# Cat is missing.



## Josh 91 (Jan 25, 2009)

boof got out saturday night. he is never outside at night but is during the day. haven't seen him since. is he gone forever or is there a possibilty of a return. he is 2 and neutered


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## Ducman69 (Aug 28, 2010)

If he's out during the day, he should be able to find his way back. Have heard stories of cats traveling miles and miles to get home. Does he have a collar and chip? Hope he scoots his butt back home soon. 

In the future though, would probably be healthiest to keep him indoors only. Pretty risky outdoors nowadays.


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## Josh 91 (Jan 25, 2009)

has a collar with the address and name on it.


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## Buggsy (Jul 14, 2010)

I have gone through this quite recently. Arnie got out on bonfire night, and a few days later. The first time he tootled home at 8pm (well after dark now) with not a care in the world. A few days later he went out in the morning and by 11pm he still wasnt home, we searched the woods behind us, the neigbours etc. he cried at the door at 3am! We figured out he likes a bit of drizzel but if it rains he hides somewhere (not sure where) and wont come home till it stops.

I had to go to bed with the bedroom window open so i could hear, didn't get much sleep though! Dont give up just yet, he will find his way home when hes hungry enough.

I would suggest getting him microchipped though at collars are easy enough to slip off.


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## Josh 91 (Jan 25, 2009)

wish he comes back it's killing me...


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

Good news is that he goes out during the day and knows the territory.
Boof will be back!


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## Josh 91 (Jan 25, 2009)

Now Chloe is crying and looking for him


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## Buggsy (Jul 14, 2010)

How long has it been?? Have you tried calling some local shelters or vets to see if hes been picked up??


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

If he goes out during the day he should know his way home I would think. I remember my dad taking fighting Tom cats to other farms and dropping them when I was a kid and them finding their way home from MILES away. 

Is he chipped? Was he wearing a collar so if some well meaning person picked him up they could call?

If it were Mow, I'd start with the local shelters. Email a picture of him to them to ask if he's been turned in.


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## sephi (May 9, 2010)

i don't wait till he shows up or not. someone might kept him knowing he might be lost!!
ask neighbors, put sign around your area mailboxes, check shelters, vets and put his pics with description in craigslist if available in your area!good luck!


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

I wouldn't rely on the fact that he has a collar with your contact details, since he might have gotten separated from the collar. You say he left on Saturday morning, and it's now around 1:30am Tuesday morning in Brisbane, so if he's not back when you get up in a few hours, I agree with the other posters...it's time to start calling around to shelters and vets, asking around, etc. Good luck.


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## shicagah (Jun 1, 2008)

Elvis has gotten out numerous times during his life; uncountable times doordashing while i lived with my mom and once or twice living in Chicago. All times have been during the day. Every time he has come back.

If you're truly worried about this, be proactive. Go out searching. Put up flyers. Go to shelters. Ask around town, etc. Anything but sitting there worried is good. I hope he is found.

I had a neighbor in the Chicago suburbs that lost his indoor/outdoor cat who never came home one day. The cat was "missing" for months. And then one day, a block or two away, a neighbor found her and he got her back. So it's possible. He put out flyers and made everyone he knew and I'm sure some he didn't aware that she was missing.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

I used to let my cats go outdoors, and one time "Max" (Manx/Russian Blue mix) took off. We put ads in newspaper and flyers, but no answer and I thought he was a goner as we lived on the edge of a rural property and there were coyotes and foxes in the vicinity. But one day about 2 wks. later Max came back, a little thinner, but OK. Do you have dingos in your area? or other type of predators? Another time, my husband's cat disappeared for a year and then showed up at the door step looking just fine, he thinks she was fed or taken in by a neighbour as she was in good shape. So don't give up hope!


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## Gnotes (Sep 21, 2010)

Here's why flyers are important. 

I found a kitten in my neighborhood and I put him the back room. I went to the local shelter and listed him as found and put a picture on their bulletin board. No response. So, I put up flyers all over the neighborhood. Days went by. 

Some, not too bright, cat owner found my flyer in the neighborhood after a week and called me. 

It never occurred to her to go to the local shelter or to pay attention to flyers at first. She just assumed her kitten was missing for good and took absolutely no action to try to find it expect finally noticing a flyer. 

They were reunited. She was not even bright enough to compensate me in any way for the Advantage I put on her kitten or the money I spent feeding him for a week. 

The point is.... Be Proactive. I had a cat that went missing. 

Flyers with pictures around the neighborhood. 
Go in personally to the local vets. 
Knock on the doors of neighbors, especially ones you know have cats. Put them on alert. 
Go out and walk around day and night and call kittie. This will leave your scent in the neighborhood. 
Go to the shelter every day. 
Put a lost and found post in your local newspaper. Sometimes they are free. 
You will probably find someone who knows something.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

Very good advice from Gracenote. 
Cats do go off on adventures, especially if the weather is nice. 
The first time they disappear is the worst. It's normal to think they're gone for good.
But -they almost always come back!
If they don't come back in a few days, get the word out with flyers and go door to door. 
Please keep us posted.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Come home, Boof! And no more evening walks for you.

I so hope you find him soon!


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## Binkalette (Nov 25, 2009)

Sadly I fear this is the reason so many cats that come in to our shelter are never reunited with their owners. Nobody thinks to call and let us know they are missing, or to check our ads in the paper, or to come in and check. They just "wait and see" and by the time they are done waiting and seeing, 5 business days have gone by and they may have been adopted out or euthanized if they were unfriendly towards staff, sick or injured. (BTW if that is the case they will not inform you after the fact that the cat was ever there. Too many people get crazy.. even though after 5 business days the cat is no longer legally yours.)
Please check with the shelters right away.

There is a very common way that your cat may have found itself at the shelter too. Often times it is your next door neighbours that have decided they have had enough of your cat being in their yard for whatever reason (making their dogs bark, pooping in their garden/sandbox, sitting on or under their vehicles, existing..) and they pick it up and bring it in.. Sometimes they may have even set a live trap to catch it. They usually expect that you will go looking for the cat, and after finding it at the shelter and paying the fee to get it out, you will be less likely to let him out again in the future.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

That is some sobering information from someone who obviously knows.


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## Josh 91 (Jan 25, 2009)

thanks for the info guys. i rang the shelters around me there's been no cat come in with the collar or fitting description. i printed off flyers and put them all over the area and have asked people in my street. nothing as of yet. left food out last night but it wasn't touched. my area is dangerous. no predators just other cats that are owned. i was out most of the night looking for him but to no success. I now gotta tell my 8 year old sister that her handsome man has gone missing


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Post in Craigslist's *Pets* and *Lost and Found* sections. Lots of success there. atback


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## Josh 91 (Jan 25, 2009)

so my room mate now decides to tell me he had been in a fight that saturday night while i was at work. he said boof came to the door and had a little cut above his eye but ran off before he could pick him up. is he cowarding someone healing ? is it a possibility ?


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## Josh 91 (Jan 25, 2009)

this is my little fella


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## marjon (Jun 24, 2009)

Josh 91 said:


> so my room mate now decides to tell me he had been in a fight that saturday night while i was at work. he said boof came to the door and had a little cut above his eye but ran off before he could pick him up. is he cowarding someone healing ? is it a possibility ?


Could be, he will be very hungry and will come back soon, although when my cat goes missing for half an hour i worry but they always come back...


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## reprot (Nov 11, 2004)

Oh geez, is he still out there? My dh and I fretted and agonized for months when JoJo cat got out one evening. Everyone said that she'd come back but that did nothing soothe us. Eventually we did find her.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

Love that second photo. Boof is playing jungle cat.
The odds are very good he'll be back. I know it's tough waiting and not knowing. Hang in there, Josh.


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## Jan Rebecca (Oct 14, 2010)

Aww I hope he comes back home.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Hope Boof didn't become sick because of the injury over his eye. Hope he shows up soon. Prayers for a safe return.


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## azcat (Oct 10, 2010)

Check the local pounds & shelters. Internet resources:

Petharbor (they can give you a shelter list for IRL searching)
Pets911
Petfinder
Craigslist

It _is _possible for him to return. My cat is missing right now, for almost 3 months now. I think he's either found a new home or was eaten by a coyote.  Though I'm not giving up on him. He went on a vacation a few years ago and turned up almost 1 month later-- in a camper shell in the yard. Are there any cars/shells/sheds/any type of shelter he could be hiding in?


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## azcat (Oct 10, 2010)

PS. It is better to go in person to the shelters/pounds because almost 100% of the time, they're not going to be able to tell you whether or not your cat is there over the phone. Cats tend to look a lot a like.


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## Josh 91 (Jan 25, 2009)

HE'S BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i got a phone call around 12.30am saying that she had a cat in her yard meowing. she brought him in and matched the description on the flyer. the house was a few blocks from here. I've brought him in and his eye is fine he's a bit skinny but I'll fatten him up . he has some scabs on his neck, probably been fighting. he's going to the vet tomorrow arvo. i'm so happy he's home. !


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Oh! That's wonderful! Congratulations! Maybe he's learned his lesson about 'adventuring'.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

That's great news! You must be so relieved. And a pat on the back to your neighbour for taking the time to help.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

Hey, hey! Wonderful! 
I knew he'd be back. 
Welcome home Boof.


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## Ducman69 (Aug 28, 2010)

Josh 91 said:


> HE'S BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> i got a phone call around 12.30am saying that she had a cat in her yard meowing. she brought him in and matched the description on the flyer. the house was a few blocks from here. I've brought him in and his eye is fine he's a bit skinny but I'll fatten him up . he has some scabs on his neck, probably been fighting. he's going to the vet tomorrow arvo. i'm so happy he's home. !


Awesome news!

Yeah, its a bit rough outside for kitties nowadays. Perhaps some members could recommend affordable outdoor cat enclosures, to help keep him out of fights and safe. Too many dogs, cars, feral tomcats, poisons, weirdos and the like. Mine are indoor only though, and are happy as long as they have a high place to sit and bask in the sun.


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## sephi (May 9, 2010)

great news..i personally will supervise my cats when they are out chilling. 1st of all i don't have time to look for them for hours, 2nd i will never forgive myself if something happened to them like run over by car or get attacked by wild animal, 3rd vet bills are very expensive!!!


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

So happy your cat came back. I'm sure Booth is happy too to be in a warm home and lots of good food. I read somewhere that cats usually don't travel too far from home---within a 1 mile radius, and seems that was the case with Booth. Kudos to your neighbour for taking him in and calling you. Happy too that you'll keep a closer eye on Booth too! Often we need a scare like that to wake us up to be more careful when how much we miss a cat when it disappears. :catmilk


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## kwarendorf (Oct 12, 2009)

Awesome


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Awesome! I am so glad he is home!


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## dweamgoil (Feb 3, 2010)

Great news! Now kitty should be grounded for making us all worry.


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## LilRed (Jul 16, 2008)

YAY!!!! I am sooooo happy he is home! I've had a cat go missing before & know how tortorous the wondering & worrying is!! You must have done a good job on the flyers and have a great neighbor too!


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## Meker (Nov 8, 2010)

Whooo! I'm glad he's home safe and sound!


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

Yay! So happy he came home. I'd be worried sick if mine went missing!! So happy for you!


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## fishyhelper288 (Oct 23, 2010)

Our kitty fell out the window and was missing for two weeks, I finally caught her in a trap, she had returned every night to sit on the porch and sleep, but when you went to open the door to let her in, she would bolt! so, I trapped her, and shes back to bein her elusive grouchy self.... im lucky if I see her 4 a week... although recently ive been catching her out and about a little more


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## Josh 91 (Jan 25, 2009)

couldn't get him to the vet for personal reasons but he seems fine. although he has scabs on the back of his neck at the moment. just keeping an eye on them incase they pus up.


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## reprot (Nov 11, 2004)

So happy she came back.


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