Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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AndyMac
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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It has been a week and still no sign of Paul. I called at the owners house on Friday evening but it was not herself who answered but a friend. She said the owner wanted to speak to me concerning Paul as she had not seen him since Monday - I informed her thats why I had called. I told her of the cat fight and how he ran thru my garden and that was the last I saw of him. They thought that I was keeping him inside due to Halloween and the fireworks etc....

She told me Pauls owner has been 'worried sick' and has been in contact with the vets to see if he has been handed in (at least he is chipped) - I have been scouring lost & found Facebook pages and walking around the neighbourhood but nothing. I was informed of a Facebook post of a black cat at someones house about a 20min walk away. I went to the area last night but no sign of Paul and this morning before I went to work I spent an hour in the area and spoke to a few people and managed to track down the person who posted the picture. I left my contact details and was informed of another person who feeds stray cats and tonight after work I called with them who confirmed a black cat has been in the area recently and it has been fed by them. I left my contact details with her also.

Other than that I do not know what else to do. There has been no sign of activity at the owners house since Friday night. The patio lights have been left on but no-one is at the house. Either Paul has been found and is safe or he is dead - either way I thought his owner may have been in contact.

When trawling through the lost & found pages there was a black cat who had been found about 10 miles away - I enquired about its markings but it was not Paul - the person who has this cat has 2 elderly cats so it has been in a kennel outside and she wants it rehomed and cats protection cannot take it as they have no room - I had a few drinks on Friday night and told her I would take it if it was not claimed - wish sometimes I would think with my head and not my heart with black cats !!!!!
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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Hi Andy glad you were proactive with enquiring about Paul. Strangevthe owner hasn’t contacted you. And I’ve done hasty things when I’ve had a couple of vinos. Hoping there’s news of Paul soon. Perhaps he’s hiding somewhere. So worrying when you don’t know what’s happened. Keep us posted btw The Famous Five from Oz send you meows for Paul. Vivian
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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Mayday21 wrote:Hi Andy glad you were proactive with enquiring about Paul. Strangevthe owner hasn’t contacted you. And I’ve done hasty things when I’ve had a couple of vinos. Hoping there’s news of Paul soon. Perhaps he’s hiding somewhere. So worrying when you don’t know what’s happened. Keep us posted btw The Famous Five from Oz send you meows for Paul. Vivian
Thanks Vivian - the weather here in Ireland has not been great - very cold nights and strong wind with heavy rain plus the fireworks on Halloween night. Some times I think he is OK and will be home and feel positive but other times I get a constant pain in the gut and think he is at Rainbow Bridge - as they call it. Maybe with the loss of Jet and Mia this year I am not emotionally ready to lose another black cat even tho he is not mine.
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

Post by Ruth B »

I've been following this and just want to say that I hope Paul has found somewhere to hunker down where he feels safe while the fireworks go off and then he will return to you or his owners.

As for the other cat, maybe that one is meant to be. If they are officially yours you can at least keep them safe inside during the winter, you would need to for a couple of months to start with as you wouldn't want them to try and return home. Then in the Spring you can see about a cat run or cat proofing your garden, or decide if they are happy as indoor only cat, some are.

Paul will always have the problem of having another owner who doesn't seem to care for his safety as much as you do and you will always be torn trying to keep him safe and trying to placate his owners. Maybe he has found somewhere else where he is being well fed and kept safe and warm and I hate to say it, but he might be better off there than with his current owner. Take heart if you haven't seen any notices of black cat RTAs while you have been trawling the lost and found pages, and being chipped even if he was in an accident hopefully someone would get him to a vets and the owners would be notified, whether they would have the courtesy to let you know is another matter.
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

Post by Lilith »

Well, the plot thickens ...

Paul's a very distinctive cat though, and you have that photo of him - could you show that to the person who's been feeding the unknown black cat and see if they recognise him? Even if he's decided to adopt them it could put your mind at rest.

Ha ha, snap decisions when under the influence ... when Molly's owners asked me to adopt her at first I said, 'no'. Then late at night, after a beer or three, hearing her bellowing at her front door ... and the rest is history. Little horror.

Well, all the cats I've had move in in almost 20 years have adopted me ...

Waiting for the next instalment ... and good luck re Paul!
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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Hi Andy lucky you with cooling weather. It’s dam hot here & it’s only November!! The Famous Five from Oz have been stretched out on tiles grateful of ceiling fans I’ve just put in. And Lilith I love a real cold ale on a hot day!! Vivian
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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Lol Mayday, same here - but doesn't have to be such a hot day! ;) :lol:

Again, best wishes re Paul, Andy :)
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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Well I managed to speak Pauls owner on Monday via Facebook - she had been away with work from Thursday and Paul still has not returned. She thanked me for looking for him. She was going to go to peoples houses in the area on Monday night in case he was injured or locked in a shed/garage. I offered to help putting flyers through doors but she didnt respond. My neighbour works in the local bakery and said she had called to leave a flyer and speaking to her Paul had been locked in a neighbours shed for 4 days before. She told my friend she has been in contact with vets in the area and the city council in case his body was found but nothing.

As of today I do not know one way or the other if Paul has been found (dead or alive) - Speaking to family & friends they have said not to contact the owner as it might seem like harrasement and Paul is NOT my cat. I have taken their advice and will let her contact me but do not think she will. I have been thinking a lot about him and keep expecting to see him in the back garden. When driving past her house I am hoping he will be sitting at the window but I really do not think that he has been found.
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

Post by Lilith »

This is awful, not knowing :(

I do hope he's lurking in some kind person's house - maybe wishful thinking on my part but I do hope so. Cats ARE resourceful. Someone I know has just been accosted by a cat so hungry she/he will eat sausage rolls ... immediately I grabbed a couple of boxes of pouch that my spoilt pair won't eat, and about a dozen tins of the same ... that cat will do us a favour by disposing of my bad buys and I don't think the chosen household will stop feeding Cat now ...

Good luck to all waifs and strays this winter ...

And do hope you hear some good news of Paul asap!
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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I hope so Lilith - I really do fear the worse for the wee man and really hopes he comes home.
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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Keeping my fingers crossed still for him, people will feed 'stray' cats for a long time before they think of getting them checked for a chip. I'm trying to convince my sister that one that keeps visiting her and getting fed and staying all evening should be checked, she is convinced it is a stray and has even bought an outside house for it as she was worried about it in the cold weather when her and her husband are away, but I think she is almost scared of it either not having a chip and being taken by a rescue for rehoming, or having a chip and being returned to it's rightful owners. She doesn't feel she can have a cat herself as both her and her husband have to go away on work trips fairly often, she lives in Liverpool, I live in Wolverhampton so I can't even offer to look after one for her, so she welcomes any that walk in the back door.

One of the sad advantages of a cat being chipped is that you do tend to get closure if anything happens, it is far more common for a cat involved in an RTA to be taken to a vets to be scanned so at least the owners know what has happened. Unfortunately in Paul's case I'm not sure the owners will tell you. Maybe if you happen to see the owner or one of the other that live at the house when you are out and about you could enquire without making a special visit.
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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Ruth B wrote:Keeping my fingers crossed still for him, people will feed 'stray' cats for a long time before they think of getting them checked for a chip. I'm trying to convince my sister that one that keeps visiting her and getting fed and staying all evening should be checked, she is convinced it is a stray and has even bought an outside house for it as she was worried about it in the cold weather when her and her husband are away, but I think she is almost scared of it either not having a chip and being taken by a rescue for rehoming, or having a chip and being returned to it's rightful owners. She doesn't feel she can have a cat herself as both her and her husband have to go away on work trips fairly often, she lives in Liverpool, I live in Wolverhampton so I can't even offer to look after one for her, so she welcomes any that walk in the back door.

One of the sad advantages of a cat being chipped is that you do tend to get closure if anything happens, it is far more common for a cat involved in an RTA to be taken to a vets to be scanned so at least the owners know what has happened. Unfortunately in Paul's case I'm not sure the owners will tell you. Maybe if you happen to see the owner or one of the other that live at the house when you are out and about you could enquire without making a special visit.
Thanks Ruth - what you said reminded me of what I was like when Paul first arrived at mine - I finally took the advice of the forum and took him to the vet. I woke this morning at 05.00 and just thought about him running different senarios through my head as what could have happened and where he could be. Lucky Paul is chipped and I have been scouring the Facebook lost & found pages but so far nothing. I have read storys on these pages of cats being reunited with owners weeks/months after they disappeared and some have ended up miles from home. So hoping there will be good news for Pauls owner.
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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Just to post an update on Paul - I was walking past the owners house tonight and she was leaving the house so asked about Paul as he has been missing from the end of October. I introduced myself as I had not met her and she informed me that Paul did return after 3 weeks but he had died.

She found him in the back garden and took him to the vet but he was already dead. The vet thinks he had been hit by a car and managed to get back home. I was devestated and told her I was so sorry. We chatted for 10 mins as I told her my tale of woe of losing Jet and Mia this year and it feels like I have lost another - 3 black cats in one year and I thought they were supposed to be lucky - obviously 2018 was not a good year for me with cats!!!!

I told Pauls owner at least she has got closure for him. I enquired if she had got his ashes and she said the vet got him cremated. I was so fond of the wee man and really hoped he would turn up but it did bring back a lot of memories of Mia and how I lost her to a RTA - as I walked away I did cry and have been thinking about him all evening, every morning I would watch the back garden just in case he would jump through the hedge and coming home from work I half expected to see him in the front garden but I suppose now it is also closure for me.
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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Oh no ...

I've been wondering about him. I may be being unfair here but I don't think she deserved him.

He would have had such a good home with you :cry:

So very very sorry to hear (hugs) x
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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So sorry to hear this, i had hoped it would have a happy ending somehow.

i do wonder if black, or any other solid dark colour, cats are more susceptible to traffic. My eyesight isn't good but I notice the number of times when I see the flash of moving white paws long before i can really make out the cat itself. Unless of cause the cat is primarily white, in which case they stand out like a sore thumb. While I know black cats are harder to home, it is the one reason i might be reluctant to have one.
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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I believe statistics show that all cats regardless of colour are more likely to be killed on a road in the dark, because although they might be wary of speeding cars, headlights confuse them and they run blindly in the wrong direction - also cats have the instinct to hunt at night so wander more

before I enclosed my garden I always kept my cats in from dusk to dawn, and only lost one to the busy road outside when he wouldn't come in the house because of builders

Andy, I hope you don't deprive yourself too long of feline company, as there is a cat out there currently deprived of the good loving home you can offer - there are steps you can take to keep that cat safe and which will pay dividends in terms of less worry
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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Thanks guys - it has been a difficult few days now knowing Paul wont appear at my house again and I have been constantly thinking of the wee man and wondering how long he had been in the garden before he was discovered and hoping he did not suffer.

I remember when I had Mia at the vet in August the vet did say about keeping her in at night coming into the winter as she said black cats and dark nights are not a good combination when it comes to road traffic.

My neighbours daughter knows someone who has fostered a kitten and they were asking if I would be interested in taking it but I said no just in case Paul did return but I may consider another after Christmas and will check the adoption centres as probably there may be an influx of unwanted cats after the holidays needing a home.
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

Post by Ruth B »

I hope you do find another, it does seem you have a lot of love to give a cat, and there are many that would be thankful for that love.

In view of the past history of cats in your area, both your own and Paul, I would strongly suggest you consider either an indoor only cat, or cat proofing your garden to give yourself peace of mind.
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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Hi Andy like Lilith I’ve been wondering about Paul & while not posting, I’ve been monitoring posts. So sad to read about Paul. And I agree with Kay’s comment about not depriving yourself of a feline family member. I’d be lost without the ”The Famous Five from Oz”. Yes Pebbles is still with me & friends say “She’ll be staying with you. She’s settled well & truely & unfair to move her again.” If you lived closer you’d be welcome to visit for a regular cat fix. Also agree with the suggestion of keeping inside or enclosing your garden. Mine are inside (for their & wild life safety) even though I live in a cul-de-sac, we also have snakes. Plus as we know, there are cat haters out there. I’m looking at getting an outside run done but it’s working out where to put cat door, tunnels & uprights. Hope your feeling a tad better. Vivian.
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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Thanks Vivian - I had a dream about Paul last night, I dont usually dream about my cats but I looked out the kitchen window and he was sitting at the bottom of the garden - I opened the door and he came up the garden and into the house and then he vanished. I was trying to get him to reappear but nothing. A short dream but I was hoping his spirit was paying me a visit.
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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Hi Andy I’m sure Lilith would agree that Paul’s around you as I do too. I often dream of Mayday & while waking feeling her loss, say to myself while she’s no longer with me physically she’s with me spiritually. You & Paul shared a special bond obvious with the time he chose to spend with you. This bond was also evident with Jet & Mia .. perhaps Paul was a hybrid of these two. With Xmas a week away, I wish you good cheer for the festive season. And while I won’t be having an ale or two can’t say the same for the bubbly! We’ve had rain at last! Everything was so dry. No doubt you’d only be too happy to swap your weather for our clear blue skies. Vivian & the Famous Five from Oz.
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

Post by Ruth B »

Personally I would say Paul came back to say goodbye, he is aware that you now know what happened and knew that coming now wouldn't start you worrying again about what had happened to him, as it would have if he had appeared before you found out. Whether he will appear again is entirely up to him. I also think he knows that you cared for him as much, if not more than his registered owner did, which was why he came to say goodbye to you.
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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Thanks Ruth & Vivian - still miss the wee guy.

2018 has not been a good year - losing Jet to cancer in April - losing Mia to a RTA in August to finally losing Paul. I think I will try my luck with dogs in 2019 :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Neighbours Cat - What to Do !!

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I feel he came home to you. That's a beautiful dream - you did give him his real home, after all; he had that much in his life. So unjust that he couldn't stay with you :(
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