard nothing. Nobody’s heard a thing. Food has gone untouched. Fire Brigade has visited twice with thermal cameras and they’ve detected nothing both times (the space however is full of beams, cables, and insulation which could inhibit detection). RSPCA said I’ve basically done all that I can.

What more can be done? What’s crazy is he’s such a timid cat. None of the neighbours really know him because, although he wanders, he’s not the Six Dinner Sid our ginger cat is, visiting all and sundry like relatives at Christmas. Our little timid boy isn’t like that. He is extremely shy of humans. He looked absolutely terrified in the photos the painter shared. I hate to think the worst.

But what now, 38 hours on? 😢

So sorry OP what a nightmare. I would get the inspection camera others have suggested but also see if you can get everyone but you out of the building and then just sit absolutely still and listen for as long as you can. If he's in the wall he'll be frozen with fear and waiting for a clear coast.

Probably meant to tag the poster who recommended the fire brigade and got you by accident!

RTFT! They have visited twice!

@SerenityNowInsanityLater I'm all fingers crossed that Gus comes home soon xxx

One thing I read was there's an app that can be used as thermal imaging. I think it might be iphone only (I have an android) but check it and then go out using it. See if he's hiding in the garden or house somewhere else. Ask if anyone has had or noticed small amounts of food go missing etc.

I don't know there's anything else you can do, but I would leave water in your garden for him and send a neighbourhood message out again.

Best of luck, our little guys are our kids too 🤞💕

One thing I read was there's an app that can be used as thermal imaging.

No. You need the right active-pixel sensor and phones don't have it.

It's also possible that he's climbed up the cavity into the space between the ceiling and the floor above it. Go around your neighbours house listening for him moving or crying.

This. Have they taken up any floorboards upstairs to provide an exit there?

Are your neighbours being cooperative?

Animal Search UK helped my friend get her cat in a similar situation lost in a neighbours house with building work going on. The fire brigade great, but not used to using their thermal imaging to find cats, animal search regularly do this a know the kind of places cats hide.

Any news? Come home Gus!

I really feel for you. My cat got sick and hid in a void, nearly 48 hours, she had severe liver infection, we only got her out because we resorted to starting to take a ceiling down with power tools and this flushed her out. Sick cats hide. But spooked cat may make its way out if left quiet. Healthy cats don't need to drink much I recall from A Level Biology. Sending hugs. #come home gus.

Oh poor you. My bloody cat gets stuck up trees all the time but at least with that I know where she is.

Something similar happened to me.
My cat went into my neighbour's house and he is also a very timid cat. This happened 2 years ago. He was missing for a week and she was sure he had left the house but eventually after me knocking her door many times set up a thermal night camera as I knew if he could get back home he would have done so. She then saw him on the camera hiding in the eaves in her attic space. We don't even know how he got in there.
He was okay but spent a couple of days in the vet hospital on fluids to prevent possible kidney/ liver damage due to having no food and water for so long.
He didn't come to her or me until I actually just sat on my own in the quiet for about an hour gently coaxing him out with smelly food. He was terrified and cats will often hide and stay quiet even if their owners are nearby if they are in a state of fear.
I think setting up a camera with some wet food at the entrance of the hole could be a good start. Also ask if your neighbour is happy to leave you for a while on your own, with the house in silence, to see if you can coax your pet out. If other people are around it is unlikely he will allow himself to be seen.
Good luck. I know how upsetting it is. I had almost given up hope but we did get ours back.

Just in case the cat isn’t in neighbours wall and has got out. I would also put their litter tray outside as they recognise their own ‘home’ smells and can follow the scent home.

Oh, really hope he turns up OP x

If it's any comfort, I once looked after a friend's cat for 2 weeks. The cat immediately darted into a huge, rammed full cupboard and I didn't see him again until my friend collected him! He did creep out at night to eat and drink but was otherwise hiding. We didn't hear a peep.

Turns out the cat wasn’t stuck in a hole too small but some advice was given on this thread

www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/3671794-I-think-a-cat-is-stuck-between-two-walls-what-do-I-do

Stick a borescope down the cavity and see if you can see him. You can get borescopes for not much on amazon

I hope your cat comes home soon, I hope he is reunited with you soon.
Could he have crawled down into a cellar space or the foundations? Or climbed into a loft space? Maybe check both? Tap gently on the bottom of the wall to see if he meows or moves, he might be encouraged to move down if he hears you call his name? Or place food near the gap in the wall and wait?
Contacting a drain company with bendy cameras may help.
Hopefully he might not have climbed in the wall and will come home for food and water and cat cuddles x
Best wishes, hope he comes home soon.

Ring your local Cat Protection for ideas and maybe to ask to borrow a trap?

He could be put and about, distribute leaflets and put posters up around your neighbourhood?
Put out some of his used litter near your back door and some food nearby too. Good luck.

I'm so sorry OP, this is a worrying situation. I hope he turns up asap.

Any news?

This is gut wrenching, OP. I'm really hoping for some good news for you. Hugs xx

I think all bases seem to have been covered regards suggestions. I can only add that I sincerely hope you find your little cat. I can only send my love and hugs that he comes home safe and sound.💐

I'd be guessing he's not there. I'd put his bedding or litter tray and food on your patio to try and lure him home

Try putting a blanket or cushion outside or maybe in the neighbours, something that smells of your house. That's what the vet suggested we fo when.our boy went missing. Fingers crossed. I feel.your pain. X

Pet Detectives have good advice on finding a lost cat (and what not to do!).