Expert: Norman Auspitz - 7/30/2009

Question
QUESTION: My cat fell asleep on top of our work car under the ladders and we didnt see her. After driving 1KM down a busy road we saw her jump off the moving car and run into a group of factories/shops. She has been missing for 6 days now, and I have spoken to the shops and left flyers and got a call that she was spotted outside one of the shops the day after she came off the car. I dont know what to do, I have done a letterbox drop all over the area and go to the site every night calling for her with a torch and some food, I have walked to and from the factories to home hoping she will pick up my scent and find her way home. She never goes missing and loves being at home, so I feel that she would of found her way back by now, we only live 1KM from where it happened. She is microchipped and has a leather collar with her name and my phone number on it. I have reported her missing to the council. I want to know is it still possible she can find her way back home? I have had her since she was a week old and she is now 3.5 years old and I miss her desperately.

ANSWER: Aimee,

Cats are usually pretty good at finding there ways back home.  They are also excellent in hiding in plain site. So she could be home but hiding.  Cats tend to stay pretty close to their home territory, so the odds are good that unless something happened to her in transit she is probably near your home.

You may have to just keep at it until you spot her again.  I have known of cats to go missing for weeks and then suddenly show up at home.

Let's all hope nothing untoward happened to Cougar.  She is microchipped and I assume the vets and shelters would scan for a microchip on a stray, especially one with a collar.

Please let me know if she shows up.

Best regards... Norm.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Norm,

I am very happy to say that Cougar is finally home. She was found in the mountains about 20kms from home. She probably wouldn't have made it home if she wasn't wearing a collar with my contact details on it. A young man was walking through the bush and she approached him, he gave her a pat and continued on his walk, he heard a squeky noise and turned around and she was running after him, he picked her up and called the number on the collar to see if she was missing.

She was gone for 13 nights, and is very happy to be home. Don't think she would of been able to find her own way home, so I feel very lucky that she found someone to get her home.

Kind regards
Aimee

Answer
Aimee,

WOW!!!!!!!!!!  20 km away.  Most cats do not wander that far away from their home territory, although Cougar ended up in parts unknown after jumping from the truck!!!!!

I am so glad Cougar was found and that you are reunited.  

All's well that ends well.

I thank you for the update, it made my week!!!!!!!!!!

Happy regards... Norm