Hi all

I have a MaineCoone house cat. She's escaped from my first floor flat, either through an open window (the gap was tiny) or my toddler could have opened the door and let her out. There's no sign of her this morning, and there's not many places for her to hide.

Can anyone give me advice on how long I should leave it before getting worried and putting up the posters etc? I live in quite a busy area and she's fairly timid so I don't think going out during the day calling her would be a good thing. I'm hoping she turns up this evening but who knows. With her being a house cat she's not got a collar, but is chipped.

Am really worried that I'm not going to see her again.

Spending as much time as you can scouring the area and calling her is the best thing you can do for now. Possibly take the pack her food comes in with you. When we let our cat out, and bring her in during the night, she loves the sound of the bag her food comes from rustling.

The usual advice is to wait 3 days before putting up 'lost' notices, but this isn't a usual situation.

She has no experience of the outdoors so she may be very scared and hiding nearby, and as you live on the first floor there is probably no obvious route back for her (if she did jump out of the window, she certainly couldn't get back that way) so you must go looking for her. If it's a busy area, go when it's quieter, even if that means going out at midnight or 5.am. Call her and shake her biscuits/treats - and in between calling, just listen - you may hear her miaowing.

Also put notes through neighbours letterboxes/knock and ask if they have seen her.

I hope by now you've found her though.

You live in a first floor flat? If she got out of the window is there any way for her to get back in?

If she was let out by your little 'un do you have a shared hallway / communial doorway etc... Maybe one of you nieghbours has taken her in?? So first port of call would be to knock on neighbours door / pop a notice through.

I agree that you should get looking for her ASAP. My girl has limited access to outside so if ever she goes missing I always go looking for her!

Good luck - I really hope you find your puss OP

Thanks for the replies and advice.

I live in a first floor flat but it does have a communal area and I can leave the main door open during the night. She's been in the hall so should know which is my door.

I've been out looking for her with her bag of food but there's no sign of her. I'll have to arrange for a babysitter this evening so I can have a good wander then. I've seen one of my neighbours on the ground floor and they've not seen her. If she's not back this evening I can print out posters at work tomorrow. Shall I just keep the posters simple with an offer of a reward?

God, it's horrible, thinking she's probably hungry and scared, if nothing has happened to her. Here's a pic of her. Willow.

I am not sure about offering a reward - I didn't when my cat went missing. Genuine people will contact you without expecting anything for it.

I would keep it simple, description plus photo and phone number.

Awww so sorry to read about missing puss.

Dont forget to contact vets etc, or any animal shelter , mind you I would have thought you'd hear really quick seeing that puss has been chipped.

If you go out looking for her rub your hands against lampposts, fences, walls, etc. along your route. Make sure the smell of you is around the door to the flats. Hopefully she will catch the scent and follow it home.


^ Yep, that ^

Hope you find your girl soon x

Get busy leafleting. Put a the photo of her on them, include that she is chipped, and if you have any local shops ask to put an A4 version in. That was how I got Max back when he got out a couple of years ago.

Take a photo of her with you when you go leafleting or looking for her, so you can show it to anyone you met.

Ring all the local vets and rescues - RSPCA, CPL and so on.

Check the local papers - most of them let you advertsise for free if you have lost a pet. Also check the 'pets found' sections.

Offer a reward without saying how much.

If you get wind she's around somewhere but to scared to let anyone approach, try to borrow a trap from the CPL or whoever. If you manage to get her that way, don't dream of letting her out of the trap until you are safely home with the door and windows shut for all your sakes - you don't want to lose her again, and you also don't want her tearing chunks out of you if she is scared.

Good luck, hope you get her back. Hope she's neutered as well.

My local RSPCA has a lost/found section on it's website, it might be worth trying that.

There's no sign of her. I feel really bad, like I've let her down. God knows what has happened to her. Poor thing. The fact that she's a house cat and isn't used to outdoors makes it 10 times worse.

I've taken all advice on board and will contact centres and put out posters/leaflets tomorrow, I just hope she's ok.

I have just seen where you are from. I would try both cats protections sutton and beverley& pocklington branch. There are quiet a few rescues that are around the area. Also i would contact the chipp company as well. Even if you dont know her number they will be able to put her as missing. Put her on the national missing pet register as well it doesnt take long. Also phone all the vets in the area as they do sometimes take strays in. Put an advert in the hull daily mail and gumtree and look in the lost and found section Phone the local rspca it opens up at 11am which is on clough road. Let us know how you get on and if you need any help where here for you.

So sorry. My two are indoor except garden outings with me, and this must be terrible for you.

This is going to sound stupid but she is definately not in the flat right? No cupboard, bed, box left unsearched? Cats are very good at hiding.

Then I'd go knock on every door in the block. Seriously, do not worry about annoying people (obviously don't do it now, first thing though). Someone might have her and not know she belongs to you because obviously she's never been out.

I really hope she comes back soon. She might just be hiding out somewhere in this nice weather and knows when she goes home her adventure will be over.

Any sign of kitteh? Have you checked everywhere indoors, there's nowhere she could have got shut in or anything is there? Have you checked all your sheds and stuff too?

Don't worry too much, I'm really sure she will turn up. I know pedigrees aren't supposed to go outside but they're still cats and cats are tough little things. She can't have gone too far and I'm sure she'll come back when she realises she's hungry. Could you leave out some water and food to maybe tempt her back?

i really really hope you find your cat, just keep positive, she will be out there somewhere.

No sign of her yet. I'll have to make all the phone calls tomorrow as I've been at work today. I'm going out tonight for a work's do, but don't feel like it at all. My BF is popping over after it's finished and we're going to have a scout around. A friend rang up council and if they find a cat that's been in a road accident and killed, they're scanned so at least I'll know if something bad happens to her. Here I go, crying again.

Have made up posters and flyers. I'm so bloody busy this week as it's my driving test on Friday so have stacks of lessons. Can't believe she's gone missing this week of all weeks. I just want to get out there and do something.

Sorry for the quick reply, have to get ready to go out. Will keep you posted though. ty all.

Awwww good luck, we are all keeping our fingers crossed for you! One bit of comfort is that she is chipped! So I'm sure if anybody found her they will (or bloodywell should) take her to a vet.

Oh no! I was hoping gorgeous kitty had come honme. Keep us all posted!
Lots of love
x

One thing I would suggest is putting something outside the property, ground floor, which has a recognisable scent to her, so that if she passes by she will know she's in the right area and stick around. Otherwise she may not know your building from any other (in the way an outdoor cat automatically would).

And I would ask/pay local shopkeepers to put up Lost Cat cards/posters immediately.

She's a beautiful cat, hope she comes home soon

Any news yet

damn i was hoping for some nice news after work

She lives in the same area as me. I have looked on all the websites that i know and in the local paper but nothing. I would phone the rescues up and then again a week later just incase they find her in the meantime. Hope she comes home tonight

Hi all

She still hasn't come home. I went out last night around midnight and had a search of the area but only found a few rabbits and a fox. I phoned CPL and left a message, so far they've not got back to me. I phoned RSPCA and they've had no cats in since Monday, not that the woman seemed at all bothered.

Going to put an ad in the paper at weekend and do some leaflets drops in the local shops.

I can't really go out in the evenings. Last night was a one off as my mum was babysitting. I'm usually on my own with the little one, and I can't go leaving him. Jake's missing the cat too, he's only 3 and it's sad when he starts calling her, saying 'illo'. He got really upset at bedtime too, as she used to hop on his bed while I read him a story. Was funny when she used to do that because he used to iritate her and Jake had his fair share of scratches off Willow.

Here's the pic I've put on the posters. It captures her colours a lot better I think. Clicky

Maisey, ty for looking in the paper, my bf was going to check it out but he hasn't had a chance to yet and I've been busy too.

she is absolutely beautiful i really hope she comes home for you, i can't imagine how worried you must be i used to panic enough when Toby first started going out. i hope everything ends well for you. xxx