Posted on 08/28/2006 4:38:35 PM PDT by Momaw Nadon
This week my parents and I are cat-sitting my brother's fiance's cat. They went away for the week so he could meet her parents for the first time. She has had the cat for 10 years.
We have never had a pet before. The cat got here on Friday, August 25 and it was last seen about 3:30 A.M. this Monday morning August 28. Since Friday, the cat has generally hidden under a bed or sofa during the day, and has come out at night to eat and use the litter box. We had no problem locating where the cat was until today. The doors going outside have always been closed and even the doors to the 2nd floor where we live have been closed.
My parents and I have searched the house several times over, looking under every bed and sofa. We checked under the stove, under the refrigerator, under the sink, in all of the closets and cupboards. We have checked in all of the rooms many times.
I am asking for advice on how to find this cat. At this time, I believe the cat is in the house. It would have had to go through several closed and locked doors to get outside.
Any advice in finding the cat is greatly appreciated.
I don't have advice, but I have information. Some cats are great hiders. My son's cat managed to hide in a motel room that had a platform bed -- no way to get under it.
It has disappeared for days at a time, particularly when cared for by someone other than my son.
I've listened to theologians describe the difference between cats and dogs.
When a dog sees you, he thinks, "Man, this guy feeds me, houses me, cares for me and loves me,.. Man! This guy must be God!".
The cat thinks, "Man, this guy feeds me, houses me, cares for me and loves me,.. Man! I must be God!".
I just freed a kitty trapped in the store room for two days.
*** let the house be quiet, and you'll see the cat come out eventually.***
but you will NEVER know where the cat came out from. It will just APPEAR from nowhere.
Look in the closets. I closed my puppy in a closet and went mad looking for him.
Have you looked on top of the fridge? Cats really like that spot, as well as the box spring matress and recliners. Make sure your vent covers are all in place.
If it's been eating and crapping in the box it is OK, but probably just a little nervous since it is in strange surroundings - the last time the cat was taken from the house it probably got neutered so maybe it's afraid it's going to get operated on again. It will probably come out in public again when it hears the familiar voice of its owners. [My cat used to love car rides until one of them ended with a spay-job at the vet's office- now I can't get her into the crate for a trip without risk of losing fingers and eyeballs.]
Check in the linen closet. Waaaay in the back. "These towels are so soft and smell so good, and it's dark and safe from those strange people. I'll just wait here until my human comes back."
Oh yes, you should check the washer and dryer to make sure kitty hasn't found a warm place to hide out (especially the dryer).
go to the grocery store and get a container of cat treats called Pounce. Shake the cat treats.
if that doesn't work leave a few cat treats around.
we have a rescue kitty here (who needs a home - anyone need a beautiful spayed Himalayan female?) who doesn't get along with the resident cats who own the place. The Ragdoll male and the Persian female had been harrassing her - then the Himmie disappeared. After 3 days of looking i found her - she was coming out at night to eat but was spending the days hidden in the back of one of the kitchen cabinets. There was a hole in the back that she was able to squeeze through and no amount of searching would find her. Finally caught her hiding, and watched her disappear.
When you catch the cat either crate her or put her in a bathroom/small room with no way out but the door.
Opening a can of tuna works too.
It's a good idea when you get a cat to train them with the Pounce treats. It's saved me more than once when the Ragdoll male snuck out. A few shakes of the Pounce and he's at my feet begging for a treat.
Thank you all very much!!!
We turned off the lights, and it came out of a couch we checked like seriesly 15 times.
Whew!!!
Found him inside (not under) the couch.
Try it.
Hope you find your cat.
Check the underwear drawer too.
LOL... glad you found it.
I knew it!
Relaxation time!
Behind books on bookshelves and if there are any cabinets under sinks, look for large enough openings for the cat to have crawled into the wall. Good luck.
I'm glad you found the cat, I was getting a bit worried.
I have two cats who sometimes disappear inside. Usually opening all the doors and calling them while shaking a treat bag brings them out. Once I couldn't find one of them at all. I had searched everywhere and was just checking under the bed for the third time when I looked across the room under the bed and saw him peeking out from underneath my dresser. He managed to get behind the dresser and then squeeze under it, but he couldn't crawl out the front because it was too low. I extricated him and moved the dresser so he couldn't get behind it. I'd even heard him meow once while I was checking the bedroom, but it was so quiet I thought I was imagining it. Silly creatures!
Great News!!! I'm soooo happy for you. I hate it when I can't find a cat.
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