My mother's kitten is lost

My mother's indoor, very skittish 9 month old kitten accidentally got out
yesterday and is still missing. She and I are both sick with worry. It's
cold and rainy here today and she's a very small, very skittish cat.

My mother has called all the local vets and kennels and put up signs,
walked for hours calling her and is currently knocking on all of her
neighbors' doors to show them photos of her and leave her phone numbers
with them. What else can she do?

One of her doors doesn't latch very well and apparently it blew open and
the kitten went outside. Her other cat did, too, but she was sitting on
the deck when my mother realized the door was open. The kitten doesn't
have any identificatin (and I could kill my mother for this one).

To top it off, she fed the kitten a pouch of suspect wet Nutro just a few
days ago...

--
Lynne

Continue to look for the kitten locally and continue to tell all of the
neighbors. Also, call the animal shelters. The kitten may hide in a garage
or shed and be accidentally locked in by someone.
Gail
"Lynne" wrote in message
...
My mother's indoor, very skittish 9 month old kitten accidentally got out
yesterday and is still missing. She and I are both sick with worry. It's
cold and rainy here today and she's a very small, very skittish cat.

My mother has called all the local vets and kennels and put up signs,
walked for hours calling her and is currently knocking on all of her
neighbors' doors to show them photos of her and leave her phone numbers
with them. What else can she do?

One of her doors doesn't latch very well and apparently it blew open and
the kitten went outside. Her other cat did, too, but she was sitting on
the deck when my mother realized the door was open. The kitten doesn't
have any identificatin (and I could kill my mother for this one).

To top it off, she fed the kitten a pouch of suspect wet Nutro just a few
days ago...

--
Lynne

on Mon, 19 Mar 2007 23:44:08 GMT, "Gail" wrote:

Continue to look for the kitten locally and continue to tell all of
the neighbors. Also, call the animal shelters. The kitten may hide in
a garage or shed and be accidentally locked in by someone.

That's why I told her to knock on EVERYONE's doors. I told her she might
be trapped in a shed or garage somewhere. This kitten is so shy that she
won't make a peep if she is. It's killing me to think of this tiny girl
out in the cold rain, or trapped somewhere without food and water. I fear
this isn't going to end well.

If my Levi was lost and I couldn't find him, I'd have to be on major
sedatives.

--
Lynne

On Mon 19 Mar 2007 07:37:39p, Lynne wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav
:

My mother's indoor, very skittish 9 month old kitten
accidentally got out yesterday and is still missing. She and I
are both sick with worry. It's cold and rainy here today and
she's a very small, very skittish cat.


Not too long ago a friends cat got out (slipped out unseen when her
BF was taking the dog out for a walk is all they could figure) and
she was freaking out, too, as I would be, and you would be. All I
could tell her was to look *low* and look near the house. In the
bushes. And don't expect kitty to come to her when called. Also,
check those same places often. If kitty is lying in wait nearby
and sees her, then sees her go back in, kitty is likely to stay
nearby. Check those same low-lying places often. If kitty is
skittish, he is probably just staying still. Tell her to go out
with treats *often*. Keep going to the same place and call softly.
This is how my friend found her cat -- close to the door and right
in the bushes. The same bushes she'd checked a few times already.
Kitty was probably watching her, then *remembered* her through the
fear of being out there. Her cat was shaking badly when she was
able to pick him up.

Best wishes to your mom. I'd be a wreck, too. I even have dreams
about my cats getting out, because the road here is way too busy,
and my cats are not street smart. I have woken in cold sweat
because the nightmares seem so real. It could happen, but I think
we have an understanding about the door.

--
Cheryl

on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 00:29:22 GMT, Cheryl
wrote:

Not too long ago a friends cat got out (slipped out unseen when her
BF was taking the dog out for a walk is all they could figure) and
she was freaking out, too, as I would be, and you would be. All I
could tell her was to look *low* and look near the house. In the
bushes. And don't expect kitty to come to her when called. Also,
check those same places often. If kitty is lying in wait nearby
and sees her, then sees her go back in, kitty is likely to stay
nearby. Check those same low-lying places often. If kitty is
skittish, he is probably just staying still. Tell her to go out
with treats *often*. Keep going to the same place and call softly.
This is how my friend found her cat -- close to the door and right
in the bushes. The same bushes she'd checked a few times already.
Kitty was probably watching her, then *remembered* her through the
fear of being out there. Her cat was shaking badly when she was
able to pick him up.

Best wishes to your mom. I'd be a wreck, too. I even have dreams
about my cats getting out, because the road here is way too busy,
and my cats are not street smart. I have woken in cold sweat
because the nightmares seem so real. It could happen, but I think
we have an understanding about the door.

Thank you. I will pass along your advice to my mom. I'm a wreck for
her, and when I think of Levi getting out I FREAK. Rudy has gotten out
in the past a few times (before I knew he could open doors and started
locking them religiously). He just hangs out on the deck, so I wouldn't
worry about him, but Levi... *shudder*

My mother's little kitten is tiny for her age, and so shy... I hope you
are right and that she's near the house. I just hope she's staying dry.
This weather is perfect for hypothermia and that's got me pretty scared.
She must be so afraid.

My mother got this kitten for my daughter and I dread giving her the news
if she doesn't find her.

--
Lynne

on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 00:57:20 GMT, Cheryl
wrote:

Shamrock is my least skittish cat; loves all people, never afraid
of anything. But he is also one that got outside a couple of years
ago when I was having some work done in my house. The workers
didn't pull the storm door shut and had the interior door open.
Shamrock pushed his way out, and I didn't know it. Whenever someone
was here doing something, he played the part of "supervisor" and
usually could be found inspecting their work. One of the guys
yelled up to me that a black and white cat was outside and wanted
in. Was he mine? At that time there was a black/white stray
hanging around that I fed, so I thought it was he that the worker
was talking about. Then I realized I hadn't seen Shamrock in a
while, ran outside and saw him scoot into my neighbors yard. I
called to him, and he meowed at me, but wouldn't come. When I
walked toward him, he ran *toward the road*, then changed direction
and ran through the gate into my backyard. My heart stopped when
he ran toward the road.

UGH! Mine did just reading that.

Trucks regularly speed by. When I followed
him into the backyard, he was HOWLING at the back door with the
most soulful sounding voice. He'd had enough of the scary outside.

Thank goodness!

Since then I round up all cats when I have company or work done in
my house and they spend the time in my bedroom, safe from escape.

I'm having my basement finished right now and I lock the cats in my room
whenever there is anyone here working. (I also don't want them exposed
to the dust down there.)

Shadow (RB) pushed a screen out of a window once soon after I moved
in this house, and I found him chomping grass on the side lawn like
it was one of his normal activities. He didn't try to run when I
went to get him to bring him back in. I have screen reinforcements
now. People might think I'm overly cautious because so many cats
get out all the time. But the road I live on is not at all cat-
friendly. It's barely people friendly.

I live on a 25 mph residential street on which people regularly speed. I
am appalled by the number of people who let their cats (and dogs!) roam
here. I once witnessed a dog get hit by a speeding car on a street in
front of a friend's business, it was horrifying. Even worse is that the
driver kept going, the mofo. I was closest to the road and ran out to
wave off cars that might hit him again, and then I callously chewed out
the owner for letting him wander off-leash (I was so ****ed). Thankfully
the dog was okay for the most part. I had a good talk with the owner
later that night, but people who put their animals at risk really **** me
off so I don't feel bad about reading him the riot act.

So where do you get screen guards? I would like to put some in. My
windows are floor to ceiling and I only have the bottom half screened.
Levi likes to climb the screens and I fear he will tear one and get out
one of these days.

--
Lynne

"Lynne" wrote in message
...
on Mon, 19 Mar 2007 23:44:08 GMT, "Gail" wrote:

Continue to look for the kitten locally and continue to tell all of
the neighbors. Also, call the animal shelters. The kitten may hide in
a garage or shed and be accidentally locked in by someone.

That's why I told her to knock on EVERYONE's doors. I told her she might
be trapped in a shed or garage somewhere. This kitten is so shy that she
won't make a peep if she is. It's killing me to think of this tiny girl
out in the cold rain, or trapped somewhere without food and water. I fear
this isn't going to end well.

If my Levi was lost and I couldn't find him, I'd have to be on major
sedatives.
----------
Yup. Imagine having a lost cat during your father's funeral. It happened to
me. I was totally panicked. All I could think about was the cat (whom I
eventually did find after three days). My thought on your mother's kitten is
that she is somewhere on the property or on the next door neighbor's
property, under a deck, in a shed, in a garage. Indoor kitties who get out
generally do not wander very far. My cat turned out to be under my next door
neighbor's deck, hidden way, way under. I was calling her for several
minutes (my gut feeling told me she was under there). After quite some time,
I finally heard a faint, plaintive mew, and she slowly came out. I would
suggest that your mom revisit the places she has already been (like nearby
decks and sheds. Just because the kitten didn't come out the first time
doesn't mean she isn't there). Purrs that she will soon be home safe and
sound.
Best regards,
---Cindy S.

On Mon 19 Mar 2007 09:08:18p, Lynne wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav
om:

So where do you get screen guards? I would like to put some in.
My windows are floor to ceiling and I only have the bottom half
screened. Levi likes to climb the screens and I fear he will
tear one and get out one of these days.

My windows aren't exactly floor to ceiling, but they're double-hung.
I got the 2' high adjustable screens; they have them in different
sizes.

http://www.doityourself.com/icat/windowscreens

These are working out well. They fit in the grooves in front of the
built-in screen.

--
Cheryl

on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 01:14:56 GMT, "cindys"
wrote:

Yup. Imagine having a lost cat during your father's funeral. It
happened to me. I was totally panicked. All I could think about was
the cat (whom I eventually did find after three days).

Jeez, talk about a double blow. Thank goodness you found her!

My thought on
your mother's kitten is that she is somewhere on the property or on
the next door neighbor's property, under a deck, in a shed, in a
garage. Indoor kitties who get out generally do not wander very far.
My cat turned out to be under my next door neighbor's deck, hidden
way, way under. I was calling her for several minutes (my gut feeling
told me she was under there). After quite some time, I finally heard a
faint, plaintive mew, and she slowly came out. I would suggest that
your mom revisit the places she has already been (like nearby decks
and sheds. Just because the kitten didn't come out the first time
doesn't mean she isn't there). Purrs that she will soon be home safe
and sound.

Thank you. I encouraged her to look closer to home and to look
frequently. She's beside herself with worry and I am sure she won't
sleep again tonight. So now I'm worry about my mom, too. *sigh*

--
Lynne

on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 01:18:31 GMT, Cheryl
wrote:

My windows aren't exactly floor to ceiling, but they're double-hung.
I got the 2' high adjustable screens; they have them in different
sizes.

http://www.doityourself.com/icat/windowscreens

These are working out well. They fit in the grooves in front of the
built-in screen.

I was searching for on pet screen guards and found some really heavy duty
screen material designed to replace the standard stuff in the actual frame
of the screen. I may try that in my screen door, and if it works (goes in
easily and resists tearing), I'll replace the screening in all of my
windows. The downside is that it's not as easy to see through, but I can
live with that. That's why I only have screens in the bottom half of my
windows, so as not to obstruct the view.

--
Lynne