Lost Cat!

[tcpip]

Mannan Mac Lir, our dearly beloved cat, is missing. As usual we let the tailless wonder out for a bit of a run in Willmere Estate at about 6.30pm. Usually he returns somewhere between 10pm and midnight. On two occassions he's been out for the night, but on both instances he's been waiting at the door in the morning. Last night, when he had not arrived by midnight we left the window open for him, but he wasn't around in the morning, he wasn't around this evening after we returned from work, and we've just spent the past two hours prowling the estate and beyond to find him.

Dammit Mac, where are you? I miss your plaintive meow, your desire to play with your special shoelaces, and your backflip method of getting down from people's arms. I rather fear for the worst.

(I have a lost cat story from some twenty years ago as well..)

Edit. Guess who just waltzed in as if nothing had happened?

Comments

[serehfa]

thankgoodnessforthat!!!!!

[serehfa]

Prior to owning a cat run, I used to make sure feeding happened last thing and the door was firmly shut at that point, to curb any nocturnal wanderings :)

[tcpip]

Sounds like a good plan. Currently we feed him at 7.00am and let him out at 6.30pm... If he was fed in the evening instead....

[abomvubuso.livejournal.com]

You know, our cat back in Iceland, Punky used to get lost like this pretty often while he was young. Turns out he had been chasing the ladycats around the neighbourhood and he didn't want to be disturbed for days. I'd rather hope for the best if I were you...

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Well Mac's been desexed so he's not likely to be chasing ladycats for that the usual purposes. He's pretty gregarious among other cats however, but they all live nearby...

[abomvubuso.livejournal.com]

He's probably having some fun in good company, be sure he'll be back! Or at least you have to hope so.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Or at least you have to hope so.

I am trying to make use of my recent studies in Buddhism to avoid a sense of despondency...

[carlowe.livejournal.com]

Sympathies.

[frou-frou.livejournal.com]

I hope he turns up - cats who go out at night live on average four years, mostly because they get hit by cars. Not that I wish that for your kitty of course, but I do think that letting him out for nocturnal activities is risky, as well for the local woodland creatures that he might decide to play with.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Well, there's very few cars in our area, mostly in the car parking zones on the outskirts of the estate (which we've checked). Also, the estate has cyclone fencing surrounds specifically designed to stop cats from leaving the estate (a rather nice touch). He's caught a couple of rats and mice in the past however (he understands the difference between outside rats and inside rats), and two young birds which he has brought in alive and well - and promptly sent to Lort Smith.

[fluffyblanket.livejournal.com]

Pusses are so independent ! Ah - I see he has just condescended to visit his pet humans again .

[zenicurean.livejournal.com]

Is he okay?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

He's perfectly fine. He came in, had a bite to eat and then asked to go out again!

[tatjna.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I read this after he came back.

[txxxpxx.livejournal.com]

Glad the story had a happy ending.

[strang-er.livejournal.com]

No matter how many times ours do that to us, i still get that sick feeling when they go AWOL.

Glad he came back safe.

[17catherines.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad he has come back OK.

[pache.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear he's back. Just thought I'd share a slightly cautionary tale.

I've taken to keeping my cat in at night ever since my neighbour discovered a dead cat in the back yard some time back. Had a bit of a moment of panic when he came over to see if it was mine.

The internet searching I've done claims it's rare, but my best guess from the remains is that it was killed by a local fox. Given what was left of it, it was killed by an animal rather than a car & there aren't any dogs in the few houses around here but there are a few foxes in the area (balwyn/box hill region). Can't think of anything else big enough to take out a cat might be wandering freely at night.

Even aside from the safety of the cat, it probably keeps some of the local wildlife safe from the cat's hunting so personally I've come to the conclusion indoors-after-dark is best all around.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Sure, for most circumstances I would certainly agree with you. But where we live is rather designed to ensure that cats don't escape into neighbouring parkland... and critters of neighbouring parkland don't make their way in...

[pmax3.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, I am so happy he came back :)