Cat missing for four days. All so sad :(

[Justcrackingon]

That's it really, as the title says. Our 8-year-old cat has been missing since Thursday afternoon. He visited a couple of neighbours, which he likes to do and then - nothing. He just vanished. We've tried everything we can think of - flyers in 50 nearest houses, checking sheds and garages, whatsapp groups, Facebook groups, posters, chip company, dirty laundry, hoover waste, calling at various times. But nothing.

At times I can take comfort that most cat owners seem to have had a cat that reappears after an absence but then I just have another big cry as I also realise he may be gone for good. I work from home so I'm just so used to him being part of my daily life. Our older DS is being very optimistic, the younger is distracted by friends but then gets upset. My DH and I are just utterly miserable. I guess I'm just looking for a handhold really from people who get how devastating it is when a cat is lost. And, if anyone has any tips for things we might not have tried, that would be really welcome too, thank you.

I think cats do often get stuck/shut in places and then re-appear.

I think you are meant to leave his litter tray (if he has one) outside and or a blanket or something that smells like home.
Call local vets/shelters and check.

We had one recently go missing round here and it did turn up a few days later. It was an "inside" cat that managed to get out.

Also it was just the weekend-once ppl are back in their routines maybe someone will see him?

Fingers crossed for a casual saunter in the door as if no time has passed.

Two of mine went walkabout for several days once and I found both of them within about two houses of us.

I’m so sorry, it is such agony missing your dear feline friend and worrying about them. Remind yourself that no news is good news and most missing cats are close by. Knocking on doors can work better than flyers, also notices on lamp posts. Fingers crossed for you.

Thanks everyone. I was out for a meeting today which was a good distraction for a couple of hours and then tried knocking on a few more doors on my way home. There's now only about three houses on his known territory that I haven't spoken to or been in the garden of, so it seems doubtful that he's shut in close by - which is good to know. Am going to hang out my teenager's dirty bed sheets now in the hope that lures him home. I will call the vets and shelters too, thank you. Fingers crossed.

Oh bless you it's heartbreaking when they don't come home. My cat went missing for 8 days he came home early hours meowing very loudly.

A cat in our town went missing for 2 weeks.
Luckily the owner put a post on social media and everyone looked for him.
Someone spotted him in their front garden.
I thought hope was fading yet he appeared no harm done except a bit of weight loss.
Fingers crossed for a speedy return for yours too.

Thank you both. It gives me hope to read positive stories. Still no sign here :(

Aw no OP. I hope he's back soon. As a new cat owner, I am dreading this worry when mine goes out for the first time.

16 days was the longest ours went missing for.I did all the usual, flyers knocking on doors, ringing the vet, reporting him missing to the microchip company.
I had just convinced myself he had gone forever when he sauntered in looking fatter than ever, flopped down on the rug and slept all day.
They often come back and cats are curious clever creatures.
Fingers crossed he will be back soon.

hope he comes home soon!

Don't worry - ours was missing for 2 weeks and then mum went to the railway and there she was. Obvs a train spotter!

I’ve had cats who have gone, one for a week and she just popped back up. Other cat for 11 days and we thought she was gone for good when we spotted her out near the neighbours shed. Sadly did go awol again and never came back was so gutting. My 2 girls don’t go out now hope your lovely cat turns up

Don't give up hope. My girl went missing for five days, completely unlike her, and I fluctuated between sobbing and keeping the hope alive. Then she just turned up, hungry but otherwise looking absolutely fine! I posted on another thread about it (https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_litter_tray/5191222-hes-not-coming-home?reply=139217820) and others also contributed positive stories.

As well as calling all the local vets it may be worth ringing the local council as they sometimes get tasked with collecting deceased animals on the roads , they are supposed to scan them for chips but they may have missed it . Hopefully your cat is safe , well and will be back soon but it would be better to know than not . A cat near us went missing for almost 3 weeks in the summer as he got locked inside a house and the people went on holiday .

Same here, mine went missing for 4 days and normally never gone for more than a few hours. I was beside myself thinking he was trapped starving somewhere. I put flyers in about 200 homes and i think that worked. He wasn't hungry either so I think he had been taken in somewhere

Also it sounds stupid but if you see any cats you are supposed to say to them tell X to come home, I did this feeling ridiculous but he arrived home the next day

You will look like a crazy cat lady but walk around your local streets shaking cat treats. My husband and I did it and we attracted many cats.

Mine went missing for 2 weeks one year in February. Thé weather changed and she'd been frightened by a tractor engine. We found her huddled down thé side of a neighbour's garage. He'd seen her in thé garden and thought it was a young fox. Good job he didn't take a pot shot at her. She must've been about 18, and didn't leave my side after that.

Have you tried looking in the search bar under DECEASED CATS UK & IRL, they have 'angels' that collect cats found on the roads and take them to a vet to see if they can scan them for a chip with an aim of reuniting them with their owners. I hope he's not on the site for your sake, thinking of you x

Thank you. All stories and tips are welcome (workshy46 - I love the tip about telling the local cats!)

Just had my first (and hopefully last) prank call from someone saying 'miaow miaow' and then laughing. At least I got the satisfaction of calling them a w**r before they hung up.

Trying not to get my hopes up...

My teenage son's friend phoned at lunchtime today to say he thought he'd spotted our cat. My son dashed down there, calling me on the way. By the time I got there (a couple of streets away, less than 250m) they were in someone's garden and said that the cat had just jumped on a fence, looked at them but then ran away. Our cat has a very distinctive face and son and friend are 99% sure it was him. We called for a while but he didn't come out.

I'm trying to manage everyone's expectations. It might not be him. I'm not saying my son is lying but sometimes children see what they want to see.

I've leafleted the houses all around there and I will go back later when it's darker and quieter but what do we do if it is him but he won't come to us? He's no doubt very freaked out. Any tips welcome.

Can you ask a local rescue if you can borrow a trap?

Thanks @coffeesaveslives We could do but need to be 100% sure it's our cat and pin him down to an area. Since yesterday, three other people in the area think they've seen him in various gardens but, although we've been back three times, we haven't spotted the cat again :(

I'm so sorry to hear about this. So he's been missing for a week now? We've had cats going missing in our village for between 10 days and 6 weeks and just trotted in like nothing's happened. A few of them have been found in people's garages and sheds hiding away from the cold and the rain ... Something's frightened and spooked them and they've tootled off somewhere and haven't known how to get back.

The good thing is he hasn't been found deceased. So there's a strong chance he's going to turn up. I'm going to bet he returns before Christmas! I feel your pain @Justcrackingon . One of my cats went missing for 2 weeks a few years ago. Then just tootled along out of nowhere. We didn't know where she'd been. We assumed she must have got locked in someone's shed or something. Praying for you and your family -👸- and your lovely puss! 💞May he return SOON!

@LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway Thank you for your lovely message. When I read it, I had just received my daily prank call from the woman who likes to phone and miaow down the phone, so it was nice to have my faith in humans restored. I'm trying to balance hope with realism. We've checked every single shed in his 'territory' so hopefully he's just on an adventure and will return.