2007 was not a good year - I am hoping 2008 will be better. Someone on catsinthebag.org found their cat today - I am so happy for them. I hope that I will be able to post a success story too.
I woke up this morning and it was snowing - it snowed at least 4 inches. I went to get my camera - I didn't want to leave it in the snow and I know that it takes a few days for the animals to get back out from their hideyholes. I had much better pictures - looks like 5 cats are feeding there. The pictures were still a bit washed out by it looks like 3 torties and 2 tabbies (they look so much alike they are probably related) and I saw one black and white cat. It was the same cat that I saw at the Elks club and the farm across the street from it. *sigh* I was hoping it would be Roy. I will put the camera out for a few more days - just in case he is in the area but I don't hold out much hope for it.
I have the option of sending out postcards to everyone in a 1 mile radius or all residential in a 3 miles radius - I don't have the funds to do both. I am not sure which way I should go. Is it more likely that Roy is where he was last seen? Or would he have moved on? I emailed Jeanne - the cat profiler - with exact descriptions of his behavior and asked her. I figure that she would have a better idea then I do on what a cat would do. She did say that if he had food, water and shelter and since he was there for at least 4 weeks (I can't prove more then that) that there is a good chance he stayed there now. But he was so kitten like at home - and kittens roam. But when he was seen he was gone 2 months so it makes sense he was there the entire time....
it's very frustrating... I don't know which way to go... and I am so afraid of making the wrong decisions. If I had a guarantee that doing so would get him back I would find a way to do both. But I don't. And I can't spend that kind of money on such a slim chance.
I am thinking of the wording for the postcards. something like:
Lost cat "Roy" Special needs. 4 white socks, white belly, white chest. Lost Aug 19 2007. If you don't know if its a neighbors cat let me know... I can tell! Won't stop looking until I find him (as long as there are posters up I am looking?) www.detectapetusa.com/roy.htm
Something like that - I want to people to get the idea that I am not giving up just cause a couple weeks passed by. And I want them to know to call me if they aren't sure - i can tell if it is Roy or not.
I am not sure if that is enough info or not.... suggestions welcome!
Tuesday, January 1
Monday, December 31
December 31, 2007
When I woke up this morning there were 4 -5 inches of snow on the ground. *sigh* I wasn't expecting it and was really unhappy to see it. As expected there were no new pictures on my camera.
Leo was back - he was looking in my doors again. I went out and he ran down the stairs to the corner of my house. I called to him asking if he really wanted to go away. He hesitated then started back to me. He stopped at the food dishes then slowly came up the stairs. I keep calling to him and finally he came to me. He let me reach out and slowly pet his head with my pinky. One of my kittens came out and the two of them sniffed noses for a while. Then he turned and left and this time I couldn't coax him back. This is definately not a feral cat. He is either lost or dumped. When he first appeared I did a search and it didn't seem like anyone was looking for him. I will be calling the shelter Wed and seeing if they are no-kill and have a space. I think Leo could be a sweet cat if given a chance.
I put up a camera at my food. I have three different tracks in my front yard and 2 in my backyard this morning. I don't know if it was the same cat checking the food dishes or a few different ones but I figure it couldn't hurt to check. If Roy is coming would he know this is home and come to the door? Or would he still be in survival mode? He did go outdoors sometimes when he was home so I don't know.
Leo was back - he was looking in my doors again. I went out and he ran down the stairs to the corner of my house. I called to him asking if he really wanted to go away. He hesitated then started back to me. He stopped at the food dishes then slowly came up the stairs. I keep calling to him and finally he came to me. He let me reach out and slowly pet his head with my pinky. One of my kittens came out and the two of them sniffed noses for a while. Then he turned and left and this time I couldn't coax him back. This is definately not a feral cat. He is either lost or dumped. When he first appeared I did a search and it didn't seem like anyone was looking for him. I will be calling the shelter Wed and seeing if they are no-kill and have a space. I think Leo could be a sweet cat if given a chance.
I put up a camera at my food. I have three different tracks in my front yard and 2 in my backyard this morning. I don't know if it was the same cat checking the food dishes or a few different ones but I figure it couldn't hurt to check. If Roy is coming would he know this is home and come to the door? Or would he still be in survival mode? He did go outdoors sometimes when he was home so I don't know.
Sunday, December 30
December 30, 2007
I have taken down the first camera - it has only captured possums, birds and a fox. I don't think there is a cat in that area anymore. I might consider putting it back in a few months but right now I don't feel there is a point to feeding the possums.
The second camera came up with better shots but they are still whited out - I think they are reflecting off the bottom of the trailer. I put the food out in the open and hope that will help. The batteries are running out so I will have to replace everything there tomorrow night.
The second camera came up with better shots but they are still whited out - I think they are reflecting off the bottom of the trailer. I put the food out in the open and hope that will help. The batteries are running out so I will have to replace everything there tomorrow night.
Saturday, December 29
December 29, 2007
I got the pictures back from the house - unfortunately they are all "ghosted". The flash reflected off something I got white cats and possums. It looks like there are at least 3 cats (and 2 possums) feeding there. One seems to be a tabby - probably the one that I fed up the road a bit. I wonder if the black and white cat here is the same one I got at the elk's club.
I put the food out further this time hoping it would help with the flash. If that doesn't work then I will put the food outside somewhere - right now it is under a trailer and I think it might be reflecting in that narrow space.
I put the food out further this time hoping it would help with the flash. If that doesn't work then I will put the food outside somewhere - right now it is under a trailer and I think it might be reflecting in that narrow space.
Friday, December 28
December 28, 2007
Today I got a call from someone in Rhinebeck - they had a black and white cat show up at their home a few days ago and saw my ad in the paper. If it was Roy he would have had to hitch a ride since Rhinebeck is across the river and 45 min by car. I went over but it wasn't Roy. I think someone did dump this cat there - probably figured out in the country it would be able to hunt and survive. But he was not doing well at all - he was walking funny - probably had some sort of injury and the gentleman who called said that he was not doing well until they started feeding him. Dumping an animal in the country is NOT better then taking them to a shelter. At least in the shelter they have warmth and food - they will not starve to death or freeze to death. The gentleman who was feeding the cat said that he called the SPCA but they told him if it was outside it was probably feral so they wouldn't do anything about it. That gets me - what if someone had Roy and got that answer? If he went to the shelter they would have scanned him and I would have him back. Considering how many lost animal posters are on their walls I am very surprised at this answer. I did tell the gentleman that he could borrow a humane trap and then bring the cat in. It didn't seem quite feral - probably someone's unwanted pet. :-(
I got home disappointed but a lady called around 3:30 saying that she was feeding a black and white cat. She had no idea what he looked like - she only saw him when coming home after dark - a black and white cat would run under her shed. She let me set up a camera - I have my fingers crossed that this is him, but I am not letting myself get my hopes up. I have been disappointed too often now. Please pray/keep us in your thoughts. Getting my Roy back would mean the world to me.
I got home disappointed but a lady called around 3:30 saying that she was feeding a black and white cat. She had no idea what he looked like - she only saw him when coming home after dark - a black and white cat would run under her shed. She let me set up a camera - I have my fingers crossed that this is him, but I am not letting myself get my hopes up. I have been disappointed too often now. Please pray/keep us in your thoughts. Getting my Roy back would mean the world to me.
Thursday, December 27
December 27, 2007
Today I went to the SPCA to double check that they never had seen Roy. He didn't make it through their system and they do check for microchips so that is one less worry. At least with the chip if he is brought in he will be coming back to me.
I did see a flyer for another lost cat in New Paltz - and my searches brought me to a cat that looked very much like that one. But the number on the flyer was wrong. I hope I wrote it down wrong - it would be pretty sad if they weren't getting any calls because they had a typo on their flyer.
I have a new list of shelters to call - the SPCA gave me the top ones in the area. I did find a company that could get me a mailing list of every house within 3 miles on my house - 1,500 houses. Now I need to decide how far out I want to send my postcards.
While I was sitting at my computer I saw a little black head peeking in the windows (french doors on the porch). I immediately thought Roy had come home and rushed to the door, but it was Leotard - the cat I was feeding in October about a quarter of a mile away. He stood looking in the door for a while - he looks good. I am not sure if he is some one's cat or not. If he comes back to the door we might let him in to take him to a shelter. I am full now (I adopted 3 feral kittens from my backyard) and can't take in another - but if he is friendly he deserves a chance at a home. (I may be full but Roy has a place here - none of the cats I have now would ever be kicked out).
This makes me more determined to send out the posters - if Roy is looking in some one's house I want people to know he is lost - not a stray!
I did see a flyer for another lost cat in New Paltz - and my searches brought me to a cat that looked very much like that one. But the number on the flyer was wrong. I hope I wrote it down wrong - it would be pretty sad if they weren't getting any calls because they had a typo on their flyer.
I have a new list of shelters to call - the SPCA gave me the top ones in the area. I did find a company that could get me a mailing list of every house within 3 miles on my house - 1,500 houses. Now I need to decide how far out I want to send my postcards.
While I was sitting at my computer I saw a little black head peeking in the windows (french doors on the porch). I immediately thought Roy had come home and rushed to the door, but it was Leotard - the cat I was feeding in October about a quarter of a mile away. He stood looking in the door for a while - he looks good. I am not sure if he is some one's cat or not. If he comes back to the door we might let him in to take him to a shelter. I am full now (I adopted 3 feral kittens from my backyard) and can't take in another - but if he is friendly he deserves a chance at a home. (I may be full but Roy has a place here - none of the cats I have now would ever be kicked out).
This makes me more determined to send out the posters - if Roy is looking in some one's house I want people to know he is lost - not a stray!
Monday, December 24
December 24, 2007
It's Christmas eve and no sign of Roy. I don't feel very festive tonight. I have one camera up - haven't gotten a good picture yet. I do have a nice picture of a fox and some birds. I am hoping I might have a good picture of the cat in the area tomorrow.
My next step is going to be sending out postcards to every house within a 1 mile radius. I figure that should get everyone - including those I missed the first time around. I have someone lined up for the postcards - I just need to find a mailing list of those houses.
It would be a great Christmas present to have Roy come home tomorrow - or at least get a lead.
My next step is going to be sending out postcards to every house within a 1 mile radius. I figure that should get everyone - including those I missed the first time around. I have someone lined up for the postcards - I just need to find a mailing list of those houses.
It would be a great Christmas present to have Roy come home tomorrow - or at least get a lead.
