Good thoughts and prayers need!

[LucyGoose]

Morning Mike!! I really do hope he shows up anyway!! Ya never know!

But I would be the parent who would have said *too bad....your staying inside*........I believe they would eventually get used to it..... ......I am terrible like that......

Hugs, and hang in there.......

[Ginger]

I am so sorry Mike. I understand your feelings very well. I have two cats and mine are outdoor cats. They do not like to be in, and I am allergic so they stay out doors. They have not strayed and my yard is fenced which helps keep the outside critters away but it is always possible that one day I will open the door to feed them and one or more may not be there.
((( Mike))))

Ginger

[Kas]

Oh Mike! I am so sad for you both. Do go physically to the shelters. My neighbor picked up our Pepe kitty thinking he was a starving stray. He was 18 going on 19 with kidney failure so he looked like heck. Actually he had put on a pound or two when she took him to the pound. I found him in the last room in a cage behind a door. He never did recover and stopped eating and drinking. We had to put him down the last week of July. What I am saying is neighbors sometimes do a thing thinking they are helping when they aren't really. And the pound will put them up for adoption after only a few days. It sucks, so go look in person. And Pepe was an outdoor/indoor cat for the last 15 years of his life and he was even declawed! He still climbed trees and caught birds. Well, that was probably a very downer kind of story. Sorry. I do hope you find Tuck. His whiskers are just precious!

Kas

[Garden_of_Mu]

All the neighbors have his picture now, as do the vets offices and the local shelters. I doubt any of them will see him. The local animal shelter is so tiny - there's no way he could get lost in the mix there. The only residents there when I stopped by were two dogs (very pretty too, German shepherd mixes - I was tempted to adopt them, but we aren't set up for dogs yet). He never roamed tho. Always stayed close to the house, even in town. We did set up a fenced area when we first moved in but everyone but Tuck quickly learned how to go over it. I swear these cats are half squirrel. After awhile we just gave up trying. I was honestly more worried about the bald eagles grabbing one of them than anything else.

Gracie and Peter keep the bunnies, mice, moles and voles from destroying the flower beds and eating everything in the veggie patch. Valuable service for us, and something they get immense joy from. Eventually we plan to fence in an acre or two around the house, so that should help keep predators out of their area a bit while still giving them plenty of space to patrol. Nothing is foolproof tho except keeping them indoors and they would all be so miserable if we did that - and so would we. Often in winter it rains for weeks and everyone is stuck inside - not a fun time for any of us. The girls fight constantly, which stresses poor Chewie out to no end and she starts losing her hair. Peter starts peeing inappropriately to express his displeasure (we've already lost one mattress, several pillows and a couch) and Tuck would spray the walls. I think if cats are raised from kittenhood to be indoors they can adapt to it and adjust okay, but ours have always had their freedom.

All life involves risk. We just have to minimize it as much as possible. I'll always treasure the 8 years we had with Tuck in our lives, and will enjoy each and every day we have with the others for whatever time they are with us. There will be many more pets to come and go thru my life, god willing. Love your pets and your families while you have them today, 'cause there's no promises for tomorrow. Thanks to all of you for your words of comfort and condolence, and for sharing your own experiences. It means alot to know others have been there too and can understand and sympathize.

[LucyGoose]

Mike, I hope he does come home.....Hugs to you....I understand.....and feel bad!

[Tundra_Queen]

Mike, there is a lady in another pet forum that rescues feral and stray cats and has built a cattery with fencing so that the cats can't get out but can still be outside. She said it's about 1/4 of an acrea maybe more now as she made it wider than last year and built another house for more cats. I thought I'd show u the linke seeing as u mentioned u might fence an area for your cats. It might help u with ideas.

Debbie

http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=62345

http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=62346

[Linda P]

Mike, I'm so sorry to read this. I haven't been to the pet forum in a while, and am just catching up. Tuck is such a beautiful boy.
I, too, have cats who were outdoor kitties before I got them, and they do go outside. I've always kept my cats inside before this gang, but since they
were born outside and spent the first part of their lives as entirely outdoor cats, I can't keep them in the house. They will escape
at the slightest opportunity.
It's so hard, not knowing what happened.
Linda P