Cat Has Been Missing For 2 Weeks - Please Help

[Mamanyt1953]

The fact that it is a farming community is actually good, in terms of how well SHE can do. There will be outbuildings to shelter in and plentiful mice, and food left out for barn cats and such. I know that doesn't bring her home, but I wanted to let you know that she is probably not utterly miserable out there.

 

[HollyBells]

Amazing news! I may have just got a potential sighting! A lady saw my flyer at the vet, and saw a cat on her porch last night that looked just like her! Praying that it's her! Me and my roommate will go search tonight after her work shift

 

[HollyBells]

Sighting update: we confirmed the sighting with the lady and it was her. She put out food for her, and we investigated the collapsing house she might've been in. No luck, but it was pretty large and had lots of crawl spaces. The owner of that house got my number and is going to put out food as well. I'm gojng to contact the local animal shelter in the morning and see if I can borrow a live trap, and possibly buy a trail cam

 

[Mamanyt1953]

GO GET THAT GIRL! Let us know when you have her!

 

[HollyBells]

Will do! I checked the shed and didn't see any sign of her. A live trap near the entrance has been laid out. Some food is in it, along with her blanket and my tshirt on it to hide the metal, along with her litter box. Now comes the hard part: getting her to go in and waiting

 

[HollyBells]

Also, I ordered a collar for her, along with a tag. God forbid this ever happens again, I'll be able to hear her with the bell on the collar, and people may notice more quickly since she has a collar

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Be SURE to use a break-away collar, you do NOT want it getting hung and choking her!

 

[goingpostal]

Maybe the property owner would let you put up a trail cam or two? It's handy if you can witness them moving around and now it's your cat and where they are. I have a friend who does search and rescue for pets with her dog and that's one thing they use often.

 

[HollyBells]

Mamanyt1953 Do you have any good ones you would suggest? I didn't even think about a break away. The one I was considering had a belt-like buckle
goingpostal I'm sure she would. I don't have any trail cams currently, but if I don't have any success by Sunday I'll purchase one. Do you have any good ones that a college student could afford, but is still pretty good?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

ANY of these would be good...I BELIEVE that they are ALL break-away, but check the product descriptions, just to make sure!

https://www.chewy.com/s?query=break-away collars for cats&nav-submit-button=

 

[HollyBells]

Thank you! I've found a few a like, and will definitely get her one! Once I get her back, I'll make sure to notify you all!

 

[Catlover579]

Yayy! such great news

 

[catsknowme]

Awesome news,!! Your efforts and dedication have paid off well.
Sending mega prayers and vibes that your beautiful kitty is caught & returned very soon

 

[Norachan]

I'm so relieved to hear you've caught sight of her.



A humane trap is probably the way to go. Put something that smells very strongly of home, a towel you've used or a sheet from your bed, on the floor of the trap and let it extend outside of the trap too. Cats are sometimes wary of stepping on the wire bottoms of traps, but if it smells comforting underfoot that should entice her in. Just make sure the trap door will still close properly.

Something smelly, like tuna, mackerel or KFC is good for bait.

 

[HollyBells]

I don't have anything on the bottom of the trap, so I will make sure to put something down. Really do hope that this isn't a look alike cat. The owner of the shed said the food she placed out has been eaten signifgantly, and she placed the rest in the food dish I put inside the trap. Hoping she gets caught soon, and that it is really her!

 

[catsknowme]

I like to put a sheet of newspaper on the trap floor. Also, if the cat is skittish or trap-savvy, I prop open the "gate" for a few days, cover the trap partly with a towel, and begin by feeding on top of the trap. when the cat seems comfortable doing that, I try putting the dish inside the trap. To prop open the trap gates (I use double-gated raccoon traps because sometimes the target is a long-bodied tom), I use repurposed handles, including from discarded carpet sweepers & the frames of abandoned screen houses and rebar from contractors' dumpsters. very sturdy sticks work as well. If the cat is smart enough/long enough to avoid stepping on the trip-plate but reaches the food by stretching its neck, I put the food on a tortilla UNDER the trap and when the wires squish into the bait, the cat often steps forward when it gets distracted by trying to eat around the wires.
and be sure that everyone nearby remains utterly indifferent/calm at all times. playing a game of UNO or chess nearby is a quiet way to monitor the trap without tipping off the cat. keep a large towel, sheet or blanket to cover the trap as soon as it traps her - it keeps the cat calm, including tame cats (don't forget to cover the bottom as you pick it up).

 

[Leomc123]

Hopefully Juniper returns soon, wishing you all the best. At least you know she is around in the area, hopefully she will smell you and gradually trail back home.

 

[HollyBells]

catsknowme I never thought of putting food on top of the trap. If I still don't have her by tonight or tomorrow, I'll definitely try that! Same with the tortilla idea too. Juniper is pretty smart and it's possible she was trapped by a live trap before (she was a stray before I adopted her) but hopefully she'll still trigger it shut. Also, the shed owner has been working with me a lot too, and is also checking the trap periodically throughout the day which is great. The bag of food she put out got heavily eaten, and she put the rest into my food dish in the trap. I'm just a bit concerned since Juni is severely allergic to corn and will have awful coughing and gagging fits if she eats food with a high amount of it in it, and I'm not sure if the food she was given has it in it.
Leomc123 I hope so too! Her blanket is on top of the trap along with a tshirt of mine, and her litterbox next to it. I was her only owner so hopefully she still remembers what I smell like!

 

[HollyBells]

Sad news: we caught a cat but it wasn't mine. It was a big gray cat instead. I'm really disappointed and disheartened. The trap got set off but instead of my cat being in there, it was a gray cat. I'm really sad and I'm starting to give up hope again

 

[catsknowme]

I understand your frustration and disappointment. Juni may have seen the gray cat get trapped and will be more wary. Lots of lost cats will seek out "way stations". The good news on that is that it indicates a safe area for kitties.