Member

Posts: 12
From:Columbia City, IN, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 09-01-2003 11:37 AM         

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Hello, all. I have a very sad problem - my cat was let outside almost two weeks ago and he has not returned. I have let him out in the past, though infrequently as he will be gone for three or four days and worry me sick in the meantime. He is neutered, and even declawed (which has never been a problem in my parent's nice/small neighborhood with my other three cats - also all fixed and declawed). I decided to let him out most recently as he has been spraying everything in my parent's house - which I can't have. I'm 25 - too old to be here, and I'm here only because I can't find a job. So both me and my two cats (they have two as well) are "just visiting." I figured if he started going outside, he'd pee on things out there and just piss himself off. But now I don't know what to do - it seems he might not be coming back. Has anyone ever heard of a cat running off for so long and then returning? I keep blaming myself - what if something happened to him? I've driven through the neighborhood and surrounding areas - nothing. I've thought about flyers (even made some up) but then I think - what if he's in a happy home? Not that I don't love him dearly (sooo dearly) but this spraying thing... Or what if he's gone and someone tells me, wouldn't it be better for me to think he's in a happy home? He's so damn charming - all black w/ white paws and a white chest, and big green eyes. And he's so playful. Loves milk rings and all kinds of toys - still chases his tail... Even plays fetch, like a dog. I just don't know what to think or do or feel... Anyone wanna help me with this one?

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Posts: 1591
From:NY, USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 09-01-2003 08:54 PM         

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Im very sorry to hear that you lost your cat. Have you tried calling shelters to see if someone has turned him in?
Unfortunately, no matter how nice of a neighborhood you live in...your always taking a chance when you let cats outdoors unsupervised. Declawed cats should never be allowed (unsupervised) outdoors....most vets will (or should) tell you this before they perform the procedure. Cats can enjoy the great outdoors safely under careful supervision in a fenced backyard, on a leash or in an outdoor enclosure.
I sure hope you find him. In the meantime, I would just hang flyers, maybe even put an add in the paper, ask neighbors and periodically call various shelters in your area. Best of luck.

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Member

Posts: 12
From:Columbia City, IN, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 09-01-2003 10:14 PM         

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Thanks, Nern. Yep, I've called every shelter within a 45-mile raidius. And while you may think (as will many) declawed cats should not be let out, I refuse to be a sheltering mama - feline or otherwise. I wouldn't do it w/o knowing my parent's two cats have spent 10 years doing just fine. And regardless of my thoughts on that, this is the proverbial water-under-the-bridge, no? And doesn't help my mention in the first post of blaming myself. But I've no doubt you're good intentioned, and make a good (though moot) point. And in any event, I do appreciate your time and effort in posting. If found, I'll post immediately - and anyone else's thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks again, especially for your well-wishes, Nern.

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Member

Posts: 201
From:Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 09-02-2003 05:54 AM         

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Did you recently move back in with your parents, or have the cats been living with you there for any peroid of time?

I ask this because if you just moved there, the cat may have tried to go back to its 'home'. After a move, if a cat goes outside, it's not uncommon for the cat to go back to their old house.

My mother (years back) moved and let her cat out... she didn't see her cat for a couple of days... she drove to the old house (30 min. away) and low and behold, the cat was under the poarch of the old house.

It's just a thought since I don't know your specific situation.

I hope you find the cat - keep us posted.

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Member

Posts: 12
From:Columbia City, IN, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 09-02-2003 08:35 AM         

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Well, I lived about 10 hours away, so unless the cat bought a scooter there's just no way. Living with my parents may be the reason he's not come back (though he's been let outside about 4-5 times before) as he's being forced to live with two other cats - one of them is male and he's (my kitty) extremely territorial (hence the spraying). My one solace is that the cat KNOWS where I/he live/s. But this just feels strange. He's had every shot for things I've never even heard of, so I doubt that's a problem. I so wish he'd just come home. Wonder if that's even a possibility now... Maybe he's not come home because he can't... THIS SUCKS!!! Thanks for your posting - I'll try to keep my chin up.

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Member

Posts: 73
From:
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 09-02-2003 12:23 PM         

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i have 2 cats, 1 male and 1 female.
i let both out all the time...they are not declawed....
after they had been going out for a while...maybe a year...and been coming back...as in not staying out over night...
my female cat, Zoe, went out and was out for almost 2 and a half weeks (and she has asthma so i was really worried)....one day when i got back from school...she was laying in my neighbors potted plant asleep.....i went a picked her up and she was fine...and you could tell she was happy to be home...she didnt leave my side for like a week.....

i really hope he comes back...just have faith....and keep us posted.....

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Posts: 1591
From:NY, USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 09-02-2003 04:24 PM         

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Betsy_good:
Sorry, I was'nt intentionally trying to reinforce you blaming yourself. I only mentioned supervising them outdoors as a solution to avoiding predicaments such as this in the future.
Also, I've seen cats stuck in trees and on roof tops so those are also places you could look. Last year my father finally got out his ladder to get a scared cat out of the large tree in front of his house...he said it had been there for 2 days.

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Member

Posts: 12
From:Columbia City, IN, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 09-03-2003 10:32 AM         

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THANK YOU SARAH!!! That's so what I wanted to hear - that a cat can be gone so long and actually come back. And finding her asleep in a potted plant? I'm still smiling about that! I'm so much more hopeful now. So when he does come back, I'm going to have to post about his spraying... I just want to hug him! When he's really lovie, sometimes it seems he just doesn't know what to do with himself - he'll try to get on top of my head! And he's been known to curl up in a ball inside my shorts when I'm using the restroom - picture that one... Thanks again - so many thanks. (And no hard feelings t'all, Nern!)

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Member

Posts: 73
From:
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 09-03-2003 11:48 AM         

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o and just to tell you, Betsy
after Zoe came back she hardly ever goes out anymore....(before she was gone so long, she went out all the time...) she might go out like every other day and is back in like 30 min.
so if you dont really want him to go out a lot anymore....he might not want to either....
hope he comes back....

[This message has been edited by sarah207 (edited 09-03-2003).]

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Member

Posts: 12
From:Columbia City, IN, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 09-04-2003 10:57 AM         

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Sarah - did you ever find out where she went or what she was up to for all that time? Did she come back looking malnourished? I just can't figure out what he's doing. He'll probably come waltzing up to the back door like he'd only been gone 10 minutes, and look at me strangely when I fuss over him. I hope...

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Posts: 73
From:
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 09-04-2003 03:41 PM         

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she did feel like she was a little bit more skinny then when she left but not bad.....no i never found out were she went...i wish i did....

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posted 09-28-2003 10:36 AM           

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Hi Betsy,
I hope your cat came home. If he didn't, do not give up yet. My Mom had a cat that ran away after she built a new smaller house even on the same property. He was gone FOUR MONTHS and came back the night of Christmas that year. Talk about a miracle! Everyone was shocked. Yes, he was skinny and kind of sick and we still don't know where he had been, but he is fat and sassy now and doesn't even leave the yard. My uncle is a Vet and he says "Cats are like that". Anyway, good luck...

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Member

Posts: 996
From:sheridan, wy
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 09-28-2003 03:59 PM         

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I would go to the shelters and look, sometimes the people don't really look when you call. My mom had a cat that got lost. he had been gone for a few months, but she was still checking for him. She went to the shelter and looked at all the cats-- he wasn't there. Then she asked about the cats in isolation b/c they are sick. They insisted they didn't have a cat that looked like him back there, she insisted that she look and when she went back there he was there really sick.

When I gave two of my kittens, Loki and Angel, away the people I gave them to lost them the next day (really responsible people). I didn't know for sure where they lived, so I couldn't really look. Angel came back to their house and they brought her to me, but they wouldn't help me find Loki. I was desperate and I called an animal communicator who specializes in lost cats. (I am a believer that animals communicate telepathically and some people can tune in to that). She couldn't connect with Loki, but she was able to connect with Angel. Some lost cats are too scared to be able to tune in. Angel described the neighborhood where they were and what the house had looked like. She said that Loki had run toward the street but she was scared and went back to the house. The communicator got the sense from Angel that maybe Loki had been run over b/c she had such a scary feeling about the street. Well I kept looking, I plastered several neighborhoods with fliers. I finally found where they lived and plastered their neighborhood with fliers. A lady called me two days later and said Loki was living under her shed. I went over there and there she was. She had crossed the street and was still within 100 yards of the people's house. Angel was scared about the street b/c of the cars and b/c Loki had disapeared. My point with all of this is I had no idea where the people lived or what their neighborhood looked like. When I finally found it I was amazed b/c the communicator had described it to a T. She had described their house color where the garage was etc exactly. I was really amazed. In this instance the communicator didn't help me b/c I didn't know the neighborhood, but I am now a firm believer. I think it's worth every penny. If you want to try I will give you the name of the lady I used.

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Member

Posts: 83
From:New Zealand
Registered: May 2003

posted 09-28-2003 10:23 PM         

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betsy put those fliers out. Sometimes they get trapped in sheds and garages, or get lost and live under houses. Someone might know where your cat is. You have nothing to lose.

When I was a kid my friends had an old tabby that whent missing. She was old and frail (about 16 years old) and they were really worried. I really liked their cat so I was sad too, but my mother said she had proberly gone away to die. About 10 days or 2 weeks later I arrived home to find a wild tabby cat eating potato peel in our compost heap, and the cat took off under our house. I looked and realise it was my friends cat. I was so amased (they lived a few streets away), so I sprinted to their house to tell them. They couldn't believe it, but it was true. Their cat came to them when they called whereas she was wild with me. It was a real happy reunion thats for sure. She lived to the ripe of age of 18 (pretty good for 20 years ago).

She had been under our house for several days at least judgeing by the packed soil and shedded fur, and no one in our household had noticed her. So if I hadn't have been lucky to spot here when I did, and then reconise her...

Good luck and do the fliers.

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