Little Batcat is missing since Saturday :-(

[Cussypat1974]

I am out of my mind with worry.... He was here on Friday evening, with his doggies as usual. He left his doggies for his dinner and hasn't been seen since bedtime on Friday. I have searched every conceivable place I can think of, and aske the lovely cat-man farmer to keep an eye out for him. The farmer doesn't even know him, as Batcat never strays, even as far as the farm (it is only down the lane, and I can see the yard with any cats in it from our house). I have looked at night and during the day, called him and no reply. If he was stuck somewhere he would answer and I know his voice. Unless he has his head stuck in a tin can like poor Hamlet had of course...... I have never seen any signs of any snares around here at all, though I suppose he could have gotten stuck in a rabbit hole? Does that actually happen to cats? The slurry tank hasn't been opened or touched and is empty 'till next year, and I checked it anyway. I haven't heard any shooter around, and the guys who used to lamp around here at night gave up over a year ago, because I actively encouraged our dogs to bark (so any animals would scarper and they would have nothing to shoot) every time they appeared. The hunt was not around either (nice farmer warns me now, so I can keep all the cats in).

If anyone can think of anything I have missed or could be checking, please shout! Bats isn't one for exploring very much-he is extremely cautious in general. I have never seen him rush into anything, in fact he stops and assesses situations before he leaps, literally, and that is even at home in our own garden. He has never shown any interest in cars or their engines, and the weather has been very warm, and we have had no visitors either. We always honk and bang engines ourselves, even in Summer, and we did on Saturday too. In fact, I fed the cats as hubby pulled the car out because where I go, the cats follow, and we worry about silly youngsters and frail cats being too relaxed having a wash behind the wheel as we reverse. There is no way he was in our engine.....

Mama Puss came back after 5 days and needed a leg amputated. Annie once went for a week and returned in great shape. Batcat's far more inquisitive brother, Dr. Livingston, once went for 3 days and returned in perfect shape. He was named because he was the explorer of the litter. From the time he could amble he was into everything.... But not cautious Batcat.....

[nanny pamy]

Oh this is so sad. I hope he turns up. I sometimes worried about my Theo being an indoor cat but whenever I read these posts it really puts it in perspective for me. I know id never let him out now. I decided for definite when I read the horrifying post about that poor cat with the tin can stuck on its face. So distressing.

[nannymcfee]

Check list :Water Butts, ponds, hedgerow at side of lane,greenhouses, any large trees where birds have started nesting, could he have climbed and not be able to get down?...chimney stacks? going out early morning ( if safe) calling his name, sound carries better then...

we went through this with 'monkeyboy' exactly 1 year ago he disappeared from the Wednesday til very late Saturday, he came home 'musty' smelling, and we think he must have been locked in somewhere.

Hope you get good news ...

[meriad]

Fingers crossed you have some news soon. My brothers cat has been missing for over a week now and the not knowing is just heartbreaking.

Come on Batcat - get your furry behind back home where it belongs x

[Cussypat1974]

He is still missing..... I keep searching at various times, to no avail. It's like he has just vanished into thin air. He wasn't sick or anything, but I am starting to think he just dropped dead somewhere. I have had that happen before with perfectly healthy cats. Him being jet black doesn't make finding him any easier either of course......

I know what you mean about letting them outside, but keeping them all indoors just isn't an option for me - that's why we moved to such a remote spot with no traffic. I used to keep most indoor only when I lived in town as it just wasn't safe, and only let out those who became very stressed in "captivity". Diseases spread far more easily when they are all indoors, and their quality of health has significantly I proved since they have access to sunshine and fresh air. If I only had a couple of cats I would do supervised access outdoors, but it's just not possible with 30-odd cats, all of whom would have died or just been left had I not taken them in....

I haven't given up hope yet, although when I search now I am half looking for a dead body rather than my little man to come bounding up to me

[Crewella]

I so wish there was something useful I could say, but I don't think there is. Have you tried the leaving the hoover contents out to try and waft the smell of 'home' around the area? I really hope he turns up. xx

[Mollysmummy]

Poor Batcat! What I will say is that if he's simply not the kind of cat to stray, keep looking in every outhouse/shelter around your house. Our eldest Molly doesn't go further than 2 gardens in either direction. On Thursday night she went out about 7pm and didn't come back. We and our youngest cat were sick with worry, up all night and out at the crack of dawn searching for her.

We both had work, but she was still missing at 5pm the next day which is unheard of for her. We looked in all the hedgerows, in the allotments and asked all our neighbours to check their garages. My gut told me she was trapped somewhere as I just knew she wouldn't stray.

Sure enough I went into our neighbours gRden as he was at work, called her and she responded......from inside his garage!!! She'd been stuck there all night. Luckily he came home about an hour later and we got her out.

But if Batcat is like Molly, keep looking. If your gut tells you he doesn't stray then you're likely correct. I hope you find him soon!

[Cussypat1974]

Thanks Mollysmum. I have even checked out own outhouses which the cats cannot get into and which are never opened..... The only other sheds etc are at the lovely farmer's yard and are opened every day- he loves across the road from the yard and he ADORES cats (my Scarlett is now half HIS cat, half OUR cat lol). Nonetheless, I have been down there calling him, and the farmer k ows to keep a lookout for him.

It is just a mystery. I keep checking the same places in case he has struggled home injured. I have actually discovered more cat hidey-holes and tracks than I knew existed in the fields around our house. I will keep looking and calling him every morning and evening, but at this stage I think that if he is going to come back, he will do so when I least expect it.

Speaking of cats locked in sheds, Scarlett did manage that once when we lived in town. She chose the shed of my evil dog beating neighbour, who HATED cats, and I had to go to his door at 11pm to ask him to open his shed!!!!! Se has a tiny meow normally, but she was SCREAMING! I offered to check for poop in his coal and clean it, but he wasn't keen.....

[Mollysmummy]

Dog beating?! Sounds like a nice person!! Is Batcat chipped?

[Cussypat1974]

No he isn't chipped. I have never chipped them as living here, we know all the neighbours for miles. Wen I lived in town it was in the west of Ireland, and vets just never scanned cats for chips. I used to have to insist they scanned any I found, but there were always raised eyebrows when I did. He didn't have a collar either as I gave up on collars because none has lasted longer than a week on any cat I have had.....

[Cussypat1974]

God..... I feel terrible now for not having him chipped......

[Mollysmummy]

Ours don't have collars either. If you're in a rural area it's probably not as necessary; I really feel for you but I'm sure he will come back when he's ready.

[Cussypat1974]

Thanks Hun. I still hope he comes back, but also hope thwt if he is dead, that he didn't suffer too much. It's not knowing his fate that is driving me crazy. I never once had this when I lived in town. They were always in a neighbour's shed or something....... I never had one simply disappear......

[meriad]

I know what you mean - the not knowing is just the worst. My brothers cat has been missing for 2 weeks now as well (so a few days after Batcat)... it's horrid.

I really really hope you have some news (((hug)))

[nanny pamy]

Still no signs cussypat. I keep peeping in to see if any good news

[Cussypat1974]

Not a sign of him. I haven't cleared his bed and bowl out from his shelf in the doggy bedroom where he likes to hang out yet, in the hopes he will magically appear. I had nicknamed him "Mr. Mistoffeles" (sp?) after going to see CATS, so he IS a magical cat........ He bloody well magically disappeared anyway

I keep scanning the fields and calling him, but have stopped searching under bushes for his dead body now.

[Crewella]

That's so sad, I'm sorry Catherine. (((hugs)))

[Mollysmummy]

A friend of mine's cat has just this morning turned up on her doorstep after 3 weeks!!! She had presumed him dead or taken in by someone else but this morning there he was, asking for breakfast like nothing had happened. There is still hope!

[Cussypat1974]

That's why I haven't given up all hope...... But I had to stop driving myself nuts searching fields and neighbours hedges..... If he was close and could move he would come. If he could cry he would shout. He was always loud enough to shout for his dinner when he arrived on his shelf with the dogs......

[Mollysmummy]

We did exactly the same when Molly went missing, we must have searched everywhere 3 or 4 times! My friend has no idea where her boy went but she said he seems fine if a little skinnier than when he left. I can't remember from previous posts if he's been 'done' or not, but when we got our boy done our vet did say that some cats will still get urges to spray and roam so it's not entirely impossible that he's off looking for a lady friend in heat! I'm sure he'll give up and come home soon x

[Cussypat1974]

Oh I hope it is that! But I have had female rescues in heat here, and Batcat never showed any interest. Touchlamp is neutered but he has still tried in the past, leading me to go ask the vet if he had done the job properly!

I think Bats is dead.