Distraught

[Whit]

Oh no I am so sorry to hear this. I know how much you love your babies. I bet he will find his way home. Keep checking the local shelters someone will see e is not a stray and take care of him. Hopefully they will not keep him but look for you.

Keep us updated.

 

[DianaCox]

Sigh - no news yet. We've walked and called, and shaken the treat box, and I even (with permission) went in the junkyard backyard of the house behind our back fence (with a big nasty dog in it), no sign of him. It's cold outside.

Our yard is a highway for neighborhood cats, so I can't leave food out or a trap. And we can't leave a door open - our house is "open concept" and there's no keeping the other cats away from the doors.

I'm afraid he got pretty far away - but with a shaved belly, there's no way anyone could think he was a stray. I hope they don't decide to keep him, and that he didn't get hit by a car.

 

[MyNewLife]

I'm so sorry, Diana. I'd be terrified for him. Hopefully, a cat friendly neighbor took him in and will see the signs. Sending positive thoughts your way that you find him soon.

 

[Sheanie]

My Grey Cat was lost once for the entire summer. One of my toddlers said the "kitty wanted out". Sigh. I had lost all hope. Got a call from an ad in the paper (this was in the 80's) from a lady who said she had him. Went over in the dark, all hormonal and pregnant, and identified what I "thought" was Grey Cat. Certainly looked like him. Vet checked him over, said "hmmm. This cat looks alot younger than Grey Cat". Kept this cat for 2 more months, he never did locate the litter box. Finally, I got a phone call from the animal shelter babe, saying she has this cat that fits the photo of Grey Cat I dropped off there. I figured, hey, I'm gonna go check this out for shits and giggles. My brother drove me there (I was due with a baby) and IT WAS GREY CAT. I actually hit the floor upon seeing him lounging upside down in his cage, purring. We had adopted an Imposter Cat that was so Grey Cat's doppleganger it wasn't even funny. They were freaking TWINS. We were stunned. The whole story came out in pieces. The across the street neighbor had TRAPPED Grey Cat in a live trap and dropped him off out in the boonies. He was taken to the shelter after being found sleeping on a little girl's bed in a farmhouse and wouldn't "shoo". They had kept him for a week first, though. I suspect they kept him all summer long. Anyway, he was gone the whole entire summer. He GAINED WEIGHT during his adventure. He lived to the ripe old age of 21 years. Weighed 19 pounds at his highest weight. Nick name was Grey Pig.

May your story have such a happy ending, my friend.

(This was a true story. My husband called the other cat Imposter Cat. I still get ridiculed for this.)

 

[more2adore]

Oh, Diana! I'm so sorry. I'd be beside myself with worry, too. My cat is my baby. It's good you have Loki chipped - I hope somebody finds him or he just wanders home SOON!

 

[DianaCox]

The other two cats are walking around the house, whining and peering out the doors and windows. His sister is particularly upset. Charles and I go outside every half hour or so to call him, look around the property and surrounding houses - but we have no idea where to look now.

I'm very heartened by your stories of The Cat Came Back. Thank you all.

 

[JackieOnLine]

keep looking in the same places - he really is likely to be nearby. I keep hoping!

 

[Bagaof4]

I am so sorry to hear this and can so relate to your feelings! My cat Rosie 'disappeared' for 2 weeks once, only to come home as if nothing happened! Hope this is the case with Loki - and SOON!

 

[Charris]

I hope you find Loki. I know our pets tend to be just like our children. My dogs got out and came back 3 days later and stayed in the backyard all day with the gate open waiting for us to get home. Since then if they get out when we put them out to potty they go knock on front door and wait until we hear them. I guess they say they want nothing of the free life.

 

[bearmom]

I came here hoping for a happy update. I'm sorry. I still feel confident he will turn up either at a shelter (and think back to when he was chipped, and make sure you haven't had a change in contact info since then), or you will find him in a neighbors yard, hiding. I have tracked down several cats that hadn't traveled more than a few hundred feet, by spotting their eye shine at night. The little effers didn't make a peep, or come out when called numerous times, when they were clearly right there and could hear me calling. If I weren't so relived to see them I'd strangle them.

We've had 4 family cats (mine, parents or grandparents) that we've had to track down, and found all 4. One took a long time though, and was gone for over a year. At the one year mark, my grandparents finally gave up and said "he's not going to be found, lets go to the shelter and get another cat".

I took them to the shelter, and guess who was in one of the cages. I was a bit miffed, since I'd called that shelter daily for a while, then weekly, and still had been calling monthly looking for that cat. He'd been there nearly the whole time, but they had him mislabeled as a girl.

Don't give up.

 

[DianaCox]

I called the microchip company and made a report and made sure our contact info was still on file and correct. Lostmydoggie.com sent the poster to the local shelter. I hope our shelter is better at telling a boy from a girl, especially since his bits and pieces are shaved!

A couple of hours ago, I got an email from a neighbor on the next block over (away from the busy street a block in the other direction), saying she thinks he was at her house late this morning. We went over there but couldn't find him - but she described his distinctive tail. So we're going to go back again in a little while, and again at night with a flashlight as you suggested. Unfortunately, the layout of our lots is long thin lots with deep back yards and driveways between nearly zero-limit lot lines, so there are a lot of places I cannot go to look for him. :-( But that neighbor sent an email to their Yahoo Group for their block, so more people will be looking out for him. Fingers are still crossed.

Sweet lemons: with all the fretting and walking, I've lost 5 lbs., and was under 200 for the first time in several years this morning.

 

[hilary1617]

Diana, I'm so sorry. Hope Loki finds his way home soon. This has got to be so hard!

We have a heated outdoor cat house that we purchased for a stray - maybe you could get one and keep it outside by the patio door? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=25135

In any case, Loki and you are in my thoughts. Wishing you the best.

 

[JackieOnLine]

well, he's been seen - that's encouraging!

 

[DianaCox]

Still no direct sightings (and more exercise and less eating today ...).

Several people in the neighborhood wrote to say that their lost cats were found in a neighbor's garage - now I'm freaking out that that might be the case, with lots of people away for days for Thanksgiving ... yes, I'm CATatstrophizing.

 

[Jo777]

The little bugger is likely off on a grand adventure, while you are losing your appetite worrying about him. I'm keeping good thoughts for you both!