My cat has been gone for 11 days now and I miss him so much

Skyandtoph

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Feb 4, 2023
Messages
16
Purraise
27
I just want to share the story of my cat Sky who is missing.

I live in the middle of Africa and adopted this cat at 12 weeks old, and named him Sky. He was already an indoor/outdoor kitten when I adopted him (the first time I went to adopt him they actually couldn’t find him outside so I had to come back the next day). I adopted him and his brother, his brother Toph being the runt of the litter.

I kept them locked in my house for two weeks so they would become familiar with it, and then allowed them access outside again. At first they would stay very close to my house. I would be sure to bring them in every night. As they began to age and grow, they would not want to come in when I called and would run from me when I tried to bring them in at night. After a few months I allowed them to stay out because due to the structure of my house, I couldn’t contain them if I tried once they were old enough to climb/jump high. They would hang right around my house- if I turned on the light in the middle of the night they would both come indoors. Our morning routine would be me turning on the light and they would both jump down from the wall (which doesn’t reach to the ceiling) onto my bed. I would have a window open at night so they could do this (and honestly there are enough gaps between my walls and roof they could probably find a way regardless, as my roof is thatched). He was born into this environment and I did not bring him from a town or anything, I just adopted a village kitten.

At eight months old, I had them both neutered. They never wandered off far. Only one morning Sky didn’t come in. I went out and called him and shook his food dish, and eventually he came running over, after several minutes. Maybe this was the first day he thought about wandering off.

When they were ten months old, I was given another kitten by a neighbor. They were going to toss it into the bush if I didn’t take it. I agreed to take it temporarily until I could find it a new home. Sky instantly accepted the kitten and would lay with it and groom it. Toph hissed at it at first, but soon accepted it as well.

After a week of having the kitten, one morning I turned on the light and only Toph jumped into bed. I wasn’t too worried right away and went outside to call Sky and shake the food dish as I had done on one occasion in the past. He didn’t come. After a couple more hours I began walking and calling further from my house, shaking the food dish every so often. Toph seemed to know I was looking for Sky and every time I called Sky’s name, Toph would cry. He followed right behind me like a dog as I searched for Sky, but there wasn’t a trace of him.

So now, it has been 11 days and Sky has still not come back. Toph cries for him every morning still, but luckily has been getting a lot of comfort from the kitten, who I am keeping at least until Sky returns as a companion for Toph. I am still hoping he is alive out there and will choose to come back one day.
And now, just my speculation on what could have happened.

Where I live, there aren’t any roads so the chances of him being hit by a car are almost nonexistent.
The only predator around are foxes that occasionally wander by before being chased off, but my neighbors guard dog stays out at night and I feel he would have made a ruckus if a fox was anywhere close. He is known for hunting foxes and has killed several before. It’s possible Sky wandered off too far away for the dog to hear the fox I suppose, but by this point he was a very large cat. My house is also surrounded by trees, giving him lots of escape routes, but it’s still a possibility.

Another possibility could have been a snake, although I have never seen one near me due to people killing them off. I like to think he would have came home if he was bitten, but also a possibility.
I also wonder if there is any chance he was stolen. Near where I live, people do not keep cats as pets as much as they do in America. Most people have windows without screens that they open at some point, so I feel it would be difficult for them to keep my cat locked up if they chose to steal him. But I did have people ask if they could have one of my cats in the past, so also a possibility somebody scooped him up. He had on a collar and my neighbors all know I am looking for him, but I can’t completely rule it out. If he was picked up it was knowingly.

And lastly… he could have just chosen to wander off. Although I have never seen them, I know there are a number of “bush cats” that live near me, which are just feral cats. The father of Sky and Toph was a bush cat. The man who kept their mother told me all of his males eventually leave, but I thought getting my boys neutered would have prevented this. So maybe he has found some of the bush cats and is living with them. I wonder if he has left because of the kitten, although he seemed to like the kitten before he disappeared. Maybe he still felt run off. I don’t know.

I still hope every day he will reappear, but it’s hard to remain hopeful as the time lengthens. I miss him so much. It is strange when they are missing and you don’t know when to mourn for them or if they will just come back one day. It’s a weird in between state. Some nearby kids combed all of the area around my house for any sign of him, his hair, his collar, or anything but no luck. I still have his litter box and my old dirty shirt outside for him, and I have been calling him still sporadically, but due to the environment I’m not sure if there’s much else I can do. My neighbors are aware he is missing. He isn’t microchipped but the closest vet who could read a microchip is about 6-8 hours away from me anyways so that really wouldn’t help. I don’t know I’m just feeling sad and it’s hard to bond with the kitten while Sky is gone, but I don’t want to find it a new home while it is a companion for my Toph.
 

ElizabethP

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 16, 2023
Messages
33
Purraise
62
I just want to share the story of my cat Sky who is missing.

I still hope every day he will reappear, but it’s hard to remain hopeful as the time lengthens. I miss him so much. It is strange when they are missing and you don’t know when to mourn for them or if they will just come back one day. It’s a weird in between state. Some nearby kids combed all of the area around my house for any sign of him, his hair, his collar, or anything but no luck. I still have his litter box and my old dirty shirt outside for him, and I have been calling him still sporadically, but due to the environment I’m not sure if there’s much else I can do. My neighbors are aware he is missing. He isn’t microchipped but the closest vet who could read a microchip is about 6-8 hours away from me anyways so that really wouldn’t help. I don’t know I’m just feeling sad and it’s hard to bond with the kitten while Sky is gone, but I don’t want to find it a new home while it is a companion for my Toph.
Good morning! I'm perhaps north of where you are? I'm in northern Tanzania, up on the Kenya border. It's good to see another Africa person here but I'm so sorry to read your post. I know what you mean about 'an in-between state' as you wait for him to come home or to know what has happened. Like you, I worry about all the things outside (ours are also outdoor cats, hard to contain them here) and I do worry about snakes, jackals, there is a leopard in the valley but luckily not close to the farm. I check my cats in and out daily, when I'm home, and I always like to know where they are and in turn they are very involved with my husband and I; we tend to do everything as a group activity. Sending so much support and good positive thoughts down to you. Keep looking and calling and I hope that he finds his way home soon. Keep us posted.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

Skyandtoph

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Feb 4, 2023
Messages
16
Purraise
27
Good morning! I'm perhaps north of where you are? I'm in northern Tanzania, up on the Kenya border. It's good to see another Africa person here but I'm so sorry to read your post. I know what you mean about 'an in-between state' as you wait for him to come home or to know what has happened. Like you, I worry about all the things outside (ours are also outdoor cats, hard to contain them here) and I do worry about snakes, jackals, there is a leopard in the valley but luckily not close to the farm. I check my cats in and out daily, when I'm home, and I always like to know where they are and in turn they are very involved with my husband and I; we tend to do everything as a group activity. Sending so much support and good positive thoughts down to you. Keep looking and calling and I hope that he finds his way home soon. Keep us posted.
Good morning! Yes you are a bit above me, I’m in Central Zambia. It is nice to see a neighbor of sorts who knows the feelings of having cats around here. Unfortunately I still haven’t found him. We used to have routines too, especially with Sky. He would follow me to the river most mornings with the dogs, while his brother stays closer to home. He always spent most of his day napping on my bed. The last time I saw him was Tuesday night as I was cooking dinner when he was hanging around as usual and I didn’t think much of the fact that I didn’t see him as I was going to sleep because that was normal for him to hunt a bit when the sun set. It would be nice to have some sense of closure if he’s no longer with us, but I guess if he was carried off by a fox I might never get that. We haven’t had any fox spottings since he disappeared which is hopeful at least, but you never know. Every morning I still hope he will hop into bed with me as he always used to. I swore that I heard him this morning, with the kitten and Toph in bed with me I could have sworn I heard a cat use the window. But I didn’t see him, and I doubt he would have left without saying hello if he came back, so I think I’m just hearing things, being hopeful. Anyhow, I got a bit sidetracked but thank you for the kind words neighbor, I’ll continue to hold out hope.
 

ElizabethP

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 16, 2023
Messages
33
Purraise
62
I really feel for you, knowing what has happened would be so important to me. I was just about to ask if you had been able to get people out to look for him, but see that you had some local kids scouting the area. I've done that in the past, with our farm workers - our house has nothing around it but coffee and so - a year or so ago when our very old cat wandered off, a group of them wandered around the coffee calling him.They found him sleeping under a coffee bush, put him in a wheelbarrow and slowly brought him home :lol: Dear old boy, he could walk but was very slow and it was easier just to wheel him back. We employ over 250 people but everyone knew him, he was a legend!! Also holding out all hope for you in the next few days!!
 

Mamanyt1953

Rules my home with an iron paw
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
31,173
Purraise
67,765
Location
North Carolina
Don't give up hope. He was neutered a little late, so his mating instincts had already been awakened to some degree. That makes for wandering. Don't give up on him yet. Cats are remarkably adept. And their reaction times are almost twice as fast as snakes. A cat can successfully slap a striking snake away. I've had male cats who took off for weeks and came back just fine...a bit bedraggled, but no serious harm. Sending LOTS of good thoughts your way!
 

ElizabethP

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 16, 2023
Messages
33
Purraise
62
Don't give up hope. He was neutered a little late, so his mating instincts had already been awakened to some degree. That makes for wandering. Don't give up on him yet. Cats are remarkably adept. And their reaction times are almost twice as fast as snakes. A cat can successfully slap a striking snake away. I've had male cats who took off for weeks and came back just fine...a bit bedraggled, but no serious harm. Sending LOTS of good thoughts your way!
Yes you're so right about the snake thing. I had a kitten who got a bit too up close and personal with an Egyptian cobra (on full attack, hood out etc) and she just swatted him off and lived to tell the tale. I almost did not!!

And good point re the late neutering and a reason he is still roaming. Hang in there Skyandtoph, he could just surprise you and come sauntering back in (everything is crossed for that).
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

Skyandtoph

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Feb 4, 2023
Messages
16
Purraise
27
Well a possible update… a friend who lives about a 15 minute walk from my house swears that she saw Sky yesterday stalking her chickens. While Sky never bothered the chickens at home, possibly being out by himself for almost two weeks has prompted him to hunt chickens. She said the cat didn’t have on a collar but Sky has distinctive white markings which she swears this cat had. She has met Sky a few times as well. He has lost a collar before, so I’m holding out hope that this was him. Unfortunately it has been pouring rain all day, but when it lets up I will be going to her house with the food dish and calling for Sky. It’s the first possible sighting I’ve had so my fingers are crossed.

Most of the cats around me are related and look similar, but if the cat had white markings like she said then it makes me more hopeful it really was Sky.
 

di and bob

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
16,577
Purraise
22,949
Location
Nebraska, USA
Yes it could be him, he just can't make it home. if you never found any fur, blood, etc., there is a real chance he just got lost. Foxes almost never hunt/bother cats, I've had them and cats living side by side for years. i would gather the neighborhood kids and offer them a good reward, they get into places many adults don't. Money, bike, etc. is a good motivator! when you go out looking, always walk towards birds that are screaming. birds with their sharp eyes and fear of cats are a good indicator where cats are. I have found a lot of missing cats that way. all the luck.....
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

Skyandtoph

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Feb 4, 2023
Messages
16
Purraise
27
Well a possible update… a friend who lives about a 15 minute walk from my house swears that she saw Sky yesterday stalking her chickens. While Sky never bothered the chickens at home, possibly being out by himself for almost two weeks has prompted him to hunt chickens. She said the cat didn’t have on a collar but Sky has distinctive white markings which she swears this cat had. She has met Sky a few times as well. He has lost a collar before, so I’m holding out hope that this was him. Unfortunately it has been pouring rain all day, but when it lets up I will be going to her house with the food dish and calling for Sky. It’s the first possible sighting I’ve had so my fingers are crossed.

Most of the cats around me are related and look similar, but if the cat had white markings like she said then it makes me more hopeful it really was Sky.
After an hour searching where the cat was seen, I sadly found no sign of any cat. I periodically called his name, shook his food dish, and I played a video clip of his brother crying. There were a lot of potential hiding spots on the farm but a couple of kids and I searched the best we could. There was also a tall field of maize that was almost impossible to search through. I think tomorrow morning I’ll return without the kids and hang out for a couple of hours just in case. I’m not sure what the odds are that the cat was Sky but it’s my only lead right now.
 

CodyMolly

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 14, 2023
Messages
34
Purraise
71
So sad to hear your story don’t give up.. I found my neighbors cat after 7 months of missing! And I live across the street from her home!! Can you leave food out at night and go out really late like 11 at night through 1 am when it’s super quiet and call Sky and shake food when it’s quiet sky can hear you a long way away.. even at 5am. My ferals I eventually caught and brought inside roamed at those hours. Don’t give up not sure if you have a video recording to leave outside and see if you see sky during the night? Keep the kitten even if sky comes back I pray. Sending you warm prayers and wishes to give you the strength to find your baby!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #13

Skyandtoph

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Feb 4, 2023
Messages
16
Purraise
27
Looked again where Sky was supposedly seen early this morning, and unfortunately there was still no sign of him. I wish I had a live trap to take to the area, but I don’t know of any way to obtain one where I live. Hearing that he was potentially spotted gave me hope again but I’m disheartened he hasn’t been seen again, if the cat was really Sky.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15

Skyandtoph

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Feb 4, 2023
Messages
16
Purraise
27
IF there is a Humane Society or an ASPCA in your area, they may lend/rent you one.
I don’t have anything like that near me, but I have been looking online for traps. I think I can have one imported for a couple of hundred USD. I think I will do this if he is seen again in the same area and it feels more likely that he is hiding out there. There haven’t been any further sittings so I’m not sure what to think. I really hope the cat was Sky but without a picture or anything I just can’t confirm it.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #16

Skyandtoph

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Feb 4, 2023
Messages
16
Purraise
27
It’s been 16 days since my poor boy went missing today. I had another potential sighting reported today, in the opposite direction of the last one…. The problem is the sighting was close to the House I got Sky from, and his mom with very similar markings still lives there. So I think that most likely they spotted his mom. They told me the cat had a collar on (his mom doesn’t have one), but they couldn’t describe it to me so I think they might have imagined that detail. Regardless, tomorrow I’ll be searching that area well on the off chance Sky has actually traveled close to his moms house…. Not feeling very hopeful after I remembered that she looks so much like him but I will investigate just to make sure.
 

Margot Lane

Kitten at heart, not a Top Cat
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 24, 2021
Messages
4,366
Purraise
8,956
It has been mentioned on other threads that the recording of a mother cat calling her kittens will often bring another cat nearby to you. To test this theory, I mimicked the sound to my Zorro! He came bounding up! We now have this ritual every day, it never fails to work, and he gets a dreamy, faraway look in his eyes…. It may seem silly, but you might try it, a certain time every day, in a certain spot, without moving. No matter HOW silly you look to the neighbors!
 

Margot Lane

Kitten at heart, not a Top Cat
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 24, 2021
Messages
4,366
Purraise
8,956
It’s been 16 days since my poor boy went missing today. I had another potential sighting reported today, in the opposite direction of the last one…. The problem is the sighting was close to the House I got Sky from, and his mom with very similar markings still lives there. So I think that most likely they spotted his mom. They told me the cat had a collar on (his mom doesn’t have one), but they couldn’t describe it to me so I think they might have imagined that detail. Regardless, tomorrow I’ll be searching that area well on the off chance Sky has actually traveled close to his moms house…. Not feeling very hopeful after I remembered that she looks so much like him but I will investigate just to make sure.
did you give your neighbors photos of your kitty?
 
Top