Our indoor kitty is lost

[duplessis3]

My 11 yr old for reason's known to, well, no one because he says he wasn't thinking when he did this, took our indoor cat outside in his arms and walked down the street with her. Lo and behold she ran away from him, and we haven't been able to find her. Please give some good thoughts to her safe return. We have two other cats, who are her littermates, that like to go outside. We keep telling them to find her. Her name is Lovey, she is not a cuddly cat at all except with my husband, (every morning she comes into the bedroom and chrirps at him - she sounds like a nagging wife) she only eats dry cat food, and she has a touch of epilepsy. We have canvassed the neighborhood, with my youngest knocking on all the doors and telling them about her.

[Bethella]

My 11 yr old for reason's known to, well, no one because he says he wasn't thinking when he did this, took our indoor cat outside in his arms and walked down the street with her. Lo and behold she ran away from him, and we haven't been able to find her. Please give some good thoughts to her safe return. We have two other cats, who are her littermates, that like to go outside. We keep telling them to find her. Her name is Lovey, she is not a cuddly cat at all except with my husband, (every morning she comes into the bedroom and chrirps at him - she sounds like a nagging wife) she only eats dry cat food, and she has a touch of epilepsy. We have canvassed the neighborhood, with my youngest knocking on all the doors and telling them about her.

Thinking good thoughts! Don't forget to call the police/animal catcher and any local animal shelters to be on the lookout if someone finds her and turns her in.

[Curious]

Indoor cats are more likely to come to you/come home at night. I have no idea why this is, but it seems to be true for almost all indoor cats.

If you haven't tried looking for her after dark, I would try taking something smelly like Tuna (even if she normally only eats kibble. You can try kibble as well, but I have some doubts about it being smelly enough) and start out by your house sitting in your front yard or near your front door, start calling her. She may just start meowing rather than coming to you, but at least you have an idea where she is then and can search for her better.

If you don't get any "hits" near your house, start from the place where she went missing and do the same thing. Work toward your house. You will probably have to spend a few minutes at each spot. Make sure you are moving slowly and sound like your usual self. Don't sound all happy, high pitched voice if that's not how you usually talk to her, etc.

Do NOT leave food outside for her so she can eat and then leave again. If she wants to eat, she needs to come in the house.

If she is not back by morning, then tomorrow night, I would do a very careful search around your property while calling her. She may be a bit freaked out and actually be home, but kind of confused and need her humans to reorient her a bit.

My strictly indoor girl went outside with the dogs one night and my husband didn't notice and left her out there overnight. By morning, she was totally freaked out and didn't even recognize us. She was just a bundle of frazzle indoor cat nerves :) I tried for 90 minutes to get her out from under our deck and she did come out once, ran right to the door, where she was met by happy dogs. This promptly freaked her out and she went right back under the deck. It was very cold and I was like she can freeze, we know where she is and went back inside. I told my husband to take a can of tuna out when it got dark and sit in a lawn chair by the hole where she was going under the deck. He did that and she immediately came out and wanted to know why he kicked her out of the house and made her stay outside all day with no food or warm fuzzy bed.

Good luck!

[crazyforkate]

Best of luck finding the kitty :( So sorry that she got away.

[sparkles]

Damn, I'm so sorry and I hope she comes back soon, safe and sound.

[crazyforkate]

Any news duplessis?

[duplessis3]

No, not yet. A friend of mine suggested we put some of our laundry in the front yard so she can smell us. I think we will do that sitting outside thing tonight - that's a good idea.

[Destiny]

I would be inconsolable. I'm hoping for the best for you and kitty.

[Conuly]

Is she the sort of cat to come when you shake a box of food or open a can? In addition to shelters, have you called the local vets?

[crazyforkate]

Duplessis, my dad and his first wife had a cat who would disappear for weeks at a time (despite generally being an indoor cat). It turned out she was two-timing them - she had found another family who just assumed she liked to wander, as my dad and his wife thought. The cat was well cared for and lived into her 20's. I guess what I'm saying is - there is every chance that someone has assumed the same of your cat and is taking care of her. Maybe check around the neighbourhood?

[LillyCat]

is she microchipped? if so, make sure your contact info is current on the company's website.

i hope she comes home soon!!!!!

[duplessis3]

She isn't microchipped - we went around the neighborhood and there is a vets office a block away so we put her picture up there too. She is not a friendly cat. We love her for all of her quirks but she's a strange girl. We've been walking around every night too.

[quincygal]

Sending love & good thoughts to your family & kitty. Please keep us posted.

[Minerva]

That's terrible! I hope you find her soon.

[LillyCat]

oh no! she still isn't back? if you have a porch or patio, maybe you could make a bed for her from what she normally sleeps on. my cats each have a favorite blanket. it wouldn't get her back inside, but if it felt and smelled familiar to her, maybe she would curl up on it in the middle of the night and you could get her inside early the next morning.

[Curious]

Still no news? I'm so sorry :( Hopefully, someone has just taken her in.

My other thought: If it is cold out where you are, perhaps she got locked in somewhere. A garage, a shed or some kind of out building. People may not realize they "have" her, in that case.

If she is spooky and got locked in somewhere, she may just be holed up. If you can think of who had garage doors open the night she went missing or people who have sheds or other out buildings, maybe ask them if you can look in the buildings. Cats are like hamsters. They can get in unbelievably small spaces.

We have our deck blocked off so my tiny dogs can't get under there (because a tiny dog got under it once and we had a hard time getting her out once she was under there and freaked out). So we blocked every tiny hole, so we thought. The cat got in by slipping between the space between the steps. It's like 1.5 inches high and the cat is bigger than most of my dogs. I swear they flatten their heads like a snake.

edit: desk and deck are not the same things

[Mango]

If you live in a neighborhood with any sort of animals services (ie, a city rather than a rural area), you need to visit (in person, ideally) the pound/ac every 48 hours or so and check intakes. If she's scared, they may label her feral and not think it's the same cat if you call to ask. :(

[Claddagh]

I'm sorry to hear that. :( Sending lots of "get your furry self home!" thoughts.

[Bethella]

Any word on the kitty?

[duplessis3]

She isn't back. I am hopeful someone took her in. We do check the lost animals on the website every day, and go in once a week.

[quincygal]

sending good thoughts your family's way

[cdn_sarah]

Hope she returns safe and sound! I know how awful I'd feel if my fur baby got outside.

[gingerjo]

Best wishes for your cat's return. I hope she is safe, and you are reunited soon.