It's Caturday- Post some cats (vol 3)
Discussion
We’re rather worried about Mercury today.
He’s 17 years old and has had two strokes this year, but has persevered albeit with almost total eyesight and hearing loss. He finds his way around mostly by smell, usually food related.
We’ve taken to keeping him in a basket in the dining room at night, next to a radiator and adjacent to the kitchen, his food bowl, litter tray and cat flap. He won’t use the litter tray, so we’ve always left the cat flap unlocked with lights inside and outside on as this seems to help his limited sight.
Maybe you can guess where this is now heading. We’ve not seen him since midnight last night. He’s never, ever done this before. We’ve scoured the garden, front and back, the woods, alerts on FB and vets. Nothing so far. Not a sign of anything.
It was chilly last night, so he may have become disorientated but he wouldn’t have gone far. With woods directly behind the house, we’re wondering whether a fox may have had him, but no sign at all. Nothing in the hedges or road.
We’ve not given up just yet, but, rather sadly, it’s looking bleak.
He’s 17 years old and has had two strokes this year, but has persevered albeit with almost total eyesight and hearing loss. He finds his way around mostly by smell, usually food related.
We’ve taken to keeping him in a basket in the dining room at night, next to a radiator and adjacent to the kitchen, his food bowl, litter tray and cat flap. He won’t use the litter tray, so we’ve always left the cat flap unlocked with lights inside and outside on as this seems to help his limited sight.
Maybe you can guess where this is now heading. We’ve not seen him since midnight last night. He’s never, ever done this before. We’ve scoured the garden, front and back, the woods, alerts on FB and vets. Nothing so far. Not a sign of anything.
It was chilly last night, so he may have become disorientated but he wouldn’t have gone far. With woods directly behind the house, we’re wondering whether a fox may have had him, but no sign at all. Nothing in the hedges or road.
We’ve not given up just yet, but, rather sadly, it’s looking bleak.
Ah, Bellini, that's very sad 
Similar happened with out old boy, Freddy, but thankfully we found him. He lost his sight after having a fit at around 12 years old. We lost him one night, but I eventually found him on the allotments behind our house (after 2 hours of looking)... he was a good quarter mile from home, and I only spooted him when my torch lights reflected off his pupils in the pitch black... he was just sat there.
He never left the house for more than 5 mins after that, and lived another 3 years.
Fingers crossed for you.
Similar happened with out old boy, Freddy, but thankfully we found him. He lost his sight after having a fit at around 12 years old. We lost him one night, but I eventually found him on the allotments behind our house (after 2 hours of looking)... he was a good quarter mile from home, and I only spooted him when my torch lights reflected off his pupils in the pitch black... he was just sat there.
He never left the house for more than 5 mins after that, and lived another 3 years.
Fingers crossed for you.
Thanks. Rather surprisingly, our 7 year-old daughter has just found him crouched underneath a parked car on a driveway 100 yards down from our house.
I’m not sure how an almost- blind cat found his way that far, but it seems we’ll have to secure our garden a bit more.
Mercury has shrugged this off with little more than an eager chomp on a sachet of Felix and lots of crying for a cuddle. Other than that, he’s fine.
I honestly thought the above post was my last on this little chap, but it seems he’s cashed-in yet another of his 9 lives. Smiles all-round.
I’m not sure how an almost- blind cat found his way that far, but it seems we’ll have to secure our garden a bit more.
Mercury has shrugged this off with little more than an eager chomp on a sachet of Felix and lots of crying for a cuddle. Other than that, he’s fine.
I honestly thought the above post was my last on this little chap, but it seems he’s cashed-in yet another of his 9 lives. Smiles all-round.
Poor old chap
It is true, though, that they have an instinct to go and hide when they know they are going soon. We had one, Thomas, that we kept in when he was fading and he was so anxious to go out that I almost relented. He lasted another hour... I still miss Thomas and that was years ago. He was a delightful and gentlemanly cat who we took in when he was abandoned. I reckon he was eternally grateful, he was lovely. I really hope you find Mercury - soon.
Edited to say..... Whoopeee!
It is true, though, that they have an instinct to go and hide when they know they are going soon. We had one, Thomas, that we kept in when he was fading and he was so anxious to go out that I almost relented. He lasted another hour... I still miss Thomas and that was years ago. He was a delightful and gentlemanly cat who we took in when he was abandoned. I reckon he was eternally grateful, he was lovely. I really hope you find Mercury - soon.
Edited to say..... Whoopeee!
Edited by motco on Saturday 20th October 15:01
Glad it worked out. Cats have pretty good senses without eyes, smell, whiskers etc.
I would put some of his smell and yours around your house outside, bathwater, old socks and trails back as well just incase there is a next time. Also maybe some wind chimes type thing so has something to hone in on.
I would put some of his smell and yours around your house outside, bathwater, old socks and trails back as well just incase there is a next time. Also maybe some wind chimes type thing so has something to hone in on.
Bellini said:
Thanks. Rather surprisingly, our 7 year-old daughter has just found him crouched underneath a parked car on a driveway 100 yards down from our house.
I’m not sure how an almost- blind cat found his way that far, but it seems we’ll have to secure our garden a bit more.
Mercury has shrugged this off with little more than an eager chomp on a sachet of Felix and lots of crying for a cuddle. Other than that, he’s fine.
I honestly thought the above post was my last on this little chap, but it seems he’s cashed-in yet another of his 9 lives. Smiles all-round.
Perhaps one of these if he's likely to get "locally lost": https://mytabcat.com/shop/I’m not sure how an almost- blind cat found his way that far, but it seems we’ll have to secure our garden a bit more.
Mercury has shrugged this off with little more than an eager chomp on a sachet of Felix and lots of crying for a cuddle. Other than that, he’s fine.
I honestly thought the above post was my last on this little chap, but it seems he’s cashed-in yet another of his 9 lives. Smiles all-round.
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