My Cat is Missing

[Aggie_Ama]

Our cat, Tortilla, went missing over the weekend. We think she got out Sunday morning and haven't seen her since. She was declawed when adopted her at the shelter so I know she has never been outside since we have had her not sure if her previous owner ever let her out. My husband and I are both worried sick because she isn't wearing her collar. She does has a Microchip if she ends up at a shelter.

We put up flyers around the neighborhood, alerted the neighbors and I put ads on the county shelter forum and Craigslist. We have walked the neighborhood the last two days watching for her. We put food and water on the front porch as well as a shirt of mine for a familiar smell. Anything else we can do?

[PamNY]

No advice, but wanted to wish you good luck. I had two cats who disappeared for days and then returned. In one case, a newspaper ad worked (this was before Craigslist). The other cat was in the neighbor's garage.

Cats really do have a remarkable ability to survive. I hope Tortilla is home very soon.

[Blueberry]

Oh Amanda, I wish I had good advice to offer other than to say make sure she isn't hiding in the house or a shed. Sometimes cats find unexpected hiding places.

Mostly just wanted to offer my sympathies. I hope she comes home soon!!

[maillotpois]

So sorry - I would be heartsick as well. Thinking good thoughts for you all.

[Koronin]

I'm so sorry.

[OakLeaf]

((((((Amanda)))))) Sending thoughts for her safe return...

[indysteel]

I'm so sorry, Amanda. I often worry about my own cats slipping out. I sure hope you find her soon.

[Megustalaplaya]

If at all possible, go to the shelters and actually look for your kitty. Don't rely on a phone call because it's been my experience shelter workers aren't always on top of things. Leave a picture with your contact information. Don't forget to check all the vets in your area as well.

I know how hard it is when a pet is missing. I hope your kitty comes home soon. (((hugs)))

[redrhodie]

(((Amanda))) that's my worst nightmare. I hope you find her soon. Maybe notify all the local vets and put fliers there as well. Also, leave food and water out for her.

I had a friend when I lived in NYC whose cat escaped her apartment while she was in India. She returned home on the next flight, since she didn't trust her cat sitter to find her. It took a couple of days, but she found her in the basement of a neighboring building, in the East Village. So, don't lose hope.

[Catrin]

Oh my, I hope she turns up safe and sound soon!

[Melalvai]

Sprinkle litter from her litter box around your yard. That's worked like magic on some of our missing-cat-moments. It's like a big beacon saying 'THIS IS YOUR HOME'.

I don't remember the exact number but I think it was 80% of cats do return and the average time is 5 days. Our indoor cat went missing for 8 days and I'd given up on her...I bawled when she came home. I think she got trapped in someone's garage when they left for spring break or something.

Good that she has a chip.

[Norse]

Oh Amanda, I know how awful this feels. Do take and post flyers at all the nearby vets and animal shelter, street corners... And call or stop by the animal shelters daily. Walk around the neighborhood and call to her every day. Cats can get stuck in some interesting places, most often nearby.

We had one cat take off on moving-in day during all the ruckus. So she was in a totally new environs and managed to survive hiding from coyotes under an abandoned trailer, in a canyon, until we found her three days later when we were out walking and calling one night after work and heard her faint meows. Another one was missing for a couple of days - right next door, he had somehow gotten himself into and trapped in a meshed screen area on the side of their house and we finally heard his meows. That same cat once went missing, and was presumed gone, for TWO MONTHS when he showed up on the doorstep one morning at 5:00 am. Cats are very resourceful.

Sending positive thoughts that Tortilla finds her way home soon.

[smilingcat]

I've slept on my porch for about a week every night hoping to catch my cat. They don't stray too far from your house. And one morning, my cat sauntered back home, sniffed my hand and I managed to grab him. Boy he tried to scratch and do all the mean cat thing but I managed to "throw" him inside. As soon as he landed, it was like oh I'm home. I managed to pick him up without being clawed or bitten and he was purring in my arm after he realized he was back home.

Cat litter around the house is a good move.

May want to trap him using your sock/clothing or your husbands. And add food in the trap. He is probably really hungry. You might be able to borrow a trap without having to buy one. Check around with local cat rescue groups or local shelter.

I wish you lots of luck in getting him back home.

[jessmarimba]

Good luck. Mine have all gotten out at one point or another and eventually found their way back. One actually got locked in the laundry closet of my apartment complex for weeks, we had no idea where she was. The second she was let out again she was on my porch crying.

My fingers are crossed!

[Trek420]

Fingers, toes and eyes crossed. :( Keep looking and especially keep in contact with the neighbors.

[Bethany1]

Make sure you check inside your house at all "odd" places and around it. I was sick thinking Bandit had gotten out since he always makes a beeline for the front door and spent the day looking for him.

Turns out he had been in hubby's sock drawer all day. Probably crawled in when hubby took a shower and he shut the drawer after getting dressed for work. Bandit is all black and so are his socks.

[indysteel]

Make sure you check inside your house at all "odd" places and around it. I was sick thinking Bandit had gotten out since he always makes a beeline for the front door and spent the day looking for him.

Turns out he had been in hubby's sock drawer all day. Probably crawled in when hubby took a shower and he shut the drawer after getting dressed for work. Bandit is all black and so are his socks.

I did that once to my black cat. She got in my workout clothes drawer and I shut it without noticing as I rushed to work one morning. When I came home, another of my cats was pawing at the drawers. I opened it up and there she was. Bless her heart, she'd made of burrow of clothes for herself but didn't poo or pee. She was in there a good 9 hours.

I closed another cat in our linen closet. It's more of a glorifed medicine cabinet. Somehow or another, he managed to crawl from the bottom shelf to the top. From there, he knocked down a bunch of stuff to make room for himself, which given his size, wouldn't have been easy. I'm a bad mommy.

So, yes, I second the suggestion that you go through every place in your house that might house a cat, unless of course, you're sure that she slipped outside. I really hope there's a happy ending, Amanda. I love my critters, so I understand your grief and worry.

[snapdragen]

Make sure you check inside your house at all "odd" places and around it. I was sick thinking Bandit had gotten out since he always makes a beeline for the front door and spent the day looking for him.

Turns out he had been in hubby's sock drawer all day. Probably crawled in when hubby took a shower and he shut the drawer after getting dressed for work. Bandit is all black and so are his socks.

A friend lost her cat for a week -- found him in the attic!

[zoom-zoom]

On Valentine's Day we found a neighbor's kitty trapped in our basement. Or maybe she was feral...we were never sure. We took her to the county shelter where she had multiple seizures and had to be put down to test for rabies (we had seen her roaming a lot, which makes me think she wasn't well cared for and was already sick when we found her). :(

I'd definitely ask around and echo the recommendation to go to shelters to look for her. Someone must have seen her. Hopefully someone either took her in or brought her to a shelter where she is waiting for you.

[Aggie_Ama]

Thank you for all the tips. She is still missing but I did add kitty litter to the yard and one of my husband's shirts as well. We both think that because she is super friendly and unqiue looking since she is a Manx someone may have her. They may not realize she is an adored pet. Although being 18 pounds and declawed I wouldn't think she was a stray, then again we do have people move in and out of the neighborhood a lot so they may think she was dumped. I have called all the local shelters, oddly the Humane Society doesn't take strays. :confused:

I am going to put flyers on all the houses and knock on doors this evening. I hate disturbing my neighbors but I need to do everything I can to get my furkid home. Sadly she was an anniversary present and today is our anniversary, not feeling too happy today. :(

[Breella]

Check with your local rescue agencies, ACC, SPCA, even the smaller private ones.

[badger]

I'm assuming you asked all your neighbours with garages/sheds? my cat went missing once and I found him in a detached garage about 4 houses down. Curious bugger so the owner never even saw him go in there and she locked him inside it.

My other cat went missing, but she voluntarily left the house where they were looking after her while I went to another city to get myself established first. They told me she jumped out of their 3rd floor apartment window and since things weren't working out in the new city so I jumped on the next plane and headed to that area straight from the airport. I kept calling her name and in about 10 minutes she came out, all skinny (she was "missing" about a week). It was a very Disney-esque reunion.

I hope Tortilla comes back!

[malkin]

I lost a kitty years ago--turned out that he was living happily with hippy neighbors across the street.

Putting it out to the universe: TORTILLA, GO HOME!!

[Brandi]

Hoping Tortilla comes home really soon! Keep us updated!

[lauraelmore1033]

You should check out Missing Pet Partnership's website (http://www.missingpetpartnership.org/recovery-lostcat.php). They have a lot of valuable information about displaced indoor kitties. Typically, they don't go far and they will hide in silence for 7-10 days until hunger and thirst motivate them to meow or seek help. I am a volunteer for MPP--ever since they helped me recover my own indoor only kitty. My cat ran between my legs and chased a visiting cat down the street and just disappeared into thin air. We ended up having to trap her. Never did see her, but noticed that food was disappearing from the spot where we saw her last and set a trap.

[Brandi]

Anything?

[Aggie_Ama]

Sadly no but I am still not giving up hope that we'll be reunited.

[Tri Girl]

I'm still praying that you and kitty are reunited. Hugs Miss Amanda! :(

[Kathi]

You should check out Missing Pet Partnership's website (http://www.missingpetpartnership.org/recovery-lostcat.php). They have a lot of valuable information about displaced indoor kitties. Typically, they don't go far and they will hide in silence for 7-10 days until hunger and thirst motivate them to meow or seek help. I am a volunteer for MPP--ever since they helped me recover my own indoor only kitty. My cat ran between my legs and chased a visiting cat down the street and just disappeared into thin air. We ended up having to trap her. Never did see her, but noticed that food was disappearing from the spot where we saw her last and set a trap.

My house only cat got out through an open window and spent the night outside. We had a hailstorm that destroyed the screens on the back of the house a few nights earlier and she had been going to the basement at night so I didn't miss her. The next morning she was sitting by our patio door waiting to be let in.

Several days later we dared her to come outside which she did, of course. She found a space under the fence to go through and immediately ran to the front of the house and under our porch. Had we not been following her we would have never known she was under there. The porch is a cement block and there was no way for us to get under it to get her out. A very smart neighbor suggested running a garden hose under one side. She had an escape path on the other corner and when the water started flowing sure enough out she popped. I had envisioned setting up a tent and sleeping next to the porch until she came out.

After reading this post I'm betting my cat spent the night under our porch and it'll be the first place I look if she ever gets out again.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed you find your kitty.

[murielalex]

I was taking care of a little stray kitten about a year ago, trying to get him to come inside. He was just getting friendly, but got spooked by visiting guests (two weeks) in my home, and vanished. I looked for him for weeks, and then figured he was just gone. He showed up again last night! He's a bigger, still skinny and skittish, but it's him! I'm posting this to let you know there's still hope.

[Aggie_Ama]

We found her! Tonight my husband went walking with me while put flyers on people's doors. When we were almost out of daylight, flyers and energy a couple came up and asked if we were looking for a cat. They said "a white one with black spots and no tail?" We said she was white and brown but no tail so we thought the meant our cat.

We hurried up the street to the storm drain in front of our house, the one we have checked nearly every day and there she was. First my husband tried to reach her but he couldn't get the nape of her neck. We could pet her and she was meowing loudly but we just couldn't reach her. She tried to jump out but couldn't make it. Luckily some teenage boys had just the "tool" to pry open the manhole cover. They got it open and we tried to figure if my husband could fit. To me his shoulders looked too broad, but he was about to fold them in and climb down. She started to scoot into the drain and he kept trying to coax her out. Finally he was able to grab her and hand her to me. She has a few burrs and looks a bit dirty but other than being hungry and thirsty she seems okay. She is definitely exhausted. We had been putting food out but I am sure the 90+ degree weather wore her out. She is now in her collar and safe with two very happy parents and two very happy Schnauzers. I could tell the dogs missed her, Jens had especially seemed to notice.

[jobob]

Great news, very glad you're reunited!

[Koronin]

I am so very happy to hear you found her and she is now safely back inside your home.

[VeganBikeChick]

Yay!!!! What awesome news!!!!

[smilingcat]

I am so happy for you, tortilla and rest of your family!! Thank you for letting us know that she is back home safe.

The good news put a smile on my face.

sincerely,

Smilingcat

[Catrin]

It is so very good to read the happy ending and that she is fine. Congratulations!

[indysteel]

What a relief! I am so glad you found her!!!!

[OakLeaf]

Oh that's wonderful!!! I'm so glad you found her.

[Veronica]

That's great news. So glad you found her!


Veronica

[Megustalaplaya]

Wonderful news! So glad your kitty is home!

[redrhodie]

Oh, that's such great news! Yay!

[pll]

Wow! This is great news to read over breakfast. What joy! I bet the dogs will sniff Tortilla until she no longer has a smell left, to determine what adventures she had.

[PamNY]

Wonderful news! I'm so happy for all of you.

[jessmarimba]

Fantastic news!!

[Blueberry]

I'm so happy for you!! Hooray for having her home:)

[Norse]

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cats do get in the darndest places! :)

[maillotpois]

Oh yay!!!

[lauraelmore1033]

I love a happy ending!:cool:

[badger]

you must be so relieved!! I'm so happy for you.

There was a groupon deal thing this morning, and if my wanderer was still an outdoor cat, I would get this in an instant. It might be well worth it, it's fairly cheap (even without the groupon). I might still get it as he likes to wander into other people's suites when he escapes from my patio.

It's a GPS enabled pet locator.

http://www.mypetinfo911.com/

[Trek420]

Yay!!! Such great news!

[Possegal]

Outstanding!!! I know that panic. My Chelsea-cat escaped on me when I was in grad school and she was gone about a week. Came home one day with a notch out of her ear and a scar on her nose. Never tried to leave again. Then last week, I lost my little Maeve for about 12 hrs. Turned out she was quietly locked inside my armoire, sitting there on some nice comfy cords, never making a peep.

I'm so glad that you had some teens with just the right tool to get into the manhole cover. :)

[GLC1968]

Yay for happy endings!

[TsPoet]

Wonderful!
And wonderful people for helping you out. Teenage boys can get such a bad rap sometimes.

[lovelygamer]

YAY! I am about in tears reading that your kitty came home. I have been through this before with both results. I am such a cat person. I couldn't even deal with the thought of someone else's cat not being found. SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!:D

[silversurfer]

Fabulous news! Really pleased you got your cat back safe and sound.

[Aggie_Ama]

It was really a great ending. From running into the couple walking who had spotted her, to the teenage boys who knew "just what to do". The cutest part was the couple had their daughter with them (probably 8-9) and she was crying because she said "I want the kitty to be okay". We pulled Tortilla out and could tell she was okay and the little girl got to pet her then she just had the biggest smile. Earlier her mom was about to head towards their house and the Dad said "I am going to stay, I want to see this cat." He had seen her the night before about 7 lots down where houses aren't built yet and couldn't believe the big cat he saw was the one we were saying is very sweet and docile. They just moved here from Alaska in the fall and thought he had seen a wild bobcat or something, he couldn't believe the same cat was a domesticated cat. :p

Attached is a photo DH took of us once we were safely inside, for reference I am 5'2" but I am not super tiny. Tortilla is Manx and we believe possibly Maine Coon, she weighs about 18 lbs but she is also LONG.

[zoom-zoom]

Oh, she is so beautiful...I am SO happy you guys are reunited with your baby. What a big doll she is! I love that the little girl was just as happy that your kitty was OK as you were. :)

[lovelygamer]

What a lucky kitty! Pretty too. Goodness-so happy for you!

[jessmarimba]

Haha she definitely looks part Maine Coon to me. It never ceases to amaze me how far my Skunk-kitty can reach if she wants something...kind of reminds me of the slinky dog in Toy Story. So glad she's back safe!

[Owlie]

Glad she's back home and safe! Very lucky (and pretty) kitty.

[zoom-zoom]

Haha she definitely looks part Maine Coon to me. It never ceases to amaze me how far my Skunk-kitty can reach if she wants something...kind of reminds me of the slinky dog in Toy Story.

We call our Thor "Long Cat," as well as "Low-Rider." He is just like me--all torso, with stubby legs. We suspect he's got some Maine Coon or Persian lineage. He definitely has the Persian personality...squeaky meow and very mild-mannered and lazy.

[murielalex]

Gorgeous jumbo kitty! I'm so glad for her safe homecoming!

[sookiesue]

That is terrific! So happy for you. Must have been a day for reunions - my friend's cat had also been missing for a couple of days and showed up last night. A good day!

[screeve1]

Yay!!! I'm so happy you found your missing family member - they are so important to us, aren't they? That kitty has a great home :-)

[Dogmama]

I love happy endings! So happy for YOU! and your kitty, of course ;)

[goride]

So glad to hear she is safe at home again.

[Brandi]

Yeaaaaaaaa so happy to hear this good news!

[Tri Girl]

Yay!! I just *knew* you'd be reunited!! :)

[itself]

We more recently have been consulting with a animal communicator. One thing Patty Summers mentioned about lost cats is that this is a choice they are making. I know your heart must be broken as we would die if one of ours went missing. But understand this was your cats intention.

Patty has been very helpful. She has told us things that have blown us away (we only sent her pictures), and we now understand the dynamics in the household with our four kitties.