Two Cats Lost from South Yardley, Birmingham

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Sp pleased you have seen Fred 

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

We never stop worrying about them, do we? I'm so glad that Fred is alive and well, it does sound as if he might have found himself another slave.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

         Aren't these monsters a worry.       

Never a truer word, Hippykitty.  Am so glad that Fred is alive and well, although still feel for you over his loss from your hearth.   

[Hippykitty]

Definitely saw Fred earlier tonight. He came up the to French windows, when I went to open them he ran off toward the left hand fence, disappeared; then I heard a door open and close as though he was being let in. I wonder if he's moved in with a neighbour. It was too late to go and ask, but will do so at beginning of week and post more leaflets through.

He looked well. I'm 100% certain it was him - saw his long tail and his face. I'd know that face anywhere. I'm so glad he's alive and seems to be doing okay.

Victoria and Cydric are being awkward about coming in tonight because they were in for much of the day due to rain. Hope they'll be in soon. Lucy is home.
Aren't these monsters a worry. 

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

HK     

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Far too early to give up hope 

[Hippykitty]

Gill, I haven't had the opportunity to put your plan into practise because Fred hasn't been seen locally for a week. I'm starting to give up hope that he'll come home. It seems so empty without him and George. I got used to having six cats and now three just doesn't seem enough, so I'm tentatively looking for another cat. If Fred and George do come home, I'll be back to six again.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

As he is coming right up to the house of his own accord, the next step is to leave a door open as soon as you see him, when he is ready he will come in. leave some food close inside and STAY AWAY COMPLETELY OUT OF SIGHT.

let him do his own thing, he may come in and leave again, he may eat and leave , he may come in further and settle some where.................i hope you have that cat flap in and working?

to trust you he needs to feel free to be able to come and go when he wants, if he finds himself locked in he  may leave again.

i have been here twice with sasa and each time once she had decided to stay the night, she didnt want to go again, the first time she got back to using the flap quite uickly and coming home again.

[Hippykitty]

I saw Fred in the garden tonight. Have put out the trap, but I think he's been caught in that trap too often to go in it again.

He came right up to the French Windows and looked into the lounge earlier, but went off down the garden when I approached.

Can anyone please suggest some way of enticing him home that doesn't involve using the cat trap? Thanks.

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

Lau and HK  I know what you mean about a 'curse', I had a run of bad luck that made me wonder if I should ever inflict myself an a cat again. Then we had Chivers and Punky as tiny kittens and they lived to be 19 and 20 respectively (despite Chivvy being run over when he was 2). Please don't let this stop you from giving your love to other cats in the future.

HK, that is great news, I have everything crossed for you 

[Hippykitty]

I'm so sorry about that lau. Sometimes bad luck seems to come in one big lump. I hope your other cats are adjusting.

I'm going to create a poster for George and put it on local lamposts. I've got some plastic envelopes for this. I think I'll also leaflet my road with something like: "Do you own the short-tailed black and white cat?" and give brief reasons why I want to know, including a pic of Fred. It's possible that Fred's being fed in the mistaken belief that he is their cat, especially if the short tailed cat is kept as a 'garden' cat. If this is the case, I may offer to take the other cat if they're not attached to him/her; Fred obviously likes this cat.

Now that I know one of them is alive and living locally I feel more motivated to search, rather than just sit and feel miserable.

Thanks so much for helping me through the worst of this. Now to get the little monkey home!

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

This is just great news and am sure that George has found a friend too.....................never never give up hope 

[lau200]

Great news that you have seen him  sadly i understand about losing many cats together, four of ours had to be pts by our vet in a matter of months due to different reasons. We lost Clive in sept, Jesse & Jonny in oct and cathie in dec. we found it difficult to deal with, as did our remaining cats. I hope that fred returns soon 

[Jiji]

So pleased you have seen Fred  maybe George has also found himself a female companion a bit further afield?

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Oh Hippykitty - that's such good news.      Could well be that he's made himself comfy in a new gaffe, especially if he's got a friend.  Am so glad you've seen him, as this will give you much greater peace of mind, and hopefully you'll be able to lure him back, then get the cat-proofing done.   

[Hippykitty]

I've seen Fred 

I was up very early/late this morning, so at dawn I went up into the back bedroom and checked out the neighbouring gardens using a friend's binoculars, loaned for cat-searching. I saw a black and white cat in the garden next door, but it was the one who looks like Fred but has a short tail. Guess who was with him/her? Yep, Fred! Looks like he's found a new friend. I went out to call him, but he looked at me blankly, just as he did the last time he went missing but was seen in my garden.

I would have put the trap out, but the others had got out in my rush to go and call him. He wasn't coming into my garden anyway.

I'm now wondering if the person with whom the short-tailed cat lives is feeding Fred. I must find out who this is as Fred seems fond of this cat.

I'm so glad he's alive!
Still no sign of George, but he's the kind of cat someone might take in: he's very small and cute, so I'm hoping he's living happily in a new home.

Hopefully, it won't be long before I can induce Fred into the garden and put the feral trap out for him. Then the cat proofing.
I'm so much happier for having definitely seen him alive and well (and in love? Lucy will be jealous!) 

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Hippykitty, it's not a curse though it will undoubtedly feel that way.  What it is, is a fierce run of bad luck. And that hurts like hell.   If I were in your shoes now, I suspect I would press ahead with the cat proofing, and begin looking to rehome one  or more cats over the next few weeks.  That wouldn't be the right solution for everyone, but when we lost Paddy then Tess then Mac then Ross, the only thing that helped ease that ache was taking on another cat - especially when we adopted Moray and then had the anxiety of making that work with Tinks.  The sheer willpower required to make it work made us move forward and push past the grief.  That's just my two pennorth for what it's worth.   

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

 

[Hippykitty]

That's just how I feel: that hope is getting in the way of healing and creating this horrible state of limbo in which I feel miserable but can't outright grieve. I keep telling myself to stop being silly, they'll be home soon, but still feel an ache inside. I'm being so protective of the other cats too. When they're out, I call them every hour to make sure they're still around.

The cat proofing I'm going to have keeps cats out as well as in, so I can't have it done till all hope is gone. I wouldn't take in more cats until I have cat proofing, life feels so insecure for cats. How could I lose three cats: Pebbles in October at the old house, Fred on April 6th here, and George on April 14th, in so short a time? I feel that cats are just slipping away and wonder if I should subject other cats to this 'curse'.

Sorry, just feeling miserable at the moment and I know peeps here will understand and not think 'it's just a cat'!

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

The not knowing is soooo hard  When I have had cats lost the reports of other cats returning home after x years re-ignited hope - and slowed down the healing process 

So true, Slugsta.  It's like picking the top from a scab. 

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

The not knowing is soooo hard  When I have had cats lost the reports of other cats returning home after x years re-ignited hope - and slowed down the healing process 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

It is a terrible thing but think its too early to give up hope yet 

[Hippykitty]

Thank you for your understanding. I've been trying to cheer myself up by looking at cats on CatChat who need homes, but it's not working.

If they don't come home in a couple of months, I'll get the garden cat-proofed and offer a home to a couple of cats who get on well with other cats but who need a quiet home.
I hope they return though. If only I knew.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Oh Hippykitty.  We lost 2 cats in this way when we were at our old house and it's soul destroying.  The not knowing is the most difficult part.

It took many many months for us to give up hope they would return, and the feeling of acceptance when they didnt wasn't an easy thing to get to grips with.

There are some amazing stories of cats returning many months or even years later, and we know that there have been some here on Purrs.  However,  the simple fact is we can never know whether that will happen for us or not. 

I hope that they're both still alive too, but I grieve for you, because I know how awful that feeling of emptiness and loss is.  Whether you own 5 cats or two cats, or greater/lesser numbers, they always leave behind them a hole which is disproportionately large.

I think if there's no sign of them in the next few weeks, it would help you to have something else to focus on, and offering a home to two new cats might be just the thing to help ease the loss.    I dont see it as being disloyal.  If by chance Fred and George do  show up and you have introduced another cat or  cats, these things can be managed.   

[Hippykitty]

It's been two weeks now since Fred went. I'm in that horrible limbo between hoping he returns and grieving for his and George's loss. Even the other cats: Lucy (George's mum and Fred's beloved), Victoria (Fred's sister), and Cydric (George's brother and Fred's friendly rival) are all pining. Lucy is losing her fur, it's probably stress but I'll take her to the vet to be checked.

I read about the cat who came home after 2.5 years, but such cases must be rare. At what point do I accept that they're gone for good and start grieving? Or should I keep hoping?

There have been no more sightings of them. I'm not sure that the sightings of Fred were actually him.

I've gone from 6 to 3 cats since October and the house seems far too cat-less.

After a few months, I may have a home to offer two more cats if the roamers don't return.

I hope that they're both still alive. 

[Hippykitty]

The woman who called told me she was just visiting her mum, who is in her 90's. I'm not sure if her mother is able to phone, or to spot Fred from a distance. The daughter gave the impression that her mother is an old type of 90's. I know that some people are still quite sprightly at that age, but I had the impression that this woman isn't.

[Dawn F]

can you ask them to call you when he is around - it sounds like it is probably a useful way of making acquaintance with your new neighbours!

[Hippykitty]

Had a phone call about Fred at 6pm. Someone who lives about 15 houses away from me, on the same side of the road saw him when she was visiting her elderly mother. She thinks she saw Fred and not the tailless lookalike who lives nearby.

Looks like he may have lost his way home.

Still nothing about George.

Any suggestions about luring Fred that final step home?
 

[Hippykitty]

No sign of either today.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Get home now Fred and bring George with you!

He sounds like Sasa and think he will return on his terms. I do hope someone sees George 

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

C'mon boys, your mummy needs you to come home...

[Hippykitty]

Fred's been spotted!
At about 7.30pm the elderly neighbour who likes birds came round to tell me that he'd seen Fred in his garden moments before, but that on seeing Bob - the neighbour - Fred ran off down the bottom of the garden into the one adjacent. I thanked him and went out to call Fred. No sign.

Strangely, a few hours before that I'd scooped freshly lain poop from the litter tray and spread it round the perimeters of the garden to help the cats scent home.

After the sighting, I got the other cats in and put out the feral cat trap. Then I had a phone call from the neighbour next to Bob who had seen Fred that very moment. She'd got my leaflet, compared the two and was certain it was Fred. She gave him a few munchies but he ran off when she tried to approach him (which he would do, being ex-feral).

Again, I went down the garden calling him. Lucy and Victoria were behaving oddly, going off and coming back then going off again.

The woman said he was thin, but didn't appear hurt in anyway.

I've brought the trap in now, I don't like to leave it out when it's dark and the others are outside. They won't come in and are acting excited. I don't know if they're just picking up my better mood, or they can sense Fred around.

Still no sign of George who isn't a wanderer and in my estimation, less capable of looking after himself than Fred is. I can only hope someone is looking after him, thinking he's stray.

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

I have everything crossed that your babies will come home soon HK 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Think I would have put the phone down on him!

I took a picture of Sasa with me when she went missing, she is very distinctive looking and so much easier than trying to explain.............next to last house recognized her and said her little boy watches her from the window,,,,,,,,,,this was Dec!

I then got two notes thro the door saying she had been seen which was all I needed to know and she came back finally after months in the New Year.

I also told everyone not to approach her cos being a semi feral she would run.

[Hippykitty]

Thank you everyone. Still no sign, but had a very strange phone call last night from a (male in his 20s?) who said he and his brother lived nearby and would keep an eye open. He wanted to know all sorts of odd details, which he was relaying to his 'brother', such as my age, how many cats I had, how long they had been missing, my name, etc. I told them most things, except my age. They suggested that the cats may have been stolen, but I pointed out that they are not valuable pedigrees and the only other reason for theft would be dog-fighting.

I expected them to ask: "is there a reward?" but the question didn't come.
Very odd. I thanked him for his interest, wanting to end the call, and he said they'd look out for the cats when they were out.

Odd.

[Tiggy's Mum]

What a terrible worry this must be HK  Have evrything crossed they're both back home before too long 

[Jiji]

Oh HK    I hope your boys are soon back with you.

[sheilarose]

Oh HK, I'm desolate for you. 

 If you do go out searching, take a photo of the cats with you, after all a picture paints a thousand words, so you might just get away with "have you seen my cat, please (pushes photo under nose) Could you check your shed while I wait?" Without getting too emotional. 

[Hippykitty]

Myself and a friend have distributed leaflets to all of the local houses and a few places, such as dentist, which were open when we called. I have a premium account with Petlog, the microchipping company, who've said they'll email all the local rescues, vets etc with the details. (I changed to premium when I had to change their details on moving house.)

Their details are on here, CatChat, National Missing Pet Register, Animal Search UK, I think that's about all so far.

My own suspicion is that the local bird fanciers don't like the fact that I have/had five cats and are somehow getting rid of the cats. I'm going to give these two plenty of time to come home then get my garden cat-proofed. The area does have lots of elderly people in it, so it could be misplaced kindness. If so, what can I do about this? Elderly people are often not internet savvy and may not take notice of leaflets through their doors.

I've been feeling ill since the leaflet drop and unable to do more than get them on websites and keep calling them. I'd have to ask a friend to help with door-knocking, I'd probably burst into tears.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

second that  and also use postie, schools and get on lost cats websites 

Have you been door knockin on neighbours doors and asked them to look in garages and any outbuildings!