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Please Help Me Determine : Lost Cat
- Thread starter littlea
- Start Date
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2013
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Wow, it sure looks like it could be your cat! The light areas around the eyes, the black stripe patterns on the forehead...
It sure does look like your cat. The facial expression looks similar.
Does she respond to you when you call her? Do you have any of her toys or blankets she use to play or lay on? If you still have them, you may like to use them to attract her when you call out to her. Or you can also use one of your clean unwashed garment and leave it where she eats so that hopefully your scents will smell familiar to her.
Also, check with your old neighbor if that is really your cat, ask if you can take her home.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
Thank you all. I went by to see the cat last week and it ran off when I tried to approach her to get a good look. My old neighbor feeds her but she has never been able to pet her, but was able to get the pic for me today. She is allergic and doesn’t want to bring it inside, even temporarily. My cat ran away 4 years ago, and I only had her for about 8 months as a kitten so I don’t think she would remember me at all. This cat had no inkling that it recognized me. I’m very emotional about it. I may ask my old neighbor to try and trap/crate it and I can take it to the vet at least to determine age and to check for a spay scar. I look at some pics and think it’s def her, but other pics the markings look different to me. I’ll never make the mistake to not microchip again .
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It could be your cat. It is a big possibility as it is still in the same area as you used to live. Your plan to trap her is a good idea. I hope she is really your long lost cat. If not, I also hope you could keep it.
Best of luck.
Best of luck.
.
Hi littlelea .
Trapping might sound simple...BUT...and, we see this all the time in the "Strays & Ferals" forum...many things can go wrong , and DO go wrong in peoples' attempts at trapping.
IF this cat should be 'spooked' in a botched attempt, the chances for success will be lessened - the cat might even disappear.
There are local experienced cat rescue groups with appropriate equipment almost everywhere - and they're usually cash-strapped. I suspect one of them would be more than willing to assist you in return for a reasonable donation from you. Google "cat rescue in (name of your town/city)"......speak directly with their Director/Manager/Board Member. Explaining this to the neighbor and enlisting her cooperation will also be essential. And, given current weather conditions, people will need to be 'on call' with very short notice to avoid the cat any discomfort (or worse).
I think that would be doable.
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Hi littlelea .
I don't think I would have the neighbor attempt to trap the cat.
Trapping might sound simple...BUT...and, we see this all the time in the "Strays & Ferals" forum...many things can go wrong , and DO go wrong in peoples' attempts at trapping.
IF this cat should be 'spooked' in a botched attempt, the chances for success will be lessened - the cat might even disappear.
There are local experienced cat rescue groups with appropriate equipment almost everywhere - and they're usually cash-strapped. I suspect one of them would be more than willing to assist you in return for a reasonable donation from you. Google "cat rescue in (name of your town/city)"......speak directly with their Director/Manager/Board Member. Explaining this to the neighbor and enlisting her cooperation will also be essential. And, given current weather conditions, people will need to be 'on call' with very short notice to avoid the cat any discomfort (or worse).
I think that would be doable.
.
It looks like your cat to me too. The facial markings are the same. Can you borrow a trap from a rescue centre or even a couple of traps around the area she is fed. I hope your lucky. Please keep us updated
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I did a point-by-point comparison of the two faces and their markings, and I think that there is a very good chance that this is your cat.
white shadow
gave you excellent advice for trapping her safely. SHOULD you get her, remember that she has been living rough for a long time now, and you will have to be very, very patient while winning her trust. I can't promise that she will actually remember you, but it is possible that she will, with time. Even if she does not, she can built a new relationship with you. AND GET HER CHIPPED! I strongly advise that ALL cats, even indoor-only cats, be chipped. All it takes is one emergency...
Let us know how this comes out. I'd love to see a happy ending here.
white shadow
gave you excellent advice for trapping her safely. SHOULD you get her, remember that she has been living rough for a long time now, and you will have to be very, very patient while winning her trust. I can't promise that she will actually remember you, but it is possible that she will, with time. Even if she does not, she can built a new relationship with you. AND GET HER CHIPPED! I strongly advise that ALL cats, even indoor-only cats, be chipped. All it takes is one emergency...Let us know how this comes out. I'd love to see a happy ending here.
I read of someone who's cat had escaped then disappeared into his neighborhood. He looked for her every day for a year. No responce no sightings. Then he saw her racinginto a neighbor's yard. No one had been feeding her. He told the people what was going on and cornered her in their yard. He caught her and put her in a box. She fought him every inch of the way. She screamed all the way to their house. He walked in the door, put the box down and let her out. She walked across the living room, sat down, washed and acted as though she hadn't left.
When a cat is living rough, sometimes they don't recognize their people. That makes it hard to rescue them. Right now your neighbor's feeding station represents the greatest safety she's had since her accidental escape.
Trap her as white shadow said. Take her home. Once she feels safe again, she may recognize you.
When a cat is living rough, sometimes they don't recognize their people. That makes it hard to rescue them. Right now your neighbor's feeding station represents the greatest safety she's had since her accidental escape.
Trap her as white shadow said. Take her home. Once she feels safe again, she may recognize you.
I agree---that's her. The light-colored strips on the inside of her eyes/bridge of her nose are very distinctive, and her stripes all match up. The eyes are a slightly different color, but cats do have eye color changes throughout their lives. Poor girl! I wonder where she's been. I suppose the best-case scenario is that someone took her in and kept her, and now something has hapoened to them.
I think she has at least a faint memory of you. But when cats have been living wild they can't afford to trust anyone, even with those memories. But if you can manage to trap her and take her home, those memories would come back eventually.
I think she has at least a faint memory of you. But when cats have been living wild they can't afford to trust anyone, even with those memories. But if you can manage to trap her and take her home, those memories would come back eventually.
I also agree, I think that's her, I actually thought all 3 pictures were meant to be for comparison to the "next" picture and then realized picture 3 WAS the next picture! I don't really have anything to add other than everyone had given great advice and I hope you're able to get her back! I'm rooting for you both! 
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #12
Thank you everyone for your replies. I have been out several more times and it's definitely my cat. I think I was hoping it was NOT my cat in a way, because now I know its her, I have a responsibility to bring her home no matter what. It's a very stressful situation to have found her and to feel so helpless to bring her home. Right now, she does not remember me which I completely understand. She has a good, trusting relationship with my neighbor and has recently begun to allow her to pet her. She's just not quite fast enough to pick her up/ crate her although we tried last weekend. I think if she worked daily on handling her, that would be possible down the road (but I think she is a bit fearful of being bitten/ scratched). The woman has been trying to trap her, but no luck so far, but she was still feeding outside the trap when it showed no interest going in the trap. I printed out for her a trapping guide a few days ago that kind of outlines the idea of properly baiting the trap and getting the cat to slowly eat further deep in the trap until they venture deep enough to trip the plate. I brought her cat nip, cat fillets, tuna, clam juice, etc to use in the trap. She has wonderful intentions, and I hope she will implement these ideas, as I do believe it will be successful with some persistence and consistency. I know it takes some effort to train a cat to trust the trap and I know it's a burden to ask on someone else, but she is my best shot right now. I have looked exhaustively for a group or individual I can hire to net the cat, but I have not found one yet. I will keep everyone posted, it sure would be a blessing to bring my cat home.
She's alive, and in relatively good shape, which is the good news! Keeping a candle lit for you!
How are things going with trapping your cat. Have you had any luck?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #15
I have wonderful news. Sunday morning Squeakers was trapped and I brought her home. She adjusted to being indoors right away and immediately let me pet and brush her. She has been so easy to handle that I have been able to look her over and match her unique markings to old pics and its definitely her. Her personality and mannerisms are just as they were before. I don't know really how a cat's memory works... its really very baffling but she seems very relaxed and content. Like your story Kflowers, she came right in, laid at my feet and took a nap. Tomorrow she goes to my vet and hopefully will be in good health. I never imagined it could have this happy ending, but I hope to encourage people that there can be a good outcome. So many people told me she likely was eaten by coyotes, hit by a car, "gone feral", etc. I had incredibly lucky timing to drive by that day and an incredibly kind stranger willing to put a lot of effort into helping me bring her home.
I am so happy for you! How distressing this has been for you to lose your cat for so long. It's great that she's adapting already. I wish the best for the two of you.
Thats fantastic news.
I love a happy ending. Enjoy getting to know each other again. Well done to you for getting her back. Hope the vets visit goes well, let us know
I love a happy ending. Enjoy getting to know each other again. Well done to you for getting her back. Hope the vets visit goes well, let us know
Wow, what a wonderful story! I'm so glad you got her home again. Cats have excellent memories, I'm sure she does know that it's you.
Please keep us updated on how things go.
Please keep us updated on how things go.
I'm crying happy tears here! What a wonderful outcome for BOTH of you! Can't tell you how much it means to me when a lost soul comes home again.
