My Cat is Lost Inside My House Somewhere

I'm very sorry OP.

My cat died last week, I know how hard it can be.

Does she run to you when you open a can of wet food?

Maybe call a cat rescue and ask for advice? Or call the vet and see if they can refer you to someone?

I'd act very fast, OP. Leave out bowls of water in different locations.

Two nights ago? How did you not already call someone for help on this? 😮

Read the comments too.

Are there owls in your neighborhood?

She might be in some kind of crawl space. Ask your landlord or maintenance guy if there's a crawl space.

Sorry, OP and r1. I know how it is.

R9 is correct.cats love crawling into crawl spaces and can sometimes get into ceilings

Look at the comments to the video at r6. People talk about cats lost in the home

Catnip perhaps might coax her out if she's still alive. Place it in areas that you can monitor.

Contact your vet and ask for an animal behaviorist. They might know what to do.

OP what city are you in? I'll research who might be able to help.

How old is she?

*Thought & Prayers*

Put bowls of cat food out. Friskes and the like. Smelly, McDonald's of cat food.

I've never figured out how old she is. She appeared here one day but wouldn't let anyone near. Stayed outside. Eventually, she warmed to me and became a loving house cat. She can't be outside. I only have one big closet in my place and I'm pulling out everything, really tearing the place apart like the commenters said on that video. I tried the food. She always responded to the opening of a can of cat food. Nothing. She hides from anyone who comes in the apartment but never from me. I'm so afraid she died. Got up at 4:30 and after realizing she's not here, I can't stop sobbing over her. If she were hidden and couldn't escape she would have meowed for me.

When she wasn't feeling well my kitties used to find the most unusual hiding places. OP, Did you check all of the dark corners of your clothes closet, and I mean underneath everything? Cats can make themselves very compact when so motivated.

OP what city? I'll try to find someone to help.

OP, Do you have any bathroom or kitchen cupboards with dark corners?

Did you leave any windows open as they can escape through the smallest gaps, even through top windows?

Unfortunately, if she has died in your apartment, the smell will soon alert you to her whereabouts. Very upsetting for you.

Do you have a washer or dryer she might have climbed into? Praying for you and your cat.

If you haven't already, check your dressers. If I left one of my drawers open even six inches my cat would get inside and climb up through the back to sleep in one of the closed drawers. I also found him stretched out in the space behind the bottom drawer a couple of times.

I've had this happen. Kitty was in my couch (inside it) or in the box spring.

I bet he shows.

No sounds. The closet is almost done with ... no luck. I think I've looked everywhere. No windows open. After she came to live with me she never wanted to go outside again. She had a head cold a few weeks ago and I took her to the vet who gave her an antibiotic. She got better. Tks for the helpful responses. I'm just hoping my baby is alive. Sweetest little cat ever.

She is really beautiful. Ragdolls are big so I doubt she is in some tiny space. Maybe she slipped past you when you left the apartment and you didn't notice? I would try calling her outside too.

Be sure to check that box spring, and inside any couches. I've also had them hide in cabinets, and I closed them not realizing that they were inside.

Once my cat was hiding under the bathtube, they're good at hide-and-seek.

Look under your bed up inside the fabric that covers the bottom of your box spring. I lost my cat once inside the house for days. Finally found her under the bed. She had ripped a hole in the cambric fabric and had crawled up in there and was just chilling out . You could see her fat lump of a body hanging up inside the fabric.

If you can hid and died you'd be smelling it by now. Good luck. I'm sure you'll find here eventually.

Check the food and water level and open tuna cans in every room.

Thank you guys. Appreciate your suggestions. I have looked under the bed to see if the fabric under the box springs was hanging down. She weighs 8 pounds. Nothing. I opened another can of cat food because the sound would wake her from a deep sleep. Nothing. I'm going to take a tuna can and open it in my bedroom. I just keep hoping she's playing a game with me. But this isn't like her at all. She's a puppycat. Loves to have her belly scratched. I'm a wreck and can't stop crying. I'd give anything if she'd just show her little face.

Check cupboards, underneath the couch, lift up the cushions on the couch. Move your mattress too. Have you entertained the possibility she might have gone outside? Some can move very quickly.also check in the cupboard underneath the bathroom and kitchen sink.

OP you should ask your neighbours if they didn't see her. Maybe she's chilling on their coach.

If she's still inside the house It's for sure she's not in distress or she'd be squalling like mad. She's not dead or the smell would be obvious. She's a typical cat. Some times they decide to do some really weird things. She just needs her alone time. She's a former outdoor cat. Are you absolutely sure there is no way should could get outside?

R35 I don't want to be overly pessimistic, but cats die silently. They don't squall.

Check underneath the couch. You would be surprised how many cats have the ability to flatten themselves and squeeze into small spaces.ive seen this before

If she's 8 lbs she is way too big for all these places.

She used to be an outdoor cat and just bc she hasn't wanted to go outside for X years, doesn't mean she can't change her mind. She must have slipped past you when you left the house.

Take the open tuna cans outside and check all her old haunts. The onset of feline dementia can make cats alter lifelong engrained habits.

I'm so sorry, OP, and I hope you discover what happened. Did you have anyone over during that time that might've accidentally let her out the door or a window? Or even maintenance or landlord that might've entered your place without you knowing?

She is dead OP. Get over it.

There isn't any way for her to leave the house. I've got the closet almost completely cleaned out and no sign of her. The last time I saw her was when I went to bed two nights ago. I heard her meow quietly three times, not in distress, and then I went to sleep. The next morning when she didn't appear, I thought she's hiding somewhere. I started getting frantic in the afternoon and evening. Looked everywhere I could find until late last night. Finally knocked myself out with a xanax, woke up early this a.m. and she hasn't resurfaced. I am afraid she's dead and in some hidden spot even though there didn't seem to be be anything wrong with her.

Last guess: If you have one, have you checked your washer and dryer, including the dryer exhaust hose?

[quote]Good riddance-the birds

Except the OP has said repeatedly she's exclusively an indoor cat. So no threat to the birds. And I'm the biggest bird person ever who constantly bitches about that global problem. My upstairs neighbor's indoor cat used to catch birds all the time on their balcony, but she slipped earlier this year, fell from the fourth floor, and smashed her brain on the asphalt. I miss that little fucker peeping into my window at night.

Check inside fireplace, inside furnace, inside oven and refrigerator/freezer. Open all cabinets and closets. Some cats can open cabinets/closet doors and then the doors close on them and they can't get out. Check inside matress and inside all stuffed furnature like sofas and recliners. Check ice boxes and coolers. Check inside piano. Check inside airconditoner and waterheater storage. Check to see if there are any holes in walls, floors, or ceilings. Check vents, especially floor vents if open, leading to air ducts. Ask landlord for help, if this is an apartment. Check desk and dresser drawers. Look up--some cats jump up high and can even sit on the tops of doors. Check rafters. Check attic space or crawl space. Listen and call the cat's name. Check behind and below and inside all large appliances. Check inside trash and recylcables. Check laundry.

Op could she have gotten out? You may have heard her meowing from outside.

OP please come back and tell us how this works out.

Is your apartment really huge, OP? It's crazy to me that you haven't been able to find her yet. Just go systematically, room by room.

It sounds like you might have let a feral cat into your house.

That behavior is normal. You won't see that cat.

If there are any holes in your home, the cat could be in your ceiling or under a floor.

Put the cat box out in the open. Make sure it's raked all nice. Leave for a few hours. When you come back, there may be footprints.

Tks for the helpful words. My apartment is tiny, a living room, bedroom, small kitchenette and bathroom. I now have the closet cleaned out and no sign of her. No washer, dryer, or piano to look in. Dishwasher but she's not in there. She was a "throwaway" who turned up in the backyard where my downstairs neighbor started feeding her. Then I adopted her. When I took her to the vet he said she was spayed and declawed (!!!). Turns out my neighbor's boyfriend threw her out when she was little. She was messing up his boat in the garage, which is where they put her because of other cats in the house. When he discovered the boat he kicked her out. She is afraid of everyone except me and has never not used the cat box. Very affectionate and content and I just don't understand what has happened to her.

Have you spoken to your neighbors? She might be in one of their apartments.

r51 She disappeared overnight, which means she couldn't have slipped through the door while the OP wasn't looking.

Could she have squeezed through one of the windows that had been left ajar? That and the balcony (which I'm assuming you don't have) are really the only explanations I can think of.

Someone took your cat

My cat disappeared for (2) days. We searched every place we thought she possibly could fit. We finally located her in the basement inside of a painting/picture we had leaning up against a wall. We had looked previously, but did not see her. Not sure if she moved around a bit, or what. Went straight to the vet once we found her. Apparently she was constipated. Got that taken care of and she is fine. Too many kitty treats are not good for them.

You need to be looking outside. It’s the one place you’re not looking and I bet money that exactly where she is at.

She got out your door and when you heard her meow, you should have opened your door. She may be caught in the lining of some of your furniture.

If she is ragdoll, she is two large for a bird of prey.

Look in a kitchen cabinet.

My 8 pound cat can absolutely squeeze under my sofa. Look there, and look to see if she's crawled up inside it. Do you have a recliner? Cats can also crawl up inside those.

Can cats just die, even if they looked/acted fine? I looked in the recliner and under furniture and up in the lining. It's like she vanished into thin air. When she meowed two nights ago, there were no closed doors inside. I'm busted up over this. Fear I'll find her dead.

Is there a space between your kitchenette cabinets and the ceiling or do they go all of the way up? Could she have jumped up there? I had a cat that did that. For some reason she also wanted to lay down on top of the fridge when she got sick. Can you move your fridge out and look behind there? That cat was always up to something and once jumped up on a wall unit and fell behind it. Had to move the whole thing to get her out. There wasn't that big of a gap between the wall unit and the wall, just enough for plugs, so you wouldn't think a cat could fit back there but she did. And she was a pretty big cat. It's crazy the places they can fit.

[quote]My 8 pound cat can absolutely squeeze under my sofa. Look there, and look to see if she's crawled up inside it. Do you have a recliner? Cats can also crawl up inside those.

Agree I had one who ripped a hole in the material under the couch and crawled up inside

I knew a cat who tore a hole in a box spring and would sleep there

I wish the prissy person who objected to DL's attitude in the Shriner's thread would read this one. It just takes the right impetus for DL to be compassionate.

Do you have someone to help you with this, OP? A fresh pair of eyes might spot some places you haven't thought to check because you're so used to your apartment and to your cat's usual behaviour.

Do you have uncovered vents in your apartment? I ask this because we had work done on our house last year and my 14 year old cat decided to go through a vent and get behind the walls. She was crying a lot and we put a hole in the drywall and got her out.

OP, has the cat shown up yet with a little of kittens in tow?

OP, why won't you answer the person who is asking where you are located so they can help you find the right service?

And R65 has a good question. Are you sure she isn't pregnant and did not run off somewhere to give birth?

OP, think about the entire time she's been missing. Has the door or window not been opened at all during that time, not even a minute? Because though it might seem she was missing all along, she might've just been hiding out at first, then quickly slipped out at another point. And ask your neighbors if they've seen or heard her.

For OP and Kitty:

I am in Huntington Long Island. She must have found a really good place because I've looked everywhere. Everything is out of the closet except clothes hanging on hangers. Also cleared everything out from under the bed and checked the lining of the box springs. Asked neighbor if he'd seen her and said no. Not under couch or recliner, checked lining too. I know she would've come out by now. After she came in the house for good, never wanted to go out again. She only liked to climb up on the back of the chair and look out the window. So lovable and affectionate. I'm so afraid she's dead.

OP have you looked in drawers? Behind dressers and other large furniture? In cabinets? Inside boxes or other storage? Don't write anything off because you think she couldn't fit or couldn't have gotten in there.

Stay positive, OP! I don't think she is dead. Maybe she just needs a break from your intense personality!

Cats are excellent at hiding. My cat once hid in the box springs of the mattress of the bed in our guestroom. He scratched a hole in it and was perched up in there because he was frightened of something.

Another time we found him hiding in a dresser drawer. Yet another time hiding in a kitchen cabinet.

Hoping and praying your friend is found soon!

I've heard this before. This tread does not seem new. If it is someone else had the exact same experience. I don't know if we every found out what happened to his cat.

Over the years I have had cats who hid themselves inside a box spring mattress, inside a sofa, up a chimney (!), and in the ceiling. One cat used to disappear for several hours and then magically reappear - I never did figure out where in my one-bedroom apartment he was hiding.

It sounds like your cat might have gotten stuck in the ceiling or between the walls of your apartment, or is in the floor above the basement. Check with your landlord or building manager to see if there are any entry points in the building (not just your apartment) that your cat might have found and ask if there is any history of cats getting trapped in the house. Also if you have a local pet superstore I would give them a call and see if they have any employees who are experienced at finding lost cats. Lots of dedicated people work in those places and they might have contacts who can help.

Hope you find your little guy.

Is there a ransome note?

Ever experienced that surreal feeling where you can't find something that you think you put in one place only a minute ago and it seemingly just vanished, so your brain kinda breaks down in frustration because there's simply no rational explanation for why that thing isn't there anymore? And then you find it and immediately understand why it's in that place?

Reading this thread is a bit like that. Only a hundred times worse, of course, because it's a living animal. I'm frustrated knowing that the OP's cat is 100% in that apartment, and there's only a finite number of places a ragdoll can occupy within that limited space.

My heart is breaking. I know she would have come out by now, or I would have found her. It's such a small apartment and I've looked everywhere in it. I have everything from the bedroom closet piled up in the living room and I've pulled the mattress and box springs off to look. No trace. Not a sound. As far as I know there is no access either into the walls or down into the floor.

Get a dog.

OP, have you checked in your closet and in the box spring?

OP do you own or rent? If you rent, is it possible someone from the landlord could have come into your apartment when you weren't there and let her out?

If you adopted her from outside, is it possible she snuck outside?

Maybe post lost pet signs and knock on neighbors' doors?

Op, my cat is about that size. There are kitchen cabinets in the corner and she found out there’s a narrow gap between the two corner cabinets that leads up to a space on top of the cabinets that’s inside the wall. The cabinets don’t go all the way to the ceiling, there’s a drywall section on top of them that probably has ducts inside it. She goes in there all the time. Look behind large objects in the lower and upper cabinets too. She may not be in distress, she may have found a new hiding place and is fascinated by it.

Did you look inside the refrigerator and freezer? She could have got caught in there. Inside the oven, washer and dryer.

Also, behind any large appliance. Washer, dryer, stove, fridge. On top of the fridge. Inside cabinets over the fridge or stove. In the broom closet, linen closet and pantry.

Isn’t this an old story? Cat lost in walls?

Oh sweetie I’m so sorry. I wish I were there to help you. Please know we all truly love you.

Cats can get spooked all the time and they will at times run and hide for long periods of time, not eating or drinking, simply because they're scared to death. If she's in that house and alive, she'll come out eventually. If she's outside and free to move around on her own (hasn't been taken in by another family) she'll eventually come back home.

Does your building have an elevator?

I'm telling you this story only because there is always one place you have missed.

Last week I lost my car keys in my car. I tore that car apart 3x's. Put the seats up, put them down, moved the seats forward and back. Someone else tore it apart for me 1 time. After 2 HOURS I opened the back door, had the seats down and laid my upper body across the back of the seat (I was in pain at the time) I moved my arm out and my hand felt this tiny crack between the seat where it was folded down and the back floor. I pulled the felt out and there were my keys. I tried to get them out but couldn't because I had a small flashlight attached to the ring and it was too big to get thru the crack. I had to pull on the seat and move the keys back and forth until they came out. I have NO idea how they got in there with the flashlight attached.

there is one more place you have missed

OP, if this resonates with your beliefs, please use. (Otherwise, kindly ignore.)

Prayer for My Lost Cat

St. Francis and St. Anthony, please come promptly to the aid of this precious cat, and those who love her so, and enable her to find her way back home, having suffered no ill effects from her separation from her family.

Thank you sweet Jesus for your mercy on this pet owner and their dearly loved cat, and for restoring her to him. It is in your name we pray, Amen.

And St. Jude, for lost causes.

Have you looked up INSIDE the recliner? I had a cat hid not under the recliner, but IN the recliner. Thank God I didn't try to extend the footrest, or he'd have been smooshed.

People like ragdolls, someone has her. Sorry.

r91 They'd have to enter the OP's (presumably locked) apartment during the night or in the morning after, then. Which seems improbable.

Check under the fridge if possible. Put an open cardboard box in the middle of the floor. Cats can't resist them. I hope you find her.

Could you maybe play some cat noises from your computer? Wouldn't most cats respond to that in some way?

Do you have a lazy susan? Have you checked there, if you do?

I hope you find your friend, OP! Please let us know.

OP, i had a cat who insisted on being an indoor outdoor cat. He got run over by a car. But i wasn't informed of it till animal control in my town told me. Three days after the fact. Someone reported him lying in a road.

I am so sorry for what you are going thru.

OP, did you REMOVE all the drawers in your home? Actually remove them - not just open and look?

My cat used to love playing hide-n-seek in the highboy dresser. Until she squirmed behind the open drawer and then got stuck between the drawer and the back of the dresser and ended up trapped behind the bottom drawer - even though she'd climbed in through a top drawer.

I heard a few quiet mews and then nothing - she was so scared she went quiet. Had I not been in the room and heard those first few plaintiff mews and started looking for her... so check *behind* ALL drawers. Pull them right out!

Check around the sink in the kitchen and bathroom. One of my cats hid under there ,she had crawled up on the pipes and wouldnt make a peep. I had looked in the cabinets,but it never occured to me to look UP while I was under there.

Thanks to all of you for your heartfelt thoughts and good advice. I had to get out of the house so I drove into town and realized I was too emotional to go inside stores. She (Asia) is so special because she was abused and kicked out of her original home and crossed the street to come over here and it took me three years just to coax her inside. She was so afraid of people after the neighbor. It's been 3 years inside now and she still hides from people. She goes under the bed, which is the first place I looked. Then I ripped the bed apart and looked up in the box springs. She was so affectionate two nights ago when I went to bed. I just don't understand it. It's a mystery.

She would have been hungry by now and if stuck someplace would be howling.

She must be stuck between the walls. That happened to my cat a few years ago. My dad "found her" months later while doing the plumbing for the kitchen. She was all mummified by then. Poor Beatrix. 🐈

Do you have an attic?

My mom used to keep our luggage in the attic. We came home from a family vacation & Critter had been in the attic the entire three weeks.

She was fine.

I am thinking of you OP!

Maybe this volunteer org knows someone who can help. Phone number at the bottom of the page.

Your local shelter might be able to help, or refer you to someone.

OP, find friend who can help you search your place. Fresh eyes, like someone above said. Please don't skip anything suggested here.

This rescue is near you. They've been around since 1927. Staff might be pushy according to Yelp, but maybe call them. They may have some expertise.

Please call North Shore and ask for help and a referral. They have good people there. Please don't give up.

He OP - Is it okay with you if I toss mine in there as well?

I don't understand you, OP. If you're so distraught and its been 2 days, why wouldn't you call someone from animal control or anyone who can offer help ASAP? I personally think the cat got out somehow, but if it's still alive or dead somewhere in your walls, or anywhere in the apartment, I'd want to know sooner than later.

OP, when you heard Kitty meow the other night, I guarantee someone came into your apartment and she got out. Is anything else missing? She may have prevented a robbery.

r110 Don't most people lock their front doors?

If one more person tells this poor person to look in the box springs or under the sofa or in the washing machine........please scroll up before posting

I know someone suggested looking under the fridge, but is it possible she jumped on top of it and fell *behind* it?

OP, I'm sorry you're going through this. I had a similar but brief moment of panic earlier this week when some maintenance guys came into the apartment to clean the AC units, and then I couldn't find my terrified cat. I found him on the closet floor, where he had dug through some clutter and hid under a comforter.

If something scared your cat, he would have likely gotten over it by now and come out of hiding. Maybe he is stuck somewhere. He stayed at my mother's house for a week last year, and I discovered a hole in the closet wall. If he had climbed through that hole, he would have ended up behind the bathtub.

They can survive for a few days without water or food. If he is stuck in the interior walls, what would be the best way to find him? I thought maybe a holding a stethoscope against the wall, but if he's being still (as cats can be), that won't help. I would move every piece of furniture away from the walls and inspect every surface of the wall for holes that he might have squeezed through. Check the bottom drawer of your dresser; he could have gone under the dresser and climbed into the drawer from behind.

The fact that he isn't meowing, though, makes me think he could also be outside. I've heard the advice to put his dirty litter box outside, he'll recognize his own scent, and he might come back to use the box out of habit. Also put his favorite treats outside, too.

I remember a thread from last year where the OP lost his kitten, are many of you posters the same one who helped this poor person? I don't think we ever got a resolution :(

No resolution was needed, hunty, for an EST that really pissed a lot of people off.

This is no EST!

[quote] Q: Will this camera detect an animal under a floor, in a wall or under a deck? What is the distance required to detect? Would you need to be very close?

[Quote] A: It detects thermal heat on surface meaning that it can not see through. However, if animal under floor has heat enough to affect temperature on wall/floor surface, it can detect its temperature difference. The 35,200 pixels thermal camera can see objects like buddings and houses in 100 m far away.

Op, buy something like at my post at R118 and return it after you're done with it. Give it a chance. When you return it pick "item did not match description" so you won't be charged return shipping.

Did anyone say it was, R117? I have my suspicions since the kitters is not found and the OP is not telling us anything of real substance. Furthermore, there is some evidence he actually stole the cat from neighbors across the street by luring him over and trying to tell us the cat was abused. Oh really? How would OP know this?

This one might be even better. Get it shipped Prime or overnight or even same day if available.

[quote]I don't understand you, OP. If you're so distraught and its been 2 days, why wouldn't you call someone from animal control or anyone who can offer help ASAP?

I agree. If the cat is inside the apartment you have to hurry and try to find her immediately, OP. If she's stuck somewhere she's been without water for two days now, and if still alive that will start causing serious problems for her organs. That said it's weird she wouldn't make ANY noise. When I was a really small kid I for whatever reason put our cat in a closet and closed the door. I totally forgot I had done it, and we sometimes heard a few small meows but not all the time. We kept wondering where he had gone until a day later while searching for him I finally opened the closet door and there he was. He could've raised hell in the closet but I assume she found the small space peaceful and mostly just slept there. The weird thing was that after finding him I suddenly remembered it was me who had put him there in the first place.

I'm currently reading a novel where a really small child dies under a pile of clothes. Her mother was having a party and the kid crawled to sleep under a few coats when the party was starting but then more and more heavy coats where thrown over her and she suffocated. The scene came immediately to my mind after reading OP's post.

[quote]No resolution was needed, hunty, for an EST that really pissed a lot of people off.

OP's inability to get help and the way she keeps dramatically feeding us little bits of information makes me think OP's an EST. I actually wish she was since I'd hate to know her cat is possibly dead or suffering right now.

What book is that, R122?

R123, John Connolly's The Lovers.

My cat has a hiding place inside my home that I have never been able to discover. She is lost for hours and then suddenly appears. I looked all over for her too but now just let her hide out. It is what cats do.

Thank you, R122.

R125, get a room camera and move it around every now and then to find the housing place.

Two days? Small apartment? Sounds like an EST.

Not that it can't happen, it did to me. One bedroom apartment and just about lost my mind looking for one of cats. And that was after about 30 minutes. I looked over every single part of the apartment 3 or 4 times over.

Finally, found her in my big rolling suitcase in my bedroom closet. She had jumped on it but the zipper at the top was unzipped and she fell through. I was looking at that suitcase multiple times but didn't think she was in there because I keep it zipped up, one reason being to keep the cats out. Finally, desperate, I unzipped the suitcase and there was she was. Stupid cat sat there in the suitcase, waiting quietly for me to discover her. She's the quiet one and does not meow for attention like her sister. I had forgotten I had unzipped the top to air the bag out after using it. This was all less than 1 hour. How OP can go 2 days in a small apartment and not find her cat is bordering on trolling.

The fact that there have been a ton of suggestions and the OP just repeats that they've look in their closet and under the bed over and over while not acknowledging the other advice makes me suspect an EST.

Hire a Bloodhound, OP

Maybe she left.

The Rapture

Do you live close to a Chinese restaurant?

Can I have your cat’s stuff?

OP, do you live near the legitimate theater?

Maybe your cat is there.

As R51 has suggested, if there are any adjoining walls to your small apartment, then you really need to talk to the neighbors. That would include ceilings and floors.

R122, agree. Telltale sign of an EST troll is the over dramatics, like repeatedly saying they're sobbing and can't stop crying. Then bitch, why haven't you called someone in to find the damn thing before it's too late?!

"Saint Anthony, please come around Something is lost that must be found."

Never fails

Shine a flashlight up into the bottoms of the cabinets and behind the fridge, etc. if she sees the flashlight she may meow, or get pissed her hiding place is discovered and come out.

Also, get a mirror and look under all the upper cabinets, sometimes there is a gap between two of them. Put the mirror near any other hiding places you can’t reach. Leave cat food on top of the counter. If she’s in a cabinet she will smell it.

Have you looked up your ass?

My cat actually figured out how to open a secured French window and escaped outside my suburban house. I was losing my mind, because he had never been outside on his own in his life. I got on the net and learned that the distance an escaped cat will go is correlated with how confident they are with people - the more outgoing and confident, the further they will venture. I made my husband come home from work, and we spent the whole day and most of the night crawling through my close neighbours' bushes and properties. At 3 am, we gave up, exhausted, and went to bed. An hour later, I heard meowing under the very window from which he escaped. He was covered in cobwebs; clearly he'd been under the house. Having never missed a meal in his entire spoiled and pampered life, he was "starving.'

My point is that we had searched for hours around the property and under the house, and he never once made a sound or movement.

You'd think when kitty heard it's mom/dad crying she would come out to comfort them?

I think OP has been holding Kitty hostage for years and she finally made a break for it.

What was the outcome of this guys cat?

There was no outcome R145 he never answered

OP needs to understand that posters are starting to turn on him/her because he/she obviously hasn't checked every square inch of that place. You said that cat had no possible way of leaving your apartment. So it logically follows that she is still inside of it. As you say, the apartment is small - it should NOT take more than an afternoon of meticulous searching for an able-bodied individual to turn over every piece of furniture in such a limited space.

Can you see why we're getting exasperated here?

P.S. Your cat is dead.

Are there any holes or openings in the walls behind your kitchen cabinets like under the sink where the pipes and drain go through? I have four cats and they love to crawl and hide in the lower kitchen cabinets and I’ve blocked as best I could the area where the plumbing goes through in fear on of them may try to hide and get stuck between the walls.. I hope you find your baby and good luck

Not to make light of OP's distress and the puzzling situation, but it seems obvious that the cat has donned her Cloak Of Invisibility (they all have one) and isn't about to remove it until she's good and ready.

R149, a phone is good for that. Put the phone on video, then point it anywhere you can’t reach. If you see a kitty on the video, there you go.

R148 I loved that book as a teenager, first gay sex I read about, and very S&M. Never saw the stage production though.

Ignore the jokers, OP.

Keep us updated. We care.

Xoxo

Scatter some catnip around.

OP = Wendy the slow adult.

Now clear your mind, OP. It knows what scares you. It has from the very beginning. Don't give it any help, it knows too much already And stay away from the light, Catty Anne

The cat got out. That simple.

I agree with r157. The cat got out.

I could care less, R153. It's probably just the kitten guy rehashing the story with a more believable schtick.

Nope, it's an EST. OP would've updated one way or another and hasn't and is putting out lame stories of the cat being adopted from abusive neighbors, that's it's shy and won't come out, blah blah blah.

You get a -20/10, OP, because you're an asshole. The gym bro story was better.

Ok, Google was no help. What’s an EST?

One of DL's favorites, R160: an Elaborate Scenario Troll....

Thanks, r161!

After 24 hours being stuck in a large moving bag, my little Booger started howling like a banshee and wouldn't stop. Found him in no time. OP is a lying liar. Watch. He'll come back on and tell us the kitters is dead or some other drivel.

Photos, OP, or it did not happen.

That cat hates your ass and found a better place.

For you, dear OP

The meow is coming from inside the house.

He designated himself an emotional support animal and took the Delta to Paris, OP. Au Revoir, sucker!

They made the movie already....

Well? What the hell happened?

You have been abandoned, R169, just like OP's cat.

There are cases of cats going missing like this and coming back. Hopefully OP will find either his cat or his conscience and provide a scathing update.

I think we have - all of us - been had.

Not me, R171 -- I knew it was a Cloak Of Invisibility situation from the outset. Been there, done that, so I can spot 'em a mile away.

Is this your cat?

Did you look inside the fridge? Sometimes cats will hop in when you have the door open and turn around. But then, the cat would be dead by now.

My God you people are gullible.

OP, did you check inside your toothpaste tube and shampoo bottle? Cats have the ability to flatten themselves and squeeze into small spaces. I've seen this before.

I am sorry not to have answered until now. Believe me, I have scoured the place. I did find a hole in the wall with exposed pipes at the back of the kitchen sink.

[quote]She must be stuck between the walls. That happened to my cat a few years ago. My dad "found her" months later while doing the plumbing for the kitchen. She was all mummified by then. Poor Beatrix. 🐈

So sad, and this is my main focus, except that she would have notified me. She can yell. She has a big Siamese voicebox. The only exposed part is under the sink. I looked inside the drywall with a flashlight but didn't expect to find anything because there's a door on the sink base she would have to open. But this scenario above is what I fear. Except I'm worried that maybe she went off somewhere to die . . . not that she's trapped. Only thing is that she was her normal self two nights ago. She always squeezes in with me on the armchair and rubs her head against my leg.

I appreciate the concern. There were 77 messages when I came in earlier. This is not an EST. I'm a longstanding DLer and even mentioned Asia on this thread when I finally trapped her and brought her in the house. She grew into a beautiful cat but still distrusted people. I put a house for her on the side porch but she would jump a total of nine feet every time I came to bring her food. Terrified. When I took her to the vet he said she wasn't feral. She was just a stray. He told me she was spayed and declawed. She was a tough little fighter who's turned into a loving, affectionate cat. My guess is she's around six or seven years old.

I'll keep you guys updated, and tks again for the good advice . . . and the snark. All appreciated.

That's it, OP...feed the birds. Keep them coming back.

OMG!!! I JUST OPENED THE BACK DOOR AND THERE SHE WAS. I SWEAR!! SOMEHOW SHE GOT OUT.

She's been out there for two nights. I have no idea how. But she's back. She was yelling at the top of her voice and now she's scarfing down her dinner. I wonder why it took so long for her to come to the door.

Thank you DL.

And...scene.

R179, Something similar happened to me. Once time my roommate opened the front door and Honey Catt ran out. Made him walk around the apt complex yelling her name. He was mad I gave her such a feminine mane. Took a couple of days for her to be hungry enough to appear at my front door meowing. We lived up a flight of stairs on the 2nd floor. She'd never been out before so I was surprised she found her way home.

I'm believing this. I'm glad it worked out, OP. 🤗

I'm very happy for you and Asia OP. I had started to suspect that she had managed to run outside. Cats can be very stealthy and quiet about escaping and they often develop wanderlust out of nowhere. This is wonderful news,thanks for updating! Give the Sweet girl some extra head rubs tonight.

That must be it R181. She finally got hungry and decided to end her adventure. I now have to figure out where the spot is that allowed her to get out. Possible I cracked my back door. Only thing I can think of. Will be vigilant from now on. I was halfway through the stages of grief, lol.

BTW Very funny about Honey Catt. Ha ha!!

Cats are such assholes.

Your cat needed some space from you, OP. You must be stifling and oppressive.

I know just how you feel, OP.

I once left the door unlocked, and my husband got out!

R179 / OP so happy for you both! You can now relax and enjoy your evening.

Great News, OP! My Buster slipped out on a Friday and ended up trapped in a neighbor's garage(unbeknownst to us) who were away for a long weekend. We looked everywhere outside, and he was nowhere to be found. I was distraught and tearful as the weekend wore on and had given up all hope until the neighbors came home on the Monday night, opened their garage door to park their car, and suddenly Buster appeared at the door howling to be let in! He was ravenous and thirsty and slept for two days straight on the couch. Me? I was crying tears of joy.

I love a happy ending! Stay safe & treats all around. It's time for a big glass of wine!

OP, if you have levers on the doors, make sure they’re deadbolted or there’s a chain lock or something. I’ve seen cats open lever doors that are unlocked. Then if they get out and the door falls shut behind them, they can’t get back in. And check the screens to make sure there’s no holes or loose screens.

R75 is that Catsy Ramsay?

One time, I let my cat outside for the day, and it didn't return as usual that night. The next morning, there was still no sign of the cat. By afternoon, I was worried. I was at my kitchen sink window, and I heard a growling noise. I went outside and walked towards the woods across from my kitchen sink. There in the tall grass was my cat ...and another unknown cat. The unknown cat was staring down my cat, daring her to move. My cat sat there frozen in terror. The unknown cat saw me and ran away. My exhausted cat ran towards the door of the house and tore into her food. There's no telling how long she was trapped there by that other cat's threatening gaze. Cats can be so mean!

So, folks, if there were a thread about a lost cat, and eventually someone posted about its being found, would you care if that post was fake, as long as you didn't know it was fake?

Thank you for the happy update!

Oh, thank Christ, Taffy!

Why do you people have those things in your house?

R193 I think I'd want to be fooled into a happy ending. There are so few these days.

Oh and lay off the Xanax, toots.

R196, I was enjoying a petless life when one dark and stormy night a cat walked into my vacant house for let. It nearly starved before I went back to check on the house and found a very scrawny, starved cat had been locked inside for weeks.

I still have her. Fat and sassy now.

Slightly off-topic: isn't declawing considered animal cruelty? It's definitely forbidden here in Europe. How could a declawed cat can then fend off natural enemies?

Yes R200. It's roughly the equivalent of chopping off your fingers above the first joint in order to not have fingernails.

OP: I can imagine how relieved you were when you heard her calling for you.

A happy ending at last.

And I don't even like cats.

But I like people to be happy with their pets.

OP - if this is a true story, I understand every emotion you have experienced and am really happy for you. Please keep a watchful eye on your kitty, because a declawed cat is a defenseless cat.

To the posters here - I get how creating an attention-getting EST might be fun and satisfying for you, but please think twice before you post one about a truly traumatic and painful situation, especially to do with a pet. DLers can be amazingly empathetic and compassionate, but if they have been jerked around too many times by EST pranksters, cynicism kicks in and the compassion that is genuinely needed will be withheld.

OP needs to post a picture of Asia with today's paper. No other way.

R203 Honestly, this story had the ring of truth to me. I'm happy for OP and Asia.

Like a ransomer

R204 I concur, I'm very happy if this is true but Asia is a distinctive cat and we would like a picture as proof OP didn't find the image via Google.

I'm glad you found your cat, OP!

R199, bless you🤗

R201 is correct. It's increasingly outlawed.

R203, Mickey Katt Jr could open my bedroom door, the refrigerator door and scoop out food from the top shelf, and cupboards. Although very small he was a brilliant kitty. So I can believe you feline could teach himself to open a window and climb out.

Yay, a happy ending!

Now, I can take a sigh of relief.

Yay, OP.

Yay, Asia Kitty.

Woke up this morning and she was sitting on the chair and now I can't believe how worked up I got over this. Who says DL has no heart? I remember when I posted about Asia a few years back and, just like this time, the thread got a lot of replies. The picture at R26 looks like her, same black mask and blue eyes. I got it off google. When she came in last night she was meowing so loud, like she was telling me what happened. Calmed down pretty quick and scarfed down all her wet food and then started on the dry food and water. My big regret is that I didn't trap her earlier when she was outside. I thought she was feral the way she was afraid of me. She lived through all four seasons for a couple of years. It was only after her fur got so matted that she started chewing it off down to the skin that I trapped her and took her to the vet because she had these flaps. Re the declawing, I'm glad it's against the law now. The couple who kicked her out did that to her. Declawed her and then kicked her out when they realized she used their boat as a toilet. Anyway, tks again. DL rocks and apparently has a lot of cats.

Glad she's home safe & sound OP

OP you should take a picture of Asia now that she's back home and post it so all these naysayers will feel properly shamed.

I just saw this on Facebook:

'A domestic cat lives 15+ years

A feral cat lives 4 years

An abandoned cat lives 3 months.'

So it's pretty amazing your kitty survived outside for 2 years, OP, especially without claws.

2 years? Did you even read the posts? The cat was gone for 2 DAYS.

So glad she's back. Ragdolls are gorgeous big fluffy cats and so friendly.

[quote] 2 years? Did you even read the posts? The cat was gone for 2 DAYS.

Yes we read the posts. You might do the same.

This kitty litter is clean.

At least you got your closet cleaned out, right?

I want to see a real pic of Asia though, not one off Google.

OP, get your cat chipped in case she gets out again. And put a collar on her with a name tag and your phone number.

A neighbor had a stray cat repeatedly show up at her back door. When the neighbor went outside, the cat would sit on her lap. She thought it was feral until she realized it was declawed. She isn’t a cat person and knows nothing about cats. She scooped it up and took it to a shelter because it’s over a hundred degrees here every day.

If that cat was chipped it would be returned to its owner. I hope it’s okay.

I'm glad you found your cat, OP.

I'm glad the story is over, true or not. I'm still a little suspicious about this cat and the OP's story.

OP, you claim that Asia is a ragdoll but now you say she has a loud 'Siamese' voice. If she's a mix, you never mentioned it. Either you just lost control of the details (typical of a lie) or you're just making a comparison to the breed.

Please clarify so that I may sincerely share your joy. Pics would also go a long way to proving this wasn't an EST.

OP, How did kitty get her name, Asia, if she isn't an Asian breed?

I don't want reality, R224. I want magic!

OP until you verify the existence of the cat and indeed your own exisitence I cannot feel joy. Please upload your last four tax returns and a sample of your cat's shit. Remember, I will be most anxious until you do. Thank you.

I would also like to know your routine of caring for this Asia cat, OP, before I believe you even own one.

OP, some posters won't be satisfied unless you post a photo of your dick, as well. If you start agreeing to all these requests for photographic proof, there will be no end to the increasing demands.

A Siamese ragdoll that couldn't possibly have gotten out of the apartment, but hey, that's exactly what she did, and she magically showed up right after the tide started to turn on OP. Hmmm.

Thank goodness the cellar spider babies didn't get her.

OP lives in a 50 room mansion, the fucking cunt. We need to guillotine the rich. Every last one of them.

I hope you've covered that hole behind the kitchen sink, op.

Not only is declawing horrifying and wrong because of the actual amputation, but it also prevents them from being able to properly stretch themselves which leads to atrophy of muscles. They can't grip the floor or a tree, or whatever else. Imagine never being able to fully stretch. It also can lead to their not using the litter box because after surgery it can hurt for them to dig in the litter, so they associate pain with the litter box. It's just wrong.

I had a cat for 16 and a half years that had been declawed when I got her. It was a seriously botched job. I had to get surgery done for her on 4 of her toes because a claw had started to grow out of her toes! My vet said the vet who had done it didn't get all of the material out so it started to grow. Again, through her toes! My poor baby.

And yet there are people who will rationalize declawing their cats.

R234, Agreed. They're obstinate and selfish, refuse to face common sense.

Common sense calls for not having any creature in your house that shreds your furniture and your drapes.

What "common sense" calls for, r236, is not having animals, period, if furniture and drapes are more important to you than living, sentient beings. I hope no poor cat has to put up with being owned by you.

Is your cat named Carol Anne?

[quote]OP until you verify the existence of the cat and indeed your own exisitence I cannot feel joy. Please upload your last four tax returns and a sample of your cat's shit. Remember, I will be most anxious until you do. Thank you.

HA HA HA!!! For those of you who wonder if Asia really exists, and why I call her Asia...Exhibit No. 1 is below.

I called her Asia because I thought she was a Himalayan until someone told me different. She's just like a Ragdoll -- very affectionate, follows you from room to room, and kind of flops over when you pick her up. She's a real puppycat. Thanks again, guys!! I figured out how to put a photo on Imgur so here it is:

She's adorable, OP. Glad she's safe and sound after her big adventure!

"Puppycat." I love "puppycat."

She's cute. Has she been ravaged by the neighborhood gang of wild Tom Cats during her escapade?

she's beautiful

OP, Happy at Last

This is a good time to remind all y'all bitches that the Fourth of July is coming.

Make sure your doors and windows are secure when fireworks are coming.

Give doggie/kitty xanax or whatever is needed beforehand, ask about it now if you think it's needed.

And now is a good time to arrange for kitteh or puppeh to be microchipped, if they have not been already.

r239 She's beautiful but don't let her escape ever again. You're very lucky something awful didn't happen to her.

Asia is a beautiful cat. Glad it all worked out. Now that she's had a taste of the outdoors again, you should get her chipped.

I have a Ragdoll who is also a total puppycat. He is awesome. My only complaint is that he is losing his hearing so doesn't seem to be aware of how fucking loud he is talking sometimes, especially at sunrise.

R179 happy happy! You started my day off with a smile!

That is one beautiful cat, OP. So feminine and dainty.

And a slut!

Your cat (is no longer) in danger gurl

Thanks for the beautiful picture, OP. I never doubted you because I didn't care whether the story was true, so long as it had a happy ending. And I'm glad you've learned about the hole under the sink, and the importance of getting pets chipped.

I'm so glad this had a happy ending.

Get her chipped.

[quote]I have a Ragdoll who is also a total puppycat. He is awesome.

You can probably also attest to how loud a Ragdoll can get! And how affectionate they are. Asia is very vain. She is always willing to pose for the camera. She savors being combed out, knows all the positions she must get in to do it, and queens around afterward like Miss America.

PS She will be getting chipped this week.

R245 Great reminder! Bought a Thundershirt for my brother's dog and it's a godsend for the month of July that idiots are setting off fireworks!

Always get your pets spayed or neutered.

True about fireworks upsetting pets, possibly to the point of panic that causes them to flee -- at any time, not just July 4th (sports events, New Year's Eve, Lunar New Year, graduations, etc.). Animal rescue groups often recommend pheronomes to calm pets -- they're available in sprays and diffusers, so you don't have to medicate the animal. I've never tried them but vets say that they're harmless (except for your wallet).

What a gorgeous lady she is OP. Your heart must be quite full now that she's home. I know mine would be.

So many love cats and we worry about them.

What a gorgeous girl!

Don’t forget to chip her. I’m on Nextdoor and every week somebody’s lost pet turns up with no chip and no way to find their home. People don’t want to take them in because they’re afraid they’ll get stuck with them. They pick up the ones with collars quicker because there’s a good chance they have a chip or a phone number on the collar.

Just a caveat about chips - you need to get them checked every so often at the vet. My three were chipped and we discovered several years later that the chips could not be found. They had migrated somewhere and apparently this is not uncommon. We would have had to get them chipped again. We ended up driving a different way so as not to have to cross the Swiss border, because I didn't want to do it. (By then they were quite senior, strict indoor cat all their lives.) If I had to do it again, I would opt for a tattoo.

Thanks for mentioning this R261. My cat is chipped but she scratches the area every once in a while. It seems to be in an awkward place. I’ll ask them to check when she gets her shots next year.

She looks like a real frau cat and she must hed like crazy.

Thanks for the pic! Lovely!

R245 is right about 7/4! Careful everyone!

It is a beautiful cat who will always need you, she could never keep her coat cean by herself.

The Fourth of July (shortened to "the Fourth") is now "7/4"? Kill me now.

r266 It used to be called Independence Day and The Fourth of July was considered disrespectful. Times change.

July 4, then.

Do you actually pronounce it "seven-four," r267?

I was being lazy thus 7/4.

Will a Thundershirt fit a mini dachshund (just under 10 pounds)?

She is very skinny with a broad ribcage so there's a dramatic "swoop" from her chest to her tummy

Has anyone ever had any success taking their cats out for a walk?

R272, I took mine to a park, put her in a harness, held the leash, let her slither about the ground for a bit, then carried her home.

It went about as well as I suspected it would.

I had a neighbor once who had a Pomeranian and a 2 Siamese cats. She would take them all out for walks every day. The dog would be on a leash, and she had something similar to this for the kitties to chill out in. The pusses could take in the views while the pup did his business.

R273, Thinking she's like some fresh air, I once put my kitty in a cheap harness and carried her outside. She didn't understand the concept of walking in a reasonably straight format. Finally she got under a fence and I had to pull her out.

I carried her home where she attacked the leash and destroyed it.

Have heard others were more successful, however.

If you don't start leash training for a cat when it's very young the chances at success are very low.

R276, I've never seen someone successfully walk a cat. How young should I have started? Will a kitten actually walk in a reasonably straight line or will it just lie around in whatever grass he/she finds?

There is a cat called Laila on FB that weighs over 20 lb and her owners are trying very hard to reduce her weight.She goes to fat camp once a week and has a treadmill of her own. I've always managed to have a terrace, balcony or enclosed lawn for my cats, always under supervision. I believe they have a need for fresh air, sunshine, the scents of the outside world, and visual stimulation.

Fat camp for cats with treadmills? My late 70's neighbor wouldn't listen to me when I repeatedly begged her to stop overfeeding her cats. One just died at about 8 years. She was 40+ pounds. Ironically the old woman is extremely thin and barely eats. Mental health issues, I know.

R277 if you start them out when they are about 8 weeks old they will eventually adjust to the lack of roaming ability while on leash. It's like training a cat to be a 24/7 indoor cat. Once you let them get a good enough taste of freedom it's that much harder to break them of it. It all depends on the particular cat's personality. some adult cats can be leash trained and some simply can't. Some can be trained to stay indoors all the time and some can't.

R280, Thank you for your informative response. Was thinking that maybe Asia, like my 100% indoor cats, wanted to explore the outside and get more fresh air. Just looking out the window wasn't enough. Of course they're much safer inside. Lucky to those who can provide sheltered patios and balconies.

You have to remember that house cats, just like wild felines, are natural born hunters. It is in their genetic makeup to want to be outside hunting something to kill. They are in many ways much smarter and far more obstinate animals than dogs. They don't take to change very easily. Like humans, start training them early enough and you get a much better outcome.

Take the stick outta yer ass, R237. That is one thing you need never worry about.

R282, my indoor cat howls if a bug gets in, so I can come and kill it for her. She also refuses to go in the bedroom until I turn the light on, because she’s afraid of the dark. She does this weird thing of having her tail in a u shape, standing on her tiptoes and crabwalking sideways out of the bedroom if it’s dark in there and I don’t go in first. I’ve started to think it’s haunted.

One day she ran into the bedroom ahead of me, then quickly crabwalked out with her tail that U shape, staring at me with big eyes.. Ever since, she doesn’t want to go in first.

I have to assume the worst.

My indoor cat howls after he has used his litter tray. He wants me to come in and wipe is ass and paws, which of course I do.

[quote]It is a beautiful cat who will always need you, she could never keep her coat clean by herself.

You know, Asia somehow manages to do it. When she lived outside, and it rained or stormed, she would go under the deck out back. She'd come out afterwards and be covered with brown dirt, but then the next day she had cleaned herself up. When she got matted, she chewed her fur off to the skin and had these flaps, which is when she was trapped and taken to the vet. She is really into self-grooming, but now I just help her with a steel comb a couple times a week. She loves the attention.

I never thought this thread would reach almost 300 replies. A lot of cat lovers on DL.

R271 Yes! They make Thundershirt in that size and its somewhat adjustable around the chest with a velcro strap. The company makes several different calming products.

R285 lol you big softie!

R286 yes cats seem to be one of the few things that united Dataloungers. You can imagine the hatred it generates when a thread about a missing kitty turns out to be an EST. Fur flies!

Asia is indeed a beautiful puppycat

You don't walk a cat on a leash, they walk you. Basically, you hold the leash while they do whatever they do and intervene if they are going to get into trouble. Be sure to get a cat-specific harness because they will get out of a neck-only collar in no time. Even the cat harnesses do hold them in 100% of the time. You know how they can squirrel out of things.

One of mine liked to explore the perimeters of the apartment building but her sister was too scared to go beyond the porch steps. So I would just sit on the steps while she sat on the porch. After a few minutes, we would go inside. We stopped doing this for a couple of reasons, the cat who liked going outside started meowing incessantly to go out. And second, a neighborhood cat was around and would rile up the skittish sister and she would react psychotically. Literally, she had to go on Prozac. So now they stay indoors. Luckily, the one liked going inside has forgotten about going indoors.

My cats will do #2 and then run out to tell me they're done. Which means I should scoop. They never do this for #1 and luckily, not when I'm sleeping.

R289 here, I apologize for the befuddling part of my post. Long day at work...

I wish I'd never told my cat "good job" when she took her first shit. Now she trots over like she's won the Kentucky Derby and wants her prize.

My cat is afraid of water, but lately she’s been obsessed with watching me take a bath and sticking her paw in the water, then shaking it off. Then she looks at me with big eyes and howls as if to say, don’t you know you’re going to drown? She has to keep coming back and checking. This is the same cat that practically died of fear when I had to wash her.

Showers are even worse. She puts her nose up to the glass and cries anxiously. I have to take showers with the glass door ajar now so she can put her paw in. Apparently she thinks I might drown in the shower too. She usually hits me on the way out of the bathroom, like she’s chastising me for going in the water.

Was told cats hate the sound of running water. So if you must wash them remember that fact.

Always when I used to take a bath I had a cat staring at me, with paws perched on the edge of the tub. Never understood why.

This cat sits on the edge of the tub as close as she can to my head. Then she howls periodically, in between putting her paw in the water. Today I had to put my knee out of the water so she could touch it. Just checking for something, but I don’t know what.

Maybe her last owner drowned.

I recently saw a funny video of an anxious cat trying to rescue its' owner from the bath. She kept trying to tug the owner's arm, as if she was trying to pull her out of the tub.

R295 I've seen that same video.

Oftentimes, people will "anthropomorphize" (attribute humanlike intentions to) their pet's actions.

For example, when a dog licks a wound on someone's arm, they'll say it's because the dog is trying to help heal it. As much as I love dogs, I've never really bought that myself—I've always just assumed that the dog liked the taste of blood.

But when I watch the vid of the cat trying to "rescue" the owner from the bath, that really does look like what it's trying to do. Can't explain it any other way.

Your story matches mine, OP. Unfortunately I haven't found him. I don't know if he is dead somewhere in the crawl spaces or if he got outside...he was an indoor only cat. However he was 18 years old and getting a little confused. I have looked everywhere I can using lights and mirrors on sticks. I did post flyers in the neighborhood on the off chance he got out. It's like he disappeared into thin air. It still breaks my heart. If he is dead in the house, I haven't noticed any odd smell. I still hope I find him even though it's been 2 months.

I am so sorry, R297, truly. That would have been my worst nightmare, and I doubt I would ever recover. All of my cats have died in my arms, a couple being euthanased.

One of my cats used to prowl around the edge of the bathtub while I was taking a shower. He was perfectly surefooted, and never fell in, but I thought it was so peculiar. Cats HATE water, I'd always thought.

Wow R297. Heartbreaking.

R297 Some cats prefer to die alone, and it is in no way a reflection upon their relationship with their owner.

So sorry R207 you sound like you were a very caring owner though.

Very sorry r297. My 18 year old cat has taken up a new habit of hanging out in a closet where my hot water heater is. It doesn't throw off heat, and is in the basement so she has to go out of her way to get there (down a steep staircase). I put a bed in there for her. I think she heads there every day thinking it's time to die. She's lost all her cat mojo, doesn't like to play anymore, rarely likes to snuggle. Her only joy is to sit outside with me in the sunshine, so I treasure those moments, and am grateful for beautiful weather we had on the weekend.

r303 Well shit, that was a heavy post.

Did OP find his cat?

Yes, the ending is at r179 and a photo at r239.

Didn't mean it to be heavy, r304. Was replying to r297 whose 18-year old cat is also missing. Some cats sense when it's time to die and want to be alone. An 18-year old cat is the equivalent age of an 88-year old human. I love my cat but know we have limited time together. She's healthy and doesn't seem to be in pain, is eating, drinking and using the litter box but it is clear to me that she is winding down. I try to make each day a little special for her.

r307 I didn't mean it in a bad way. We should all be mindful that there is an end to everything and cuddle and coddle our pets as much as possible every day while there's still time.

This is the plot of the latest Chucky movie.

OP = Aubrey Plaza

R303, is she ill? Renal failure? Cats hide when they are ill.

[quote]Cats hide when they are ill

Is that true?

Yes, it's true. Cats do hide when they're ill but they don't meow or call out when they're doing so. If OP has heard her meowing then she is trying to communicate - she may have crawled into some crawl space or in the walls and gotten stuck. OP please call a professional exterminator experienced with larger animals like raccoons and possums - not to do any extermination obviously!! But they'll know where to look in every nook and cranny. Cats are survivors but she does need to be found ASAP for her own safety.

Of course it's true, R311. Cats hide when they are injured or ill in the wild so a predator won't get them. They don't go to some mystical cat place like the elephants' graveyard because they know that death is approaching.

R312, OP's cat had gotten out and turned up at his door.

r310, I had her to the vet in April. No health issues. Just old age.

R303 My elderly cat loved her kitty heating pad. I placed it under her bed which was in front of a window so she could see outside and enjoy all the birds in the yard.

I used one like this - "K&H Pet Products Pet Bed Warmer - Place Inside Most Any Pet Bed" ; $20 from Amazon. ( the link is too long to enter below)

and placed it under a heat reflecting self warming round donut bed since since always slept curled up. I got one with a removable cover so I could wash it regularly. She loved it, and as an elderly she was in it a lot especially during the winter.

At 18 she was getting arthritic and slowing down, then started getting chronic UTI's at 19 (watch for any blood in the urine or unusual litterbox activity or general apathy), which necessitated monthly vet visits for antibiotic shots, then suddenly got quite ill and passed. She never hid, in fact she never left my side. She was always my Velcro kitty from the time she was a baby. Her greatest joy in her last years was to go for a daily walk with me around the garden on sunny days. Once around then we'd head back in together and she'd have a contented nap beside me.

Try the heating mat/sleeper - it might keep her upstairs with you and comfortable and out of the basement. Do ensure that she's not in uncontrolled pain from arthritis, or has a simmering UTI (quite common with old girls) - take her for a checkup to be sure. (Cats really hide pain well - odd behavior may be the only clue.) Add fish oils, Omega3's and/or salmon to her diet. Good luck, 18 is a big number for cats, though 3 of mine made it into their 20s with only some late onset arthritis until renal failure did them in.

All the best and give your girl a chin scratch for me.

R303 / R310 Slow to post - just noticed you had recently had her to the vet. If they did a urine culture and blood panel, and it was all good, then likely she's got some old age arthritis. Do keep a close eye on her - things can change quickly when they're elderly.

^^^ meant R314 not 310

I'm sorry R297. I lost a cat too and it's the not knowing that is the worst. I'm scared one of the assholes neighbors did something to him.

My childhood cat just disappeared one day, when he was about 17. He was half-blind and arthritic, but he made it out of the house. My parents looked all over the neighborhood but never found him. It's possible he crawled under some obscure bush to die, or maybe one of the local foxes got him. But he lived all 17 years on his own terms, and he chose his own manner of death. I respect that.

Tell me about the elephant graveyard.

We may live with a cat but they are in their own world.

That is so deep. Is that from Confucius?

My 17 year old sick cat disappeared one evening. When she hadn't come back by the next afternoon I knew she'd gone off to die. It's been ten years and I still miss her.

I also heard that cats don't like to stay in the house with a dying person. Don't know if it's true or not.

R315 you sound like a wonderful kitty owner too

R324, I know they get very anxious about being around another cat that’s dying. We had a cat that was very ill and another cat. The night the sick cat died, the other cat, who was not huggy at all, came and sat on my chest and I could feel her heart racing. She was scared. We both knew the other cat was dying, and in the morning she was dead.