Conference misery::feline_v1

    I'm sorry to hear you've lost your cat. My Cubby got out once and was
    gone overnight. I was sick with worry, but he came home just in time
    for breakfast. With all the nice weather we were having last weekend
    maybe Snuggles went for a nice long walk and got lost.

    My sister lives in Milford on Wildwood Drive -- don't know if that's
    near you or not, but I'll let her know about Snuggles so she can keep
    an eye out, just in case. There is a very large field adjacent to their 
    property and they sometimes have strange cats visiting their yard. 

    Also, did you know there's a new humane society in Milford? It's 
    announced in note 3951. There isn't a phone number listed for the 
    Milford H.S. in the note, but Julia Michaelson is connected with 
    them, so you might try contacting her at MCIS1::MICHAELSON. 

    Hope Snuggles comes back home soon, safe and sound!

    Linda

    I just started a new note (#4139) to collect suggestions for finding 
    lost cats. There are no replies yet (since I'm going to lunch now :-)
    but you might check that in awhile for ideas for searching for 
    Snuggles.

    Linda

    The person in Milford is Joan Bedrosian.  Hope she can help!

    
    Thanks, I'll check on #4139... and call joan, I didn't realize about
    this shelter..... I took care of her dogs/cat and horses one summer.
    
    .1  Thanks, I'm hopeful but It seems this is a bad time of year
    for me.   This seems to be the third cat that has dissapeared on
    me.   5 years ago we had a strange think happend where one of
    our two cat was gone for a week, and when she came home was paralyzed
    (won't go into details) after two long weeks at the hospital she
    was put down.  Her brother then left never to return.... that was
    how I spent that thanksgiving morning, wandering from the dump down
    the road and in the other direction toward the stores.   Just about
    this time of year....  The other was stuck under the neighbors house
    by an ice formation (ice blocked the entrance to hole under their
    porch) the girl heard crying in her living room to finally trace
    it outside and under the house, where ONE paw was clawing outward.
    That was a happy ending... he live with me till the end.
    
    Right now I'm really worried, I have my next door neighbor helping
    look, I'm going home to walk the woods this evening, calling.  You
    think that, well its a shame to lose your cat, but what's worse
    is my puppy is just 1 year old and they have been company for eachother
    since the dog came to us.  She really is attached to Snuggles, if
    you call the cat's name, she looks out all the windows goes to the
    bedroom doors and looks and listens in an effort to find where the
    cat will come from.   Then she kisses the cat to death! the cat
    has never hit her, just lil warning hisses when its too rough. (though
    I'm always yelling at her LEAVE THAT CAT ALONE!, don't want a missing
    eye....)   
    
    I'll keep you posted.  
    Nancy

    Nancy -  Here's some other things to check:
    1. Check with your neighbors and ask them to look in their
       garages and basements and sheds and anywhere else that the cat
       might have gotten locked into.
    2. Call the local vets and/or post LOST signs there.
    3. Call the animal control officer or police to see if the cat was
       picked up -its possible he got hit (God forbid) by a car.  
    4. VISIT the local shelter(s) incase he was brought in.  Don't rely
       on descriptions or call backs from the volunteers there.  Many
       cats look similar to someone who doesn't know the particular cat.
    
    I hope this isn't out of line, but considering your bad luck in the
    past, perhaps you should consider keeping your cats indoor only.
    
    Best of Luck and keep us posted.
      Nancy DC
    

    Re: .4

    Sounds like you have had your share of bad luck with cats. 

    I talked to my sister yesterday; she will be on the lookout for 
    Snuggles, though she lives on the other side of town from you. But the 
    cat has to be *somewhere*, right? Although it probably seems like an 
    eternity to you (and your puppy), four days is not that long a time for 
    a cat to be missing. This story could still have a happy ending. Don't 
    stop searching, and don't give up hope!

    Linda

    
    Still looking... I made copies of a picture and LOST sign for posting
    on adjacent streets and posted in local pet store last night.
    Called local vets and will follow-up with his picture... I think
    by tomorrow I'll have to do a newpaper ad....   the Lost note mentions
    that he might be locked in a garage or shed, even though it was
    warm this past weekend, he did like to sleep in our garage, jump
    on the car up to a high place.     I hope he didn't get in a cat
    fight with this cat the neighbors neglect.. he's been a big cause
    of cat fights/hurt cats/open garbage in the neighbor hood for about
    3-4 years....   I'm thinking maybe someone is feeding him and took
    him in thinking he's starving... since he always acts that way ...
    even on 2 cans 9-lives a day!  I'll keep up the vigil.... I'll
    keep you posted...... and thanks for the support... We both (ginger
    and myself) thank you....
    

    > I'm thinking maybe someone is feeding him and took
    > him in thinking he's starving... since he always acts that way ..
    > even on 2 cans 9-lives a day!  
    
    If he's neglected then he's probably competing will all kinds
    of intestinal parasites for nutrition.
    

   .8, I didn't say that Snuggles is Neglected, I said he acts like
    a pig, he's a healthy cat.  Nice shiny coat, happy cat, that lives
    outdoors basically and naps indoors.  He stays in on cold winter
    nights.  He was abandon about 1 1/2 years ago by his owner, left
    to starve outside a friends apartment, so my mom took him home.
    He's been home since, and his old owner even had the nerve to ask
    for him back!  NO WAY, Why did he leave him.... cause he messed
    in the house when he didn't get the attention he wanted.... He did
    have a couple accidents when we first brought him home, and we tryed
    to make him a house cat, but now that he's allowed outside, he's
    fine in the house.
    
    My update today is not good, I left his picture/lost poster with
    my local gas station, who said 3 patrons said they saw a cat down
    the road/hit on Monday....   I don't want to believe it was him,
    but I ask if they could ask the persons to look at a color photo
    and ask if they are sure it was a tiger cat.... then I will head
    down there to the tire shop/houses where the cat was and see if
    they know who moved it and if it was him.   I can't give up hope,
    I just think he wandered into a shed or something and got locked
    up.... he's never strayed far, he usually sleeps aside my dog, and
    the dog is out in her kennel area most of the afternoon hours. 
    And he never came to eat sunday, and this cat was hit on Monday,
    not on sunday......   unless he was lost on sunday and wondered
    into the road?  I can't give up hope, I can never replace him, he
    was so nice... and Ginger grew up with him....
    
   

    Hi Nancy-
    
    I've been following this.......I hope you can find out what happened to 
    Snuggles.....
    
    Michele & Nippa
    

    If I were you I would go and have a look asap. Don't leave it too long.
    I really hope it isn't Snuggles. Take someone with you if you can't
    face it alone.
    
    I've got EVERYTHING crossed for you. I hope he comes home soon.
    
    Lisa plus PR&F.

    I agree...you need to go look yourself.  It may be hard...but do
    not take anyone words for it....and I'll pray it is not him!!  
    
    When we were searching for CAM we found so many tiger cats that
    looked just like him.  We had to actually compare the picture of
    CAM to the other cats.    
    
    Everybody say a pray for Snuggles safe return...please keep us posted.
    
    Sandy
    
    

    I'm with .12.  I'll say a prayer for Snuggles....and a happy ending..
    
    Sandi
    

    
    It wasn't him!  I called the tire shop (the cat was already gone)
    across from where he got hit as soon as I got home (I've been out
    of the office since the last posting), I asked the man I spoke with
    if I brought a picture of my cat did he think anyone there could
    Identify the cat?  (Since most people drive/or look but never really
    recall the looks of cats they see).   He told me it was his cat,
    he kept in the shop.  He was very nice and asked that I drop by
    and show them the cat picture and they'd keep an eye.  
    
    The ad went in the local paper Saturday and will run for a week,
    I've had to neighbors call from the flyers I put out saying there
    is a cat hanging about there alot, they think it looks like him,
    but it has a collar... I went but he isn't around... I asked them
    to call when he's spotted again, and if they wouldn't mind me coming
    down from time to time calling.....they had no problem.   Everyone
    is so nice...and caring.
    
    The ad brought in one call, from a girl whom knew of a cat picked
    up on the R&R tracks behind us by two boys and they dropped it off
    at a local farm.  Even though her husband thought it was a girl
    I still had to go look... Just in case they were wrong... Its a
    girl a really sweet lil one about 8-9 mths (too bad those kids picked
    it up... it probably lived around there... She appears to be a house
    type kitty very affectionate ... she's ok, but I think she probably
    misses a warm house... but they are caring for her.
    
    I have to make up more flyers, those didn't last long....  People
    keep telling me these stories how cats can take off and be gone
    for a week or more and come home, that they never forget their home
    and maybe I should check where he came from (hopkington).   But
    why after almost 1 1/2-2 years would he go there?  I can't really
    believe it... he was SO HAPPY when we took him in, he was afraid
    of being left... you knew it cause he followed you around the house
    and the minute you sat he curled up just under your chin, as close
    as possible.  He did this for about 2 months then he settled in
    better, and became more independent but always loving....
    
    I'll keep you posted, I keep getting these spurts of running out
    back in the field with light in hand calling and listening....
    Nothing yet...

    I'm so glad it wasn't him! I've been thinking about him all weekend!!
    I hope you find him soon - keep looking, don't give up.
    
    Sending "COME HOME" vibes ....
    
    Lisa plus PR&F.
    

    Well the first set of prayers were answered....so let's try praying
    for his save return.
    
    Keep looking and do not give up.  Real happy to hear you are checking
    up on all leads.
    
    Again...keep us posted.
    
    Sandy

    
    Well, here I am again......  its now 4 months later, almost to the
    day and we received another call... this one from a woman who's
    mother-in-law picked up a cat 4 weeks ago in Blackstone (about
    8-10 miles from my home), This girl Trish swears this is my cat,
    his picture is still at the local pet store.  I cannot go tonight
    so I will travel there tomorrow to check.....   I just can't seem
    to give up the idea that he was picked up and dropped off.....
    My mother wants me to take the ad down, because we get about  1
    call every 2-3 weeks and since the cat is a tiger... well you know..
    everyone thinks theirs is this one (even with his unusual markings).
    But I really want him back... my mom rather not get another cat
    and rather leave him wherever he is if he's happy... (she's not
    mean, etc... she just can't be bothered being tripped up by my
    cat and dog playing, chasing eachother etc. at feeding time and
    every time the door opens... )
    
    My dilema is, do I keep hoping? do you ever give up?  I still drive
    past a place where someone swore they saw him and call out the
    window of the car.....      do I leave well enough alone?  I just
    know he was happy with us... he just might be lost... Do they
    forget you? your dog? etc when displaced for so long?   I will
    fill you in on tomorrow nights check ...  
    
    Nancy  & Gingersnap
    

    This must be so hard for you.  Yes, cats do turn up after a long
    time.  Sometimes well meaning people who don't know they
    have homes take them in, then when they realize what a responsibility
    a cat is, later let them go.  Deciding when to stop looking
    is probably the second hardest decision, next to deciding about
    euthanesia.  Good luck tomorrow, and please let us know what happens.
    

    Nancy...I'm not too sure about you but I couldn't give up without
    knowing!  I may be looking for the next 10 years...but that's okay
    with me.   It really doesn't take too much time following up on
    the calls and it's fun strolling through the shelters.  (I have
    met some wonderful people) 
      
    I am in a same situation because we lost CAM about 10 months ago.  CAM
    is also a tiger...so I know what you mean about every one thinking
    it's your cat.   In the beginning I was totally obsessed with finding
    him...taking a 5 mile hike every night calling him, calling
    shelters/vets every day, looking through the woods with a fine tooth
    comb just in case he got attacked by something, knocking on peoples
    doors, add in the paper every week, pictures everywhere...etc
    
    Well now I'm not totally obsessed...but I do look in the "lost and
    found" every night, still stroll through shelters, and my heart
    still beats real fast when I see a tiger cat stroll through my
    yard.  As time goes on....I'm sure the pain will get less.
    
    I just keep thinking that some nice sweet family took him in because
    he was a hell of a cat!!!  And this notesfile has helped me by
    proving there are some wonderful people out there!!   I know there
    are some wacko's out there...but CAM wouldn't live with a wacko!
    That's how I survive!
    
    Don't give up...just slow down!
    
    Sandy
                         

    
    I'm hopeful, how can I not be....... I wanted sooooo bad to go
    last night but I had another commitment....   I still check the
    lost and found every time I pick up the newspaper, and the pets
    column in case someone is placing him.  The milford shelter calls
    almost every time a new tiger comes in..  they too have his picture.
    I saw a cat, beside my garage about a month ago, a tiger and I didn't
    get a good look, it spooked and took off before I could see it...
    I called and called...... After reading the notes in here about
    how a cat can have something happen to it and it will be afraid
    of you...... who knows it could be him....
    
    So what did I say to my mother, I said, I 'm going to ask the one
    who missed snuggles the most, my dog Ginger.... I said Ginger do
    you want me to keep looking for snuggles?  The minute she heard
    the name, 4 months later..... the ears went up and she ran to the
    window....... looking.......hoping........ Now how could I give
    up......  :*{
    
    Do they forget you?  do you think after 4 months you could walk
    up to him, say his name and have him look at you? come to you?
    We had him 2 years....... after he was abandon by someone else...
    She sounded so positive it was him, I'm hopeful..... I just know
    how disappointed I was the last time I went to the shelter and it
    wasn't him...........   The day can't go by fast enough, I think
    I might slip out and beat the trafic....... 

    You are doing all you can possibly do....when you get one of these
    calls...try not getting your hopes up so high.  (I know that is real
    hard!!)
    
    Will he remember you?  Well after reading some stories especially
    in this notesfile...there are cases where cats have been away for
    a year and came strolling back in the yard.   I'm at the point...
    (after 10 months) that I don't even care if CAM remembers us...I just 
    want to know where he is.  And if he has gone to kitty heaven...I can
    accept that..if he is living with a loving family...I can even accept 
    that...but if he is unhappy...he's comming back home and we'll help him 
    remember us!!!    
    
    Just leave early today and go see if that is your cat.  My fingers
    are crossed as well as all kitty paws...Please let us know.
    
    Sandy     
    
    

    
    Thanks Sandy... to you and CAM.... 
    
    Nancy and gingersnap
    

    
    It wasn't him  :*{ .......  I'll still be searching......
    
    Thank you everyone for your support........  I can't give up..
    I do hope he is somewhere happy.....
    
    Nancy

    Boooooooooo!!!   Fingers are still crossed for your search!!
    
    God.....why can't the cats that are missing have unique
    markings...this would make the search alot easier.   Most
    all tigers look very similiar.
    
    Sandy

    Re: .24

    Actually, Sandy, each cat is unique, but the differences are not 
    usually obvious to people other than the kitties' moms and dads.

    Linda_with_3_black_cats_who_look_alike_to_everyone_else

    Keep looking.  I'd also need to know what happened.  I'll keep
    my fingers crossed for you.
      Nancy who has helped rescue a lost kitty.

    As I was reading about the calls you get I was thinking, "Isn't it
    nice that there are so many caring people out there who would go
    to the trouble of calling you because they think they've seen your
    cat"? 
      :^)