Sad news... (*Update - Not quite so sad anymore)

[Der Cute]

Bittybit did that to me once. She escaped and ran away for 3 days. I was worried sick that she had been hit, stolen or had just...gone.

I called and called, even left mushy food can out for her. She didn't show up for 3 days. A neighbor cat brought her home. She came running in, went straight to food, and potty, then went to bed. Slept for 12 hours! Poor girl was tired.

I think Harper will be home soon. He needs your loves too.

Cutenoob

[strawbabies]

Ree, I'm so sorry about your kitty being missing.

I hate to say this, but I think someone needs to be punished (severely) for damaging the screen, leaving the door open, and (most of all) not being up front with you that the kitty was gone.

[Rapscallion]

Any news?

Rapscallion

[Cat]

YOur poor kitty, and poor you....I hope your kitty comes home to you soon

[The Gatekeeper]

Regarding punishing the screen ripper...it won't accomplish anything. I have had cat's that have just snuck by me. It happens, they escape. IT REALLY REALLY SUCKS! But it happens.

Trust me, if you think I'm being to easy on the screen ripper. Ree and Raps will attest to the fact that I do not suffer stupid easily. As dumb a way for this situation to happen, it has happened, and the screen ripper didn't mean for it.

However what I'd like to do, is force SR to get off their ass, and help distribute posters/flyers etc and help look for Harper. This is why I am doing my level best not to get in my car, drive the 4 hours to Ree's house, drag the SR out by their hair and put them to work looking for the cat.

See guys, I do have a filter!

[Chazzie]

My advice on getting a cat to return home is not only their food on the porch, but also to take a walk. That way you spread your scent around and they can follow it home.

Good luck. I really hope your cat comes back soon!

[MadMike]

My advice on getting a cat to return home is not only their food on the porch, but also to take a walk. That way you spread your scent around and they can follow it home.

That reminds me of another time one of my cats went missing. This was back before the township passed a law against letting your cats run around loose, so back then, they were outside a lot. One of them vanished, and was missing for days. I walked around, looked all over the place, asked around, nothing. Then one day, for lack of any better ideas, I started calling to him. I thought I heard a faint meow, so I called some more. That time I was certain I heard it. I kept calling, and he kept answering, until I finally found where it was coming from. He was locked in my one neighbor's garage. Apparently it was left open, and he wandered in, and then the neighbor shut the door not knowing he was in there. I got the neighbor to let him out, and I took him home and gave him some food and some love.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I"m sorry, Ree, I've had this happen and it's awful. Keep calling the local shelters. You're in my thoughts.

[Fire_on_High]

Check in the early morning. Most cats seem to be quite awake between 4 and 7 am, at least in my experience, and that was roughly the time we found our little escapee squalling under my car the time he bolted out the door.

[Sonoma]

During the same snowstorm that Plaidman makes reference to, I was kitty-sitting for some friends, when they were out of town for 10 days. The day they left, their younger cat snuck out of the house. They put food out, but because of the snow, I wasn't able to get out there for 5 days. They had known the roads were bad, so the inside kitty had plenty of food, but the outside cat would have to fend for himself for a while. The entire time they were gone, I never did see the outside cat, but the day they came home, as soon as he saw their car in front of the house, he came running up, yelling at them, at the top of his lungs.

Here's hoping your baby comes home soon, it's a horrible feeling not knowing where they are.

[Ree]

My biggest worry is that he really wasn't here long enough to bond.

He was a stray when Gatekeeper found him, so if he's gone back home anywhere, my fear is that it won't be to me.

He really seemed too timid to stray, but he did it once, obviously.

There had been signs of tracks, so I was feeling better about things.
Then I heard that there are a lot of strays in this area.

I am going to use a live animal trap to see if I can get him.
I set it out the other night and had tied it off so it wouldn't spring at first, as that was what I was told to do, so the cat could get used to it.
My tie didn't hold, and I accidentally caught a cat, but it wasn't Harper.

I walked the neighbourhood for an hour after I got off work last night.
I walk pretty much every day, looking for him.
Again, I had a cat ho showed interest in me, but it wasn't mine.

I have flyers out, and I've called the vets, the shelter, and animal control.
Next step is an ad in next week's local paper.

[RootedPhoenix]

Oh, Ree. I'm sorry you haven't found him yet. I will keep praying.

[The Gatekeeper]

*resisting urge to get in car and drive to the other end of the lake*

HAARRRPPPEERRR!!!!!!
Get your fuzzy, tailless ass home to your new mommy now!

And now you have a glimpse of what's inside my head...well that and the clowns.

[Plaidman]

And now you have a glimpse of what's inside my head...well that and the clowns.

Why so serious? At least they put a smile on that.

[Seshat]

Actually go to the shelter, vet & animal control and look at the cats. The shelter staff will be doing their best, but they may not recognise your cat from the description.

Leave a photograph with them, as well. If Harper has tags or a microchip, leave the tag and microchip numbers.

If Harper hasn't come home yet, he's probably lost. Keep walking around and calling him, and try different paths or longer walks.

I'm so sorry to hear about this on top of everything else you've been dealing with. You have my sympathy.