One of my cats has gone missing and I'm just sick about it.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

I'm having some major remodeling done at the back of my house, so I'm using the front door all the time now. The screen door doesn't always latch, but I forgot about this because I usually use the back door. Anyhow, I went out the front door to get something from the garage and ended up talking to one of the carpenters for about 15 minutes. On my way back to the front of the house I noticed that Milo was outside, sitting in the garden, so I picked him up and took him back in - realizing that the front door hadn't latched.

But then I couldn't find Pixie anywhere in the house. She must have slipped out with Milo, and now I can't find her. I've looked under the porch, under the bushes, all around the house and the neighbors' houses.

What really makes me sick is that, although the cats all have collars with their name tags with my phone number, I'd taken them off to brush them (the cats) and get new collars for them. The next visit they were going to be microchipped, though they are all indoor cats. But now Pixie is outside without any identification and she's not used to being outside, though she often tries to slip out.

She can't have gone too far, but she's most likely hiding somewhere. And I worry about cars and dogs, and if someone finds her they won't know where she lives. All I can do is hope she finds her way back.

[Lionessa]

1. Have more faith in your cat.

My ex sounded like you sound now the first time I let his cat out of the house. She would sit at the door and yowl, and drive me nuts, but he was at work or out of town and didn't have to suffer it. Anyway, I always had indoor/outdoor cats and knew she'd return. And lo and behold she did.

Later that week we were all out and she was hanging just a house or two down the street. A huge german shepherd started down the street unattended. My ex was ready to run save his cat, but he learned that most dogs only chase cats that run and generally stop chasing as soon as the cat turns and swipes. That shepherd left with it's tail tucked due to a wee tiny 9# cat that had no front claws either (not my doing, I don't approve of such).

Anyway, sure there are dangers, but a hell of a lot of cats are either feral and survive or are indoor/outdoor cats and survive. They aren't stupid animals, but rather more intelligent than many animals.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Thanks. That helps.

Years ago I had a cat who slipped out of the house in the dead of winter - it was below zero with a foot of snow on the ground - and he was gone for almost a week until he turned up at the back door, demanding to be let in.

Pixie is sort of skittish, though, and I'm worried that she'll run off somewhere and be unable to find her way back.

But just yesterday I was talking to some neighbors who were tacking missing cat flyers to the telephone poles because their little white Persian had taken off last week, and they still can't find her.

I will try to have more faith in my cat.

[iscooterliberally]

3. Cats are great about returning to their food source.

I have 5 cats now. I did not intend to have so many, but things sort of ended up that way. One of my cats goes out every morning and evening. She usually stays near my home (within earshot). If I go out and open a can of cat food she comes flying back from wherever she is hiding. I have another cat that I found at a dog park of all places. She was a tiny kitten that was emaciated when we found her. We don't let her out, but she has gotten out many times. She always returns for the food. If you feed your cats dry food, try walking around your area and shake a food bag. I hope Pixie returns soon and in good health.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. Thanks. I've put a dish of food on the porch.

I've been walking around, calling, but she's inclined to be skittish and might be afraid to come out from wherever she is.

So I'm just sitting here bawling.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. WOO HOO! Kitty is back!

Actually, it seems she never left. She was hiding somewhere in the house all day, and I just can't figure out where. With half the place walled off for construction there just isn't a place for her to hide.

Except that she did.

Anyhow, she's here and I'm happy. Thanks for your responses, cat folks.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. For you:

The joy of knowing the cat's okay is great. The hug is for the worry you felt before you *knew* she was okay.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. YAY!

Kidley in his sneakier moods can run out of the apartment while I'm coming in with a load of laundry or other heavy burden, sometimes without my knowing it.

I once was about to leave for somewhere when I met a downstairs neighbor coming up the stairs with Kidley in her arms.

So the other day, Kidley was nowhere to be found, and I thought, "Oh no, he's exploring the building!"

So I went out and searched the hallways, the laundry room, the lobby, and the elevator, and no cat.

I came back into the apartment, mighty puzzled and worried, only to see Kidley yawning and stretching as he came out from behind the couch. (There isn't much space there. It's another example of cat malleability.)

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. Cats become liquid when they want to.

They are able to assume the shape of their container (which is one of the definitions of a liquid). In that state of matter they are able to flow under doors and through cracks in walls. But they transform themselves into very sturdy solids when you are trying to stuff them into a cat carrier for a trip to the vet.

[fizzgig]

8. you've forgotten how they can bend space and time

and they all have their personal portal to another dimension

i'm glad you found the kitteh

[applegrove]

9. I knew she'd be okay. I had workmen in my house lately and my kitty found a place behind a bureau. I

never would have found her had I not actualy seen her go down behind it. I've seen cats squish into spaces under a chest of drawers that were 2 inches high. When they feel they have to they are little houdinis.

[TorchTheWitch]

11. WooooooHoooooo!!!

Thank goodness! What a relief that must be! If my dear fuzzy boy went missing I'd be absolutely frantic. Hell, the very THOUGHT of it makes me frantic!

[livetohike]

13. Great!

Give her a scratch for me and here's a for you all.

[meti57b]

12. the worst episode of "cat snuck out the door" for me .....

We had a workman in the apartment, my husband was "supervising" him. I took some large empty boxes outside that I had to open the door a little wide. When I came back, one of my three cats was nowhere to be found.

Hubby joined the search and no cat. We probably spent the better part of an hour searching inside the apt. I made up "lost cat" signs, put them up at the three closest intersections, I knocked on doors and asked neighbors to watch for a lost cat, I telephoned the local animal shelters to notify me if someone brought in a cat matching my description and also the cat was micro-chipped.

I spent three hours outside searching and knocking on doors. My hubby spent more time searching inside our condo apartment and throughout our building.

I finally came home numb and dejected. As I walked through our apt exhausted and dejected, I told him, "if by some miracle someone brings that cat back, don't put him with the other two cats. He might have picked up a disease or something. As I walked into the bedroom, ... I saw three cats. There was the missing cat standing there looking at me. He had been hiding somewhere in the apt.

Although I was greatly relieved and completely overjoyed, ... I also found myself to be hugely annoyed at the cat. I didn't even give the cat a hug or anything. I turned around back out the door, took the signs down, knocked on doors and thanked the neighbors. The three cats all got a very late supper. Neither hubster or I ever figured out where that cat could have hidden.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. Cats.

Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.

That's pretty much what happened to me yesterday, except I hadn't got as far as making lost cat posters or calling animal control. I was thinking about it, though.

I really don't know how they can disappear like that.