Two missing indoors only cats

Question
Hi Holly,

Any help/suggestions you can provide will be greatly appreciated.  Last Tuesday morning (7 days ago now), I discovered our back door open and my two cats missing. Our two spayed dogs were still home. My husband and I spent several hours searching and calling to them, but to no avail.

My cats:  both are 8 years old. One is a black DSH and the other is a golden Bengal.  They have been together (and with one of our dogs) with us for 8 years. They were both adopted at 3 months old and are 3 months apart in age. They are extremely close. I have to take them to the vet together in a crate. This dog is extremely motherly to them and they go to her for ear cleaning, comforting, etc. They are indoors only and are both declawed and neutered males.  The black one is a little more outgoing/curious, but my Bengal is terrified of everything and spooks at something as small as a sneeze. Its' hard to predict their behavior, or know if they are together. They've had no health problems ever, and this is their first time outside.

My environment:  we live in the country with a lot of land. our neighbors are acres away on all sides, and the ones on either side of us are family.  We've discussed this with all neighbors. The properties are mostly wooded.  Deep Florida woods, that are mostly so deep that I cannot get into to search. Our local critters include MANY snakes, squirrels, an owl or two, armadillos, rabbits, and occasional foxes. I've only seen 1 racoon in the 6 years we have lived here. I'm also concerned about the ticks.  The neighbors to the back of us (about 5 acres away) and on the other side of my family's property (about 10 acres away) have barn cats. We've asked them to keep an eye on them to see if mine show up. There are neighborhood dogs, but all are in pens and seldom escape - but the barking would be scary. We have two outbuildings in the back - a barn and a shop. Both of which have been searched, but I think they would be most likely to hole up there.

What we've done: I've acquired 2 humane traps that have been set - one at the back door they left from, and one on our front porch.  I've got water and a handful of dried food near each.  I've hung our sweaty shirts around the house. I've sprinkled a ring of their used litter around our house.  I have placed their cat bed on the front porch in a rocking chair (with a small handful of food).  I've sprinkled catnip around. I've searched everywhere I possibly can think of, short of the woods that are nearly impossible to venture into.  I call their names every chance I can, sounding as upbeat and friendly as possible.  I've searched alone, with my husband, with the older dog, etc. Every combination I can think of. I've reported them missing to our animal shelters - even though I think that's a long shot. They're more likely to take up with the neighbor's cat populations or another house.

Signs: I've been keeping an eye on the road for bodies and for buzzards - neither of which I've seen. Thursday last week, the food in their bed on the front porch was gone when I came home from work.  I like to think that nothing but my cat(s) would venture onto my porch during the day to eat food from a bed that smells like me and them. The bed was still on the chair, which makes me think something had to jump into it to eat it vs. pulling it down like a dog would do.

Then last night when I took my dogs outside before bed, I swear I saw my Bengal dart across my back yard - way in the back - into the woods. It *had* to be him since it was brown, about his size, and appeared to be loping just like he does. It is possible that it was one of the neighbor's barn cats.

We have had heavy thunderstorms. We've run across several snakes in our searches (including the largest rattlesnake we have ever seen yesterday...that was promptly killed). We've had to mow over the weekend, which was put off as long as possible.

Other than what I've described here (and even those are weak), we have seen no signs. They have appeared to have vanished. I'm so worried for them and feel like there is more that I can do. If they are dead, at least I'd know and can have closure. But them just missing, I'm trying to keep hope that they are OK and are just scared.  Please let me know if there is anything more I can do or if there is something I'm missing.

Answer
Wow, I'm so sorry for this unfortunate event.  It's the kind of thing we responsible pet owners dread and fear.  It sounds to me as though you have done everything humanly possible and anything that I could think of.  The only other thing I could think to do would be to leave the back door open in the evenings when you are home (if of course you feel this is safe in your area).  Maybe heat up some wet food a few times an evening and position a fan to blow the smell from the back porch outwards.  You could also leave a trail of dry food from the back porch out as deep into the woods as you are willing to venture in several directions each evening, but this is only going to be effective if your cats find it before other critters do.

Also, the only other thing I could think of is to post fliers.  I know you say you live in a remote area, but you never know.  Maybe they'll find their way to someone else's doorstep before they find yours.  But most importantly, I want to tell you to not despair or give up hope.  While to be realistic it is more likely you will not see them again, it is also possible they may turn up tomorrow.  There was an episode of "Animal Miracles" that airs on Animal Planet that told the story of a cat that got out in a rural area and turned up at her owner's NEW home some 45 miles away 8 years after she went missing.  So don't let anyone tell you that there's NO chance of finding them.  I wish you the best and hope with all my heart that you find them.  I can't even imagine what that must be like.  You will be in my thoughts.  Please let me know if you have any other questions.  Good luck.

Holly Martin
Texas A&M University
Animal Science B.S.
Cat Care/Behavior Counselor
holly06petlover@yahoo.com