Conference misery::feline_v1

Nichole,

     Be patient.  This sounds very unusual for your cat but mine disappears
every two years or so.  Every two years or so, Tigger doesn't come home for
2 or three days.  I go into complete panic and depression and a few days
later, Tigger parades in looking very happy.  About 5 years ago, while
living in an apartment complex, I found out she took off to spend a few
days being someone else's cat.  I have not known where since, but I think
she finds a home and spends a short vacation with the occupants.  She needs
to get away from me once in a while.  I still panic.

     So take heart, your cat may have just needed to get away for a few days.
I bet he/she comes home by the end of the weekend.  Hang in there.

Denise

I just went back and read the not about your cat becoming wild.  This may
have something to do with his/her taking off.  When he/she comes home, be
sure to have a vet make sure he/she's okay (I can't get the yenta out of me).

Denise

It's been a week, Nichole.  Is your cat back?

Jim Stratton

Ah yes, my prayers have been answered.....  Wednesday afternoon I received
an "important call" from Mom to let me know my kitty came home.  I went
home after work, and he ran up to my car, all skinny and matted and looking
a little weather-beaten.  We danced around the yard for a while, he apolo-
gized for not phoning or dropping me a line, but told me "hey, it's a cat's
life!"  So, I called the vet, told him last night to be home early in the
morning, and sure enough, he was not home at his usual 5:30 a.m. for break-
fast.  So, I had to call the vet at 8:00 and hope he would be home soon.
At 8:50 he strolled in the door with that "had ya worried again, didn't I?"
look on his face.  We were a little late for his 9:00 appt, but he had
his shots and Doc says he checks out ok.  

We can all rest easy now - life in the Cacciatore household is back to
(?)normal.

Nichole

    Just so you don't lose hope:
    
    I've had cats return when they've been gone for a few weeks.
    I also lost a cat when I was little, and found an ad in the
    local paper about 2 weeks later - it was my cat.
    
    We found a stray about 2 weeks ago and we called the shelters
    and animal hospitals to report it.  Perhaps someone will do that
    for your Max.
    
    Have you gone out and called?  If you say she's not been too far
    from home before, perhaps she's lost and confused.  Go for a long
    walk through those woods and towards the construction site.  Ask
    the workers there - maybe they've seen her.  Don't give up!
    
    --Louise

    Kathi,
    
    I had hoped the seventh response was yours saying she was home.
    My sympathy is with you.  In the same vein as .7:
    
    Several years ago Caro got peeved when we left her for a weekend
    at her old home, where there are other cats.  She was gone for six 
    weeks to the day from the one that she up and ran off on (I still 
    tend to think she must have heard me having coffee that sixth saturday 
    with another friend; I was saying that I was going to begin looking 
    for another adult cat to adopt...the friend said that she had been 
    thinking about looking for a home for one of hers...).  I got home 
    that night to a phone call from Caro's previous owner saying "you'll 
    never believe who I found today..."; it was my darling.  Needless to 
    say I did not take the other cat!

    I don't know how to close 'cause I know how much it hurts and how
    little there is that anyone can say,
    						Audrey

    I can't believe it, Pumpkin came home after being gone 5 weeks.
    I was so happy, I cuddled her and cried for about 3 hours.           
    She's just skin and bones, and scratched up pretty bad, but she
    seems to be okay.  (She's eating and purring a lot!!).  Too bad
    cats can't talk.  I wish I knew where she's been the last 5 weeks,
    and all the things she's gone through.
    
    Pumpkin dissappeared on a Thursday night 5 weeks ago.  (It's amazing
    how well I remember opening the door and letting her out that night.)
    She's an indoor/outdoor cat.  I've had her for 10 years and
    she's never been gone for more than an hour at a time.
    
    After 5 weeks of walking the woods, and going to shelters, and
    placing ads, I had finally decided she must be dead.  I was having
    a really rough time dealing with it.  I've never lost anyone (person
    or animal) close to me before.  I had no idea how hard it is.  
    Lots of people told me not to lose hope, that she might come home.
    I didn't believe them.  Well, from now on I'll have hope!  
    I just wanted to pass on this story in case someone elses cat is
    missing..... There's still hope!
                                          
    - Molly -

    I'm so glad to hear that Pumpkin is back!  I've lost cats before,
    and sometimes was lucky enough to have had the cat return.  I'm
    pretty sure you're planning on doing this, but get her to a vet
    to get FeLV and worm tests done, as well as any others the vet
    may think necessary after 5 weeks "in the wild".  And give her
    a scritch under her chin for me.
    
    --L

                I once had a cat that disapeared for about 3 weeks.
        Marshy (short for Marsmallow Jr.) came home looking quite thin,
        very hungry, dusty dirty, and very loving! We figured that he
        must have been accidentaly shut up in someones garage while they
        were on vacation! And don't just look in your immediate
        neighborhood. I found Marshy (who came home most nights for
        supper) about 1/2 - 3/4 miles away on various occasions!
                
                Anyway, glad yours came home too!
                
                        /s/     Bob

    Shut up in a garage sounds like a good theory.  She had incredibly
    long claws.  I had to trim them in the first 1/2 hour she was home.
    She could hardly walk in the carpet without getting them caught.
    If she had been in the wild climbing trees and things, I don't think
    her claws would've gotten this bad.  I also live in a recreation
    area.  Lots of summer cottages. Since she came home on Friday night
    of a long weekend (Labor day), there's a good chance someone came
    out to spend the long weekend at their cottage, and let her out.
    
    Yes, I definitely plan on taking her to the vet.  Since she seems
    okay, I was giving her a couple days to relax and recover before
    I take her.  Luckily, she had just finished her FelV shots about
    a month before she dissappeared.
             
    Thanks,
    - Molly -

    Molly,
    
    I've got goose bumps and tears ... I still remember so well the
    day Caro came home.
    
    I'm so glad for both of you,
    				  Audrey

    I've lost 2 cats, both at separate times.  I had Niles for about
    3 years, but after being let outside one night, he was never to
    be seen again.
    
    The same thing happened with Joey, who I got after Niles was gone.
    I had Joey for about 2-1/2 years and he also disappeared after being
    let outside.  Both cats had spent several days out overnight now
    and then before they disappeared for good, but I could tell this 
    was it.
    
    Maybe they were taken in by another family, who knows, but what
    could be worse - finding your cat on the side of the road and
    knowing what happened, or never seeing him/her again and not knowing
    what's happening or what will happen.  It's a depressing feeling
    to not be able to help, but just hope that they're o.k. and being
    taken care of.