chocolat
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Post by chocolat on Jun 30, 2012 18:08:16 GMT -5
My neighbors went on vacation and asked me to feed their cats while they were gone. First day of me watching the cats was yesterday night. I came, fed theum and played a little bit with them, all was good.
I come back today, and one cat is missing. I' ve searched the house and he is nowhere to be found. I found a window whose screen was loose, so I think he escaped .
My neighbors wont pick up their phone. the cat is micro chipped, I called the service to report he was lost. What else can I do? I am freaking out.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2012 18:10:15 GMT -5
The cat will probably come back when it gets hungry enough.
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Malarky
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Post by Malarky on Jun 30, 2012 18:14:04 GMT -5
Is it usually an indoor cat?
My cats are indoor/outdoor cats. At least one of them usually disappears when I go on vacation. Sometimes just for the time I'm gone, once for an additional two weeks.
It completely freaks out the people who are feeding them, but I don't worry too much. Cats are amazingly self sufficient and they will come home to eat if they can't find food elsewhere.
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Ava
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Post by Ava on Jun 30, 2012 18:19:00 GMT -5
I wouldn't worry about it too much yet, though I understand your concern. Calling the micro chip service was a good idea. If you cannot reach your neighbors, you should leave them a message informing them the cat is missing and you've called the micro chip service. Other than that, all you can do is wait.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Jun 30, 2012 18:26:40 GMT -5
If it's an indoor cat, it is either in hiding or if it got outside, it will come back on it's own.
Good idea on setting out a blanket, etc. so the cat can smell it and know it's home. Cats have a great radar about finding their way home.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2012 18:27:41 GMT -5
A friend of mine just lost her inside only cat when it escaped a few weeks ago. She put flyers up everywhere with pics. She went to all the neighbors to ask them to be on the lookout. One of the neighbors , a farm less than a mile away called a week later saying the cat was there eating with the barn cats. Leave out food. Hope you have a happy ending too.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2012 18:38:56 GMT -5
Double check all closets and the basement if there is one. When we got our German cat almost 2 years ago she was friendly and happy the first evening I got her. Then I couldn't find her for three days. I put up flyers and started asking neighbors if they had seen her. I contacted the micro chip people and the woman with whom I spoke said to make sure that when I spoke to my neighbors to ask them to check in their cellars. Guess where she was found? In my own cellar. And on Friday am we couldn't find either cat as we were preparing to go to the airport. We looked for them every where, rattled their treat can, et cetera. Then we found both of them locked in the closet where we had stashed our suitcases from the movers. Tricky little devils!
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Jun 30, 2012 18:55:27 GMT -5
I used to be friends with a professional cat sitter. She had to learn not to panic when cats went missing while under her care. Cats hide from strangers. I always told my sitters of my last two cats that don't be surprised if you never see them. As long as you can tell they are eating, don't worry.
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DVM gone riding
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Post by DVM gone riding on Jun 30, 2012 21:20:09 GMT -5
so I locked my own cat in a spare room as I was getting to leave two weeks ago--the sitter figured it out three days latter--she did try to call the cat and it didn't respond--I felt horrible but the cat was fine--I am a vet--does that make you feel better? Same trip one of my friends cats got let out and with no one there didn't come back right away and may have gotten locked up somewhere else- a week after we returned she showed up looking a little thin.
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Jun 30, 2012 21:27:58 GMT -5
Talk to the neighbors and advise them of the situation and give them your phone number. Check daily with local animal control ~ some have very short windows of time between cats getting turned in as strays and euthanizing them. (They don't always check for microchips, either) Consider putting a lost cat notice on the local Craigslist. Get a can opener and open a can of tuna and leave it in the house. When you return, see if any's been eaten. Ditto a can of tuna near the front or back doors (but it could be eaten by other cats.) Make sure there's fresh water outside, too.
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Jun 30, 2012 21:29:24 GMT -5
Cats are sneaky and hide well inside homes. My cats have made secret hideaways in the bottom of our box springs and under our sofas ... so even if you've looked there, the cat could still be hiding. And my cats can open cupboards in the kitchen and bathroom and sleep in there.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2012 21:34:13 GMT -5
I would not assume the cat got out. Cats are very good hiders. I had one that cut a slit in the box spring mattress & he would pop in there when he wanted to hide. Absolutely impossible to find!!!
Keep putting the food out and playing with the other kitty. The missing one might come out.
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chocolat
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Post by chocolat on Jun 30, 2012 21:35:54 GMT -5
thanks for all the replies.
I finally got in touch with my neighbors, they will be home tonight. Maybe the cat is still inside the house, you guys make a good point
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Jaguar
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Post by Jaguar on Jun 30, 2012 21:38:09 GMT -5
I would not assume the cat got out. Cats are very good hiders. I had one that cut a slit in the box spring mattress & he would pop in there when he wanted to hide. Absolutely impossible to find!!! Keep putting the food out and playing with the other kitty. The missing one might come out. I owned cats for 44 years, the last one finally pushed me over the edge. He was THAT diabolical .
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Sharon
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Post by Sharon on Jun 30, 2012 21:39:07 GMT -5
I spent one evening looking for a cat that I knew must be in the house somewhere. Finally out of exhaustion I decided to go to bed. When I pulled back the covers I found the cat between the two pillows.
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chocolat
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Post by chocolat on Jun 30, 2012 21:40:22 GMT -5
I've set up bowls of food and water in two different places. Hopefully, he will come back soon! he's an indoor cat (though he used to be a stray cat) and he is very afraid of everything. I've also rented a trap, with food and one of his toys inside. We'll see what happens.
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Jaguar
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Post by Jaguar on Jun 30, 2012 21:45:22 GMT -5
Chill out the cat WILL show up. He's in a pissy mood, ignore him.
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taz157
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Post by taz157 on Jun 30, 2012 22:01:30 GMT -5
Since the cat tends to hide around strangers, I wouldn't worry too much. I have 2 cats and tends to hide around strangers while the other does not. Even when we are home, he tends to hide too. Anyway, his latest hiding spot is under the cabinet on DH's side of the closet. He also hides under our bed, guest bed, DD's crib, top of legs under the pool table, behind our sofa and also behind our guest bedroom's TV. Once, my boss's son's cat was accidently shut in a cabinet for several hours. They didn't know she was there until they looking for her. Also cats aren't afraid to climb too. As long as food and water are missing later on, you are doing good.
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chocolat
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Post by chocolat on Jul 1, 2012 1:24:51 GMT -5
I am pleased to say that the cat did show up! Leaving food outside worked. I am so relieved. Thanks everyone for helping me not freaking out too much
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jitterbug
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Post by jitterbug on Jul 1, 2012 7:51:18 GMT -5
We went on vacation for a week and when we came home, we found that a neighbor's cat had been trapped in our garage for the whole week! I don't know what it did for water, but it ate our dog's food that we kept in the garage.
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8 Bit WWBG
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Post by 8 Bit WWBG on Jul 1, 2012 8:51:17 GMT -5
This is SO not what I should have read with impending travel...
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Happy prose
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Post by Happy prose on Jul 1, 2012 8:57:21 GMT -5
I'm so glad chocolat! Did he beat the vacationing family home?
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Jaguar
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Post by Jaguar on Jul 1, 2012 11:36:54 GMT -5
I am pleased to say that the cat did show up! Leaving food outside worked. I am so relieved. Thanks everyone for helping me not freaking out too much Well this is good news. Now lock the little fiend up. You know what a cat is, bad attitude with fur and fangs.
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chocolat
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Post by chocolat on Jul 1, 2012 11:36:56 GMT -5
Yes he did! They found him eating the food as they were coming home.
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Jaguar
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Post by Jaguar on Jul 1, 2012 11:38:22 GMT -5
Yes he did! They found him eating the food as they were coming home. Cat's have a canny sense of their owners whereabouts.
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chocolat
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Post by chocolat on Jul 1, 2012 11:40:18 GMT -5
Well this is good news. Now lock the little fiend up. You know what a cat is, bad attitude with fur and fangs. Haha Not sure about the bad attitude! I still prefer cats to dogs, even after this. But yeah I am sure that my neighbors will lock the cat up VERY well next time.
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Jaguar
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Post by Jaguar on Jul 1, 2012 11:45:53 GMT -5
I'm still traumatized from mine.
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mmhmm
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Post by mmhmm on Jul 1, 2012 14:16:42 GMT -5
Glad the little dickens was found. I'm sure the cat got a lot more enjoyment out of knowing your pain than you did.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Jul 1, 2012 19:34:31 GMT -5
Happy to hear kitty came home when the owners did!
While cats can be sneaky, I love cats. For me, I could never be a dog owner.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Jul 2, 2012 7:18:19 GMT -5
Wretched beasts and we have four of them. Ones an escape artist and I'd love for him to escape forever but DF loves him. He does get out but he ALWAYS comes back.
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