10 Month Kitten Went Missing

[fishbowl]

My indoor cat went into heat three days ago and escaped outside the same day. It was raining that day and she hates water. We haven't seen any signs of her since and I'm really worried that shes lost and may never find her way home. She has never escaped this long (last time was about 4 hours but she came back) Do you think we'll see her again?

Some more info; We have her food, bed, and litterbox out on the front porch but none of them have been touched and she hasn't eaten since she went missing. She isn't fixed and doesn't have a microchip, she was scheduled to get both those things in a few months. She does have a collar with our address and phone number on it but I'm worried it may have come off

 

[fishbowl]

...she was scheduled to get both those things in a few months.

*A few weeks, not months.

 

[Willowy]

She's probably in heat and looking for a male. She will have been mated when she gets back. If you don't want kittens, schedule a spay for right away.

She should come back, unless something happens. Cats usually don't stay away for long. But she will definitely have met a tomcat.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I would be making flyers with her picture and hang them around the area, and give them to any nearby vet locations as well as shelters/rescue centers. Go door to door (neighbors, offices, etc.) and inquire about her - also, hand them flyers. Someone may have taken her in since it was raining at that time, thinking she is a stray that someone dumped in the area.

At dusk and dawn sit outside calling her and shaking a bag/can of her favorite food/treats. Stay as long as you can - ideally 1/2 hour to allow her to make her way back to you if she hears you.

There may be more tips/information in this TCS article that might help.

Help! My Cat Is Lost!

 

[fishbowl]

I've got a poster done up for her and will be putting them out for her tomorrow. I'll try sitting outdoors tonight, even as its raining.
Will she cold if she gets soaked in the rain? It wasn't raining yesterday but it is today and will be for the next two days. And what will she have been eating while she's been out? The last time I fed her was about 56 hours ago.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Good on the posters!!!!

She has probably found a place to hide when it rains. But, if you call to her, she just might chance getting a bit wet to come to you, if she is nearby. I don't know what your weather is like, so I have no idea if she would get cold or not. I live in Florida, and it is summer here, so not cold even when raining!

Other people could be feeding/leaving food out for her, or she can scavenge for food, including mice or rats, maybe even other small animals. I think if she is hungry enough, she will kill to eat.

 

[Kflowers]

This may sound a bit odd, but you might poke around your neighborhood and see if there is a place a lot of cats seem to be hanging out - in side yards, back yards. If so there is a good chance these are tom cats deciding who gets to court her. You could ask the people who live there if the toms have been fighting. Toms do not keep their fights quiet. Tell the people you are looking for your lady cat and want to take her home. They may well help you find her and remove her from their yards. Tom cats like to fight at night and it involves a lot of erratic screaming.

 

[fishbowl]

Our weather is usually pretty damp, not nice. It currently drops to around 11 degrees (celcius) overnight and hovers around 16 during the day. We do have a couple neighbors that have left food out in hopes of finding her, but they haven't seen her yet. She practically disappeared in the few minutes after she got out.

I'll see if I can ask around tomorrow and see if anyone's seen or heard anything like that.

 

[fishbowl]

As of this morning we still haven't been able to find her.

We've gotten two calls from people who've seen a cat that may have been her though, so there is hope that she is okay.

 

[fishbowl]

I went out to call for her this morning and she was waiting at the front door! Im so glad she came home! She looks okay but her meow is different. Is that a sign of being sick or is she just accustomed to being outside after 6 days?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

OH THANK GOD! Monitor that meow for a couple of days. If it still sounds funny on Monday, get her checked. She may have simply meowed like crazy, looking for home.

 

[fishbowl]

Will do! Thank you

 

[FeebysOwner]

So happy she came home! I agree with Mamanyt1953 about monitoring the meow!!

Give us an update as you can!!!

 

[Kflowers]

You'll need to take her in to get her spayed, right now. There is a good chance she's pregnant and if not will go into heat again within a couple of weeks and run off to look for a male. Or she'll sing for them and they will come to her. Yes, she can get pregnant at 10 months, at 9 months even.

But I can't tell you how glad I am she came home. I'll cling to every single happy ending tooth and claw.

 

[fishbowl]

We're aware, and we're okay if she has kittens. We don't know if she's pregnant yet, but we'll figure out in a few weeks. I had arrangements made to get her spayed next month via the SPCA, and I have spoken to them about her escaping and the possibilities that it might have brought, and we worked something out if it happens.

 

[Kflowers]

Cats always put their plans ahead of ours. So happy sweet thing is home, and glad you'll take care of her little ones if she has them.