Posted on 07/22/2013 9:06:25 PM PDT by cradle of freedom
Could someone help me with this mystery. Our cat slipped out of the house on the night of June 21. We realized that she had not be feeling well since she had not been eating for a couple of days.
She was an indoor cat who slipped out when my husband left the basement door propped open as he was bringing something out of the basement. She slipped out when he wasn't looking.
She was 12 years old so it would not be unusual that she would go away to die. There are woods across the street and we believe that she went there. I hoped that somehow she didn't die but would return home again. This is when it gets a little unusual--last week on July 15--last Monday--I was sleeping lightly when I heard meowing at 2:30 in the morning. I jumped out of bed and ran to the open window calling her name, but I did not hear any response.
There were three meows, it sounded like the way she meowed but of course I cannot be sure but I do not think that I ever heard a cat meowing outside. Sometimes cats walk through our yard but I don't think that I have ever heard one meow. I have been wondering if she could have lived for three weeks and was meowing to say goodbye.
There is a brook in the woods not far from the street so she would have had plenty of water to drink for three weeks but do you think it was possible that she lived for three weeks without eating?
Our Mama Cat disappeared during a blizzard. Days passed, weeks passed. I fully expected to see her frozen carcass during the spring thaw.
One night the neighbors house’s lights were all on. No one was living there, and it was discovered there was a burglary. Mama cat was inside. Apparently she followed them in. (Does that make her a cat burglar?)
Mama Cat feasted on mice in the basement, drank water out of one of the commodes, and went to the bathroom in the other. She looked healthy.
Your cat is probably doing what cats like to do.
I’ll apologize in advance and admit that I know it was a typo but it’s irresistibly compelling......What type of cat kibble goes into the foot cup or is it just some chopped and dried foot in a regular cup?
Sorry, I’ll go away now..
Can you entice her with some catnip?
That is so sad. My heart goes out to you. I think you should try everything as they all seem to be excellent tips. Please let us know when she returns home. All best wishes.
I’ve heard that outside cats you consider as yours often have another family somewhere. Even cats that just go out at night. So maybe your cat moved down the street or across town. She may well come back.
I’d keep putting her favorite food on the front porch for an hour at night when you can watch out the window. My cat goes crazy for Friskies Party Mix treats, so maybe your kittie would find those irresistible too.
Let us know what happens, and good luck, cradle of freedom.
“Can you help with my cat mystery?”
As someone who has owned cats and dogs, I believe I can help you.
Forget about the cat and get a dog. Dogs don’t pull this kind of bull s***.
Cats revert to wild activity very easily.
Mice, small animals, and surprisingly enough, grasshoppers.
Some studies have shown that half the diet of a feral cat is grasshoppers.
Even house cats have instincts to catch prey, so I think it is quite possible she could survive. The good thing is it’s summer so it’s not too cold. Other than keeping on looking for her I would second getting a live trap and putting food and seeing if maybe she will go in there and be captured. I guess the question is whether you might accidentally catch something else, like a raccoon or skunk. That would not be good. Raccoons are mean and skunks, well, skunks are skunks.
Oh, and 12 is not that old. Our neighbors have an outdoor cat that has to be at least 17 or 18 and he is still going strong.
It is absolutely possible she survived 3 weeks or 3 months for that matter. Cats know how to find food!!! And she has water.
Yes, she may have gone away to die.
Yes, she MAY have gotten better and maybe she is out there, yet.
I would do the only obvious thing, to go walking as often as you can and call her. Bring tunafish or whatever she likes best.
She MAY be out there and you will never be comfortable about this unless you at least go walking and call her for a few weeks now.
(Been there, done that! This is just how it goes....part of being her care-taker)
good luck with it!
Wanna bet? Neighbor's Yorkie (12 yo) took off with a dog pack and was found four months later in a shelter 50 miles from home. His poor had been bereft. The man died three months after getting the dog back.
All the advice so far is terrific.
I had a cat who lived to be 20. Our present cat is 15 and, while mature, is not old or feeble. Old cats get quite skinny and crave heat. If that doesn’t describe yours, it is likely doing just fine.
All of my cats have gone in and out. Even declawed cats (front paws only), can catch food easily and still climb trees.
I had one of those cats who had multiple families. The neighbors knew it was ours, but let it in and fed it anyway. He behaved better at their house: the wife was impressed that he didn’t go on her counters. He was quite happy to climb onto ours.
Not sure they crawl away to die. I had one cat just keel over sidewise and that was that.
I hope she comes back OK. If she was healthy she may be OK. They usually come back during the day though. Cats don’t get lost usually.
Is it possible the cat is trapped between the inside and exterior walls of the house?
Cats can definitely live for three weeks (or longer) without *you* putting out food for them. She may have found a kindhearted neighbor who thinks she’s a stray. Or she may be a better mouser than you think. I don’t think you should give up on her yet.
The trapping suggestion that someone already made is a very good one. The have-a-heart live trap is very easy to operate. You may be able to buy one (cat size runs about $45), rent one from a feed store or pet store, or borrow one from a feral cat program (they will often lend out their traps to trap ferals, or for a good cause like getting your kitty back again). Cats can WANT to come back home but get VERY freaked out, and it’s hard to get hold of them if they’re in that nutty state. So the trapping might do the trick. (We had a cat who was part Siamese and would get completely ballistic on the rare occasions when he managed to slip out of the house. My husband had to dress in a heavy coat, put on leather gloves, and still wrap Crazy Cat in a quilt to get him back in the house without getting injured!!)
Best wishes for getting your kitty back!
Cats are funny little critters. We share two with the people next door and have not gotten any to replace the two that died. First one, the old momma cat just went away followed by her very youthful but flighty offspring. Something tells me Puddy found a new family since she was a big grey long hair calico who was very prissy.
Cats are mostly very private about dying and will go to some quiet small place and just go to sleep. I’ve seen it several times.
Cats love grasshoppers. Growing up I used to take my barn cats walking in the early morning to hunt grasshoppers. They were still cold and easy for th kitties to catch. They all loved going.
If there are woods, there's food... especially in the summer.
I think the "back to say bye" theory is completely plausible. Cats do some amazing things.
Cats tend to come back to the place they escaped from. Leave that door cracked with some food. Good luck.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.