[LaraAmber]

My husband just called me and said the front door was open when he got up this morning after I left for work.  While the dog Zoe and our cat Faith are still around, Buffy is missing.  He looked for her, but couldn't find her and now has to leave for work. 

I'm very worried, my cats are incredibly sheltered.  I'm thankful I got her chipped and hope she gets picked up or turns up at our front door soon.

Lara Amber

 

[Angela]

I hope Buffy shows up soon, Lara. I know how it feels when a pet is missing.

 

[wilsondm2]

Good luck. I've been in your shoes. We had an indoor/outdoor tuxedo cat that we let out one morning on the way to work and he never came back. We looked and looked, but nothing.

The good part is the shelter visits led to us adopting another tuxedo/silvertip that has turned out to be the best cat we've ever owned.

<sending good thoughts your way>

Let us know what happens.....

 

[Susan in VA]

Oh no!  Can you put out some of her favorite food by the front door, and leave the door ajar?  

With luck she's just exploring a little and will come back when she's hungry or wants a nap in her favorite warm spot.  

 

[bkworm8it]

I've had a strictly indoor cat that escaped one day. She snuk into the neighbors apt because they left the back door open. They had to have me come and get her out from under her bed because she would spit at them when they tried.

My other cat that I have now who is allowed out only during the day when I am home, disappeared on afternoon. His first time away from the house, before that he had always stayed on the patio or fence. He showed up at 1am. Sounded like someone trying to take the siding off the house LOL. Then when I went to let him in I set off the house alarm (forgot it was one).

She'll come back home or be waiting when you get there. They don't usually stay away for very long.

Keep us posted!

Theresam

 

[LaraAmber]

My husband went home after his morning meeting and found her at a neighbors house sitting on their air conditioner.  He's back at work now, glowing in full hero status.

Lara Amber

 

[Susan in VA]

Yay!!  So glad she's safe.

 

[Thumper]

Oh, I am so glad she was found...just starting to read the thread turned my stomach into knots. We thought we'd lost one of our cats during a move a couple years ago and I was a crying, snotty mess for the three hours he was missing. The little monster found the ONLY place to hide in a completely empty house...he squeezed through a three inch opening under the cat carrier and curled up there.

The Spouse Thingy got to be the hero, too. Men seem to like that sort of thing

 

[Anju]

Nice to get some really good news!

 

[ferretluver]

I am so glad she is home and safe!

 

[bkworm8it]

That's wonderful. Glad she was found! And cuddo's to hubby going home to check!

 

[MichelleR]

Yaaaay!! And she didn't even ger a chance to stake a vampire!

If it ever happens again, the fave food on the porch is a good idea, as is an article of clothing that smells like you. If you visit shelters, don't just go to the closest. People take animals to the shelter they know or drop them off on the one they have to drive past for work. And ya got to visit in person, because that's the best chance of getting her back.

Microchipping is a form of permanent ID -- a lot of shelters have scanners. A lot of vets have scanners.

Congrats on her coming home and on your girl power, Whedon loving feline community.

 

[wilsondm2]

Great news! So very glad to hear it!

 

[luvmy4brats]

So happy to hear she's home safe.

We thought we lost ours many years ago. We had bought our daughter a new bedset for her birthday. The delivery guys left the front door open and we couldn't find Tornado anywhere. Serched the whole house from top to bottom (4 story townhouse) and scoured the neighborhood for hours. I was an absolute wreck. We found him hours later curled up in a corner behind the curtains.

 

[ELDogStar]

Glad to hear everything is okay now!

Eric

 

[bookfiend]

Yea, Laura. its the worst feeling in the world when you realize it was your mistake.  I'm glad your hubby works close enough to go home, and is diligent enough to check everywhere.  When Cam (my little black kitty) learned how to use the dogie door, I was a wreck.  But my husband found her every time.  Usually drenched from the sprinklers, you'd think once would have been enough, but oohh nnoo.....

 

[Angela]

Glad to hear your kitty is safe at home...  apparently someone around here is missing a cat!

I came home earlier today to find a young gray tabby with white feet in my house! Seems she/he discovered the doggie door while I went to pick up the niece from school. I walked in and here was this cat sitting in the hallway hissing at Harley. Very friendly cat, not at all afraid of the dog, but there is no way she/he can stay. We have too many people in our family allergic to cats. Once we got the cat out of the house, we had to close the doggie door to prevent it from coming back in. After about 3 hours of hanging around on my back porch it finally left we unlocked Harley's door so he could come and go again. About an hour ago we heard meowing and got to the doggie door just in time to lock it down. The cat was back and trying to get back into my house. It is now curled up and sleeping on the patio table!

I don't know what to do to get rid of it. One of my neighbors claims the cat has been around for about 2 weeks and no one seems to know where it came from. Anyone have any ideas how I can discourage this cat from making itself at home here? I wouldn't mind having an "outside" cat to help keep the snakes and mice away from the house, but this one doesn't want to be an outside cat!

 

[Susan in VA]

You could try feeding  it *outdoors*, so it knows that that's the place to be...

Other people wonder how to keep their cats from wanting to go outside, but I've never heard of it this way around. 

 

[Angela]

You could try feeding it *outdoors*, so it knows that that's the place to be...

Other people wonder how to keep their cats from wanting to go outside, but I've never heard of it this way around.

Neighbor about 6 doors down fed it for a week and said it disappeared. What shocked me was that it found it's way into my house! Right now it is trying to get in. It actually lifted the flap of the door and was scratching on the door cover. I had to lock it into place because it managed to get its paw under the edge and was working it up! It is driving my poor Harley up the wall!

 

[luvmy4brats]

Angela,

That's funny. I don't have any solutions. We had the same thing happen when I was growing up from time to time. Pretty weird to come home and seeing a strange cat sleeping on your bed. Being hopelessly unable to say no to the cat, he quickly became part of the family.