Just need to vent about my missing cat

[sarah430]

Hello,

I've already posted in another area about my exclusively indoor cat who got out 10 days ago. She's showed up on the surveillance camera and I think she's still hiding in the yard and have been receiving advice on how to trap her and/or lure her back in. This has actually happened twice before but the prior times we were able to lure her back inside within a few days. She was born feral and is extremely anxious and skittish. I adopted her (and her brother Link) from a cat rescue agency when they were 6 months old and worked very hard to gain their trust. I love their quirks.

Anyway, I'm super sad and feel extremely guilty (although I wasn't the one who left the door ajar) and just need to have a place to express my feelings and maybe get some encouragement. I was heartened to read some articles that cats can stay hidden for weeks. Attaching a few pictures of her.....her name is Navi and she's about 5 years old. I still have her brother Link, which is a comfort, but I can tell he misses her too.

 

[sarah430]

The picture in my avatar is the one the rescue posted when they were up for adoption. Navi is in the back. You can see how scared she was.

 

[di and bob]

If you have seen her on your camera, hopefully, she is still nearby. search every little nook and cranny in your yard with a flashlight to reflect her eyes, you might find her that way. If she is not coming out ten days later I would go to the nearest farm supply store, like tractor Supply, and buy a 25.00 live trap. Put it out for two or three nights with food to see if she will start going in it, then set the trap door. Make sure to follow instructions, I didn't and it wouldn't trip. Any other animals you might catch in it usually are leary of it then and won't be retrapped. Make sure you throw a towel over it when you catch her so she calms down.

 

[sarah430]

Thank you. Yes, we've been trying to trap her with a humane trap. Unfortunately, we haven't seen her on the surveillance camera since we put out the trap the last two nights. I took her and Link to the vet a few months ago and she probably still remembers the carrier. She's a very smart cat. So I've moved the trap away to another part of our yard and have put food by our back door again (where she was seen on the camera). We will continue to keep the back door open for her too. I'd prefer to catch her or lure her in. But next best is she knows we will continue to feed her and that our yard/house is her home.

 

[di and bob]

Yeah they are very smart.... You are doing all you can!

 

[mani]

Mod Note:
sarah430 has started this thread for support; I'm sure we can all understand how she's feeling.

If you have advice regarding catching Navi, please post it here.

Need help trapping my indoor cat

I have 2 exclusively indoor cats that I adopted together when they were 6 months old. They are now almost 5 years old. I’m pretty sure they were born feral and they needed a lot of work. They still have their quirks but are pretty nice house cats and I love them immensely and am devoted to...

thecatsite.com

 

[sarah430]

Thank you mani !!