Our cat is missing :(

[MandyMaloo]

Hey everyone...I was just hoping to get some support from some fellow animal lovers.

My step dad called this morning in a panic and asked if I had seen Xander, our grey tabby this morning. I told him no- which is nothing new- Xander likes to sleep all day. My step dad sounded like he was on the verge of tears. Apparently, Xander got out at some point this morning and we havn't seen him since.

He had always been one of those cats that would try to run when the door was opened, but if he got out he'd go a few steps then turn around and look at you with the "hmmm, now I'm out and have no idea what to do" look. He'd just turn around and come back in. I feel horrible becuase the great irony in all of this is- we took off his collar last night. He was biting at it and he hadn't tried to go out in so long, that we figured we'd give him a night witout it...and I feel like this is all my fault.

I feel terrible. I just wanna find Xander. He's my step dad's cat and it's his only friend out here (I know that sounds pathetic- but it's true. My parents are divorcing, and my step dad is 1000 miles away from anyone he knows). Please keep your fingers crossed or say a prayer that we find our kitty...we miss him so much!!! :( :(

This is Xander:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce31b3127cce94d258bf7fe800000016108FZN3DNy4o

[al'sgirl]

Oh how sad!!! I hope he comes home very soon.

[GeekGirl]

OMG Mandy, I'm so sorry! When I first saw your thread I admit I was worried that it was Merlin (is it terrible of me that I'm glad its not?), but I'm so sorry about Xander all the same. Hopefully he'll have his couple of hours of fun and be back home by the time you're off of work. I'll be thinking of you!!

[fuzzy]

Oh no! :-(

Just wanted to say two things. First, one of my cats got out once (RIGHT after we moved to a new state/home) and was gone for 5 days. I was SO upset. He came back after, I think, he got really, really hungry.

Second, I was listening to a kinda goofy show about psychics who look for pets. They did cut in with people from the SPCA. Their point was that rarely will a cat go far. They usually find them under a neighbor's porch or something like that. So put out lots of food and good luck!

[IrisHope]

I hope he comes home soon. Poor baby.

[southerner]

It's not your fault. I hope he comes back. Have y'all be out looking? Leave some tuna around. Maybe he'll smell it if he's wandering around nearby. That's what worked when my cat got out.

[Sabrina]

Are you SURE he got outside? One of my coworkers thought her cat was missing and she found it the next day in the attic.

Go to the supermarket and buy some Jack Mackeral to put outside. They sell it in the same aisle as the tuna fish. Apparently it has a really stong smell and will hopefully lure the kitty back to your house. Good luck. I know I would be distraught if one of my kitties got lost.:(

[MandyMaloo]

Thank you all for you nice thoughts.

I went home at lunch and the house looked like it had been ransacked. My step dad turned the place on it's side this morning when he began looking, and I continued at lunch. My FH will be doing the same when he gets home. We're hoping he's just asleep somewhere inventive- but we've literally pulled this house apart looking for him.

Both my step dad and I went around the neighborhood as well. We had put some dry food on the porch--but I hadn't thought about tuna or something like that. I'll do that as soon as I get home.

I also made some posters. I'm going to wait until 5 to put them out though- just in case I come home and he's sitting there.

I'm just so upset. I want him to come home so badly. Please keep your fingers crossed.

[kithara]

I'm hoping that Xander turns up safe and sound...either from his adventure in the great outdoors or from his ultra-inventive hiding spot. Just wanted to add my support.

[greenbunny]

This won't help you right now, but I highly recommend getting your cats microchipped. It is not removable like a collar, and it's common now in many shelters to scan for a chip when an animal is brought in. When I called for a quote my vet (who's very expensive, which is why we're looking for another one), the AVID chip was $38 plus a technician fee for a total of about $60.

I hope you find him.

[vwinkel]

I'm so sorry!

In addition to what others have suggested, I suggest calling your local animal shelters and visiting them. Maybe someone will turn him in.

Also, I suggest making a flyer for your neighborhood with multiple numbers to call. Maybe a friendly neighbor took him in? (you could also drop off a flyer at the shelters or fax it to them).

[notkk]

One of our indoor cats got out a couple of years ago. We were frantic, looking all over for her, etc. I read a suggestion on a website to look in the storm drains, etc. I never would have looked seriously in the drains without reading that...but I ran outside, got down on my hands and knees, stuck my head in the drain and meowed (fortunately, she's a talker) and faintly heard her WAY down underneath the street. I never would have heard her without my head in the drain. It took a call to the utility department and my H had to rush home from work, but we eventually coaxed her out of there.

I hope you find him safely and quickly!

[rodsgirl]

Defenitely call the local humane society and report it to them. Also call the police dept and see if they have had any phone calls about finding a cat in the area, call animal control, Post flyers everywhere that has a board that will let you ones with pictures are great and most places will let you hang them up. Good luck and keep us posted.

[MandyMaloo]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions.

I got home from work and FH and my mom were already outside looking. I made color flyers and posted them everywhere in the neighborhood. We walked all over the place and still found nothing. I used the suggestion I had on here and looked in storm drains, but still nothing :(.

I've cried so much I've made myself sleepy and given myself a headache. I know it sounds dumb- but it's like our 2 other cats are sad.

Our babies are microchiped, so we're hopefull that if someone finds him they'll scan for it- but unfortunatly, unless they actually scan him, we're no better off.

Please keep your good thoughts coming. We're all so depressed. I can't imagine what it'll be like when my step dad gets home from work :( .

[jnettie]

I think most vets know to scan for microchips! Hopefully he'll turn up, though!

[SingleWhiteFemale]

I'm sorry to hear this :(

I want to offer some sort of hope--I thought the exact same thing happened with my 2 cats. We tore the place apart, and thought they were somehow gone. I was sitting at my computer desk, opened up the bottom drawer, and saw something move. Somehow, these 2 fatsos were able to get behind the desk and crawl under the drawer. I'm baffled how they got under there without being stuck, but they were in the house completely safe.

Additionally, go to the shelters daily. Some places aren't good about scanning chips or notifying you if a cat similar to your description has come in. I had a friend whose dogs got out.... we called every pound, and no takers. I suggested going and looking, and behold... the 2 rascals were actually at the pound.

Good luck. You'll find the little guy!

[Tonysweetie]

oh gosh I'm so ssorry! I hope he turns up soon. I remember back in October, DH and I and my DH friend were about to go out for the evening and I ALWAYS give Max kisses before I leave the house (really I Just wanna make sure I know where he is and he didn't get out or something) well we were walking out and I couldn't find him. I serached high and low for at least 45 minutes. We were looking all outside our apartment, up in trees etc. He ended up being inside ou TV unit in one of the cabinets. I have NO idea how he got in there but he wedged up in there and stuck. Poor thing! Anyways don't give up hope. I'll pray you guys find him or he shows up. God Bless!!! :(

[greenbunny]

That is so great that he is chipped! He has a really good chance of getting back to you. If you haven't already, take your posters to the shelters and humane societies in the area. You will want them to have a clear photo of your cat, and also have the poster say that he is chipped so it will remind them to check any new arrivals.

[ginad724]

I'm sorry you're cat is missing. The same exact thing happened to us last year and I just wanted to offer you some hope.

We plastered flyers everywhere and asked anybody that we saw. It worked out because that's eventually how we got our cat back. A crossing guard spotted him in an area and we camped out until he came out of his hiding place. We left tuna and did not try to go after him. The next day he showed back up on our front porch.

Our cat was exactly like yours in that he tried to get out at any opportunity but once he actually got out was like "what do I do now?" and wouldn't go far. When we didn't realize he got out and he was outside for a while he was scared and took off. After talking to our vet and doing a lot of internet research, we learned we needed to let him come back on his own (with of course some bribes of tuna, soft food, anything your cat may like)

Good luck. I never felt attached to this cat (My DH had him before we were married) but it was so hard when he had gone missing.

gina

[vwinkel]

Another thought - maybe you could print out a bunch of flyers and put them in your neighborhood's mailboxes. Sort of force your neighbors to notice.

[fuzzy]

Can you (or have you) offered a reward? When I put my posters up/ads in the paper when my cat got out, I offered a reward and, I swear, I had every yahoo living in Central NY calling swearing they had my cat. Not that I minded -- the effort was appreciated and I'd rather be safe than sorry, but some of the calls were funny.

"Hi, I think I have your cat!"
"Great, can you describe him to me?"
"Sure! She's a orange tabby."
"Uh, oh, thanks for calling, but my cat is male, not a tabby, nor is he orange."

[vwinkel]

Great advice regarding the reward. You don't even need to say how much the reward is, just simply state "reward" in large letters.

[southerner]

hope he's home or gets home soon :(

[Toonces]

I don't have any additional advice... just wanted you to know that I'm thinking of you and Xander. I hope you find him soon. It is great that he's microchipped.

[Rose]

I hope you find him soon. You must be going crazy.

[maxandmolly]

How awful! I know exactly how you feel, and it is absolutely a horrible, horrible feeling. You've gotten good advice so far, visiting the shelter, the fliers, all the rest. I can personally attest to how effective fliers can be!
I lost my Max a couple years ago. I let this idiot into my life, who insisted it was ok for the cats to roam on the patio while he was out there smoking. DUMBASS forgot to do a headcount before he came in for the night. I got up in the morning, no Max, no Molly, just Maggie (my Beagle mix). Popped the food can, nothing. I went outside and started calling for them and crying and Maggie was getting all upset. Molly came running right up to me. But no Max. I was horrified. I left work early to go and put up fliers. I lived in an apartment complex, on the edge of woods on one side. I put fliers up on the inside of each apartment building door for about 10 buildings down either side of me, and on the other side of the parking lot too, as well as the laundry room. The next day, I got a call from a woman who said she saw a cat staring at her cat through the sliding glass door and coaxed him in and did my description of a white nose mean a white smudge across it? (I had no pics on the computer, so I had to describe him instead.) He was only three patios down from mine! I went tearing down there, barefoot, crying. She said it took her almost 3 hours to persuade him to come in, but she did it because she knew how much she would miss her little guy, and he was 'so fat he must belong to someone who misses him'-and she thought he might be the cat on my flier. I was crying so much I could barely say thank you. He had twigs and leaves all tangled in his belly fur (he's a medium hair), but he was fine, and hopefully your Xander will be too! Just keep looking, keep calling, and I'll keep my fingers crossed that your little guy will come home. Keep us posted, ok?

[kerrykate]

I read a suggestion on a website to look in the storm drains, etc.
ITA! That is where my cat is almost every time he gets out. So definitly check all the sewers/storm drains up and down your street. Also check all your neighbors bushes. I'm so sorry you're going through this, I've been there a few times. My cat is also the type to wait by the door and run out as soon as it opens.

[southerner]

Mandy, I was thinking about y'all this weekend. Did Xander show up?? I was hopeful for you. :)

[vwinkel]

My Sassy snuck out the front door this weekend late on Saturday night. Luckily I grabbed her in time, since she is mostly black, I would have never seen her if she ran. Well, I instantly thought of you and your dad. Let us know when you get a chance.

[IrisHope]

Any word on Xander?

[MandyMaloo]

Hello everyone!

I apologize for not being able to update earlier--we just moved from NC to WI and got here late last night, so we were pretty tierd.

XANDER IS BACK!!!!

Yep! It's acually one of the most heartwarming stories I've ever heard.

My mom called me Monday night to tell me the good news! I'll tell you what she told me.

We lived on a cul-du-sac. Behind this cuil-du-sac was a wooded area. Now the lady that lives in the house closest to the wooded area is a volenteer at the animal shelter. My mom and step dad had put up the posters I made in every single shelter within 50 miles. We offered a reward, but didn't say how much. She was sitting on her deck when she heard a little "meow". She saw a cat in her backyard. She got him to come over to her and recognized him from all the posters. She decided to walk down and ask if it was indeed the correct cat. Well, my step dad happened to be outside smoking while this lady walked up. As soon as Xander saw him, he literally jumped out of her arms and ran to him. He started crying he was so happy! Xander was rubbing all over him and purring up a storm. My mom came out and started crying. My step dad started to reach into his wallet for the reward, but the lady said not to give it to her- seeing them so happy was all the reward she wanted. Xander is home safe now. He and my step dad have been inseperable since he's come back home. I'm so happy!! When my mom told me everything, I just started crying. We missed him so much and we're so glad he's back home (but sad we didn't get a chance to see him before FH and I moved).

I just want to thank all of you for your advice and well wishes. He's going to the vet to get a check up and some shots. Thanks everyone!!! I'm so glad this story had a happy ending :D !!

[sarahh]

So happy Xander made it home! And what a wonderful woman to not accept the reward. Maybe your mom and step-dad could donate what would have been the reward to the animal shelter she works for?

[kithara]

I'm so happy for your family! Your story is so touching, I have tears in my eyes.

[KaliLily]

So happy you got your cat back! Congratulations! And what a wonderful story of human kindness.

[IrisHope]

Yayyayayayyayayayy Xander Is Back!!!!! I'm So Happy!!!

[southerner]

yeah!!!! thaks for the update, I've been wondering. You story prompted me to put collars back on my cats.

[vwinkel]

That is great news. I was starting to think that no news was bad news. Have your dad put that collar on him right away! I'm so happy for your dad!

[greenbunny]

Yay Xander! :D

[fuzzy]

YIPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

I love happy endings!

:D

[Sabrina]

:D yay!!!!

[ysolde]

Yaaayyyy!!!!

[jnettie]

Woopie!

[MLA]

Yay! :D

[GeekGirl]

Woot!!! :d :d :d :d :d :d

[Katybug236]

Double W00t!