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Worried and sad about my elderly cat.


Lisa O`Brien

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Blackie had her 16th birthday on Margot Fonteyn's birthday, 18th May. That's about 74 in human years, I think. Over the weekend she suddenly started walking into walls and the doors, as if she couldn't see properly. [ She would walk, and then stand completely motionless for a few seconds, as if she didn't know what she was doing. [This bit has been going on for a few months though, but not the walking into things]. I kept a close eye on her and she was happy going out and indeed wanted to. However she very carefully manoevered her way around the garden, bumping into our two wheely bins a few times and missing the step, but she seemed happy to be outside and only seemed to be going as far as next door's front garden and then back into ours. She went out last night and 20  minutes later I opened the front door expecting her to be there. She wasn't. I called and called her, waited a while and called her again. I was up until 1.00 this morning in the front garden calling her [ trying to do it sort of quietly,so as to not wake up the neighbours]. In the end I had to go to bed. Up at seven and I was really hoping to open the front door and there she would be. But she wasn't. Have been calling her all day, on and off. Sean is off college today and he has been walking around looking for her as well as me. There are no houses on the other side of the road, only a large field area which is all overgrown. Saw her coming out of there a few days ago. I never even knew she went in there, until she emerged, soaking wet, and looking like she couldn't see where she was going. Sean spent 40 minutes in among all the bushes, calling out loudly and looking everywhere, but he couldn't find her. I'm thinking she might have wandered off in an entirely different direction, hardly able to see where she is going and someone might have taken her in. She has no collar on as she has always hated them. There is no way of identifying her if someone has found her. I'm also thinking she has maybe wandered off somewhere to die and we might, in either situation, never see her again.

Edited by Lisa O`Brien
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Does she use a litter tray? If a cat goes missing they recommend that you place their litter tray outside (somewhere it won't get wet if it rains). They can smell it from a mile off and find their way home. Even if her sight is poor, hopefully her sense of smell is still enough to get her home.

 

Cats are such a worry when they go missing.....?

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Thanks folks. No, she has never used a litter tray. Always went outside. Will ring around animal shelters tomorrow. Sean thought he saw a dead cat lying at the side of the road on his way home in a taxi, but it was a fox. Someone online in an animal shelter suggested putting something with her scent on outside. I have a small hand towel i've always used to get her dry when she comes in really wet, to dry off the excess. It's never been washed, so she always knows it's hers. I say to her, "Shall we get you all dry with Blackie's special towel?" At which point while i'm getting it from the dining room she climbs up on to the back of the sofa so I can dry her with it. Anyway, it's been out pegged on the clothes line since she went missing. This woman said they have an incredibly strong sense of smell, and it should direct her towards the scent of herself and home. Of course, it's not going to be much use if she's dead somewhere.

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We put up lots of posters with her photo and our contact details on . A man left a message on Sean's mobile phone at 2am this morning to say they were standing outside having a cigarette and they saw Blackie in their garden. Said they took her in and have put her in a secure metal cage. The man gave his name but no address and the number was withheld. Luckily, living in a small village everyone knows everyone else. I asked the elderly next door neighbour's daughter when she came to visit her father if she knew this man. She said he lives on her street, which is only around the corner from us. Knocked on his door and no answer. But a neighbour told us he is a taxi driver so could be out all day. HOWEVER, she said she saw our cat sitting outside in her garden when she got up this morning. But I thought the man said he took her in at two am? Must be two different cats. Pushed a note through his letterbox with our phone number again and our house number, telling him our house was next door to a woman who he would know, as again, everyone in our village knows her and her seven grown up children; one of whom used to be my landlord. 

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There is another man in our small village with exactly the same first and surname, weirdly. I left a message for him hours ago. He's just got back to me and he doesn't have Blackie, or know anything about her. So the person who left the message [ and I heard it; it wasn't a kid ] was messing about. Thought it was strange to ring at 2am but leave no contact details. I hardly think there is going to be a third person with exactly the same name. Sigh. Still, context and perspective is important. It's only a cat, I know.

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I am so sorry to hear about Blackie and even more sorry that you seem to have been the victim of a spiteful prankster.  It never ceases to amaze me how some people get pleasure from causing others pain.  One of my cats disappeared many years ago and we never found him.  He was young and healthy and we lost sleep and worried ourselves sick for ages.  "Only a cat" to the rest of the world but a much-loved friend to you.  I do sympathise.

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She's come home !!  Sean saw her outside in the field opposite our house this morning. She looks absolutely fine, although very thin. She's had some food, a drink of water and a drink of milk. Doesn't appear to be walking into anything any more. Really tempted to never let her outside again, but already in the last half an hour she has cried to be let out twice. Stood at the front door, supervising her. Luckily she only stayed in the front garden. Definitely need to get collars with contact details for all three as a matter of urgency.

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Have ordered three collars, and the seller is going to engrave their names and phone number on one of each of them. She hates collars but will just have to put up with it. A friend suggested having a tracker fitted. Not heard of these before so might look into it. So, so lovely to see her after 11 days. We're currently having lots of cuddles, and she is purring like mad, bless her.

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I was going to suggest chipping - many animal rescues offer it cheap or for free and it is worth having it done.

Be careful that the collars have an elastic panel to enable your cats to escape without strangling if they get snagged on something.

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That's great to hear Lisa so pleased for you and that she seems well.

 

it is quite likely that she got shut in somewhere.

Once a few years back my parents cat disappeared on Christmas Eve. The neighbours were great ( my parents didn't have a computer) and made posters to put up etc and we wandered the streets nearby looking and calling for him.

it was a pretty glum time as they were so fond of the cat especially my dad but then when we were all thinking the worst ....at about midnight on the day after Boxing Day there was a loud bang from the cat flap and he just shot into the house miaowing! 

He was really thirsty and hungry but soon settled down purring and purring and we are convinced that he was shut in the garage of a couple who had gone away for a couple of days.

needless to say it was a very happy new year that year!!

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She's been desperate to go out. Been supervising her sitting in the front garden, but had to quickly grab her a few times when she tried venturing outside. She might well be alright; her eyesight definitely seems a lot better. But I don't want to risk it. Anyway it has been a glorious day and it seemed cruel forcing her to stay indoors. So I opened the back door and she has happily been sitting in the back garden for most of the day. It's well enclosed, and of course, no cars tearing up and down like there is at the front all day, every day. She has been coming into the kitchen, which is next to the back garden, eating [ not very much, but small amounts] and then going back outside. But I have kept her indoors overnight as well and will continue to, to be on the safe side.

Edited by Lisa O`Brien
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She's gone missing again out of the back garden. I didn't think she could get out. I was still asleep this morning and Sean let her into the back garden. He didn't check her for 15 minutes. When he looked again she was gone. Been calling her and walking around the area but no sign. Hopefully she is just enjoying a bit of freedom which she hasn't had since she returned, and will come home when she's hungry. Sigh.

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