Our old cat has disapeared

We have (had) 2 cats one 17 years old and one 20 years in May. The 17
year old became ill about 4 weeks ago,got thinner and thinner. She
disappeared last Tuesday night, we thought maybe an urban fox got her
as she was able to get out of the cat flap but used to wait on the step
to be let in and being very weak may have been easy prey. Anyway, she
surprised us by turning up Wednesday, don't know where she had been,
very weak so not far but why stay away? Anyway she died Wednesday night
in her sleep.To add to the mystery the other one, the 20 year old,
disappeared. Last seen 0930 Thursday morning asleep on our bed and no
sign of her since. She is quite frail, sleeps mostly and goes out into
back garden but is past climbing fences and hasn't gone out of the
garden for a long time. We have searched the house many times and the
garden, no sign. She did have a sort of fit on Monday night, 0230, and
a couple of lesser fits since. We are at a loss to know why she left,
we presume she has had a more serious fit and died but cann't find her
body. Any ideas as to this behaviour? Thanks
Mark

Cats often disappear to die.
Gail
wrote in message
oups.com...
We have (had) 2 cats one 17 years old and one 20 years in May. The 17
year old became ill about 4 weeks ago,got thinner and thinner. She
disappeared last Tuesday night, we thought maybe an urban fox got her
as she was able to get out of the cat flap but used to wait on the step
to be let in and being very weak may have been easy prey. Anyway, she
surprised us by turning up Wednesday, don't know where she had been,
very weak so not far but why stay away? Anyway she died Wednesday night
in her sleep.To add to the mystery the other one, the 20 year old,
disappeared. Last seen 0930 Thursday morning asleep on our bed and no
sign of her since. She is quite frail, sleeps mostly and goes out into
back garden but is past climbing fences and hasn't gone out of the
garden for a long time. We have searched the house many times and the
garden, no sign. She did have a sort of fit on Monday night, 0230, and
a couple of lesser fits since. We are at a loss to know why she left,
we presume she has had a more serious fit and died but cann't find her
body. Any ideas as to this behaviour? Thanks
Mark

On Fri, 10 Mar 2006 09:08:12 -0800, shedman wrote:

We have (had) 2 cats one 17 years old and one 20 years in May. The 17
year old became ill about 4 weeks ago,got thinner and thinner. She
disappeared last Tuesday night, we thought maybe an urban fox got her
as she was able to get out of the cat flap but used to wait on the step
to be let in and being very weak may have been easy prey. Anyway, she
surprised us by turning up Wednesday, don't know where she had been,
very weak so not far but why stay away? Anyway she died Wednesday night
in her sleep.To add to the mystery the other one, the 20 year old,
disappeared. Last seen 0930 Thursday morning asleep on our bed and no
sign of her since. She is quite frail, sleeps mostly and goes out into
back garden but is past climbing fences and hasn't gone out of the
garden for a long time. We have searched the house many times and the
garden, no sign. She did have a sort of fit on Monday night, 0230, and
a couple of lesser fits since. We are at a loss to know why she left,
we presume she has had a more serious fit and died but cann't find her
body. Any ideas as to this behaviour? Thanks
Mark


I am curious to know if they had any care from a veterinarian? Cats tend
to want to hide when they are ill and she probably hid somewhere to
die.MLB

Sorry to hear about the cat that has passed. You can take solace in that
both have lived long lives and you've provided a good home for them.

One question though. Why are you letting old animals out of the house?

wrote in news:1142010492.441926.181470
@p10g2000cwp.googlegroups.com:

We have (had) 2 cats one 17 years old and one 20 years in May. The 17
year old became ill about 4 weeks ago,got thinner and thinner. She
disappeared last Tuesday night, we thought maybe an urban fox got her
as she was able to get out of the cat flap but used to wait on the step
to be let in and being very weak may have been easy prey. Anyway, she
surprised us by turning up Wednesday, don't know where she had been,
very weak so not far but why stay away? Anyway she died Wednesday night
in her sleep.To add to the mystery the other one, the 20 year old,
disappeared. Last seen 0930 Thursday morning asleep on our bed and no
sign of her since. She is quite frail, sleeps mostly and goes out into
back garden but is past climbing fences and hasn't gone out of the
garden for a long time. We have searched the house many times and the
garden, no sign. She did have a sort of fit on Monday night, 0230, and
a couple of lesser fits since. We are at a loss to know why she left,
we presume she has had a more serious fit and died but cann't find her
body. Any ideas as to this behaviour? Thanks
Mark

wrote in message
oups.com...
Any ideas as to this behaviour? Thanks

I don't mean to sound cold, but that's what happens when you let your cats
out to roam free.

Any ideas as to this behaviour? Thanks
I don't mean to sound cold, but that's what happens when you let your
cats
out to roam free.

The older cat may well have found a peaceful, quiet spot to
die in. You may find her remains eventually. Keep the one'
you still have inside the house if you want to protect her.
She's probably way beyond strongly objecting.

wrote in message
oups.com...
We have (had) 2 cats one 17 years old and one 20 years in May. The 17
year old became ill about 4 weeks ago,got thinner and thinner. She
disappeared last Tuesday night, we thought maybe an urban fox got her
as she was able to get out of the cat flap but used to wait on the step
to be let in and being very weak may have been easy prey. Anyway, she
surprised us by turning up Wednesday, don't know where she had been,
very weak so not far but why stay away? Anyway she died Wednesday night
in her sleep.To add to the mystery the other one, the 20 year old,
disappeared. Last seen 0930 Thursday morning asleep on our bed and no
sign of her since. She is quite frail, sleeps mostly and goes out into
back garden but is past climbing fences and hasn't gone out of the
garden for a long time. We have searched the house many times and the
garden, no sign. She did have a sort of fit on Monday night, 0230, and
a couple of lesser fits since. We are at a loss to know why she left,
we presume she has had a more serious fit and died but cann't find her
body. Any ideas as to this behaviour? Thanks
Mark

Older cats' hearing and vision are often impaired and their reflexes aren't
as
quick as when the cats were younger. This means they might not see or hear
a potential danger or be able to escape or avoid it fast enough.

I hope you'll keep your next cat indoors or in a protected outdoor
exclosure.

Phil P. wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
We have (had) 2 cats one 17 years old and one 20 years in May. The 17
year old became ill about 4 weeks ago,got thinner and thinner. She
disappeared last Tuesday night, we thought maybe an urban fox got her
as she was able to get out of the cat flap but used to wait on the step
to be let in and being very weak may have been easy prey. Anyway, she
surprised us by turning up Wednesday, don't know where she had been,
very weak so not far but why stay away? Anyway she died Wednesday night
in her sleep.To add to the mystery the other one, the 20 year old,
disappeared. Last seen 0930 Thursday morning asleep on our bed and no
sign of her since. She is quite frail, sleeps mostly and goes out into
back garden but is past climbing fences and hasn't gone out of the
garden for a long time. We have searched the house many times and the
garden, no sign. She did have a sort of fit on Monday night, 0230, and
a couple of lesser fits since. We are at a loss to know why she left,
we presume she has had a more serious fit and died but cann't find her
body. Any ideas as to this behaviour? Thanks
Mark

Older cats' hearing and vision are often impaired and their reflexes aren't
as
quick as when the cats were younger. This means they might not see or hear
a potential danger or be able to escape or avoid it fast enough.

I hope you'll keep your next cat indoors or in a protected outdoor
exclosure.

Thanks for the replies, some more use than others. Just to clear a few
things up:
We cared for our cats well during their lives and would never have
dreamed of confining them to the house, ill or not. A cat is a free
spirit and ours enjoyed life indoors and out, I would consider it
somewhat namby pamby to keep them indoors or in an enclosure. The older
cat (almost 20) probably isn't greiving since she did not get on too
well with the other (now dead) one, they tolerated each other. She was
frail so never went far from the house laterly hence we are mystfied as
to where she might be, if she has died I guess we might find her
remains eventually but we live in hope until then.

wrote in message
oups.com...
We cared for our cats well during their lives and would never have
dreamed of confining them to the house, ill or not. A cat is a free
spirit and ours enjoyed life indoors and out, I would consider it
somewhat namby pamby to keep them indoors or in an enclosure.

Domestic cats are not much different from domestic dogs when it comes to
being "carefree." To have an indoor cat does not mean the cat never goes
outdoors. Buy a harness and a leash and take the cat out for a half hour. My
cat loves the outdoors, but I take her out on a harness and a leash. I'm
fortunate to have a large backyard, so she can go almost anywhere she wants;
I just tag along. In the last 18 months, I have encountered the bloody body
of a cat in the street and rushed another cat to a vet hospital after
someone saw a car run over it. If these cats had been kept indoors and taken
outdoors on a leash, they wouldn't have died.

No matter how smart you think your cat is, your cat is no match for a motor
vehicle and no match for sadistic people or wild animals, such as the
fisher.

Thanks for the replies, some more use than others. Just to clear a few
things up:
We cared for our cats well during their lives and would never have
dreamed of confining them to the house, ill or not. A cat is a free
spirit and ours enjoyed life indoors and out, I would consider it
somewhat namby pamby to keep them indoors or in an enclosure. The older
cat (almost 20) probably isn't greiving since she did not get on too
well with the other (now dead) one, they tolerated each other. She was
frail so never went far from the house laterly hence we are mystfied as
to where she might be, if she has died I guess we might find her
remains eventually but we live in hope until then.

If she comes home, please keep her inside from now on or go out with her; at
20, old, frail and most likely hard of hearing, she is no match for an
aggressive dog(s) or a speeding car and neither would be a nice ending for
her at all. It is not "namby pamby" to keep a 20 year old safe inside or you
accompanying her outside; it is a very caring thing to do. Although I'm not
sure you'll listen to this as you stated that your 17 year old was "ill" and
"very weak" but you let her go out anyway. Since you didn't say what she was
diagnosed with, I assume she wasn't taken to the vet when she started getting
"thinner and thinner" a month ago. Now you say the 20 year old had a "fit"
on Monday. Did you take her to the vet? Taking good care of a pet includes
vet visits.

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