Help with a missing furbaby.

FearLuna

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Hello, truth be told I didn’t want to ask for help this way because I was upset and a bit ashamed that my cat had got out and I haven’t been able to find her. I never had an animal escape that I hadn’t recovered in less than 30 mins. (This mostly being my Siberian Husky)

I adopted my cat Howl, on my birthday, to help cope with the loss of my grandfather who passed just a day before my birthday. I had her for only a few months before she got out. I have colored copies of large posters everywhere in my little farm community and I browse every FB missing page daily. She’s chipped and spayed and I talk to the organization often.

here’s what I need help with, Howl had been shaved due to matting and flea while at the rescue, she was still growing her hair back when she escaped. The posters and pictures I have are of her still growing her hair back. What I’m afraid of is nobody is recognizing her from the pictures because she hair has grown in more. But I also don’t know what she would look like with her hair grown back. Her paper work describes her as a medium haired silver tabby.

can anyone share a picture of what she might look like with her hair grown back so I can update her missing posters?

I would greatly appreciate any help. She is missed and very important to me as she’s a reminder of my grandpa.

This is the best pictures I have in the best lighting possible. She was out with my supervision and my other cats are still with me.
 

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FeebysOwner

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Hi. I am sorry Howl is missing. How long has she been missing? I would think you would be in the best position to scour the internet looking for pictures that look like Howl before her shaving. But, given the pictures you just posted, they should be fine as long as you have noted she was shaved at the time she went missing. As a matter of fact, I can hardly tell where she was shaved from that pic. Her face pic is helpful too as that has nothing to do with her shaving.

I know you said you browse FB missing page daily - have you actually posted to the associated lost and found pages as well? There are often other lost and found pet sites unrelated to FB that you could post to in your area - you just need to look them up on the internet. Something like PawBoost, as one example. I presume that the 'organization' that you talk to is the one who chipped her? Is her chip also in your name with contact data? Have you also given posters to any local vet offices and well as pet stores, especially those who deal with rescues and adoptions? Also, any local rescue centers themselves, and any local SPCA groups. Don't know if your neighborhood is involved with the Next-Door Neighbor website, but if it is, you should join it and post there as well. You also need to contact Animal Control, checking regularly with them too. Chips can be dislodged over time, making it harder to detect them, just as a side note.

It also requires you to actively pursue the folks in your farm community, as well as any of the local stores, etc. - sort of like keeping the matter fresh in everyone's mind. Has everyone in your area looked in their sheds or other shelters, under decks, etc. on their property for her?

Have you also gone out daily, especially at dawn and dusk looking for her? Taking a food/treat bag with you to shake and calling to her? Also, looking not only down on the ground but up in trees, and having a flashlight to possibly catch her eye reflection?

Have you thought about setting up some cameras around your property to see if you might spot her? It is possible she is still in the area and hiding out. I have a neighbor whose one cat was strictly an indoor cat after being trapped and domesticated by her; he got out and roamed for days - she finally set up a camera and realized he was coming home every night to eat the food she put out for him and the other strays in the area. Then, she set up a trap with food inside and was able to trap him.
 
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catsknowme

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FeebysOwner FeebysOwner has covered all my suggestions. The only thing that I can add is to put posters up at the community board at the feedstores and put a poster in your car's back windshield. Ask others to put posters in their cars, too, so that you greatly expand your viewing audience. Many older people do not use social media but they do go to public parking lots for shopping and appointments.
Sending prayers and vibes from California for Howl's safe return :vibes: :vibes: :vibes:
 

fionasmom

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When those who are looking for lost pets in this area, but don't have a recent pic or only have an altered or inaccurate pic as you do, I have noticed that they look for a picture which is close enough and use that to give any finder an idea of what the cat might look like.
 
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FearLuna

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Hi. I am sorry Howl is missing. How long has she been missing? I would think you would be in the best position to scour the internet looking for pictures that look like Howl before her shaving. But, given the pictures you just posted, they should be fine as long as you have noted she was shaved at the time she went missing. As a matter of fact, I can hardly tell where she was shaved from that pic. Her face pic is helpful too as that has nothing to do with her shaving.

I know you said you browse FB missing page daily - have you actually posted to the associated lost and found pages as well? There are often other lost and found pet sites unrelated to FB that you could post to in your area - you just need to look them up on the internet. Something like PawBoost, as one example. I presume that the 'organization' that you talk to is the one who chipped her? Is her chip also in your name with contact data? Have you also given posters to any local vet offices and well as pet stores, especially those who deal with rescues and adoptions? Also, any local rescue centers themselves, and any local SPCA groups. Don't know if your neighborhood is involved with the Next-Door Neighbor website, but if it is, you should join it and post there as well. You also need to contact Animal Control, checking regularly with them too. Chips can be dislodged over time, making it harder to detect them, just as a side note.

It also requires you to actively pursue the folks in your farm community, as well as any of the local stores, etc. - sort of like keeping the matter fresh in everyone's mind. Has everyone in your area looked in their sheds or other shelters, under decks, etc. on their property for her?

Have you also gone out daily, especially at dawn and dusk looking for her? Taking a food/treat bag with you to shake and calling to her? Also, looking not only down on the ground but up in trees, and having a flashlight to possibly catch her eye reflection?

Have you thought about setting up some cameras around your property to see if you might spot her? It is possible she is still in the area and hiding out. I have a neighbor whose one cat was strictly an indoor cat after being trapped and domesticated by her; he got out and roamed for days - she finally set up a camera and realized he was coming home every night to eat the food she put out for him and the other strays in the area. Then, she set up a trap with food inside and was able to trap him.

I do have some posters at one feed store and some stores outside my area just in case someone picked up Howl thinking it was a stray and took her home. I haven’t made it to the vet physically as they kept the covid restrictions in place so there’s no entering without calling ahead and having an appointment but I did use a lost pet site and said it faxed a flyer to the vet and other rescues.

I found a picture of a cat that I thought might look like her if her hair grew out and now I don’t remember where I found the picture. Doesn’t this kinda look like her with more hair? That’s why I’m worried people would think its a different cat. Its just difficult not knowing what she looked like before she was shaved
 

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Mamanyt1953

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Add a note to the posters that she had been shaved, and her grown-in coat will be considerably longer, somewhat like the below photo (NOT HER).
 

treeclimber

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Looking at her legs and face in the pictures where she’s shaved, I would guess she’s a medium hair, not a true long hair.

My best guess is that she’d probably look kind of like this, although her stripes might be less pronounced.

The color on this cat is probably a closer match, but the coat is too long for her. If you think her coat would look like that color, you might try searching on “shaded silver tabby” and “ticked silver tabby”. I was not able to find a good picture of a medium-haired cat with this coat color.
 
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