Little Natalie is Lost - Flyer Correction

[AbigailFerris]

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Just ten days after moving from Rincon Valley to Sebastopol, where I originally rescued her, my 5-year-old blonde Tabby got out of the new house tonight shortly after midnight. We live off of Ross Station Road, and she has never been outdoors since I brought her in from the feral community on Morris Street in 2012. Now, my heart is breaking that she is out there, alone and confused. Please watch for her. She is painfully shy and will spook easily if approached.

CASH REWARD. Prayers for her safe return are appreciated. Abigail (707) 494-8811.

[Shandi]

Abigail, Have you contacted www.LostMyKitty.com? I highly recommend it. I hope that she's found. I know how difficult and heartbreaking this must be.

Correction on my original post. It should be LostMyKItty.com NOT LostMyCat.com

[AbigailFerris]

Thank you for your compassion. No, I'm not familiar with that site. I'll pursue it right now.
And, if anyone has any other suggestions for enticing her back, please send them!

[Shandi]

Although I imagine you're familiar with the various ways to entice cats to return home, but I'll post these anyway:

Leave some of your worn (unwashed) clothing nearby
Put her cat box out, hopefully with some pee/poop in it (poop can also be taken from box, and placed nearby
Put out any bedding that she uses that will have her scent
Of course, anything you feed her that she likes should be placed nearby
Go out at night with a flashlight, calling. If you give her treats, shake the bag
Make a flyer with a large picture, and leave with neighbors.
Post on Sebastopol Nextdoor.com (I've found my neighbors to be very helpful)

There are many things that can be done, and you can find more by searching online for ways to find a lost cat.

Most cats don't go far from their territory, but since you just moved, that makes it harder.

Thank you for your compassion. No, I'm not familiar with that site. I'll pursue it right now.
And, if anyone has any other suggestions for enticing her back, please send them!

[santoshimatajaya]

cats who are moved to new locations
very often travel back on their own to their old home
this happened to one of my cats

it's always advised to keep your cat inside for a week or two
when moving to a new home
you may want to check your old home at some point, depending on how far away that is
dogs also do this

pl let us know if/when you are reconnected with her
will be thinking of both of you and wishing for the Best~

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Just ten days after moving from Rincon Valley to Sebastopol, where I originally rescued her, my 5-year-old blonde Tabby got out of the new house tonight shortly after midnight. We live off of Ross Station Road, and she has never been outdoors since I brought her in from the feral community on Morris Street in 2012. Now, my heart is breaking that she is out there, alone and confused. Please watch for her. She is painfully shy and will spook easily if approached.

CASH REWARD. Prayers for her safe return are appreciated. Abigail (707) 494-8811.

[AbigailFerris]

Natalie still has not come back. It's so cold out there, and she is so small and defenseless. I miss my girl

I've put her litter box (unscooped) and the carrier out on the front porch, where she escaped. I've been searching front and rear yards, and there are several areas on the side and in the rear where she could hide, so that's where I've mostly been calling her name and carrying food around with me. I had left a few dishes out last night, but received feedback that this would eliminate her need to come in, since I'm providing "take-out". So, should I put everything on the rear deck (carrier and box)? Or, move all my efforts to the front since that's where she exited the dwelling?

I don't know enough about the feline psyche to do this correctly. I'm scared for her! When is she coming back?!

Support needed... Abigail

[Shandi]

This was my private reply to Abigail when asked where to put the litter box:

"Well, you might split the contents into 2 or 3 litter boxes.
The sooner the better.
It's the contents that will draw her."

Abigail hasn't mentioned if Natalie is chipped. Since she's not likely to go
to strangers, unless captured, chances are she won't be in a shelter, but
if she is, they would have no way to trace her to Abigail, unless she's chipped.

We don't know if the food that was left out has been eaten, and we don't
know if Natalie can get into the house, if she returns.

Favorite toys, or anything with her scent needs to be put out, in various places.

I'm seeing more and more the importance of "clacker" training for cats, especially
when they get escape from home.

[AbigailFerris]

Yes, Natalie is micro-chipped. How does that change what the average WACCO reader can do? Typically, only shelters and vets have a scanner.

No, none of the food has been eaten. It's not my house, so I am not allowed to leave a door open round the clock; however, last night, I slept in the sunroom off the rear of the house and left that door to the outside open.

Articles left where Natalie can find them - Done (blanket, bed, litter box, my clothing), except the rain may tend to wash the scent away.

-Abigail

[gypsey]

It sounds like you are doing your best and I assume you have also notified (since she is chipped) all local vet clinics, humane societies etc to BOLO. I also assume you have leafleted your neighbors and put signs up etc.

It sounds like you live in a rural area so Natalie will not have many doorsteps to meow on. But cats are resourceful. As long as she is able to evade possible predators, she should be able to survive.

Keep looking, and keep hoping.

[arthunter]

I used to feed Natalie when she was living wild before you adopted her ... her wild background will help her to survive this ... though the weather is wintry, it is not really that cold, and the rain will keep her hydrated and she'll also benefit from the prey that will be coming up from the ground because of the heavy rains to come ... she will find shelter from the rain ... cats are very good at that ... look in any barns, garages, sheds, basements in your vicinity ... look high and low in all of the little spaces with a strong flashlight ... don't expect her to meow when you call out ... cats stay silent as a survival technique ...

Her wild background will help her but it's probably why she took off ... she will revert to that wildness easily if stressed and confused ... yes, keep putting food in the sunroom with the door open ... really smelly stuff ... but keep an eye out for racoons, etc. .... I used to use a hunting camera to find lost cats because most of them come out at 4am ... once you see them on the camera trapping is easy because you know their schedule ... if you can borrow one it's very helpful ...

Yes, do search at the last location ... you also might look on Morris street ... I had a cat that traveled five miles through forest to get back to a previous location ... also do a search for "finding a lost cat" ... tons of good information out there ...

don't give up ... she knows how to survive in the wild .... my thoughts are with you ....

[AbigailFerris]

Vets/Sonoma Humane/Animal Shelter: Yes, notified.
Flyers and posters on telephone poles, which people are saying they haven't noticed. A few flyers in neighbors' hands, or on doorsteps or in mailboxes if they weren't home.
Also, a post on Craig's List.

Thank you for your input and encouragement. It truly helps to know we have folks pulling for us!! Keep it coming, and I'll keep you informed.

Blessings to all,
Abigail and Natalie

[AbigailFerris]

Today is Day 4. This is too sad for words. Natalie is out there, somewhere, missing me and Tanner. I know she is. I've had food out for her, and it's been untouched, even when Tanner and I slept in the garage to help encourage her to come in. Last night, it came to me that the garage isn't our living space. It's cold and smells like...who knows what? Tools, and concrete and a foreign world, not our bedroom. So, I moved her food dish to the front porch where she exited the house on Tuesday night, and left my bedroom window ajar, which opens onto the front porch. I heard crunching outside the window, and when I checked, some of the kibble was gone. I tried calling her and left the front door ajar for a while. Then, it started to rain again, and nothing since.

What does this all mean? What to do next? How do I stay encouraged with this hilacious weather? We haven't been apart this long since I adopted her from that rough environment on Morris Street, where Art Hunter and I used to care for the ferals.

It's lonely...

[arthunter]

That's encouraging ... keep feeding there but be very careful to keep to a strict routine ... remember the ferals? ... they needed routine to feel safe ... the same people at the same time every day ... this time shake the bag of kibble before you feed and do that every time you feed ... feed at exactly the same time every day and leave water as well ... if it's racoons the water will get filthy because they like to play in it ... I do wish that I still had my hunting cameras so that we could see who's eating ... don't worry about the weather as it's better than cold cloudless skies ... she will find shelter where it's dry ...

[Shandi]

I feel your sadness and grief at not knowing where or how she is. The crunching noise you heard must have given you some hope. Then the rain swept it away.

We want to give meaning to many things that life presents us with, and choosing meaning may give us some comfort or solace. It seems that you're doing everything you can, in the face of this long siege of wet weather.
One thing to remember is that Natalie has survived a rough environment, so I would count on her being a "survivor".

Be aware of your thoughts and prayers for her that she's finding shelter, safety and sustenance until she chooses to return.

[arthunter]

I just wanted to thank you publicly for adopting Natalie and to inform you of the great successes of the feral cat efforts in Sebastopol ... thanks to Lynn Styles, Forgotten Felines, Shandi who helped us with fund raising, the late Pat Wilson who donated food and emotional support, and people like yourself who donated time and money when both were in short supply, all of the feral cats in our care were spayed and neutered and most were adopted .... not only did this stop run away breeding which would have caused many more serious problems but it greatly benefited the bird populations, etc. by limiting and removing predators ... well done to everyone involved ....

[AbigailFerris]

How very kind of you to say this! I must say, it was Natti who adopted me, while I was searching for Patch. He was the friendly little vagabond kitty that had wandered onto a property where I was living off of Burnside five years ago. When I took him to Animal Kingdom in preparation to adopt him, they failed to assemble his carrier properly and he fell out of it on the way to my car, tore across Morris Street and vaporized into the blackberry bushes, never to be seen again. Anyway, that was how I got involved helping out with the ferals, met you, Dian, Lynne and ultimately, Natalie. She waited patiently for me every day for eight months, through all that winter weather while I searched for Patch. Finally, one day, I took a carrier with me and succumbed to her persistent charm. "Fine, get in."

Bravo on the yeoman's work with the colony!! Wow, that was no small effort. Truly an inspiring and admirable endeavor. I hope it was recognized by the community and/or municipal animal services agencies. Great job, Art Hunter! Thanks for the update.

I just wanted to thank you publicly for adopting Natalie and ...

[AbigailFerris]

One more thought: What about trying to trap Natalie here on this property?

-Abigail

[AbigailFerris]

Yes, Sandy, I did feel hopeful, especially when the sound was confirmed by the empty little well at the center of the dish where food was gone... and, then more was gone about an hour later! But, then, why didn't that entice her to return? We've had a few breaks in the rain today, so I thought that would draw her back out for more.

I guess I must not be giving her credit as a survivor because it's been four years since she had to do that, and I've provided for all of her needs since then. So, she hasn't needed those survival skills, and she seems to enjoy being taken care of. She told me five years ago when she found me out there in the tow yard, "I want to be your pet. I don't want to be out here in this big, scary place alone."

So, after this much time, would she still know what to do out there? I thought she was happy with me. So puzzling.

I feel your sadness and grief at not knowing where or how she is. The crunching noise you heard must have given you some hope. Then the rain swept it away.

We want to give meaning to many things that life presents us with, and choosing meaning may give us some comfort or solace. It seems that you're doing everything you can, in the face of this long siege of wet weather.
One thing to remember is that Natalie has survived a rough environment, so I would count on her being a "survivor".

Be aware of your thoughts and prayers for her that she's finding shelter, safety and sustenance until she chooses to return.

[arthunter]

Abigail,

This cat is not hiding because of how she feels about you, so please don't put yourself through all of that. She's hiding because she's in a strange environment and frightened. This in normal behavior for feral cats.

Yes, you can try to trap but you must be careful. The idea behind putting food out at the same time every day is to establish a routine which will allow you to trap her successfully, should you need to do that. If you want to try to trap now then Forgotten Felines will probably loan you a trap if you explain that she's feral and in strange territory. If you try to do this you must NEVER EVER LEAVE THE TRAP UNATTENDED. You must have a place where you can hide and watch. The reason for this is obvious. Any creature can wander into the trap to get the food and, once trapped, they will panic and could hurt themselves. You must be ready and able to run out, pull up the back door of the trap, and release immediately! You can trap other neighborhood cats, foxes, skunks, racoons, etc. etc. If you decide to trap then go to your neighbors and tell them to keep their animals in while you're trapping. Also, trapping is most successful with a hungry animal so withholding food for 24 hours is standard practice. If you fail with any of this you might scare her off, so exercise patience. She might be "trap savy" as a feral because of neutering in the past. Most ferals that have been neutered will be very cautious about going into a trap again. It's a traumatic experience for them.

But you might have to try this anyway. If you do try and catch her you must be there the moment that she goes in to avoid the chances of panic and injury. You must run out with a dark cloth and cover the trap immediately to calm her down. Also, if you do catch her keep her VERY secure in the house and get some "Rescue Remedy" from Whole Foods to calm her down.

There are ways to get "trap savy" cats to go into a trap but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Yes, Sandy, I did feel hopeful, especially when the sound was confirmed by the empty little well at the center of the dish where food was gone... and, then more was gone about an hour later! But, then, why didn't that entice her to return? We've had a few breaks in the rain today, so I thought that would draw her back out for more.

I guess I must not be giving her credit as a survivor because it's been four years since she had to do that, and I've provided for all of her needs since then. So, she hasn't needed those survival skills, and she seems to enjoy being taken care of. She told me five years ago when she found me out there in the tow yard, "I want to be your pet. I don't want to be out here in this big, scary place alone."

So, after this much time, would she still know what to do out there? I thought she was happy with me. So puzzling.

[Shandi]

Your points are so very true. We humans tend to attribute our own thoughts, attitudes, feelings to our pets, and if they take off through an open door, we may think they don't want to be with us anymore, or they're mad or upset.
A cat's mind and experience is very different than our own.

Very few people are willing to set a trap, and watch it as you've said. I even had volunteers from Forgotten Felines set up a trap for two 6 month old ferals, and leave it overnight. I had been feeding them, and asked for help in trapping.

I'm continually reading books on cat behavior, and have been since I adopted my little feral cat, Mitzy. I knew that her experience was different than any cats I'd had since kittens.

I highly recommend these books for all cat guardians. Some are older, but the information stands up pretty well.
There may also be specific information on ferals, but since Abigail has had Natalie for so many years, much may not apply.

"The Body Language and Emotions of Cats" by Myrna M. Milani, DVM
"Natural Cat" The Comprehensive Guide to Optimum Care" by Anitra Frazier
"Foods Pets Die For - Shocking Facts About Pet Food" by Ann N. Martin

"Secrets of a Vet Tech-The Guide to LOW COST Pet Care When the Cupboard is Bare" by JC Farris

Abigail,

This cat is not hiding because of how she feels about you, ...

[Shandi]

I also want to add that I've created a cat first aid kit, which contains a homeopathic calming solution like Rescue Remedy, along with Uro-Cleanse (D Mannose) for UTI, Tinkle Tonic for UTI, Fish Mox, Easy-Go Fiber Supplement, Glandex, syringes for liquid meds, a pill splitter, a piller, and a few other items.

D Mannose is very helpful in preventing UTI by keeping the urethra slippery, so bacteria can't adhere. I didn't know that, until it was confirmed by my son yesterday who recommends it for his clients who tend to get UTI often. I've never had a vet recommend it, but that doesn't surprise me. You don't need a prescription, and it's not expensive.

[arthunter]

Thanks folks ...

In my years of animal rescue I've seen awful things including the results of people who set a trap overnight and went to bed ... I will not share as it's too disturbing but please DO NOT DO THIS ... trapping is a terrifying experience for any animal who wanders in ... be ready for this ... the risk of injury is very real ...

I'm shocked, Shandi, but will not comment .. perhaps someone in authority should be notified though ... thanks sealwatcher, ... yes, that's one good way to condition a trap savy animal ... thanks for your safe and humane trapping practices .... hopefully, we're educating a few people out there ....

[arthunter]

Wow Shandi, I'm impressed ... you're an angel, but then I've always known that ...

I once went on a call to Sonoma to help a women move a feral cat colony because someone was killing the cats ( long, sick story ) ... anyway, there was one little girl who just refused to go into a regular trap so we had to use a drop trap to catch her ... this is a very dangerous way to trap an animal and most rescuers won't use them, but we had no choice ... one false move with this thing and you can break a leg so we were both so anxious that we started dosing ourselves with Rescue Remedy ... we got the cat and we couldn't help noticing how relaxed we felt about the whole thing ... lol ... so Rescue Remedy works on humans too ...

I also want to add that I've created a cat first aid kit, ....

[AbigailFerris]

She's back. My little Baboo, my Natti-Bo-Batti is home!!! What a trial this has been
Now, to learn how to safely remove the tick above her eye. Maybe just let the vet do it? I have no experience with this, but some stuff on line makes it sound rather serious.

Thank you, Wacco community, for all of your love and support!!!

Warmly,
Abigail, Natalie and Tanner

[arthunter]

Great news, Abigail! ... I knew that you could do it ... you might mention how you caught her so that others in your situation can learn from it ... keep her quiet, warm and secure for a few days and then see a vet for the tick and a general check up ... if you have Rescue Remedy this would be a good time to use it ... there's a lot of disagreement about whether or not cats can get lyme disease, but you might mention this to your vet ...

https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions...t_lyme_disease

[Shandi]

If the tick wasn't so near her eye, I'd try to remove it, but I think it's safer to let a vet do it, and also have her checked over. This is the best way to spend the "reward" money you had offered!

And now it's your turn to help your community by "paying forward" the details of how she returned.

[AbigailFerris]

My thought, exactly, on the tick. Too risky. Then, when I found the second one on her back, that was confirmation. So, she's spending the day, getting examined, in from the rain at Laguna while I'm at work. She's thrilled about that, I'm sure ;)

Heartfelt gratitude and admiration go out to Roseanne for her steady, faithful mentorship and patience with me through this ordeal. She responded promptly to each and every email, and provided so much of the information, experience and exhortation that kept me motivated. You're a trooper for hangin' with me!

With high regard,
Abigail