i lost my cat away from home and am desperately seeking some advice

[slimmy20]

Just wanted to put my two cents worth in.....I have found a LOT of lost cats by following where birds are screaming. they have much sharper eyes and really keep track of cats and where they are hiding. Then they send out the alarm. Praying for you to get your boy back,,,,,,,

that's really interesting! i lost him in a very bushy area and always hear birds and crows screaming their lungs out. i figured it was my presence but i will definitely start paying better attention to that. thank you for the tip!

 

[cmshap]

i asked the clinic if they'd put the collar on him and they said ok! i released him yesterday and i've been watching where he goes. maybe he could lead me to where slimmy and other neutered cats might go?

This is an EXCELLENT idea. I've also read that cats seek out where other cats congregate, because it means there is probably food available there.

 

[slimmy20]

That's pretty good advice. And not just birds; squirrels can be helpful, also.

I read a story of a lost dog being found from squirrels loudly scolding at it from the trees. The dog was scared of something and hiding for multiple days, and it was in some squirrels' territory ranges. Squirrels can be highly territorial and vocal in chastising intruders.

We had dogs when I was growing up and lived on a large wooded property. Squirrels were always screaming at our dogs from the trees.

that reminds me.. i accidentally trapped a squirrel and when i released him, he ran up a tree and literally spoke angrily at me for five minutes straight. i didn't need a translation, it was soo obvious that he was not pleased glad to hear that birds and squirrels can be used to help me track slimmy since we have soo many of those in our area. will definitely start paying more attention to sound.

 

[slimmy20]

So very true Abby.
Any updates??

update 7/2:

unfortunately.. still no slimmy

i have been getting one or two messages a week regarding sightings. most of the time i either cannot find the cat that they saw, or it turns out to be a lookalike.

right now i have 6 trail cams set in the neighborhood where i lost him.. and i keep them running all day and night. i'll usually rotate their position depending on sightings or "gut-feelings." but no luck so far. it's been two months now and when i feel hopeless my energy for the search just absolutely crashes. but feelings of hope that he could still be alive are really revitalizing! so thank you again to this forum and everyone who is so freaking supportive

i have been working on getting all the cats i find near slimmy's hiding spot TNR'd so i've been a bit swamped. am sorry for late responses. i recently released one i was able to put a collar with a tracker on. i figure i can watch where he goes to see where the cats in the community tend to congregate and then move my cameras to those spots? if it works well then i might just put trackers on ALL the cats i TNR and maybe this can help give ideas to other people looking for their pets. the tile was about $27 and it seemed like it was no big deal to the TNR people when i asked if they could put it on while the cat was under anesthesia. i attached a photo of what it looks like. doesnt seem TOO clunky so hopefully it doesn't impede the kitty too much. the only downside is that if i'm not in bluetooth range of the tracker, then i have to wait for the cat to pass by someone else who has a tile tracker, which then gets ping'd back to my phone.

also i am sorry for my poor formatting. i forgot i could quote multiple comments in one comment!

 

[slimmy20]

I am removing updates for this thread but I will check back to see if you update.. I am hoping that Slimmy is found soon, hugs I have given you all my stories and advice regarding lost kitties I think

no worries! thank you so much for everything

 

[slimmy20]

I drop by this thread, hoping to hear Slimmy is found and home safe

thank you very much the support is really appreciated

 

[slimmy20]

This is an EXCELLENT idea. I've also read that cats seek out where other cats congregate, because it means there is probably food available there.

oh yeah! i remember norachan explaining that kitties will smell cat poop and know if they're being well-fed or not, and then follow the scat to find the food source, even if the cats dont get along. good to know cats form a food conga line lol. hopefully slimmy followed the cat colony trail instead of a coyote following his!

 

[Meowmee]

update 7/2:

unfortunately.. still no slimmy

i have been getting one or two messages a week regarding sightings. most of the time i either cannot find the cat that they saw, or it turns out to be a lookalike.

right now i have 6 trail cams set in the neighborhood where i lost him.. and i keep them running all day and night. i'll usually rotate their position depending on sightings or "gut-feelings." but no luck so far. it's been two months now and when i feel hopeless my energy for the search just absolutely crashes. but feelings of hope that he could still be alive are really revitalizing! so thank you again to this forum and everyone who is so freaking supportive

i have been working on getting all the cats i find near slimmy's hiding spot TNR'd so i've been a bit swamped. am sorry for late responses. i recently released one i was able to put a collar with a tracker on. i figure i can watch where he goes to see where the cats in the community tend to congregate and then move my cameras to those spots? if it works well then i might just put trackers on ALL the cats i TNR and maybe this can help give ideas to other people looking for their pets. the tile was about $27 and it seemed like it was no big deal to the TNR people when i asked if they could put it on while the cat was under anesthesia. i attached a photo of what it looks like. doesnt seem TOO clunky so hopefully it doesn't impede the kitty too much. the only downside is that if i'm not in bluetooth range of the tracker, then i have to wait for the cat to pass by someone else who has a tile tracker, which then gets ping'd back to my phone.

also i am sorry for my poor formatting. i forgot i could quote multiple comments in one comment!

That is great everything you are doing… don’t give up. You get your second wind eventually. I have not used a tile tracker before. It sounds great. I had several cats for outside that. I never even micro chipped any of them because it wasn’t usually offered with the local TNR groups.

If my cats didn’t hate collars, etc. I might consider putting one on them so I can know where they are if they ever escape- cross my fingers that never happens. But maybe you could also see where they are in your home as well.

 

[Kwik]

slimmy20
Because of Slimmy you are doing your part in preventing an ever increasing population of homeless kitties- thank you,perhaps you might give one a home if he/she picks you? Then you can have someone at home waiting to meet Slimmy when he is found -Im counting on it
Yes,I'm still here praying for Slimmys safe return!
And yes,I'd do it again( dog nap!,)

 

[heatherwillard0614]

I haven't read through all of the comments but I can't get over the fact that he had his harness off in the picture from the trail cam. My thought is someone got it off, he got away that is when he showed up on trail cam and maybe just maybe someone took him in?? Like I said I'm sorry I am pretty busy ATM and didn't read previous comments so I apologize if this has been discussed... I really hope your boy comes home asap

 

[slimmy20]

That is great everything you are doing… don’t give up. You get your second wind eventually. I have not used a tile tracker before. It sounds great. I had several cats for outside that. I never even micro chipped any of them because it wasn’t usually offered with the local TNR groups.

If my cats didn’t hate collars, etc. I might consider putting one on them so I can know where they are if they ever escape- cross my fingers that never happens. But maybe you could also see where they are in your home as well.

thank you! i am hoping for some results!!
as for the tile, even though this community cat isn't mine, i feel very connected and comforted when it comes knowing his whereabouts! so maybe getting one for your indoor cats, would be some nice peace of mind. just in case. i kinda have it just dangling off of his collar.. but i saw some stretchy attachments for tiles that fasten to a collar more comfortably. it seems like the tile is best for items that are always going to be in a 250ft range. when the cat im tracking leaves that range, i have to wait several hours to get an update. so using it in the house sounds perfect.

Because of Slimmy you are doing your part in preventing an ever increasing population of homeless kitties- thank you,perhaps you might give one a home if he/she picks you? Then you can have someone at home waiting to meet Slimmy when he is found -Im counting on it

i've considered that.. especially after seeing how many kitties out there need homes ): it makes me feel a little guilty if im being honest.. but you're right and i bet slimmy would be happy to have a friend. he seemed to be fine with other cats. if i end up being adopted by a cat i am tnr'ing i will let you know! so far they have all seemed very displeased with me.

And yes,I'd do it again( dog nap!,)

I haven't read through all of the comments but I can't get over the fact that he had his harness off in the picture from the trail cam. My thought is someone got it off, he got away that is when he showed up on trail cam and maybe just maybe someone took him in?? Like I said I'm sorry I am pretty busy ATM and didn't read previous comments so I apologize if this has been discussed... I really hope your boy comes home asap

YES. my mom was thinking the exact same thing. like how did he get his harness off? for the longest time i suspected maybe a great horned owl because we have many of those. and i can just imagine him wriggling it off of him. but he appeared on camera two days later at the same time.. if something really tried to attack him and that's why he got his harness off.. i feel like he would've stayed hidden. he wouldn't even have been starving by then either so he'd have no reason to wander..

i never really gave much thought to the possibility that someone took him in.. i've been so focused on coyotes and the fact that he's a bit skittish and doesn't really approach people.. but someone from the neighborhood suggested the same thing to me a couple days ago. is it difficult for cats to wriggle out of their harnesses like that? and the other thing is.. i never even found the harness. it had a bright rainbow leash attached to it too. i searched every bush, but no harness? maybe someone really did take him. i have so many posters up.. there's no way they wouldn't know someone is looking for him ):

 

[Kwik]

thank you! i am hoping for some results!!
as for the tile, even though this community cat isn't mine, i feel very connected and comforted when it comes knowing his whereabouts! so maybe getting one for your indoor cats, would be some nice peace of mind. just in case. i kinda have it just dangling off of his collar.. but i saw some stretchy attachments for tiles that fasten to a collar more comfortably. it seems like the tile is best for items that are always going to be in a 250ft range. when the cat im tracking leaves that range, i have to wait several hours to get an update. so using it in the house sounds perfect.



i've considered that.. especially after seeing how many kitties out there need homes ): it makes me feel a little guilty if im being honest.. but you're right and i bet slimmy would be happy to have a friend. he seemed to be fine with other cats. if i end up being adopted by a cat i am tnr'ing i will let you know! so far they have all seemed very displeased with me.







YES. my mom was thinking the exact same thing. like how did he get his harness off? for the longest time i suspected maybe a great horned owl because we have many of those. and i can just imagine him wriggling it off of him. but he appeared on camera two days later at the same time.. if something really tried to attack him and that's why he got his harness off.. i feel like he would've stayed hidden. he wouldn't even have been starving by then either so he'd have no reason to wander..

i never really gave much thought to the possibility that someone took him in.. i've been so focused on coyotes and the fact that he's a bit skittish and doesn't really approach people.. but someone from the neighborhood suggested the same thing to me a couple days ago. is it difficult for cats to wriggle out of their harnesses like that? and the other thing is.. i never even found the harness. it had a bright rainbow leash attached to it too. i searched every bush, but no harness? maybe someone really did take him. i have so many posters up.. there's no way they wouldn't know someone is looking for him ):

I've been using harnesses for decades,I've spent tons on so called " escape proof " gear,even jackets with sleeves---the instant something snags a scared cat will wriggle out of ANYTHING so don't give it a second thought .. be glad it's off and not something that can get him caught on something..... just like collars,be sure to use breakaways

 

[tiggerwillow]

makes me really sad when kittens get precedence over all other cats ): they ARE adorable and cute.. but so are the very sweet older cats that have developed personalities! i hope susie atleast got to live a happy life in long term foster. that is really, really sad that her owners gave her up like that. maybe they didn't want to confront the reality of losing her and this was their way of grieving? my dad doesnt have a good grip on his emotions so i can see him doing something like that out of avoiding grief. but that's still completely unfair to susie.

Tbh greiving or not, a lot of people don't understand (and sometimes just don't care) that cats have feelings as well and it can cause major psychological (spelling) harm to them, it does affect them swapping homes all the time

For example: my mum's rainbow bridge male cat called Tom, originally his owner died, he was thrown outside by the family when they was clearing the house, the rescue took him in, rehomed him several times and he got returned several times, Mum took him on and when I moved into a place of my own, cause Mum physically can't look after a pet by that point (physically unable) I already knew Tom and Ebony liked each other (they used to have "playdates" in each other's territories) I said I'd take Tom with me to the new place, sadly that was one move too many, when Mum had taken him on he kept putting his best side forward, when he came to me he thought he'd been abandoned by his humans again and kept putting his worst side forward like "I'm rejecting you humans now, before you reject me again"

he never completely trusted that I wouldn't dump him again, like so many others had done to him

I had 3 months with him, before he got something serious wrong in his spine, I couldn't hold him at the end cause the vets had had to take him to a different practice, and had they brought him back to the surgery i was waiting at it would of meant waking him up back into severe pain, kinder to let him go while he was not awake we all decided

 

[Meowmee]

Any news on Slim? It has been a while and I unfollowed this due to having given all my advice. Just checking back to see…

 

[Kwik]

Any news on Slim? It has been a while and I unfollowed this due to having given all my advice. Just checking back to see…

slimmy20

We're all here still hoping to hear from you,still praying,sending out good vibes and want to know how YOU are doing no matter what