# She wasn't here when I got home



## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I was out of town for 4 days and my husband was home with the animals. We have Brooks, our GR, and our two cats Mercury, our rescue, and Essie, our "stray who came to stay". 
Essie has been with us for 13 years, and was at least a year or two old when she arrived. She has really slowed down in the last year--is almost completely deaf and has spent most of the time sleeping. She likes to sleep in the sun on warm days, so my husband had been cracking the garage door so she could lie in the sun if she wanted. He saw her this morning, then when he came home at lunch to feed animals, he didn't see her (but assumed she was in the back yard). When I got home in late afternoon, I could see none of her food he had put out at lunch had been eaten, and she was no where to be found.
I looked everywhere, and called for her. I looked in all the places she usually sleeps and found no sign of her. After dark I went out and looked under all the bushes in the yard with no luck.
My husband says thats what old animals do when they are ready to die. It makes me so sad as I was gone all this week.


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## MelMcGarry (May 2, 2010)

I hope you find your Essie. She may be in some completely unusual spot that makes no sense to you. When our cat became sick, she tried to crawl behind the dresser - she had never been back there that we knew of. It broke my heart to see her so confused. Don't think of these past four days when you were not with her with sadness, but think of the 13 years that you were with her with a smile.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

So sad. I'm hoping your DH is wrong and that she shows up later tonight or in the morning.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Can you take your dog with you and get him to help you find her? 

That might not work if your cat is afraid of or doesn't like dogs, but I've used our dogs in the past to track down our indoor/outdoor cat. Sometimes he wouldn't come out of hiding for me, but would for the dogs. 

Cats hide when they aren't feeling well. I know that with our guy he will disappear (inside the house) for 2 days after getting his shots. <- I really hope that's what's going on with your old girl and you find her soon.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

That is so sad, I really hope she shows up. I had a cat that disappeared for three months and then suddenly showed up one day. Don't give up hope.


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

I'm so sorry. I hope she is not lost somewhere suffering. Are there any GRF members or dog owners near you with tracking dogs?


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## Chelseanr (Oct 3, 2010)

Aww I hope she turns up so at least if she is going down hill you get to say goodbye :[ You'll be in my thoughts, hopefully she is just lost and will find her way home.


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

Keep looking, she is old. She might be disoriented and can't find her way home. I'd let the neighbors know she is missing. They may have seen her.


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## Noey (Feb 26, 2009)

have you posted handouts? Can you post a pic and give a location - we can look online at found adverts.

I'm not sure how you did not kick the DH out - mine would be in the dog house big time.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

I hope you find her  My cat is an indoor/outdoor cat and when she was younger (she is almost 12 now) she would disappear for days at a time.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I went into the garage, late late last night (had left garage door cracked so she could get back in) and there she was sleeping on her bean bag chair. My husband guessed she fell asleep somewhere and couldn't hear me calling. Anyway, she is inside on her stack of blankets where she likes to sleep. I would keep her inside all the time, but she won't put up with it.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

I'm so glad you found her! Don't worry, my cat would never be able to be an indoor only cat as well.


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## mag&bays mom (Sep 25, 2010)

great news!

so glad you found her and she is safe and sound =)


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Ignutah*

Ignutah

Thank God you found her!!


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## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I'm so glad she's back. I know if our barn kittie disappeared we'd be worried sick. He's such a sweetie. 

I think your husband is right about cats when the end is near. I hate to bring it up, but if you think she is getting to that point would it be better to (in the future sometime) to put her to sleep so she doesn't have to do it alone?

It would be so hard to not know where she is or what happened to her even though it's what cats do. (((((((((hugs)))))))))))))


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

I think sometimes when cats disappear for a day or two, it is because they get stuck in somebody's garage or shed.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I didn't think she moved more than about 100 ft from her bean bag chair these days, but maybe so. We are in the country-neighbor on one side does have sheds and barns so this is possible. There are lots of shrubs I might have missed looking under also.
Anyway, thanks for everyone's concern, and Teresa's offer this morning to bring Jack over to try to track her down (I told Brooks last night to "find Essie!" and he managed to flush some sleeping birds out of the bushes but not find her)


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## LDGrillo (Dec 20, 2010)

I'm happy to hear that Essie came back! I know cats aren't known for being put on a leash, but if you could find a longer, light-weight leash to hook around her collar while she is in the garage, that might be a good idea. I would hate for the same situation to happen again...

But that's only if you're comfortable with doing that.


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