Sorry to hear this Calvin. One thing to remember is they are usually less
than one mile away and it is *not* unusual to have them turn up 3 weeks or
more later. I would keep making evening rounds. That's when they would come
out of hiding to hunt if they are not trapped. Do not forget to look UP in
case they are trapped in a tree. Put out something that smells like you and
him, maybe some bedding he sleeps on, in a box so that the smell can carry.
I know one fellow who walked barefoot out from his house in a spoke pattern
so the cat could pick up his scent. The cat did return. Whether to the smell
or he just came home, I don't know. Good luck and keep us posted.

Karen

Hi Calvin,

There is some search info on this website:

http://www.metropets.org/How2help/losttips.htm

Also, a good place to look is in your neighbors
garages.  Sometimes a cat goes in when it is
open and gets trapped.  If the neighbor doesn't
open the garage much (maybe no cars parked there)
the cat may not be found.  If one of your
neighbors is on vacation, you may want to go
to their garage door and call the cat to see
if it will answer.

Good luck,
Debbie Berry
dberry@mitre.org

Hi Calvin,

What kind of neighborhood do you live in?  Do you have busy streets?
Are you in a "buffer zone," near trees or forests?  Check with all
neighbors within a couple blocks on all sides and ask them to check
their garages and sheds.  Walk up and down roads near your home and
check in the nearby brush.  If cats are hit by cars sometimes they
will limp off into the brush into the smallest imaginable holes.

Our family cat disappeared a few years back without a trace.  She
never ventured farther than 500 feet from any side of the house.  We
spent $300.00 just mailing out notices to every single house within
our neighborhood, we spent $250.00 to put a 1/4 page ad in our local
newspaper, we offered a $1000.00 reward even if somebody found her
dead.  Nothing.  It was a trying time for us but fortunately we have
two new loving cats who aren't allowed to go outside the backyard
area.  We did find out through our mailings to neighbors that 2 other
neighbor cats had disappeared around the same time while another
neighbor reported hearing packs of coyotes in the woods near our house
during the same time.  We put two and two together and assumed that is
what happened to her.  I hope your search turns out better.  Good
luck!

Don

***********************************************

"Free-ranging cats in the United States have an average lifespan in
the general population of only 3 to 5 years; indoor cats have an
average lifespan of 12 years and frequently live longer than 20
years..."
(Karen L. Overall, M.A., V.M.D., Ph.D., Diplomate, American College
of Veterinary Behavior; Department of Clinical Studies School of
Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania)

"The hazards of the outdoors-automobiles, dogs, rival cats, poisonous
plants, infectious diseases, and fleas, to name but a few-are
compelling reasons to keep cats exclusively indoors."
(Dr. James Richards, Director, Cornell Feline Health Center,
College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York)

"Cats can be happily kept inside all the time"
(Robert J. Holmes, BVM&S, PhD, MRCVS, FACVSc,
Cat Behavior and Training
Animal Behaviour Clinic, Malvern Vie 3 144, Australia)

<snip>

There is a wonderful story of a cat in Pierre Berton's "Cats I Have Known
and Loved" (more than one, actually, since the whole book is about cats).
One of his neighbours had a cat disappear suddenly while lounging on the
porch.  Seven months later, the cat showed up again, in not so good shape.
Piecing together the evidence, it was determined that the cat had very
likely been carried away by an owl, and was probably carried across a
not-so-nearby river.  Because Pousse-Pousse (the cat) could not swim, he had
to wait until the river froze before he could try to make his way back home.
In the meantime, he survived by eating small rodents and the like *and* was
very likely "taken in" by a herd of deer.  You'd have to read the story to
fully appreciate it.  I'm sure with my re-telling, it sounds like fiction,
but if you could read it, you would believe it.  The cat, btw, is still
living a very happy life (judging from his picture).

So, the moral of my story is, hope for the best, though be prepared for the
worst.

rona

I'm sorry about you're not being able to find your kitty, I will pray that he
turns up.

But PLEASE DONOT allow your cats to roam outdoors (unless you put them on a
"cat harness") and "walk them", or let them wander around outdoors W/YOU!

This is the very reason why I will NEVER condone cats being "let out"to wander
alone. Too many times I have picked up dead cats whose owners claimed "my cat
is so street savvy,he/she would NEVER go near traffic, other people etc".
Meanwhile their cats WERE found dead from either a "hit & run", cruel people,
or were killed by another animal! I want to keep my cats for as long as
possible, I want them to lead a happy, & healthy & joy filled life W/me! My
cats are my CHILDREN! If I had a (human) 2 year old child, I wouldn't allow her
to "wander" around on her own, and "HOPE" that she will return home ok! Please
take this to heart, and I really don't mean to come down on any of you cat
people out there, but PLEASE keep your cats indoors, (or at least if you must
let them out, make sure they are SAFE, go w/them, or keep them attached to a
leash/harness, and BE w/them). Better you be "safe" with their precious lives
now, then "crying" over them later!