One of my cats is missing

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

The little boy, Declan, is missing. He’s not in the house anywhere, so he must have slipped outside this morning when I left. I just noticed an hour ago and have spent the last hour cyring and looking for him.

It’s not that cold, so he should be ok in terms of that. I am just afraid he won’t come home, that he is lost. He is a young, neutered male.

Declan is one of my links to Rick. We kept him because of Rick’s diagnosis, so he could be of comfort to us. This year has been so hard. I cna’t stand to lose more.

#2

Make “missing” posters and plaster them every place you can. Put up notices everywhere you can think of. Four years ago, my 18-year-old disappeared, and it took me almost 3 weeks to get him back. He had lost a lot of weight, but was otherwise healthy, and lived to be over 20.

Don’t give up.

#3

Oh no! :frowning:

I’m so sorry to hear that, but I hope you find him soon! Hang in there (and don’t hesitate to put up posters, as panache45 says!), and with any luck he’ll turn up before too long and none the worse for wear.

#4

I had this happen to me recently. One of our cats got out in the morning. Our other cats never leave the back yard, even when left out all day. I figured this one was no different, so I said screw it and left him out there. Hours later, I forgot I had left him out, so I went out there expecting to find him hanging out in the back yard. Nope. He was gone.

I wandered the neighborhood calling his name for 4 hours… up and down every street several times. I peeked into as many back yards as I could, calling his name. I sat in my back yard and called his name over and over. Nothing.

My wife was pissed and we were both sad. We went to make lost signs to post around.

Just before starting to post the signs, we went to check the back yard one more time. He was just sitting there as if nothing had happened. He was a little dirty with some cobwebs, so he must have been hanging out under the neighbor’s house. He probably heard me calling his name and decided to ignore me because his little adventure was more interesting.

Hope it turns out for you. Hopefully, he is on a little adventure, gets hungry, and comes home.

#5

Oh no :frowning:

I really hope he comes home soon, but (even though I know it’s super hard) try not to panic – one of our kitties was gone once for nine days, in the middle of winter (with one of those days featuring an 18-inch snowfall) and he came home, no worse for wear, and is still with us. I hope Declan is also just fine, and that you don’t have to wait that long to see him again.

#6

So do I. Check the local vets and shelters, a neutered and tame cat will probably find someone to ask for food and if that someone is responsible they will try to find the owners.
One of my cats once left for 16 days, she returned thin but healthy. I’m sure your cat will return too. Is he chipped or tattooed?

#7

Cat’s are pretty resilient. No need to worry too much yet.

Here’s hoping he finds his way home soon! Someone just posted this advice on my local Craigslist/pets:

#8

No Declan this morning. I left the garage open in hopes of luring him back. Walked around the neighborhood with no luck. Now I am going out again to put flyers on mailboxes.

I hate this.

#9

Found! Limping. Taking him to vet asap.

#10

Hooray! Here’s hoping the limp is a minor thing.

#11

Glad you found him!

#12

So glad you found him!

My Angel went missing for a few days…we thought she’d gotten out, though that was improbable…we live on the top floor of the house, and the cats aren’t allowed downstairs. Searched, did flyers…turned out she had gotten down in the basement and just hid. She’s usually a talker, and klutzy, and we were down the basement several times and she never made a peep. Once a day in the early morning my mom would hear meowing, but thought it was coming from outside her window. Finally she meowed when I was around…but that was three days! The basement stairs are open…she cold have come up anytime for food or water, but she didn’t.

She’s not the brightest bulb on the tree, but she’s cute.

#13

Brynda - I’m glad you found him! I was going to offer to come over and help you look. What did the vet say?

StG

#14

Hooray. Poor kitty, let’s hear what the vet say.

#15

Back from the vet. He has tiny puncture wounds consistent with cat fights. He got a pain med shot (lucky cat) and anti-biotic shot to prevent abcess. Otherwise, he seems fine.

I am sooo relieved. St G, if he hadn’t gone missing at midnight, I would have taken you up on that offer. Luckily, jsgoddess was still up, so at least I had someone to worry with. But looking for a black cat in the dark is the very definition of futility.

I think he has learned his lesson about slipping out. He is now in kitty rehab (bathroom to segregate him from his hissing sisters, canned food, fresh water, soft beach towel).

#16

Don’t be so sure. My indoor kitty recently escaped and was gone for a week, and he clearly did NOT have a rollicking good time. When we got him back he was skinny, dehydrated, exhausted, and clearly traumatized. For three days after he came home, he wanted nothing other than to sleep, and preferably to be held while he did. He was so tired he wouldn’t even get down on the floor to eat or drink, I literally held cups of water for him to drink from in my lap for days.

For the past week, every time I open the door, he tries to run out.

Cats are not smart.

I’m glad your Declan is home!

#17

I’m so glad Declan came home! I almost cried when I read your OP.

#18

I’m so glad he’s back!

Watch that wound carefully. One of my cats got bit by a dog (she got in the middle of a dog spat) and despite immediate vet care the puncture wound abcessed and she was in real danger.

#19

I will definitely watch him and his wound closely. It was such an awful feeling worrying about him.

#20

That’s a relief! Good to hear there was a happy ending. Give the lucky kitty a hug and a belly rub for me! :slight_smile: