Fuck, my cat is gone and it's all my fault

[Madratlady]

Girlcat escaped from her carrier outside the vets and was over the nearest fence and gone before I could grab her. It was my fault, I didn't clip it up properly. The vets is 7 miles away. We searched for a couple of hours with no luck. I'm doing some posters and leaflets. I just want her home. She's chipped at least so someone might find her and take her to the vets.

[GoodKingWencesLACK]

Oh no

Fingers crossed you get her back safe and sound, and soon.

Try not to beat yourself up about it though

[cozietoesie]

Ouch. There but for the grace of God go many of us I think.

Fingers crossed for you that you get her back.

[Madratlady]

DH is taking the afternoon off so we're off to where she escaped to watch out for her. Got some posters to put up as well.

Any other suggestions for finding her? We already searched all the gardens near by but I would guess she's hiding somewhere very close and won't come to us because she's scared and cross with me.

[GoodKingWencesLACK]

Have you got a favourite blanket you can take? and keep the carrier well out of sight! she may just be frightened of going back in it, rather than frightened of you. I hope you've found her.

You could ask the other vets in the area to keep an eye out and put up a poster in as many as possible.

Also have you called the local cat rescue charities? Someone may have handed her in as a stray.

I hope she is snuggled up on your lap by now though

[Ifcatshadthumbs]

Would wait until it's dark and go back late this evening. I would put good money on her being very close to where she escaped.

Something similar happened to my cat and we drove slowly down the road at midnight calling her and sure enough out she popped from under a bush. It was like she had been waiting for us!

[Ifcatshadthumbs]

I think the fact it was cold, dark and way past her dinner time made her very compliant about getting in the car!

[SecretWitch]

Oh bless! I am sending out good thoughts for your girl's return. Xx

[Rooners]

This is my worst nightmare, I hope you manage to find her xxx

[Dwerf]

Mine went missing for a week after escaping my daughter's house. She turned up in the scrapyard at the end of my dd's street. Hope you get her back.

[Madratlady]

We've walked round the area calling and shaking the food without the carrier but still nothing. There's now posters up all round the village. Our guess is that she's in the scrap yard nearby. We've had lots of people in the village promise to keep an eye out. We're off for another look in a few hours.

Boycat is going to be so sad without her tonight if she doesn't appear.

[thecatneuterer]

Oh dear. This happens surprisingly often at our clinic. But then people often get the most unsuitable carriers for their cats - or fucking cardboard ones! (The cat only has to have a piss on the way and the bottom of the box gets soggy and collapses) - why would anyone use those?! Also those cheap carriers with the plastic front instead of the metal front - any strongish, freaked-out cat can barge out of those easily. And some even turn up with the cat in their arms ....

Anyway I digress. I'm really sorry this has happened OP. You really need to go overkill on the poster thing. Also get hundreds of leaflets printed and put them through all the doors in the area. Then spend a lot of time hanging round any quietish areas around there calling, with a tin of food.

Very best of luck.

[thecatneuterer]

Oh and I've reunited cats with owners who have lost them in similar circumstances many times thanks to their microchip (albeit sometimes months later), so it's a huge plus that she's chipped.

[Pancakeflipper]

Oh hoping your cat appears soon.

[happytalk13]

Oh bless. I really hope you find her. Ive heard cats have pretty good homing senses...

[EauRouge]

Oh no :( My cat's escaped from his carrier before. It's got a metal front but he's a big, strong cat and the grille just popped out. Fortunately we were in the house before we left for the vet's.

I hope you find your cat soon. Mine go mad for tinned salmon, that might be worth a try. Have you posted on any local Facebook groups? There are lots for lost pets.

[Madratlady]

thecatneuterer it's a decent carrier, the problem was purely my own incompetence. And the cat shot across the car park, jumped onto the fence, gave me a 'fuck you' look and vanished before I was within grabbing distance.

It's one of those villages where everyone is very friendly so we've talked to a lot of people in the area. I'll get some more posters and leaflets on sunday (work won't accept this as a reason to take tomorrow off) if she's not turned up. There are posters in the local shops and pubs, on lamp posts around where I lost her and the vets also did some flyers although without a picture, that I've put through nearby doors.

Do you think she's likely to go back to the place she last saw me?

[freckledleopard]

You poor thing. Sending lots of cat-returning vibes in your direction. Perhaps you can walk around dropping raw chicken/mince/steak behind you?

[Quoteunquote]

local face book groups,

lots and lots of posters, with a decent reward, she will be close to where she went missing, but frightened.

ring all the local cat places, drop your details in, keep checking back,

put some big posters by the local schools, children are surprisingly good at finding animals, they notice them more than adults do, a reward is a great intensive to children.

ring the local radio station, mention the reward, give a good description.

[thecatneuterer]

Yes I know madratlady. I think we've all been guilty of not fastening a carrier properly at some point. I was just explaining the reasons why this frequently happens.

I doubt she'd think to go back to where she last saw you. I expect she'll just try to find somewhere that feels safe and of course to look for food.

I'm sure it's better than you're in a small village rather than in the middle of a deprived inner-London borough ...

[Madratlady]

The posters say 'reward' but not how much. To be honest I couldn't put a price on having her safe again. I'll phone the RSPCA and Cat's Protection. I've put posts on the local facebook sites.

[Sparklingbrook]

I have nightmares about that happening-so sorry to hear this Mad. There is every chance she will be found, and she's chipped which is brilliant. Good luck-keeping everything crossed x

[thecatneuterer]

I always counsel against offering rewards - it gives thugs the idea they can make money by kidnapping cats. But then again that's probably less of a worry in a small village than in would be in a deprived inner London borough.

I think most nice people want to help regardless, but I suppose a reward might get the attention of the less nice people (the sort posting on the cat poo thread for example). May be £50?

[Madratlady]

I'm just glad I didn't take her to the vets in town. At least there is some chance we will get her back if she's in a small 'naice' village. A few people already stopped to ask how the search was going when we went over the second time. Maybe she'll come out this evening when it's quieter.

[Sparklingbrook]

She will turn up somewhere when she's hungry I would think.

[TheBunsOfPanettone]

Sending positive vibes and all me hopes for her safe return. I can't think of any advice to add to what's already been posted re. posters, rewards, local Facebook pages etc.

I had quite a pricey and supposedly robust cat carrier fail on me once. It was a plastic one with a metal front but the plastic nubs which formed the locking system had worn away unbeknown to me. Until the moment at the bus stop beside the busy main road when I glanced down to see Old Boy poking his head right out of it and considering a runner. When we made it to the vet I bought the toughest carrier they had in stock, it doesn't have any faffy catches, just closes by pushing a metal rod through two loops.