posted 02-20-2004 06:10 AM         

So pretty much all winter they disappear during the day, come back sometimes once during the day to eat, disappear again, and then hang out on the porch at night. I am in a subdivision with the closest major road about 1/4- 1/2 mile away exiting the neighborhood. My backyard backs up to wooded area all along our block so I think they hang out there alot. So do raccoons and possums, but seems like they managed ok and were safe all this time, the racoons and possums only come out at night and have often snuck onto my porch for food, until I started taking the food in at night and leaving a lamp oil lantern by the door entrance which seems to have deterred them(the scared of flame idea?)..the cats don't seem to mind it(the lantern).
So now its been 2 1/2 days and one of the cats has not been back to eat drink or hang out. He or she(I think its a she) would usually play with one of the others alot and often came back to eat as pair or in a threesome from a days play or whatever. But Tuesday afternoon was the last time I saw her, and it's now Friday morning. I think the longest any of them had disappeared thus far was 24 hours but now it's been over 60 hours. I doubt anyone took her in because she wouldn't let you get too close to her, even after all these months.So I am thinking all sorts of awful scenarios like run over, like sick and died somewhere, like a raccoon ate her or she is just wandering somewhere hungry and cold. The remaining 2 cats seem to notice somethings different because they hang out real close now at night, more than usual, and they are just acting a little different. I thought maybe during the day they've tried to go out and look for her by instinct and scent but not sure.
So I guess what I am hoping for is some ideas on what the chances are this cat survived, whether it might show up in a week as I have heard stories like that, etc etc. From her body size and weight, I don't think, (if it was a she), that she was pregnant and wandered off to have her litter somehere, ...and am surprised there have been no litters from these 3 since they are almost a year old now. They seemed to just hang with each other and even though there are a few other outdoor strays I feed from the front porch, they don't seem to mingle between colonies. The mother cat hisses at them and disowned them months ago, whatta b!tch!LOL!The one I think is their father hangs around alot and they seem to get along but hopefully not too well if you catch my drift...

I am trying not to feel like I did a disservice to them by doing what I did all these months and am holding onto the thought that I gave them a good shot at life by offering them food and shelter and that I couldn't have done more. But it still worries me and makes me sad that this one disappeared like it did..any ideas are most welcome! Thanks! BTW I have another outdoor cat(that I actually make claim to and is a shys away from scaredy cat jealous of the "new 3") that has stayed in my backyard and woods and porch for 4 years, and the most he's disappeared is about 2 days.

posted 02-20-2004 09:46 AM         

A few sinarios (however you spellit) came to mind:
She could have had a litter of kittens
If its a male, he's probably looking for a girlfriend
Coyotes or dogs could have gotten it
and like you said, could have gotten sick, many cat diseases act horrifically fast. and since it's wild and not vaccinated, thats a BIG possibility.

If you can catch the others, definately take them to the vet to get fixed and vaccinated.

Good luck, if it doesn't come back with in the next few days, I'd probably suspect somethinghappened