How to move on

[Bluebell]

Hi, I am posting on here because I could really do with some support following my cat's disappearance on Weds (7th Dec). I have done all I can in terms of posters, flyers, facebook, contacting the microchip company etc. Knocked on all the neighbours doors asking them to check garages etc. Now its just a waiting game.
I am beginning to think she might not come back. She seems to have just vanished. I wonder if she's been hit by a car, or even stolen. The latter is my worst case scenario, she came to us 4 months ago as a rescue and this was supposed to be her forever home. I can't bear the thought of her out there somewhere, hurt, or hungry, or scared, or being badly treated.
How am I supposed to move on from this? When do I put away her food bowl? I just feel so sad and like I have let her down somehow.

[Mayday21]

Hi Bluebell so sorry to read your post - I'll send +Ve thoughts & im sure other seasoned posters will post as well. Have you tried rattling the food dish? Walking round calling? It's so worrying. Vivian

[Lilith]

Hi there. Yes, at the moment there is no moving on - you're stuck in a horrible limbo that can only be resolved by news, good or bad, or her return. You've come to the right place as I think most of us have experienced this and it's the worst thing in the world, to be at the mercy of your imagination and worries - and guilt, needless in your case I think. You've searched in every way you can; you've had her microchipped.

Three days isn't long - but it's easy for me to say that; they must seem like the longest three days of your life. It is, without exaggerating, torment. Every little sound, is that her, count up to a hundred and then check the door again ...

I do wish I could do something more than to say you're among friends here and that we'll all be hoping and praying she turns up soon. Is Bluebell her name? Do you have a photo?

I for one will be concentrating on thinking, 'come home,' to her and I imagine anyone who reads your thread will be thinking the same.

I really do hope she comes back as soon as possible, hugs and good vibes, Lil x

[Kay]

everyone's nightmare - stuck between hope and despair

the one thing I would urge you to do is renew posters and flyers after a month, and if necessary after two months, saying Still Missing

it can take some time before someone who sees an unknown cat in their area realizes it doesn't seem to have a home and there are a lot of people out there who will feed a seeming stray without making much effort to find out if it has a home - I myself started occasional feeding of a pedigree cat which was hanging around my garden for a few months, thinking it must have a home, before I realized he was living in my garden all the time

I still haven't been able to get near enough to him to get him to the vet to have him checked for a microchip - so it could be that your girl is being looked after and one day the chip will be discovered

I do hope so

[Bluebell]

Hi, thanks so much for all your replies, it means a lot just to know that there are people out there who understand the nightmare. Thank you for all the positive thoughts. Some really good ideas and advice too which I will definitely take on board. I will make more effort with posters as siggested if still no sign after a few more days.
She is called Lottie. We've only had her 4 months, we got her after our dear old Molly had to be put to sleep aged 18. I thought Lottie would have a long happy life with us just as Molly did. If Lottie doesn't come home I'm not even sure Incould cope with getting another cat, its too hard going through this.
I was going to attach a picture but it says file too large. She is such a pretty cat and although not the most affectionate, she was very happy in our home. Come home Lottie.

[bobbys girl]

I agree with all that has been said. Perhaps this will give you some hope. My sister's cat went missing. She searched and called for him, she put up posters and called all the local vets and shelters. She was beginning to doubt she would ever see him again when he wandered back in, thin and dusty, but otherwise fine. She found out later he had been locked in a neighbour's garage when they went on holiday.

COME HOME SOON LOTTIE!

[Bluebell]

Thank you Bobby's girl for a positive story. All I can do is wait. I know that cats can and have survived for a remarkable length of time whilst missing and am clinging onto that hope.

[alanc]

Just to give you one other lost cat story with a happy ending, although about 18 years old by now. My old cat Misty went missing 4-5months after I got him from the Blue Cross as a 9 year old. He was missing for 9 weeks and I had given him up for lost (and given his senior cat food away) when I got a call out of the blue from someone who has seen his wanted poster at the local vets. Transpired they had been on holiday for several months in Australia and when they got back found they had two cats! Seems that Misty (who must have got frightened by something and got totally lost - he was about 0.75 a mile away from home) had found their cat flap open and moved in. Their neighbor who had been feeding their cat just assumed they now had two!

[Bluebell]

Wow alanc that is amazing! I bet you had given up all hope. Goes to show that it is worth putting up the posters too. Thank you for sharing your story.

[Alice]

This story of a VERY long lost cat (missing 14 years, then found 25 miles from home) was in the press recently.....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ssing.html

It's a pity they can't tell us where they've been, when they do return. Here's hoping you'll soon have good news about Lottie.

[Janey]

So sorry you’ve lot your cat. Keep doing all the things on the lost cat advice on here, and don’t lose hope. We hear of many cats who turn up after weeks, months even years. One I remember was a work colleague of my sister, her daughter’s cat was missing weeks and was actually living with an elderly couple. They didn’t know to check for a chip, it was only when the cat came in with a wound that they took it to a vet and when they told the vet about the cat they checked for a chip and the cat was returned.
I will keep my fingers crossed your cat’s home very soon ((hugs)).

[Lilith]

Hey Bluebell, still thinking of you and Lottie - I take it there's no news yet?

Everything still crossed here for her safe return x

[Bluebell]

Thanks for asking Lilith, we have put posters up which have led to a possible sighting not far from us. We are away this weekend but have shared the news on the local lost cats Facebook page, and my parents are around should we get any further news. The place she has been possibly seen is by the woodlands so goodness that only knows how I would find/catch her!

[Alice]

Is there a local charity that would lend you a trap to try to catch her, if you get a reliable indication of her whereabouts? She'd probably be hungry enough to be tempted into it by some of her favourite food.

I do hope it's really her that's been seen and she isn't far away. She might respond to your voice if you call her, and have food or treats to offer her, giving you chance to scruff her while she's tucking in. Good luck.

[Lilith]

The sighting sounds hopeful, like Alice I do hope it's her, agree with Alice about the trap too. So sorry you haven't had better news though and hope you get her back soon.

All the very very best and please keep in touch x

[Mayday21]

Hi Bluebell still putting out those +Ve thoughts & the 3-Puss-keepers paws crossed to. And I'll also say a little prayer. Vivian