FOUND 2.5 years later! black/white cat in Redhill, Nottingham

[Elle CatRescueUK]

@CatsProtection have retweeted my message as soon as I asked just now so feeling a bit better now...

[Elle CatRescueUK]

That's a shame but at least you tried I suspect that the papers that publish 'human interest' type missing pet articles have an animal loving editor at the heart of them.

I've had another idea to try and get some exposure for him, as you drive into my local supermarket car park often people park a few spaces in (so people are going slow enough to see it but have finished negotiating turning into car park) and leave the car there with a for sale sign in the car window to get maximum exposure.

You could make one massive poster by typing a few words in massive font on sheets of A4 paper and then join them up and blu tac them to the inside of the windscreen and windows. Especially at weekends this would get the message out to thousands. It means you have to do without the car for the day though!

That's an excellent idea. thank you xxxx 

[Tiggy's Mum]

That's a shame but at least you tried I suspect that the papers that publish 'human interest' type missing pet articles have an animal loving editor at the heart of them.

I've had another idea to try and get some exposure for him, as you drive into my local supermarket car park often people park a few spaces in (so people are going slow enough to see it but have finished negotiating turning into car park) and leave the car there with a for sale sign in the car window to get maximum exposure.

You could make one massive poster by typing a few words in massive font on sheets of A4 paper and then join them up and blu tac them to the inside of the windscreen and windows. Especially at weekends this would get the message out to thousands. It means you have to do without the car for the day though!

[Janeyk]

 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

So sorry they wont help 

[Elle CatRescueUK]

This is the response I got from the Nottingham Post:

Thank you for your email. I’m afraid this is not something we could cover as a news story in the Post.

The only place we can include information on missing pets is in the lost/found section at the back.

Apologies we are unable to help, but best of luck in your search.

I have now spent £60 in adverts in the lost/found section of their Post as I had beiefly mentioned in the email to them. I tried the 'appeal for lost pet missed by family/children/brother cat' and they're not interested clearly.

Having a really bad day today and been in tears at work in toilets. You know Radio Nottingham wouldn't even do a mention of it in Sept when he first went missing.

I've asked @BBCNottingham to retweet a message that has links to Billy#s photo as they have thousnads of followers on twitter and they cant be bothered...  it wouldn't even cost them anything to retweet that, I am so disappointed I feel like how come other people get papers to do an appeal and when I ask anyone to do something even small that would help me I'm ignored. Very sorry, I'm quite depressed and tearful.

[Elle CatRescueUK]

I see what you mean! I'll look into contacting a Notts Post journalist then and see if they'll run the story!

 

[Tiggy's Mum]

Did I read somehwere you have young kids? Not trying to exploit them (honest!) but how about an article, as opposed to an advert, in the local paper with the kids looking really sad and asking for people to keep their eyes out as the children are heartbroken?

I live in a very large town so you'd think there'd be enough 'news' but my local paper often has articles like this. Especially as he escaped from your Mum's house rather than a normal 'didn't return after being let out' type story. Worth a go 

Good idea, (yes the bboys do ask about Billy often) but the advert I am getting free is fairly small, not sure I can fit all the details in like that. I'll tell you the size when I check the crrespondence regarding it and post the draft when it's done!

I didn't mean an advert as I know you've been doing those already  I meant an actual mini article, see if you can get the reporters to come out and  take pics of the kids holding up Billy's photo or if not then take some pics and outline the facts yourself and see if they will publish something.

You need to sell it to them as a human interest type story - just re-read that your boys are twins which is another good angle, you could say that Billy's 'twin' (non identical brother) is missing him too. The fact that he escaped from a strange home so won't know where he is is another different angle (eg much as it would be nice if they did, they're not going to run articles of peoples whose cats simply go out one day and don't return).  Like I said, my local paper quite often does these types of stories, especially when kids are involved for the human interest type angle 

[sheilarose]

Hope it's good news. Still rooting for Billy. x

[Elle CatRescueUK]

Did I read somehwere you have young kids? Not trying to exploit them (honest!) but how about an article, as opposed to an advert, in the local paper with the kids looking really sad and asking for people to keep their eyes out as the children are heartbroken?

I live in a very large town so you'd think there'd be enough 'news' but my local paper often has articles like this. Especially as he escaped from your Mum's house rather than a normal 'didn't return after being let out' type story. Worth a go 

Good idea, (yes the bboys do ask about Billy often) but the advert I am getting free is fairly small, not sure I can fit all the details in like that. I'll tell you the size when I check the crrespondence regarding it and post the draft when it's done!

The other day I read of a cat that was found after about 3 months (it may have been on CC) anyhow the cat was found in the same way I mentioned in my previous post, someone my sister knows i.e. cared for by someone then taken to the vet.  I thought of you when I read that and hope that soon you'll have the same good news about your Billy.

Thank you that's good to hear. I have just seen an advert placed in nottingham gumtree yesterday about a black/white cat found. I have emailed the person, just waiting for an answer.

[Janeyk]

The other day I read of a cat that was found after about 3 months (it may have been on CC) anyhow the cat was found in the same way I mentioned in my previous post, someone my sister knows i.e. cared for by someone then taken to the vet.  I thought of you when I read that and hope that soon you'll have the same good news about your Billy.

[Tiggy's Mum]

Did I read somehwere you have young kids? Not trying to exploit them (honest!) but how about an article, as opposed to an advert, in the local paper with the kids looking really sad and asking for people to keep their eyes out as the children are heartbroken?

I live in a very large town so you'd think there'd be enough 'news' but my local paper often has articles like this. Especially as he escaped from your Mum's house rather than a normal 'didn't return after being let out' type story. Worth a go 

[Elle CatRescueUK]

Nothing unfortunately. i dont mind u asking its nice to know youre thinking of me. im getting a gree advert in a local free mag delivrrrd end nov. just paid for anothrr 3 days in evening post. sorry bad typeing on phone xx

[Tiggy's Mum]

Have there been any more sightings? I hope me keeping asking isn't upsetting you, I was - and still am - convinced that you'll get him back 

[Elle CatRescueUK]

Thank you 

I spoke to the lady with the black/white cat with red and black collar yesterday. Saw her outside with her cats so took the opportunity to have a word. Asked her if she'd ever seen a cat just like hers but with one red collar and a white face, she recognised me as being the missing cat woman and said she had my leaflet pinned to her fridge but unfortunately she had never seen my cat at all. She in fact lost a cat in Sept after she moved in and he made his way back 8 miles to his old home so she was onthe lookout for my cat knowing how upsetting it is.

I was really glad to hear she'd got her cat back as I had read about it on one of the missing pet registers online (as well as seeing posters up nr my mums house) and didn't know if she'd ever found him.

[Janeyk]

It's all so positive all these sightings, Billy has to be out there 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

If it is Billy then he is looking for a nice house with food and warmth and a cat flap, so its most likely that people with cats are likely to see him and thats a positive I think.

Sending loads of Purrs vibes too and so wish he could find his way home but sounds like he has lost his map now and just looking for a new home 

[Tiggy's Mum]

Fingers crossed one of the sightings is him!  Surely if the black-faced cat lives in that area he'd be in the habit of going into people's houses in the past and wouldn't suddenly start now? 

[sheilarose]

This is good that folk are still on the look-out for Billy. We're sending you the famous Purrs vibes. 

[Elle CatRescueUK]

just had a call from a lady on that estate nr my mums. She says her neighbour opposite said billy tried to get into his kitchen but was scared by him walking into it. I explained that there was a cat almost identical to my cat with a red and black collar, but a black face and we wondered if other people who had reorted sightings had actually seen that cat. She said her neighbour is adament that this cat had white on his face.

I thanked her and said we wkll have another look on that estate. Don't knwo what to think, had another sighting yesterday from anothr area because of my local paper advert. Also someone who had seen my posters somewhere else said billy was def in his area. Both checked out yesterday but nothing.

[Elle CatRescueUK]

Yep you've got my support until you find Billy 

It's good that he's microchipped.  My sister knows someone who lost her cat for a month and he was eventually found 5 miles from home.  An elderly couple had taken him in thinking he was a stray anyhow, something minor was wrong with him but they took him along to the vet who scanned him and that's when they found out he wasn't a stray after all.  So they eventually found their cat and what I'm trying to say is you just never know and I'm keeping everything crossed you soon find Billy too, keep the faith 

Thank you 

Elle, mention to your OH that everyone on this thread is still scanning and searching, and we think it's worthwhile. 

Sorry it wasn't Billy on NPR, but it was such a late post (she's had the cat for 5 weeks) I thought it sounded likely.

So, Billy hasn't vanished, he just hasn't made it past Luigi's yet!

I love your maps, this sort of visual aid is great for attention grabbing. Maybe get Luigi's to display a flyer for you? I would also re-post some "still missing" flyers as folk tend to assume the cat has been found after a couple of weeks and stop looking.

Did you see another Purrs post today?

"This is a very happy message to let those of you who remember, My little odd eyed tortie who went missing in October 2009 from Hamstead Road is now home safe and well..!!"

Billys turn next...

That's a lovely story to hear about them finding their cat after all that time 

Never occurred to me to mention it before but we brought a cat to vet to be scanned about 10 years ago after we continued to see him for a few nights .... Turned out he had been missing for 6 months from about 1/2 a mile away.  They were blown away with the reunion 

Keeping everything crossed that your boy turns up soon and proves your doubting OH all wrong.  My OH was also full of pessimistic doom when Ruby went AWOL for 36 hours. 

I'm sure he just can't bear to see you so upset 

It's all I need, someone caring enough to find Billy and take him to be scanned... 

Have there been any more phonecalls of possible sightings? 

Well I paid another 3 days worth of lost/found notices in the Nottingham Post, it's so expensive though, cost me nearly £20 and I paid just over that last time, so it's going to be hard to keep putting the ads in! Anyway, I had one phonecall on Thursday night, from someone 8 miles from where Billy went missing, basically in my direction but well past my area, so seems unlikely. Anyway, this lady said a cat that was identical to the photo had been hanging about in a field in this small village, and had a red collar on. She said it was new in the area. She promised she'd ring back the next day after she'd spoken to her friend who's house backed onto the field but she never did. Not sure what to do as it sounds like she realises now she made a mistake but whatever the case, she said she'd investigate and the village is very small so I'd think she would find out if someone owned the cat.

xxx

[Tiggy's Mum]

Have there been any more phonecalls of possible sightings? 

[Rosella moggy]

Never occurred to me to mention it before but we brought a cat to vet to be scanned about 10 years ago after we continued to see him for a few nights .... Turned out he had been missing for 6 months from about 1/2 a mile away.  They were blown away with the reunion 

Keeping everything crossed that your boy turns up soon and proves your doubting OH all wrong.  My OH was also full of pessimistic doom when Ruby went AWOL for 36 hours. 

I'm sure he just can't bear to see you so upset 

[Janeyk]

Yep you've got my support until you find Billy 

It's good that he's microchipped.  My sister knows someone who lost her cat for a month and he was eventually found 5 miles from home.  An elderly couple had taken him in thinking he was a stray anyhow, something minor was wrong with him but they took him along to the vet who scanned him and that's when they found out he wasn't a stray after all.  So they eventually found their cat and what I'm trying to say is you just never know and I'm keeping everything crossed you soon find Billy too, keep the faith 

[sheilarose]

Elle, mention to your OH that everyone on this thread is still scanning and searching, and we think it's worthwhile. 

Sorry it wasn't Billy on NPR, but it was such a late post (she's had the cat for 5 weeks) I thought it sounded likely.

So, Billy hasn't vanished, he just hasn't made it past Luigi's yet!

I love your maps, this sort of visual aid is great for attention grabbing. Maybe get Luigi's to display a flyer for you? I would also re-post some "still missing" flyers as folk tend to assume the cat has been found after a couple of weeks and stop looking.

Did you see another Purrs post today?

"This is a very happy message to let those of you who remember, My little odd eyed tortie who went missing in October 2009 from Hamstead Road is now home safe and well..!!"

Billys turn next...

[Elle CatRescueUK]

I've just telephoned them thank you for the link!  The cat she has had a black collar on and isn't microchipped apparently. She said he has been in the area possibly longer than 6 weeks too because a neighbour says he had been there longer but she only had been feeding him for 5-6 weeks now (she's contacted RSPCA today I think she said to tell them about her stray).

I know the whole thing about dying the cats face is crazy, we only considered it briefly because he looked so much like Billy, but we all discounted this as crazy as it would be incredibly difficult to dye a cats fur anyway. It was just a crazy thought at a desperate moment. A friend who works in a shop on that estate still maintains (I spoke to her today about it) that the cat she saw a few weeks back near the house where the old man yesterday said Billy had definitely been on his driveway 2 weeks ago, had a white face and was my Billy. So 2 people plus the old lady who originally phoned me after leafleting have now said, the white face and whiskers stood out to them. I am inclined to believe that he was on that estate at the end of Sept, but moved on. I've again done a map although I seem to be just clutching at straws hoping he is making his way home...

number 1 is where he went missing
number 2 is where I think he was hanging about sometime between 19th - 30th Sept
number 3 is where I live

I've put a line on the most direct route but he is unlikely to be able to go in that line, it just shows that point 2 on the map is in the right direction.

Thanks again for all your messages, it helps a lot to know people understand as I feel I can't talk to others as no one understands how my cats are like my family Even my other half thinks I should let Billy go and stop searching for him 

[sheilarose]

Elle, please check National Pet Register - there's a post dated yesterday from Forest Fields, just up the road from you, describing someone who could be Billy.

http://www.nationalpetregister.org/fp/34361.htm

If it's him, he's OK.

[Tiggy's Mum]

Such a shame that it wasn't him but please try to stay positive - he is still out there somewhere and needs you to stay strong, keep positive and keep looking 

[sheilarose]

It's very perplexing - we have a host of cats hereabouts who all look alike  - I think there was a particularly fertile black and white Tom on our estate who has sired several cats who all have almost identical markings. My heart stops quite frequently that I've seen our 15 year old sitting in someone elses garden two streets away.

Now, try not to panic. People who decide to take in "strays" do tend to keep them indoors for 2-3 weeks until they acclimatise. If Billy has been adopted by a good-intending neighbour he will be out and about again very shortly. You need to keep up the campaign and don't let this set back bring you down, OK?

As for dying his face - this is absolutely not possible. Imagine trying to wash his face never mind leaving a dye on for 20 minutes.
Plus the cat wouldn't come. He's not yours. Just a doppleganger.

I'm so sorry for you, this is heartbreaking. Try to keep your pecker up, we're still here for you. 

[Janeyk]

So sorry the cat you saw tonight isn't Billy although that's still not to say there isn't another black and white cat that people have seen which is Billy 

I wonder whether he's headed back to your house, have you postered en route to your house? I'm still keeping everything crossed you'll find Billy soon.  It must seem ages but it's not, believe me I've heard of many cats found after months and one was found after a year     

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

So sorry its not Billy 

You have to remember that people are not always tuned into the finer details and think its highly unlikely that the cats face has been dyed,

So many black and white cats with red collars and am sure the black collar probably not noticed, red stands out better and it maybe a flea collar.

People are just trying to help 

[Elle CatRescueUK]

Awful, awful, devastated..

My other half drove home via that estate today (said he doesn't know what compelled him to go there today but something did) and he rang me saying Billy was sitting on someones driveway, with a red collar and a black collar on too. He called his name, the cat looked at him but wouldn't come to him. He rang me, I rang my Dad who lives across the road out of the estate so came quickly. I got kids in car and drove there.

I got there, my parents were in the garden of the person who had let them through to call the cat. My Dad went around to the opposite neighbour as the cat was in the back border bushes. I saw the legs I thought it was him from the back but couldn't get a clear view.

He wouldn't come to me, but then Dad saw his face and said, it's not him. This cat is almost identical but has a black face. My dad went to tell my other half who was minding the kids in the car by that point. Other half couldn't believe it wasn't Billy he saw, then it ran through his mind that this cat maybe had the white fur dyed black on his face?!! He knew this was crazy but he couldn't understand how he could have mistaken this cat for Billy. I also asked my Dad afterwards, when he saw this cats face, did it occur to him at all that it was Billy with a dyed face? My dad said it did occur to him, he thought that for a second, then decided it was crazy. I never got a clear look at Billy as I couldn't see properly through the bushes, only Dad was on the other side telling me it wasn't him. I ran through my mind why anyone would dye a cats face black but still leave his original collar on and it didn't make sense. Other half also said it was crazy, he said why would anyone go to such lengths to do that then leave the collar on. We decided that the phonecalls i had been having almost daily must be wrong. The people who saw this cat must have thought it was my cat, as it had this red collar on and was slim build, young looking and all the other markings.

If my other half who owned and lived with Billy for 3 whole years since we got him as a kitten, couldn't identify him sat right in front of him, looking straight at him, then how the heck could all these people get it right from a couple of photos on a leaflet???! I drove home in shock and couldn't even remember where I was going whilst driving. I took a really long winded route accidently. I am still just numb. All that energy, driving round at 7am after a phonecall on one day, walking the streets talking to people who say they see my cat but cant get him, no one telling me a cat with a red and black collar lived on that estate... surely SOMEONE, including the 15 kids on the streets corner could have told me a cat with a black face does live on this small estate. I'm shocked. My Billy isn't there and I have no idea where he is. I can't describe how gutted I feel now. 

[Tiggy's Mum]

Try to look after yourself  Come on Billy, your Mum's not far behind you now 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Dont forget to eat and try and sleep, all very hard I know 

We are all here for you 

[Janeyk]

Yes, various people on 2 roads ring me and tell me, one even yesterday at 7am and I drove straight round but hed gone.  The people who say he had been coming in their gardens don't seem to have sightings again after they call me. I made myself ill actually and I was really poorly yesterday. Still not feeling good, think I've caught a virus with being so run down.

aww poor you, on the one hand it's so positive that people keep seeing him but then it must be draining for you.   I can imagine how hard it must be, we're all here rooting for you though.  Look after yourself and keep that faith   

(PS if you need to chat any time do pm me )

[Elle CatRescueUK]

Yes, various people on 2 roads ring me and tell me, one even yesterday at 7am and I drove straight round but hed gone.  The people who say he had been coming in their gardens don't seem to have sightings again after they call me. I made myself ill actually and I was really poorly yesterday. Still not feeling good, think I've caught a virus with being so run down.

[Tiggy's Mum]

Has there been any more sightings?

[Rosella moggy]

Have got everything crossed that Billy is found very soon 

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

You don't need to offer a reward .... a genuine person will look out for him, catch him and return him to you because they know how much our furry friends mean to us ... NOT because there is financial gain.

I am sure now it has turned chilly and blustery he will be more inclined to show himself and be tempted with food.

Stay positive ... it sounds like the net is closing in and I have a feeling you will get you boy back soon. 

[Tiggy's Mum]

See I'd say the opposite - you'd have just one trap which would need to be monitored but if you offered a reward you potentially have, as an example, 10 people actively trying to catch him - not just for the cash but it certainly gives an incentive.

Was the Cats Protection £25 definitely a 'charge' rather than a deposit? If you could find a local rescue to lend you a trap (in return for a deposit) you could have the best of both worlds.

Rescues in your area: http://www.catchat.org/adoption/notts.html