Anyone have good lost cat experiences to relate?
06-07-2011, 07:08 PM
#22
Power Poster
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
FOUND HER!!!
My husband cut apart a piece of carpet padding we had tossed in the bin because of cat "accidents" and staked them around the perimeter of our one-acre yard (held them down with bricks), hoping she would get the scent.
Meanwhile, I rushed to the store and came back with a baby monitor. While dh was putting the baby monitor together, I went out on the back deck (at dusk) and called her name a few times. Nothing. My dd and her boyfriend were in the screen porch next to the deck, so I started talking to them. Reassured my dd that all the cat rescue sites mentioned that cats are very good at surviving, etc. While we were talking, I heard a meow and looked over the deck edge; Oliver was headed up the stairs to the screen porch!
She is thinner and more subdued than usual. First place she went was to her water bowl (temps >100 degrees here today set a record). After that she ran downstairs for some peace and quiet. When she heard me feeding the other cat, she came upstairs looking for food. She loves dairy, and I was able to give her a big dollup of yogurt from a brand new container.
Life doesn't get much better than this! Now I can enjoy tomorrow's high school graduation ceremony (the boyfriend's)!
I think laying the scented carpet around the yard helped, and then the voices talking at dusk.
Anyway, we're celebrating around here tonight!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Edit: Oh, yeah. Had dh put the baby monitor back in the box so I can return it tomorrow. Hadn't even plugged it in yet!
My husband cut apart a piece of carpet padding we had tossed in the bin because of cat "accidents" and staked them around the perimeter of our one-acre yard (held them down with bricks), hoping she would get the scent.
Meanwhile, I rushed to the store and came back with a baby monitor. While dh was putting the baby monitor together, I went out on the back deck (at dusk) and called her name a few times. Nothing. My dd and her boyfriend were in the screen porch next to the deck, so I started talking to them. Reassured my dd that all the cat rescue sites mentioned that cats are very good at surviving, etc. While we were talking, I heard a meow and looked over the deck edge; Oliver was headed up the stairs to the screen porch!
She is thinner and more subdued than usual. First place she went was to her water bowl (temps >100 degrees here today set a record). After that she ran downstairs for some peace and quiet. When she heard me feeding the other cat, she came upstairs looking for food. She loves dairy, and I was able to give her a big dollup of yogurt from a brand new container.
Life doesn't get much better than this! Now I can enjoy tomorrow's high school graduation ceremony (the boyfriend's)!
I think laying the scented carpet around the yard helped, and then the voices talking at dusk.
Anyway, we're celebrating around here tonight!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Edit: Oh, yeah. Had dh put the baby monitor back in the box so I can return it tomorrow. Hadn't even plugged it in yet!
06-07-2011, 07:09 PM
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Southern California
Posts: 6,254
I have 2 instances indoor cat # 1 is why she is indoor
When I first got my cat, when she was almost one I started letting her in the back yard to explore, she usually went out for 5 -10 minutes, came back to the door and meowed to get in. Well one day she didn't come back and it was getting late and dark. I go out to the backyard and call her. I hear her meow, can't figure out where it was coming from. She was trapped in the neighbors garage
About 8 years later same cat. We were getting some special equipment in the house for my mom because she was disabled. Mind you my cat hides with strangers so I didn't think anything when I didn't see her that night. By morning I was freaking out, looking all over the house, my husband came home on lunch to help me. I was frantic. I went out to the backyard, the same one she was in when she got lost the first time. I call her and hear this very faint meow. She was trapped inside our shed, don't know how she got in it since it was locked and only had a 1 inch opening, so we open it, and she was so frightened she wouldn't even come out though there was nothing preventing her
and that is why she is an indoor cat
When I first got my cat, when she was almost one I started letting her in the back yard to explore, she usually went out for 5 -10 minutes, came back to the door and meowed to get in. Well one day she didn't come back and it was getting late and dark. I go out to the backyard and call her. I hear her meow, can't figure out where it was coming from. She was trapped in the neighbors garage
About 8 years later same cat. We were getting some special equipment in the house for my mom because she was disabled. Mind you my cat hides with strangers so I didn't think anything when I didn't see her that night. By morning I was freaking out, looking all over the house, my husband came home on lunch to help me. I was frantic. I went out to the backyard, the same one she was in when she got lost the first time. I call her and hear this very faint meow. She was trapped inside our shed, don't know how she got in it since it was locked and only had a 1 inch opening, so we open it, and she was so frightened she wouldn't even come out though there was nothing preventing her
and that is why she is an indoor cat
06-07-2011, 07:12 PM
#24
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 1,079
Years ago my young nephew had a cat named Precious. My sister and her family went on vacation and it was responsibility to feed Precious and let her in and out. I was 18 at the time and didn't want to be bothered with Precious on one Friday night and I didn't bother putting her back inside. The next morning one of the neighbors (we all lived within the same city block) called to say that Precious had been hit by a car and was lying near the curb. I rushed to see her and she was still breathing. I called and got her into the local vet and he worked on her but she was too far gone so he put her to sleep. My boyfriend and I put her in a box and took her out to a state park and buried her in a beautiful spot overlooking the lake and walking trails. I dreaded telling my nephew about her death, and especially since I had neglected her. But I shouldn't have worried because later that day when I went to take care of the mail at my sister's, Precious was sitting at the back door waiting to be fed......We never knew whose cat we buried, but she received good (and expensive) care from the vet and a very nice funeral and burial.
06-07-2011, 07:17 PM
#25
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: North East Lower peninsula of Michigan
Posts: 6,231
Originally Posted by Jill
Years ago my young nephew had a cat named Precious. My sister and her family went on vacation and it was responsibility to feed Precious and let her in and out. I was 18 at the time and didn't want to be bothered with Precious on one Friday night and I didn't bother putting her back inside. The next morning one of the neighbors (we all lived within the same city block) called to say that Precious had been hit by a car and was lying near the curb. I rushed to see her and she was still breathing. I called and got her into the local vet and he worked on her but she was too far gone so he put her to sleep. My boyfriend and I put her in a box and took her out to a state park and buried her in a beautiful spot overlooking the lake and walking trails. I dreaded telling my nephew about her death, and especially since I had neglected her. But I shouldn't have worried because later that day when I went to take care of the mail at my sister's, Precious was sitting at the back door waiting to be fed......We never knew whose cat we buried, but she received good (and expensive) care from the vet and a very nice funeral and burial.
06-07-2011, 07:24 PM
#28
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Rural Small Town Ontario
Posts: 1,474
We have a cat who has found her way back to us twice. We are on a farm, my husband was having lunch and the waitress was chatting about looking for a new home for her cat. It was a very good cat, very personable, got along with their other cats and dogs, but forever leaving a newly caught rodent at her doorstep every day. PERFECT - we needed a cat for our seed warehouse, to keep the rodents away. So, Smokey came to our home, got very comfy in the shop and warehouse.
A few weeks later, she was no where to be found, and we were not able to find her for weeks. Eventually, she showed up back in the barn - healthy but hungry.
Fast forward a couple of years ... we are heading out for a few weeks vacation, our MIL is taking Smokey to look after while we're away. Everything looks good, cat and MIL getting along well. Two days after we head out, MIL goes to take the cat for a walk, puts her harness on but can't find the leash - she uses string ... zing, the cat is gone. MIL is frantic, searches everywhere, has neighbours searching, notices posted at the post office, announced on the radio, alerts at the nearby vet offices. NO CAT. This is August.
Fast forward to the following February - MIL is at her kitchen window, spies a cat at the perimeter of her yard, looks like the missing cat. She goes over, calls the cat, and in she marches. Smokey has a very distinctive call, and her claws and coat are also pretty unique. No doubt at all, this is our Smokey, missing nigh these past six months - no idea where she has spent most of the winter. We rush up, pick her up and bring her back to the shop - it's like she was never away - marches right over to where her food dish was.
So she has found her way back to us twice!
A few weeks later, she was no where to be found, and we were not able to find her for weeks. Eventually, she showed up back in the barn - healthy but hungry.
Fast forward a couple of years ... we are heading out for a few weeks vacation, our MIL is taking Smokey to look after while we're away. Everything looks good, cat and MIL getting along well. Two days after we head out, MIL goes to take the cat for a walk, puts her harness on but can't find the leash - she uses string ... zing, the cat is gone. MIL is frantic, searches everywhere, has neighbours searching, notices posted at the post office, announced on the radio, alerts at the nearby vet offices. NO CAT. This is August.
Fast forward to the following February - MIL is at her kitchen window, spies a cat at the perimeter of her yard, looks like the missing cat. She goes over, calls the cat, and in she marches. Smokey has a very distinctive call, and her claws and coat are also pretty unique. No doubt at all, this is our Smokey, missing nigh these past six months - no idea where she has spent most of the winter. We rush up, pick her up and bring her back to the shop - it's like she was never away - marches right over to where her food dish was.
So she has found her way back to us twice!
06-07-2011, 07:24 PM
#29
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 2,302
How about a dog story?
Our black lab disappeared for long enough that we thought for sure she was gone. Then, surprise, surprise, she came back home. As the whole family was making a big fuss over her, delighted to have our baby back, my uncle looked across the room at the dog (currently sitting on her haunches, back against my husband) and asked, "er, wasn't your dog a girl?"
Um, not our dog after all.
Our black lab disappeared for long enough that we thought for sure she was gone. Then, surprise, surprise, she came back home. As the whole family was making a big fuss over her, delighted to have our baby back, my uncle looked across the room at the dog (currently sitting on her haunches, back against my husband) and asked, "er, wasn't your dog a girl?"
Um, not our dog after all.
06-07-2011, 07:40 PM
#30
Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Greater KC MO
Posts: 50
Originally Posted by Prism99
I inadvertently locked our indoor cat outside yesterday and did not realize it until this afternoon. She is a small shy cat who hides when a stranger comes into the house, and she doesn't have front claws. Yesterday and today set heat records; it got to over 100 degrees here today.
To make matters worse, a lawn service came and sprayed our lawn this morning, while Oliver was outside. Usually she stays close to the house (she's been forgotten outside once or twice in the past), but the lawn guy would probably have scared her. Plus, we live in a very rural area with lots of clumps of woods. Our house has thick woods around 3/4ths of the perimeter of our acre lawn.
I contacted FindToTo.com and they have called all the neighbors in a 2-mile area (not many neighbors here). We will take flyers house-to-house. We will place rugs and scented clothing around the perimeter of the yard later tonight, after the heat and dry wind die down (cats are supposed to have good scent skills). Will try walking around the woods calling her name after nightfall (cats are more likely to come out at night). Not just the woods, but the areas surrounding the woods are chock full of poison ivy, plus the ground is very rough around the woods, so not sure how that is going to go tonight.
It's all my fault. I let the cat out with me went I filled the bird feeders out back (kind of a thrill for an indoor cat). Maybe I'm getting Alzheimer's. Completely forgot about her when I went back in the house. I'm sick about it. My daughter's sick about it. Any good-ending stories would be most welcome!
Edit: Just read that putting out stinky cat food (like fish) out at night can help. Also a baby monitor nearby, to hear if she comes back. Guess I'll do those things too.
To make matters worse, a lawn service came and sprayed our lawn this morning, while Oliver was outside. Usually she stays close to the house (she's been forgotten outside once or twice in the past), but the lawn guy would probably have scared her. Plus, we live in a very rural area with lots of clumps of woods. Our house has thick woods around 3/4ths of the perimeter of our acre lawn.
I contacted FindToTo.com and they have called all the neighbors in a 2-mile area (not many neighbors here). We will take flyers house-to-house. We will place rugs and scented clothing around the perimeter of the yard later tonight, after the heat and dry wind die down (cats are supposed to have good scent skills). Will try walking around the woods calling her name after nightfall (cats are more likely to come out at night). Not just the woods, but the areas surrounding the woods are chock full of poison ivy, plus the ground is very rough around the woods, so not sure how that is going to go tonight.
It's all my fault. I let the cat out with me went I filled the bird feeders out back (kind of a thrill for an indoor cat). Maybe I'm getting Alzheimer's. Completely forgot about her when I went back in the house. I'm sick about it. My daughter's sick about it. Any good-ending stories would be most welcome!
Edit: Just read that putting out stinky cat food (like fish) out at night can help. Also a baby monitor nearby, to hear if she comes back. Guess I'll do those things too.
I am sure you have heard about the EF 5 tornado that hit Joplin Missouri a couple of weeks ago. Well our Aunt and Uncle were smack dab in the middle of it. They had five minutes to take cover. They made it to their hallway before the house fell on top of them. They made it out okay but they lost their little dog and two cats. They came to stay with family near us and did not have internet access. I took it upon myself to try and find the cats via the internet. Well, it paid off! One of the cats was found a couple of blocks away and was taken to the local rescue. The rescue contacted me and they went to pick up their cat. Cat #2 had hung around the rubble that was his home and was finally captured. He was a very shook up kitty. This all happened over a week after the storm. As for the dog...she was found in the rubble of the house two days later by some friends of theirs that were trying to help them by saving something. And they sure did...their little dog Daizy. So, if these two cats and dog can survive an EF 5 tornado AND get their family back...you cat can find its way home.
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