A Horrible Year with Cats and it's Only April!

[jefferd18]

Sadness
As some of you may know, I lost my special needs cat, Avatar, a few weeks ago. I was barely making a dent in accepting his death when my elderly kitty, Vale, wondered outside and was never seen again. She was nineteen, frail, senile, and I also believe she had kidney failure. I did not euthanize her because she still had a great appetite and loved her water. She would also still try to catch the occasional spider at times.
I put out fliers, contacted vets and animal control , knocked on doors and even purchased a high beam flashlight to look for her at night. She was deaf as a post and had pretty much lost her meow so that ruled out any hope of hearing one another.
I know she could not have made it.
Then something weird but nice happened. The other day when I was getting out of my car I felt warmth on my face and a sense of peace as Vale's image flashed before my eyes. It only lasted a brief second but I know it was her way of telling me that she was okay.
Its funny, but I was never close to Vale as she was an awful biter, ( for no reason!) so I was surprised that she, of all my cats, would take the time out to comfort me and say good-bye.
I always knew she was pretty, being pure white with dimples, but I underestimated her empathy.

Now comes my next crisis with these problem causing little tigers.
Two of my unfixed young male cats got out. I had caught them over at Hoods parking-lot and they were destined to be neutered and then off to a nice home. The littler one had formed a bond with me so I decided to keep him.
I couldn't figure out how either got out of my house until I discovered a very lose glass pane in one of my downstairs' windows.
Unfortunately one of my neighbors saw the cats and complained that they had gotten into a fight and woke her up at twelve. Now this person has always gripped about my cats, saying I had too many and she knew that because she caught them looking out the window at her. The nerve of some cats. This person has a husband, a baby, a job and yet she still doesn't have a life. This is the same neighbor who yelled at my other neighbors for trying to climb a tree earlier this year to rescue my kitty. And it wasn't even her yard, her tree, or her cat!

Those two cats have now been gone for five days and have pretty much dropped off the face of the planet. I can't find them anywhere, not even a distant sighting. No vet or the guy at animal control has seen these cats. I knocked on doors, like I did with Vale and everybody is pretty much on the same page: 'NO, WE HAVE NOT SEEN THOSE CATS'.
My ad in the paper comes out on Thursday, with a reward offered.
I can't help but suspect the one neighbor.

Otherwise, I am at a loss at what to do. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Please don't jump me about the benefits of neutering and how I was an idiot for not doing it. All my cats have been neutered and spayed, except for the two who found and exploited a lose window pane.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. So sorry about how this year has gone for you so far. RIP little Avatar - and Vale. But, it was nice to hear about Vale saying her farewell to you!

This is kitten season, so I suspect your buds are out and about making babies. With any luck they will show up after they have had their time sowing their wild oats.

I think you have pretty much done what you can do to find them - just keep going outside, especially dusk and dawn, sitting down in one place for awhile, shaking a can/bag of treats/food and calling to them to see if they might be interested in getting some food from you. And, of course as you know, get that pane fixed so if you do catch them, they can't get out again!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I think that FeebysOwner may be right, here. The girls in the neighborhood are singing sweet songs, and the boys just can't help listening. I suspect, given nothing untoward happens in the meantime, that they will come home looking insufferably smug about it all. HOWEVER...be sure you check with animal control, the actual shelter, and local vets/rescue groups twice a week. Animal control officers, shelters and rescues are generally overworked and understaffed, so you don't want your boys slipping between the cracks.

 

[jefferd18]

Hi. So sorry about how this year has gone for you so far. RIP little Avatar - and Vale. But, it was nice to hear about Vale saying her farewell to you!

This is kitten season, so I suspect your buds are out and about making babies. With any luck they will show up after they have had their time sowing their wild oats.

I think you have pretty much done what you can do to find them - just keep going outside, especially dusk and dawn, sitting down in one place for awhile, shaking a can/bag of treats/food and calling to them to see if they might be interested in getting some food from you. And, of course as you know, get that pane fixed so if you do catch them, they can't get out again!

Thank you, FeebysOwner
. None of my other cats even made an attempt to get through that pane.
You would think they would come back to a reliable food source at some time.
Oh, they are off to my vet once I get them back. I thought it was safe at my house because I didn't have any unfixed female cats but I seriously underestimated the male cat sex drive. I am really upset with myself because by not getting those two fixed, I became part of the cat explosion problem.

 

[jefferd18]

I think that FeebysOwner may be right, here. The girls in the neighborhood are singing sweet songs, and the boys just can't help listening. I suspect, given nothing untoward happens in the meantime, that they will come home looking insufferably smug about it all. HOWEVER...be sure you check with animal control, the actual shelter, and local vets/rescue groups twice a week. Animal control officers, shelters and rescues are generally overworked and understaffed, so you don't want your boys slipping between the cracks.

Thank you for the advice, Mamanyt1953 .
I will call those places twice a week, especially the county animal control. Local animal control takes all of his animals to my vet if they are sick or need to be fixed and my vet told me today that he will be on the look out for those two.
I wish I had taken a photo. The little one is cream color with a red stripped head, a red mask and has blue eyes. I hope that makes him stand out a little bit.
The second male kitty is huge, like Main Coon Cat huge. The first one will come to me, the second one is still deathly afraid of all humans. He's not mean but he wants nothing to do with us.

I've kinda had it with cats at this point.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

We ALL get to the "I've kinda had it with cats at this point" point at some time or another. Hang in there, and keep us posted!

 

[jefferd18]

We ALL get to the "I've kinda had it with cats at this point" point at some time or another. Hang in there, and keep us posted!

Thank you Mamanyt1953
They break your hearts and they have too much of a mind of their own. Vale was a terrible bitter. My siblings and I use to draw straws to see who had to sit next to her on the couch when we watched TV.
I miss her.

I will definitely keep you posted, I just hope they are happier posts. I am setting up a trap tonight. Its a large Havahart trap and I got a can of tuna to put in it.
I am sure you know what trap I am talking about but I posted a picture of it.

 

[Willowy]

I became part of the cat explosion problem.

Haha,I know you meant the cat population explosion problem, but this made me laugh anyway .


If the tuna doesn't work, try rotisserie chicken or fried chicken (of course pull a chunk of the meat/skin off; don't put the bones in there). You'd think tuna would be better because it's stinky, but I've had better results with chicken, silly cats.

Sending good trapping vibes!

 

[Kflowers]

It may be another 9 or 10 days before they return. I've read that boys can travel 10 miles falling the call of ladies. Judging from when SG went into heat, there were numerous toms about the place before she said a word and for the next two weeks of her pretty much silent heat. Most stayed a couple of days after it was over. She wouldn't go near them, it didn't matter, they were optimistic. Just to let you know, the boys spent very little time fighting with each other. They just sort of hung out around the house.

You aren't the only one who didn't notice a lose pane of glass. It can happen suddenly when the putty gets old and cracks. So not your fault, not at all.

 

[di and bob]

Yes, we are out in the country, our nearest neighbor is at least a mile away, and I have got a young mama in the garage with a litter right now! (which I have not seen, by the way, some nice day when mama leaves them I will find them.....)The boys will find a female, no matter what! I pray they come home, but that neighbor bothers me. People who hate cats that much need to be watched.....

 

[jefferd18]

Yes, we are out in the country, our nearest neighbor is at least a mile away, and I have got a young mama in the garage with a litter right now! (which I have not seen, by the way, some nice day when mama leaves them I will find them.....)The boys will find a female, no matter what! I pray they come home, but that neighbor bothers me. People who hate cats that much need to be watched.....

Thank you, di and bob . Since my male cats usually get neutered by the time they are six months old I had no idea of how determine an unfixed male cat can be. The little one was practically throwing himself against the walls and he is the youngest of the two.

Thank you for taking mommy cat in and we need to see pics of those baby felines.

The neighbor is bothersome. I am writing her a letter tonight and putting it in her mailbox. Since she seems to have so much time on her hands then she won't have any trouble with reading a letter. I should have done it after the cat in the tree incident.
I questioned her a few days ago and she insists that because she has a cat of her own she would never hurt one. I don't agree with that. I have known people who love their dogs but still get annoyed when other dogs come into their yards. And she was angry when she told me that they woke her up. The only thing I fear is that she trapped them and then dumped them somewhere. These two are not natural born hunters so I worry about them roughing it out in the country.

But I am getting ahead of myself. Tonight the letter gets put in the mailbox and the trap gets set.

 

[jefferd18]

It may be another 9 or 10 days before they return. I've read that boys can travel 10 miles falling the call of ladies. Judging from when SG went into heat, there were numerous toms about the place before she said a word and for the next two weeks of her pretty much silent heat. Most stayed a couple of days after it was over. She wouldn't go near them, it didn't matter, they were optimistic. Just to let you know, the boys spent very little time fighting with each other. They just sort of hung out around the house.

You aren't the only one who didn't notice a lose pane of glass. It can happen suddenly when the putty gets old and cracks. So not your fault, not at all.

Thank you, K Kflowers for saying that things can happen and also for alleviating my fears of those two being beaten up as they try to woe a female.
Very thoughtful and comforting words.

 

[jefferd18]

Haha,I know you meant the cat population explosion problem, but this made me laugh anyway .


If the tuna doesn't work, try rotisserie chicken or fried chicken (of course pull a chunk of the meat/skin off; don't put the bones in there). You'd think tuna would be better because it's stinky, but I've had better results with chicken, silly cats.

Sending good trapping vibes!

I don't get to lecture anyone anymore on the importance of spay/neuter. I blew that one.

I will stop by and get some KFC chicken and share most of it with them tonight. Thank you for sending me good trapping vibes, much appreciated.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I don't get to lecture anyone anymore on the importance of spay/neuter. I blew that one.

Of course you do! And one of the best! You KNOW what can happen. To quote someone wise (and it's been attributed to any number of people), · “If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.”

 

[jefferd18]

Of course you do! And one of the best! You KNOW what can happen. To quote someone wise (and it's been attributed to any number of people), · “If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.”

Those are very wise words, thank you, Mamanyt1953 . I am going to write that one down.

 

[jefferd18]

Update:

Its been seven days and I am going to stop looking for these guys. I have a feeling that more than just hormones are at play here. They would have come back by now, that is, if they could.

 

[Whenallhellbreakslose]

Update:

Its been seven days and I am going to stop looking for these guys. I have a feeling that more than just hormones are at play here. They would have come back by now, that is, if they could.

Please don't give up. I had a neutered male cat go missing without a trace for five months. I plastered posters all over the neighborhood, put online posters up on social media, investigate leads, and search wide and far. I just about lost all hope until he came to my patio door meowing on a cold winter morning. He was thinner, but healthy. I really wish I knew where he been that whole time because things were looking grim until he showed up.

I pray that these cats will turn up. Stay hopeful.

 

[jefferd18]

Please don't give up. I had a neutered male cat go missing without a trace for five months. I plastered posters all over the neighborhood, put online posters up on social media, investigate leads, and search wide and far. I just about lost all hope until he came to my patio door meowing on a cold winter morning. He was thinner, but healthy. I really wish I knew where he been that whole time because things were looking grim until he showed up.

I pray that these cats will turn up. Stay hopeful.

Thank you Whenallhellbreakslose . That is a real nice ending in regards to your own kitty.

I would be more hopeful if I didn't have that one person living next door. People who complain about cats running around in their back yards and waking them up are people who raise my antennas when a cat goes missing.
As you well know, looking for lost cats is both exhausting and heartbreaking, rarely have I had any success. However, your reply does give me hope. Thank you.

 

[Whenallhellbreakslose]

Thank you Whenallhellbreakslose . That is a real nice ending in regards to your own kitty.

I would be more hopeful if I didn't have that one person living next door. People who complain about cats running around in their back yards and waking them up are people who raise my antennas when a cat goes missing.
As you well know, looking for lost cats is both exhausting and heartbreaking, rarely have I had any success. However, your reply does give me hope. Thank you.

I also feed outdoor cats, and I have had these cats go missing for a few weeks at a time. Then one day they stroll into one of my feedings as if nothing happened. I did worry alot of the cats. A number of times I put posters up asking neighbors to check their garage and sheds. I have people around who are not happy over the cats and I worry that something bad happened, but the cats keep coming back. They seem to like to wander off and explore. They come back when they feel like it, unless they are really lost. Don't lose hope, I have been through all this and I am amazed at how many times I counted a cat gone for good and then they show up. Hang in there.

 

[jefferd18]

I also feed outdoor cats, and I have had these cats go missing for a few weeks at a time. Then one day they stroll into one of my feedings as if nothing happened. I did worry alot of the cats. A number of times I put posters up asking neighbors to check their garage and sheds. I have people around who are not happy over the cats and I worry that something bad happened, but the cats keep coming back. They seem to like to wander off and explore. They come back when they feel like it, unless they are really lost. Don't lose hope, I have been through all this and I am amazed at how many times I counted a cat gone for good and then they show up. Hang in there.

I am not going to give up hope just yet on these two, I just needed to vent.
These guys are so new to the tom game and I am afraid that an older and more experienced tom cat might hurt them. And then there is always..people. There just has been no sighting of them and I am worried about the weather getting warmer. Do you know how long the cycle lasts? I was under the assumption that it last all summer.


Your words do make me feel better and I thank you so much for that. I hope my experience mirrors yours.