stolen cat

[Sus4728]

My cat has been missing about 4 weeks, I'm maybe clutching at straws but we think some one else was feeding him, you know, wet nights he would appear happy, full and dry and they may have stolen him. I've searched on sites for houses sold in the area around the time and I'm planning to quiz the new residents but is there any other way to find out where the people have moved to and has this happened to anyone else. Its the last option I can think off and I'm desparate. Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks

[drgnrdr]

please don't get me started....>>walking away>>>

[woofgang]

they may not have stolen him!! they may not know about you. cats are notorious for having more than one home.. maybe yours has just voted with his paws!!

[felinechums]

I am so sorry to hear that your cat has gone missing. You could try putting an ad (with a photo if you have one) in your local paper. As woofgang says, if someone has him, they may not realise that he already has a home. Some years ago, one of my cats ended up in the local animal sanctuary because the elderly lady who thought he was hers had gone into a nursing home and had asked her relatives to make sure the cat was ok. I do hope you find your cat. Best of luck.

[mw]

i thought i had lost my 10 year old cat this year. I asked about and eventually she ran out in front of my car 9 weeks later. I asked about and it turned out someone was feeding her. I got them to stop and she hasnt gone missing since.

Ask about she may be getting fed by someone and if so get them to stop. if they dont then keep the cat inside.

[l_h_kings]

Hi Sus,

This happened to my friend too, Her Tom cat disappeared and she hadn't seen him for about 3 months. Unfortuntely she had to move to another area and gave up hope of ever seeing him again. On the day she was moving, he reappeared from out of the bushes and she quickly grabbed him and loaded him in the van too. It seems whereever he had gone to, he was still keeping an eye on her.

I'm not suggesting that you hire Pickfords for the day, but just some hope that male cats do stray and return.

I suspect My Cat (sister of friend's cat) is also fed by my neighbours. Annoying isn't it? Funny they don't mind feeding them, but never offer to pay for the vaccinations, insurance or boarding kennels!

[hannahjo]

Sorry to hear about your cat Sus. Some good advice here, if he does reappear then have you thought of getting him a collar with your contact number on it? I know some cats really don�t like wearing them, but if he could tolerate it for a little while then if he is wandering off to someone else they would hopefully realise that he has an owner and leave him alone. I really hope you find him xxx

[Sus4728]

Thanks for these comments, our cat did have a collar and ID tag, thats what makes me think that if someone does have him they've taken him knowing he has a home. I'm just not sure how to go about tracing the people who have moved, they might not have him but it will drive me crazy not knowing whats happened to him.

Thanks

[drgnrdr]

Sorry Sus4728, you are new and don't know me. I advocate keeping cats indoors for this and lots of other reasons, mainly their health and their safety. I didn't want to step on my soapbox again, and let go a tirade. Wasn't in the mood.

Someone once told me that I could send an empty envelope, send it to the old address and put on it address correction requested, but not sure what mail system you have.

If you'd really like to find them try to find a website like this to help you...

http://www.abika.com/default.htm

[Tammera]

also phone all the vets in your area and tell them you have a missing cat, if you can take a photo in even better. phone the rspca, and any other rescue centre in your area, take a picture to if you can. another thing that makes a huge difference, is putting up notices in your area. my ferret went missing about 4 years ago, i put up notices in the streets around me, i had a number of people phone me say they saw her (but was to scared to pick her up as people hear such untrue things of ferrets) in the end about 2 weeks later rspca phoned me saying someone had got her and put a hamster cage over her and told me where they was. my mum lost her puppy we did the same, but because she was so young in cold weather we also went door to door asking them to look in their sheds etc, later that day she was brought back out of someones shed. notices in the street are very good things.

if you do get her back get her microchiped its very cheap, my neighbour lost her dog (although we think he was stolen) after a few weeks she lost hope, 9 months later he was brought back due to being microchipped, she would never have got him back if he wasnt.

i think i also have the same problem with my cat being fed elsewhere, my cat was 2 kg overweight about a year and a half ago, she was on dried food and i also got her the foils as a treat each day because i hate the thought of just dried food no matter how good it is. so when the vet told me to diet her, i changed her dried food to diet food (nutro) and stopped the foils. she has always hated going outside unless it was like 30 in the shade. in the last 6 months shes always wanted to go out no matter how bitter wet and cold it is, and shes getting fatter again.

[Sus4728]

Yes, I am new to this site. I have tried vets and local rescue organisations, flyers through doors etc. This cat was of dog proportions and physically ripped the locked cat flap off the door if he couldn't get out ! He is full of character and I just hope he's in another home being looked after. Thanks for all the support and advice. I'll update if I have any news.

Thanks

[ruthann58]

one of mine went missing for 11 months and just turned up home one day so dont give up hope

[sarahbrowne]

Hi there, I am so sorry to hear about your cat. We are in the same position although ours has only been missing since 14/08. It is heartbreaking. Sometimes ours would come in very warm after a freezing night so am suspecting someone might have been feeding him elsewhere and now he has got stuck in. I have put posters up, distributed leaflets, and registered on lots of lost and found cat sites. I haven't quizzed the residents yet although I have asked people in passing. i think you need to knock on some local doors and get people to check their sheds and things. Am thinking of you. Good luck. Sarahx