Bertie Wooster has been missing for nearly 6 nights . This is a very long time in the life of a cat who has never gone AWOL before. Being the hopeful Pollyanna type I just kept thinking he'd be back at any moment. Every time I left the house I would re-enter it expectantly, straining my ears to hear the padding of his little feet and a boisterous meow demanding food NOW! It has finally dawned on me if he could have come home, he would have by now. He's micro-chipped, he's desexed, so I just thought he'd either come back or that someone official would have called me. On Friday I put some notices up at the local shops, and tonight the whole family walked the nearby streets calling him. Tomorrow I'll call some vets and I think I'll do a letterbox drop asking our neighbours to check their sheds or garages for a little locked-in Burmese. I should probably have done this 3 days ago but I just thought he'd be home by now.
He's left such a gap. I miss his purry little presence in the bed at night as he snuggled down next to me, I miss his slightly grumpy presence of an evening as he lay in front of the heater getting so hot he became cranky and flicked his tale in an irritated manner before finally dragging himself up and re-settling on one of our laps. I even miss the really annoying way he would trip me up and deafen me in the kitchen whilst I cooked because he thought I ought to attend to his stomach before those of the humans.
The boys are okay so far, they're fleetingly sad if they think about it but it's only really tonight that the he might never come back scenario has been raised, rather bluntly, by Fixit-the-Pessimist. I suppose he had to do it, given that in my heart of hearts I really thought Bertie would return to us. I don't really know what to say to the boys, to be honest. I hate admitting to myself that we might never see him again, much less to them. I can't even bring myself to pack up the forlorn cat-food dishes, because that might make it real.
I feel so bad for you. He may very well come back, you know... he's young and might have gone beyond his normal stomp(er)ing grounds and just be having trouble finding his way back. Keep calling all the RSPCA places too - believe it or not the vets & councils send all animals out to the Burwood site, no matter where they're found. Good luck! Come on Bertie!
ReplyDeleteOh Stomper, I have been wondering about Bertie.
ReplyDeleteMy cat went missing again the night before last and I was beside myself all night. We found him the next day though, locked AGAIN under the neighbour's house.
Have you tried that? They love the dark places, and end up locked in, silly buggers.
I feel sick for you. 6 days, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.
I know I should be giving you hope, so here goes.
My sister's cat went missing when she took them to her friend's house because it was rental inspection time and she wasn't supposed to have cats.
One of them managed to work its way out of the garage they were put into, and was lost. They called and searched for her everywhere, but no luck. For two weeks, this puss was missing. I told her to walk between her friend's house (about 1km) and her own, so the cat could find her scent and work its way home.
One night, after two weeks, a little scared, skinny cat raced past her in the front yard. Puss had come home!
So it can happen, and I dearly hope it happens to you too.
Walk around everywhere!!
Check garages!!
Call local vets anyway, don't rely on microchips. Call the RSPCA if you have one nearby.
I was told once that the microchips can move and fail to be read. Don't take any chances.
GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!
Oops, sorry ^^^ it was so long!
ReplyDeleteHe might come back, he could be hurt or lost but cats often do make it back. And he is SO beautiful he may have been catnapped (a big fear at our house, we have a beautiful & friendly cat), it may be he's just waiting to make his escape.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget to call down the drains, you feel like a twit but it's worth it when they call up to you.
I hope he finds his way home, fingers and paws crossed at our house.
Oh Miss c - I am crossing my fingers for you all.
ReplyDeleteOur wee Jude went missing last week and I felt physically ill imagining ...you know....
Bertie Wooster needs to return , he is a blog star after all. Maybe he is just off at Cat Betty Ford...
SG- I am so sorry to hear this. My beloved boxer was missing for 2 days and I felt insane with worry. BUT, we got her back so I am hoping he comes home to you this minute.
ReplyDeleteI know this feeling.
ReplyDeleteOur cat Minka first went missing in 1996 just after we had moved to Melbourne. She was missing for nearly two weeks and then, one day, just turned up (quite well fed). In the early 2000s she went missing again for two weeks. This time it was because she was stuck under a nearby house and was only found once the owners returned from a holiday.
In the 1970s my childhood cat, Sam, went missing between our summer holiday and Easter. He was found at a caravan park, living on sausages.
My message is, don't give up hope.
I have everything crossed that Bertie comes back to you! Losing a cat is horrible, many years ago our little black cat eric escaped down three stories when he was staying with my sister while we were away. I still miss him. Tony on the other hand in his younger days occasionally went missing for a night or two and then came back.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping for a happy ending here.
I remember when Jack went missing for a night and I was worried sick.
ReplyDeleteSo six nights must be horrendous.
Wishing and willing him back to you.
Oh Stompy, I feel sick for you.
ReplyDeleteSending come-home-Bertie vibes out.
x
I'm so sorry for you , I'll keep my fingers crossed for you .
ReplyDeleteI'm keeping everything crossed for you.
ReplyDeleteMy old cat Slinky (I had to give him and his brother away when we moved into our "no animals" apartment) disappeared once for 3 weeks.
I was absolutely devastated. As was his brother (cat- Malinky) and my boys.
And then one morning... there he was! Licking his paws on the front doorstep as if nothing had happened!
I SO hope that Bertie does the same to you. xx
I'm so hoping you'll soon hear an imperious mrrrr and he'll be back, being catly and not telling you his adventures.
ReplyDeleteMy friend's cat went walkabout for SIX weeks once. She came home looking a bit skinny and worn but thrilled to be back. Hang in there, it may all just turn out fine.
ReplyDeletefingers crossed from the other side of the world.
I'm sorry. I'll continue keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry. It makes you feel helpless, doesn't it? I hope you have a happy ending .
ReplyDeleteI had given up hope after two months, but you know the story...Melbourne turned up. He had been taken to the RSCPA after being picked up 3kms from home and they scanned his microchip. So don't give up hope.
ReplyDeleteIt's the not knowing that is the worst...
xox
ReplyDeleteOh Stomper! I feel for you. Don't give up hope yet. I'd like to say 'never' give up hope, but that is probably a bit unrealistic. If he's been microchiped, you can't possibly give up yet, he may have got stuck somewhere, trapped, or he's escaped but is to weak to return but once he has been returned to health by some lovely cat lover, he will find his way home. Some inredible things happen, so why not to you and little Bertie?
ReplyDeleteOur neighbour had tradesmen working under their house and one of our cats had snuck in through the open door after a couple of days I did the door knock asking them to please check the garages etc and they remembered the workers under the house.
ReplyDeleteI'd do that neighbours checking thing sooner rather than later.
Good luck :(
that's so sad. i never understood how much animals become part of the family until one joined ours. thinking of you all.
ReplyDeleteNEVER give up hope! Mrs. Gail's cat went missing while they were on vacation and turned up SIX MONTHS later... she had wandered away and apparently been well fed until some college students took her in and put an ad in the paper. We were STUNNED to find her that much later. She was clear across town! A good 10 miles away.
ReplyDeleteCome home Bertie Wooster. Come home.
Putting out Bertie Wooster vibes for him to come home!!!
ReplyDeleteOh Stomper. My heart aches for you and your boys.
ReplyDeleteHe's such a beautiful cat and my fingers are crossed for you. I have been wanting to check with you every day but then thought when you're worrying you don't need someone else constantly asking you if he's come back.
There's lots of examples here of cats that have come home after a long time and my own Harvey went missing for five days a while back and someone found him for me. Don't give up, not yet.