Expert: Ali - 10/10/2009

Question
I think I've messaged you before a few times, several months ago about 2 kittens I adopted.

....and now my 2 boys are missing.

I am a firm believer that cats should not go outside, ever.
e.v.e.r.

my mom let them out a week ago and they have been gone since.
I am so depressed. I sit here and cry all day, I miss them so much.
how can I be so depressed over missing cats? my friends ask me that.
it's like they don't understand.


I've posted fliers everywhere in the neighborhood. talked to neighbors.
called vet clinics, rescue groups. painstakingly ridden up and down the street looking for bodies.
I've spent every free waking minute looking for them.
I have set up cat traps and have thus far caught the same cat twice (I believe it is a feral kitten) and caught a possum I had no idea what to do with. (I'm sure the look on my face was hilarious when I saw it.)

my neighbors have helped me look. one neighbor saw one of my cats about 4 days ago. he is recognizable because I tied a big blue bow to his collar.

he is also recognizable, because unlike most other cats in my neighborhood, both of my boys are huge, healthy, well groomed, and fixed.

I don't know what else to do except walk around and call their names.
I feel so depressed. I miss them so much.

I don't know if I could ever forgive my mom..

Answer
Kayla,

I certainly understand your conviction that a safe cat is an indoor cat (provided they're properly cared for of course, but it sounds like your guys are). I'm so sorry to hear that your mother let the cats outside (did she do it intentionally or was it an accidental escape?). It might be worth asking neighbors to look under decks or sheds, in garages and other semi sheltered environments because if you are in a temperate climate it's getting cooler outside. I would strongly advise that you keep putting food and fresh water outside because even if the cats aren't getting everything you put out they just might be getting something which beats not having anything to eat at all. My recommendations at this point would be as follows:

- Depending on the personalities of these little fellows it's quite possible that they hide during the majority of daylight hours (remember, cats are hardwired to hunt and be active at night). If you conduct searches in and around your neighborhood late at night (midnight or later) and bring along a dish and something extra smelly (but very yummy in most cats' opinions) like canned tuna, salmon or sardines packed in water. If your cats know their names and generally come when called the best time to catch them will be late at night when there's little or no activity in most residential neighborhoods. With some bribe food, a bit of luck and loads of patience you just might lure the cats back inside.

- Although I'm not sure what the circumstances surrounding the great escape of these cats are I would say that it's fairly reasonable for your mother to bear some of the cost of producing Lost Cat posters and distributing them (whether that's done by a copy shop like Staples or you do it on your own computer is really up to you). It's best if you use clear plastic document protectors to ensure that the posters remain legible in case it rains - after all, a soggy poster that doesn't provide clear information is of no use. Places that your kitties may turn up are well worth placing posters in or near. You could print off copies of your Lost Kitty posters to put into each neighbor's mailbox, on local sign posts, on pet store/vet clinic bulletin boards, neighboring areas can be covered with signs posted on hydro poles and it's extremely important that you make it well known to your local shelters and rescue groups that your kitty is lost (cats tend to have a higher euthanasia rate in shelters than dogs do so it's very important to check the lost and found section of the shelter as well as the medical ward, adoption cages and the areas near vet clinics, pet supply stores, etc. The more exposure these lost kitties get the better their chances of survival will be. I do think that it would be beneficial to consider putting ads on local tv/radio stations if you can afford to since you'll reach a wider audience that way. You could also ask local merchants in your area if you could put signs up in their store windows, community centers are also a good idea since many people use their services on a daily basis.

- Any posters or ads should include some basic information such as a written physical description of your missing cats (I recommend mentioning things like the fact these guys are neutered), a high quality recent photo of each cat, the fact that these guys are house mates, how long they've been gone, your home, cel and work phone numbers and it's also a very good idea to offer a cash reward ~ you do NOT have to specify how much money you'll offer the person who returns your cats to you or points you in the direction that gets these guys found quickly. You or someone you trust will absolutely need to be available 24/7 to respond to a call by someone who finds one or both of your cats - far too many people will simply send the cats on their way again if they get an answering machine or the phone isn't answered and once these guys are found you don't want to take these kinds of risks with their safety. I don't suggest including your address on your lost kitty posters because that can put you into some pretty dangerous situations and there are far too many sick people in the world to take those kinds of risks.

- It's a good idea to try and keep the humane trap in use (don't worry, possums generally aren't very aggressive, you can simply open the trap and let them go on their merry way and they generally will, if they don't then you can call your local wildlife center for advice on how to humanely remove these guys from the trap). If you catch the stray cat again then you may want to see if there is a local branch of Alley Cat Allies, this way the kitty gets fixed so that there aren't any accidental pregnancies and if the cat is indeed feral s/he'll be reintroduced to the area within day or so. The great thing about Allie Cat Allies is the fact that they will place adoptable cats for adoption, this means that if the cat you've caught is in fact stray (generally abandoned pets are where strays come from, ferals are often the descendents of abandoned pets, these kitties have received little or no socialization with people so they're often very fearful of people which can make them difficult to handle without thick, long, heavily padded welding gloves for protection).

- Check out animal shelters, rescue groups and veterinary hospitals within a few miles of your home (I doubt that neutered males strayed that far, but you never know, some cats are happy wanderers). Be sure to ask if each place keeps a DOA record just in case the little guys have somehow slipped their collar (or in the case of a breakaway it snapped when they got caught on something) - worst case scenario would be that one or both of your little guys has been hit by a car, if he was grievously injured or deceased on arrival then the DOA records should have that information ~ some organizations take pictures of each cat's markings in situations like this while doing their best to avoid traumatizing pet parents with disturbing images of their pets.

In the meantime, my thoughts are with you. I can imagine how heartbreaking and difficult it is to know that your fur kids are out there and you're having trouble finding them. Please feel free to contact me again and keep me posted as to what's happening and whether or not you've found your babies.