[big_red_ottb]

to lose a kitty?

My big cat Rocket (aka Bear - he was a BIG cat) disappeared two nights ago. He was never a wanderer, so I doubt that he wandered off or got trapped in someone's garage. The house backs up to a large open space where we know coyotes come and go, and there have been some mountain lion sightings before. He's the fourth we've lost to wild animals in the 7 years since moving up here.

We actually adopted him about 3 weeks after moving up here. One of the two cats we had brought up with us, a persnickety bob tailed old man, had snuck out and disappeared. We were devastated - coming from a suburban part of the East Bay, losing cats to anything but old age or illness was shocking. We'd gone to the county animal shelter to look, just in case, but no such luck. While we were walking around looking at the cats, this little bob-tailed kitten that I hadn't noticed reached out of its cage and grabbed my shirt. He just had to come home with us.

He had so much personality, and was the biggest love. Rocket was always the dominant cat in the house, although I think that had most to do with sheer size. He started out a lithe, athletic kitten and turned into a huge, 25 pound cat.

Of our four kitties, I never worried about him disappearing - he never went far, and he was always in for dinner at 6. So my stomach dropped when he was nowhere to be seen that evening. I know it's the risk we take for having indoor/outdoor kitties, but each loss has been like a punch to the gut.

I didn't mean to make a novel out of this...I guess it's just hard to say goodbye.

[Sobriska]

Aww, even though he has not wandered before, doesn't mean he is lost forever.
I had one go missing for two weeks. I was sure I would never know what became of him. But two weeks passed and he came home, no worse for wear.
Jingling your kitty comes home safe.

[jetsmom]

Hoping he turns up. Does he wear a collar? If so, walk fencelines, and look near brush, etc...anything he could get caught on. If you have a dog, see if you can walk him, and maybe see if he'll track him. Maybe try going out at dusk and calling for him, when it's quiet and see if you can hear him meowing. Ck any storage sheds/barns to see if he got caught behind a closed door. Pass out fliers to all neighbors.

[big_red_ottb]

Thanks Sobriska and jetsmom... I'm hoping, but not optimistic. We've put up flyers and posted on CL. He didn't wear a collar, just wouldn't tolerate it. My family and I have been trekking up into the brush behind and around the house with our dog, so it's still possible we might find something. There are a few scattered houses up the hill behind us, so we might go knock on their doors...

I just noticed that the next door neighbors are gone for the week, and they left on Thursday, the day he disappeared...I'll see if I can reach them on their cell and maybe ask if I can check their garage.

[jetsmom]

Thanks Sobriska and jetsmom... I'm hoping, but not optimistic. We've put up flyers and posted on CL. He didn't wear a collar, just wouldn't tolerate it. My family and I have been trekking up into the brush behind and around the house with our dog, so it's still possible we might find something. There are a few scattered houses up the hill behind us, so we might go knock on their doors...

I just noticed that the next door neighbors are gone for the week, and they left on Thursday, the day he disappeared...I'll see if I can reach them on their cell and maybe ask if I can check their garage.

Could the neighbors have left a door open while they were packing the car, and he slipped inside their house unnoticed? Then they locked up and left and he is trapped inside?

[Bluey]

We always had some barn cats and clients would keep bringing theirs to dump them here.
After many years of losing them to our wildlife, we finally got smart and don't have any cats now.

The last two we saw that wandered or were dropped off lasted one night.
Our resident bobcat took care of the intruders right off.

If you do have a serious problem with your wildlife snacking on your cats, you too may ought to reconsider replacing them in your situation, unless you are ok with providing your wildlife with cat snacks.

Sometimes, those are the realities of living out in the country.
You either let nature take it's course, or interfere best you can to keep yours protected.
Some times, that means not having cats.

I hope your cat is just having a good time somewhere and will be back after a few days.
Cats are known for that.

Do check in your hay stack.
Once we had a big cat get inside the hay stack, between bales and get hung in there or someone moved a bale over the hole he used to get in there.
Luckily for him, we found him, moved bales around and got him out.

[Guin]

Definitely check ALL outbuildings, garages, basements that might have had windows open. A few years ago Mr. Kitty got trapped in our neighbor's garage for almose a week. We had LOOKED in there but he was wedged in a far corner under some boxes, and didn't make a sound when we were looking. Amazingly, one night when I came home from work and was in my yard adjacent to their garage, I heard him howling. We had really given him up. So keep looking !

[sk_pacer]

Yes, definitely check outbuildings and at night when it is still and call at the same time. A cat went missing here and I thought he was gone. Went out a bit late on day two, and heard a faint 'OW OW' so called and the 'OW OW' got louder and desperate. Headed slowly east and finally, with the help of the other cats, got the general area. Found the bugger in an unused grain bin where one cat always hunts, and this guy followed and couldnt get back out. That was the first and only time I actually picked up and held that cat without him trying to shred me.

[clint]

I hope he is just out on a walkabout and he comes back. Don't give up yet. I had a cat disappear for days and then reappear like nothing ever happened. She doesn't go out anymore, and something must have happened, because she doesn't want to.

To answer your original question? No, it doesn't get any easier to lose one.

[JumpQH]

Don't give up hope! Keep looking! You just never know!

[alabama]

My little "feral" brown kitty went missing for three weeks. I was so sad because she was always there for breakfast and dinner. I was sure she was long gone. Then one night, there she was waiting for dinner. I have another cat that will tree himself for a week or so at a time. Luckily the two times that he's done it have been in trees in my front yard so I at least knew where he was.

Your kitty may very well come back. I hope he does!

BTW, I tried to take my "feral" brown kitty inside last night and she howled like I was beating her. I'd love to make her an indoor but she doesn't seem to like the idea.

[mvp]

I had a fat one go missing. Then he reappeared?

Turns out, kitteh got a cut on his side and decided it was going to kill him. He went on a spiritual/existential journey, like one of those Native American quests where you go into the woods by yourself.

When he decided he wasn't going to actually die and/or talked to God enough, he returned. He also looked pretty good, had slimmed down some.

A big slacker usually knows how to take care of himself. Give this one time, OP.

[yellowbritches]

I had a fat one go missing. Then he reappeared?

Turns out, kitteh got a cut on his side and decided it was going to kill him. He went on a spiritual/existential journey, like one of those Native American quests where you go into the woods by yourself.

When he decided he wasn't going to actually die and/or talked to God enough, he returned. He also looked pretty good, had slimmed down some.

A big slacker usually knows how to take care of himself. Give this one time, OP.

This cracked me up!!!

I've lost a couple, and it still breaks my heart when I think about them. One I had for 10 years...and one day she never came home.

My boys do go outside (they are "house" cats, but we would all die a slow and miserable death if I left them in 24/7 in my tiny house...it was nearly a triple homicide/suicide during Sandy when I tortured them by keeping them in for 36 hours!). Both have wandered off for the better part of a week (separately...even my fat ass mama's boy). I start to panic on night 3. I know there is ALWAYS a chance they won't come home (we live out in the country, after all), but I always remain hopeful.

Cats can wander a LONG time. I just saw on Facebook that a friend's cat came back after THREE MONTHS.

[mvp]

^^

And let that be a lesson to you, re: cats' free will. They don't care about weather (that is someone else's fault). They want want they want, don't have jobs and therefore have all day to complain and get it.

[big_red_ottb]

Thank you for all the kind words! The neighbors let me check out their garage and house - no luck, but he's always had a quiet meow, so I'll go back and do a little more searching tomorrow. I'll also do another backwoods search tomorrow...it's supposed to be the first clear day since Thursday.

Beyond that, I just have to cross my fingers and hope. I always threaten to make them indoor only cats after one goes missing, but they turn into destructive little fiends if I'm even a little bit late in opening the door....

[crosscreeksh]

Crossing fingers that your find him. I HATE to lose track of one of my animals. "Everyone" here is expected to show up ON TIME for meals, but sometimes a cat gets distracted and forgets the time. Hopefully that is your guy's excuse. Is he fixed?? That sometimes causes them to go missing. Jingles!!

[abbydp]

So sorry you are going through this. Don't give up!! I lost my boy after moving them to a different farm. He had been a wanderer but showed up when called for dinner. I skipped one night and he was gone. I looked everywhere, put up signs, the whole deal. 10 1/2 weeks later he came trotting in to the old barn like "hey how's it going?" Not a mark on him and no idea how he made it 12 miles on his own, but that was his last journey. He comes in every night now and is spoiled rotten. I will keep everything crossed for your big boy. Hopefully he is just stuck somewhere and will reappear. Hugs - it sucks. I wouldn't wish the not knowing on my worst enemy.

[big_red_ottb]

Unfortunately, I don't have good news. A pack of coyotes ran right behind my fence last night. I'm used to some howling and yipping in the distance, but this is the closest they've ever been.

I've been walking up and down the hills and calling every night. I've explored every nearby house and building. Fingers still crossed, but I've said goodbye as best I can. Thank you so much for all of your kind words, everyone.

Any suggestions on discouraging coyote activity? I don't have any small livestock nearby, but a few neighbors do.

[shea'smom]

I lost my stay at home Madeline in May, never saw any sign of her. So when my big orange cat didn't show up a couple of weeks ago I assumed the coyotes got him and probably her too. Then dang if he didn't show up after a week. I was all set to go get a donkey. I hope yours shows up.