About two months ago, Riddle one of my barn cats just vanished. A few days later, I saw on the road (quite a distance from our farm) a cat that looked like Riddle. I couldn’t get to the cat – the traffic was to heavy but there was no hope for the kitty there. I cried on the way to town thinking it was Riddle and when I returned home, the body had been moved (or taken by raptors).
I told Mike and we were both sad at the loss- but as always- life keeps going.
Yesterday morning when I went to feed the cats in the barn, I saw a grey mackeral tabby sitting under a hay bale. I did a double- take but it was Riddle. There was no mistaking the light dusky grey color and black tipped tail. He looked horribly thin and was eating the kibble that had fallen to the ground. I went over speaking softly to him and scooped him up. He was crawling with fleas and had massive amounts of drainage coming out of his eyes.
He is now upstairs on antibiotics, and he is eating but only Fancy feast. I gave him fluids twice and his gums are so pale. I have him on pet tinc as well as a vaporizer going in the room as he is all congested. He will go to the vet in the morning- but he came out from under the couch to snuggle with me, so I know he is glad to be home again.
I am so happy that your kitty found his way home again-and that you have the wherewithal to take care of all his needs until the vet sees him.
Please take good care-
Rachel Harvey
Milpitas, California
Oh, the stories these lost ones could tell. Fleas are the devils work. I am glad he is back home with you now.
Riddle found his way home, where he knew love! I pray that the vet finds that there is nothing that more love (and meds) can’t cure.
This is a beautiful, though bittersweet, story. It gives me hope that one of my own outdoor semi-feral kitties, who has been with me for 9 years and who has been gone for 2 weeks now, will return home someday soon. She seemed to vanish into thin air without a trace, but I know she is strong and brave. I know she is a survivor. I send her my love every day and night, and I envision the rush of joy I will feel when I see her gorgeous face peering in at me through her favorite window once again.
I hope you will see her again, but never give up. I found one of my cats two years after she “vanished.” She was sitting in the window of a house when I was walking my dog down a little-used back trail! I got her back too- there was no denying the joy she showed when I reunited her with brandi, our dog. They were quite close.
So glad to hear that your cat came home. Our cat went missing recently and after many posters and yard visits, 3 weeks later a woman called saying she had been feeding a cat just like ours. We went to get him and it is seemingly him, but his behaviour has changed quite a bit. He now scratches at things he never used to and starts meowing at 5 in the morning for attention or playtime. Has anyone had such an experience where behaviour changes?
I would get him to the vet immediately. Stess is a main factor of health issues and being outside can be so stressful to cats. Behavior changes are his way of getting you to pay attention to him- something may not be right. Always rule out health issues before trying to figure out what else might be wrong with him.
This posting gives me hope. Two months ago my feral, black cat Willoughby vanished after my neighbor and I removed some patio furniture from my backyard. I think we spooked him with the commotion. My other feral, Seamus, a very cute orange tabby, has been pretty lonely since he left. As you say, life goes on, but there isn’t a day that goes by that I hope he hasn’t or won’t suffer and that someday he’ll return. The unknown really torments me.
Bunches ran off after all day in his kennel when we got to my sisters 4 hrs later. He stayed around her house for 10 minutes then never to be seen again. I got Bunches, a mostly outdoor feral type from my other sister. She lives 5 miles from sister #1. I live 4 hrs away. While I had him, one year, he was mostly indoors. Bunches is a surviver and very smart. He has been gone almost one month. I’ve come back to look for him 3 times in that month. If he sayed around sister #1 house I haven’t seen him. They are all looking out for him. Could he be making his way to sister #2’s place? He was born there and was fed there from birth to when I took him at age 1? He would have to travel and make his way across town; roads, streets, traffic, a lake and neighborhoods? I pray for Bunches every night. I don’t want to loose hope.
Momma Dotty sad 🙁
My cat just came home after being gone 20 days. He is very thin and looks like he has big patches of new growth fur. I plan on taking him to the vet in the morning to make sure he is ok. He has always been an indoor/outdoor cat. I’m afraid to let him back outside. I have searched almost three weeks for him. Any advise. .
I would leave him inside Shawna. If you don’t have interactive toys to play with him or cat posts for him to perch on- those are some ways to keep an indoor/outdoor kitty happy inside. http://www.nekotoys.com Da Bird and http://www.felinefurniture.com are some websites to look at. It’s dangerous for them outside, they get scared, chased they are viewed as a nuisance and anything can happen. Hopefully, he is neutered? If not, get him neutered immediately
my cat tinker bell was missing for a whole month she returned yesturday skinney and a bit listless but seems to be alright and happy to be back home
My cat Tinkerbelle has been missing 1 month there have been sightings by a lady walking her cats at 5am but not everyday I have gone couple of times no luck . I ring my bell and call I don’t know why she can’t hear bell.Her radius might be quite large ?
Also boy at chicken shop seen her too!! Lots of stray cats in street people feeding any advice? Great stories good luck everyone searching still lost another cat 3 yrs ago never got back think someone took her she is friendly Trixiebelle Tinkey is shy and scared of cars trucks etc brother left screen door open tinkey and her sister Pinkey opened glass door snuck out garbage truck morning !!!!
I’m not sure what bell you mean? If it is on her collar, perhaps she detests the collar? You might have more luck with rattling kibble in a container, popping open cat food cans- sprinkling a trail of cat food back to your place? you can also put her litterpans outside (if they haven’t been recently cleaned and scrubbed) You can if you jog- just put on a thin t-shirt you aren’t fond of- then dress warmly and go for a jog and just get the shirt saturated with your sweat- then come home and strip out the shirt and hang the strips in your trees and bushes.
Best of Luck
My longboy came home after taking off for 5 days. He looks a little dusty and is very hungry. But now he wants out again. No way!
If Longboy is not neutered, it would be a good idea to get him neutered so the wandering bug doesn’t affect him.You can also hang lemon scented car deodarant sticks on your front door to keep him away so he doesn’t dash off. Glad he came back home!