Why is my cat missing?
What has happened to my cat?
Why is my cat missing? What has happened to prevent my from cat coming home?
These are some of the questions asked when a cat goes missing. Cats do not tend to go missing without a reason, so what could have stopped your cat getting back home? As cats are territorial it is very unlikely your cat would have run away. Here are some scenarios that may be the answer to why your cat is missing.
Could your cat be trapped or stuck somewhere?
As cats are very curious creatures they often find themselves trapped or shut in somewhere. Often they are shut in a shed or outbuilding, if the door is open they will often investigate and sometimes even take a nap inside resulting being locked in.
Maybe a neighbour has left a door open whilst they have been working in the garden, you cat may take the opportunity to go inside the house and get locked inside. Cats can get trapped in a manner of places, so when searching do check any small gaps and behind sheds and outbuildings.
Other places they may get trapped are under floorboards, wall cavies, under patios and decking . Make sure you search in bushes, trees, roofs and ledges, cats will often climb up and then can not get themselves back down again.
If a cat is trapped or stuck it is normally on the cats territory, so do door knock and ask neighbours to check sheds/garages and do a sweep of the area checking trees and rooftops.
Could your cat could be injured, sick or deceased?
Another reason your cat may have not come home is that your cat is hurt or has been injured, this can prevent your cat getting home. Your cat may have been hit by a car or been hurt, and could be laying close by but be in to much pain to get home. Do check under bushes, shrubs and vehicles in case your cat is laying hurt somewhere.
Your cat could be ill, either to sick to come home or wanting some quiet space. It is important that you start a search quickly as possible as your cat may need medical attention.
Your cat may already be deceased, so do a thorough search of the area. Chances are he could have been hit by a car and have crawled somewhere close
What has happened to prevent my from cat coming home?
Your cat could have been chased off the area either by a dog or another cat. If they are chased off their territory often they cannot find a way back as they find themselves in an unfamiliar area. It could be they are to scared to move and will often hide down for days before they gain some courage to venture out. Very often cats are not far from home, maybe in the next street or a surrounding area but just can not navigate their way back home .
Has someone taken your cat thinking he was a stray?
Cats often start visiting certain gardens or areas and people make assumptions that the cat is possibly a stray . With all good intensions, the person starts feeding the cat. Thinking they are doing a good deed by looking after the cat but not realising the cat has a home. The cat continues to visit and the finder decides to keep the cat thinking they are homing a stray.
Do make sure your cat is microchipped, If your cat has not been microchipped they may believe your cat is a stray and have the cat microchipped registered to them. They believe they are rescuing this cat.
Has your cat been stolen?
Sometimes cats are stolen, it could be that someone taken a shine to your cat and has decided they do not want to give it back. If your cat visits another household they may become attached to your cat and want to keep it.
Make sure pedigree cats are house cats and are microchipped. Pedigree cats thefts are on the increase, so do have them microchipped. If possible kept these cats in as indoor cats, provide them with safe spaces such as a catio. Sadly many stolen cats are never recovered as they are sold on and can moved to another part of the country.
Has your cat been transported out of the area?
There is always a chance that your cat has got in a van or car and been transported somewhere. When searching for your cat it is important to question your neighbours about any deliveries on the day your cat went missing. Ask what companies were delivering, as you can contact these companies to find out other locations they visited the same day. Check with neighbours if they visited another location the day your cat disappeared. You could then social media or leaflet in these areas if you believe there is a possibility your cat could be have been transported to one of these areas.
Could your cat have been removed from the area?
There are some people who just dislike cats, they take the cat and move them to another area away from home. Reasons could be your cat is killing the birds or toileting in their garden. They do do not want your cat visiting their property and to stop this from happening they take your cat and dump them in another area. This is very rare but it does happen.
Could your cat been killed by another animal?
Many people believe that foxes target cats and think that foxes will kill cats. However, as foxes are like dogs they do tend to chase cats but not harm them. If there is any confrontation between foxes and cats, it is usually the fox that backs away. However there have been a few incidents where foxes have set on a cat, so young or elderly cats should be kept indoors at night. Dogs are the biggest worry, as often people do not have their dogs on leads or under any control. If your cat is attacked by a dog it is vital that you get your cat seen by a vet as soon as possible.
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