I let our cat out at about 7.30pm and she's not back yet. I'm trying not to stress, I know it's only two hours, but it's very cold outside and she never goes far anyway, she very rarely leaves our front/back garden and even then it's just to sit on our opposite neighbours windowsill.

I keep opening the doors to check for her, and I walked down our street but didn't see her.

My neighbours on either side aren't home yet so I can't look in their gardens.

First thing is dont panic. Keep calling her rattle some biscuits. Couldnt you just go around and check i am sure the neighbours wont mind at all. Check in the usual places like bushes, sheds, garages and go to anywhere that has a cat too. what area are you in. I keep a look out

I hope she comes home really soon. Hopefully the cold weather will entice her indoors again quickly.

Try not to get too stressed out (I know its hard),the first time my cat went missing he was usually back within the hour except he didn't come back for 5 hours and I was so stressed!!

Your cat is probably just exploring a neighbors garden or playing with another neighbors cat

You could try calling for her or wait for your neighbors to come back try and busy yourself by doing something watching tv, cleaning etc and hopefully soon she'll be home.

any sign OP?

I was just replying to you with an update when she started making a racket at the front door *phew!*

She smells like Impulse body spray, and she's not even cold so I think she's been taking advantage of someone's hospitality!

I'm so relieved Thanks everyone for your advice.

Brilliant news. They dont half worry you sometimes. I was frantic a couple of yrs ago. My lucky was missing for nearly 19 hrs. i forgot everything your supposed too do totaly. He came in totaly dry it had been pouring down as well. I shook for ages after he did too.

Thank goodness she's home...the little minx

I'm still trembling now. She was only gone a couple of hours too. I feel a bit silly now, I just kept worrying she was hurt out in the snow - and all the time she was probably snuggled up on someone's sofa!


I know! She's falling asleep on the sofa and I'm feeling totally wired. I should have been asleep an hour ago. I'm never letting her out after dark again!

Great news.

Glad your little one is home. Mine (Izzy) went out as usual at about 6 p.m. on Monday of last week and we've not seen her since Have been round and round the village every day, put up notices and spoken to neighbours - it's not looking good

last time it snowed one of my boys was out for 5 days, then found and then a few days later went for another 5 days (returned with a major foot injury) no idea where he went (the first time he showed up in the neighbours garage), but I was terrified he was going to freeze to death, but he seemed fine!

I'm glad she came back OP

They do worry you don't they and you feel silly for worrying about them once their back!!

Lol - she's been snuggling with a crazy cat lady!

My cat has come back before smelling of tuna. We say when she goes out. Bye lexie are you going out pretending to be a stray. Lol. If you saw her you would know she wasn't a stray !

OP -I really do sympathise! Lost cats for 12 hours several times and it is awful. Walking up and down roads in the dark hoping to find them - and the relief when the little b*ggers finally stroll in looking smug.
I only wish that well meaning neighbours wouldn't encourage and feed them - I know several people who found that they were sharing a cat and not realising it

Glad she is home safe. My little man went missing over night a few weeks ago. He is never gone for longer than about 20 minutes but this night he disappeared completely. We were searching the streets for him till the early hours when they turned the street lights off and he would have been impossible to see. Going to bed that night was awful. At about 6.30am I woke up and went to check only to find him waiting outside. His paws were filthy, his little nose was sore, and his voice was horse so I imagine he was trapped somewhere. I have never been so glad to see his little face!