Missing Cat... weather question

[Jayems]

So, my cat dissapered a few night ago, on the evening that it snowed. Someone heard loud cat hisses and possibly fighting late at night (unfortunately, no one woke me up).

Now our cat is an inside cat, but frequently goes outside and is almost always let back in at night. The nights that she accidentaly gets left out, she usually waits by our bushes until someone leaves for school / work.

Now last summer, she got out and either got lost, or ran away. After a week or so of searching, I gave up, and labeled her as dead. 6 weeks later, going to work one morning, she came running from under the bushes and back into the house, and was literally nothing but skin and bones. Six freakin weeks!

Anyway, FFWD to a few nights ago. She has been plumped up, and is not a skinny cat.. yes, she is kinda fat. Lots of hair too.

I guess my question is, should there have been an altercation and she survived and is currently lost, how well are cats suited to survive in the cold? Its not brutally cold yet, but I'd have to think that the hair and fat would be somewhat protective?

There is not a trace of her except for some dirt that has been kicked up onto the path way and a paw print (unsure if hers or not). Other than that, she has completely vanished. I;m doubtful of a coyote, but it is possible as we're on the west edge of the city, but I've never seen one here in 7 years.

Am I holding onto a false hope here?

Please spare me the "its just a cat, get over it" crap.

[jolinar of malkshor]

You need to worry more about cars and other cp'ers (according to the other thread) than the cold taking the cats life. The cat will do fine in the cold. When I lived on the farm we had a cat that went missing for 7 months and then came back. It was missing the tips of its ears tho (froozen off).

[Jayems]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

You need to worry more about cars than the cold taking the cats life. The cat will do fine in the cold. When I lived on the farm we had a cat that went missing for 7 months and then came back. It was missing the tips of its ears tho (froozen off).

Fortunately, the city has not responded to calls for any dead animals in my neighborhood...

I have combed it with my car about three dozen times in the last day or two, and think I'm going to have another look.

It's just driving me crazy thinking she's just around the corner, but needs to be found to get home.

[SarichFan]

I hate to hear that people still let their cats out unattended... Even "accidently" I lost two cats until it finally clicked that they really shouldn't be left alone outside unless trained to stay within your own yard.

I don't have anything positive to say except I hope your cat returns and you are more responsible in the future.

Not to mention, people like you are the reason i'm paying these stupid cat licensing fees.

Sorry I couldn't add more fluff to this, but really.. and my "people like you" comment was a bit harsh but man I hate those fees.

I do hope your cat survives and returns to your home.

[gottabekd]

I guess the obvious, here: Did you check the SPCA? Is your cat tattooed/tagged? Put up signs around your neighborhood?

[Jayems]

Originally Posted by gottabekd

I guess the obvious, here: Did you check the SPCA? Is your cat tattooed/tagged? Put up signs around your neighborhood?

Yeah, its all been done. Thanks.

[Bill Bumface]

When I was a kid we moved about 6 or 7 kilometers, and transported our cat in a cardboard box in the back of a car. There was nothing but little breathing holes. Several months later, that winter, he went missing. We were in a really bad cold snap and he'd been gone about 4 days in -20 weather. Our old neighbour phoned to say she thought she saw him, and sure enough we found him huddled under another of our old neighbour's balcony, barely alive. I have no idea how he found his way back, but we took him home and wrapped him in blankets and he was our buddy for many years after that.

If you moved at all recently I suggest maybe giving your old house a try? I really hope you find your cat though, that's a terrible feeling not knowing if they are alive or not

[JiriHrdina]

Cats are pretty well equipped to survive outside for a while. The cat I have now was rescued from the streets and was apparently out there for years. She is missing a bit of one of her ears from frostbite but she was surviving out there somehow.

I hope you find her. I am paranoid about my cat getting outside (even though she shows no interest in being out there again)

[Jayems]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

When I was a kid we moved about 6 or 7 kilometers, and transported our cat in a cardboard box in the back of a car. There was nothing but little breathing holes. Several months later, that winter, he went missing. We were in a really bad cold snap and he'd been gone about 4 days in -20 weather. Our old neighbour phoned to say she thought she saw him, and sure enough we found him huddled under another of our old neighbour's balcony, barely alive. I have no idea how he found his way back, but we took him home and wrapped him in blankets and he was our buddy for many years after that.

If you moved at all recently I suggest maybe giving your old house a try? I really hope you find your cat though, that's a terrible feeling not knowing if they are alive or not

Thanks, yeah, it sucks not knowing. Constantly going outside, walking around, going for a drive... But.. you never know.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by SarichFan

I hate to hear that people still let their cats out unattended... Even "accidently" I lost two cats until it finally clicked that they really shouldn't be left alone outside unless trained to stay within your own yard.

I don't have anything positive to say except I hope your cat returns and you are more responsible in the future.

Not to mention, people like you are the reason i'm paying these stupid cat licensing fees.

Sorry I couldn't add more fluff to this, but really.. and my "people like you" comment was a bit harsh but man I hate those fees.

I do hope your cat survives and returns to your home.

I agree that cats shouldn't be allowed to roam in the city but accidents do happen and sometimes they bolt out when you aren't looking. I let my cat out but it is always on a leash and cannot go off of my property.

[Sainters7]

Our cats get out every so often(we tie them up, but they time it well when we walk in the door and sometimes bolt), and there's been a handful of times now when they got out when it was -20, possibly even colder, and didnt come back all night. The first time it happened I was freaking out and hardly slept all night, as I kept checking the door. I was expecting to find a little catsickle the next morning. But nope, they just trounced in at 8am like nothing was wrong. Also, one of our cats spent the first winter of its life on the streets of Edmonton and somehow survived.

I'm no cat expert or anything, but at least from these two examples I've come to the conclusion cats can survive pretty well in frosty conditions. At least its not January right now. Good luck finding it, I hope you do. I know that feeling you're going through and I hate it, I've been through it a few times before with these two furry a**holes who live here.

[bigtmac19]

I agree with the others, that I don't think the cold will be much of a problem. I hope it hasn't been hit by a car or something.
I hope you find your cat! Good luck.

[ken0042]

It's supposed to be warm today and tomorrow, so hopefully she has just found a nice warm spot for the last few nights, and will find her way home today.

So, between this thread, the previous cat thread, and the RFID thread, I think it's time somebody came up with some sort of GPS tracking device for cats. Some sort of kitty "Lo-Jack."

[Cowperson]

Now our cat is an inside cat, but frequently goes outside and is almost always let back in at night.

To be clear, that's an outdoor cat.

An indoor cat is one that spends its life inside unless outside in a controlled way, like a leash.

Being a crotchety old buzzard, I've searched for a few missing outdoor cats in my time, to no avail. But that was a while ago.

It's been about a quarter-century since I've last had an outdoor cat. I have four currently. All indoors, although one handicapped one (no back feet) goes outside for brief periods with constant supervision. She can't run away anywhere).

Life span for an outdoor cat is typically two or three years. Lifespan for an indoor cat is typically in the 11 year range.

Good luck with your search (sincerely) but think about those statistics when you get Mr. Replacement someday.

Take it from experience - a cat that never knows the outdoors will never miss it. Seriously.

Cowperson

[Qwerty]

This may seem a bit strange, but put out some food for the cat.

We used to have a cat that was an outdoor cat (never really came inside) and we would see it maybe a couple times a year. Always put out food and it ate it. If it is coming around at night (remember cats are nocturnal?) then at least there would be some food. Just a thought, I don't want to feed into false hope though.

Also it is suppose to warm up a bit this week

[Flashpoint]

Sorry to hear you lost your pet. I hope you find it.

[Jayems]

I'll try the food thing too! Thanks for the tips, I have a little more hope now that if she is still alive, she won't be suffering (I hope)

[V]

Your cat's name isn't Virtute by any chance?

[ken0042]

Just a thought......... those humane cat traps that you can rent from the city, maybe get one of those so if she comes back in the middle of the night, then you can keep her contained to grab her.

Worst case scenario, if your cat doesn't come back you can get yourself somebody else's for free.

[Jayems]

Originally Posted by V

Your cat's name isn't Virtute by any chance?

Nope, Phoenix. But I just call her cat or kitty anyway.