Hi all

I am after some advice from all you lovely Bengal owners as my beloved 2 year old Bengal has been missing for a week and I am in absolute bits :(

I have 2 Bengals, Daisy & Duke who we adopted at 8 weeks old and they turned 2 last Sunday. They are typical Bengals - vocal, inquisitive and a joy to have. They have always been allowed out and love the freedom of exploring the neighbours' gardens and terrorising the local birds and mice!

We got up as usual last Thursday to go to work and Duke was out which is typical as he's always out first thing. The day passed and he didn't come home and still wasn't there when we went to bed that night. I was concerned but not overly worried as he's been out for 3 days before but always comes home.

This time is different and my handsome boy hasn't been home for a week now. I am heartbroken and struggling to deal with the not knowing. We have done everything to try and find him - notified all the vets and rescue centres, dropped leaflets through doors asking people to check sheds and garages, put posters up everywhere, posted all over Facebook and social media and even made the awful call to the council to see if there are been any RTA's involving cats, but nothing.

I can't believe he would just go out as normal and not come back and that no one has seen or heard anything. He is neutered and also chipped.

I don't want to give up hope and want to think of him coming home but as they days go past I'm finding it harder and harder.

Has anyone else been through something similar or are there any other things that we haven't tried that might help bring him home?

x

I know we've got at least one other member who has had a kitty go missing for a while. She did find him, I believe he had been scared by construction at a nearby home and jumped in a work van or something like that. I would try to go around when neighbors are home and ask them to check around. Keep following up with vets and rescue centers too. They're often very busy and if you keep calling to check in it will help keep your boy on their mind as they go about the day's business.

Have you put some of his favorite bedding or items with your scent outside? Sometimes that can help them find their way home if they're lost.

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Dallas, TX USA
Diesel - snow Bengal born 09/01/2013 adopted Feb 2014
Tuck, Chloe, Buddy, Lewis & Tia - rescue kitties
Clyde, Bleu & Coal - Great Danes

I am so so sorry about your kitty. I know how devastatingly heartbreaking this is. Last summer, my beloved Diablo managed to open a door and get out of the house we were temporarily staying at. He is also micro-chipped, so the first thing I did was call the helpline. I had already left a bowl with his food outside, and they suggested I also put his litterbox outside. What???? So, I did. After hours and hours of searching for him, I decided to go to bed....I slept for about an hour. When I got up, Diablo was waiting outside my bedroom door! I could not believe my eyes. He jumped into my arms as I kissed him everywhere and checked every inch of him for boo boos.

I pray your baby will come back to you.

Hi

I'm the member Donna referred to. I got my boy back so don't give up hope! Have you notified the microchip company about Duke? They can get the message out to loads of vets and if his chip is checked it will flag up he is missing I think. The information provided to vets is pretty basic but the chip is updated which is the main thing.

Have you registered him on Animal Search UK? They were very helpful, they advised me my insurance may cover advertising costs etc which they did. I'm with Pet Plan and many companies include the advertising costs with no excess but it didn't even occur to me to check that out. They print posters and leaflets that are waterproof, provide everything you could possibly need to put them up, and also offer advice as to the best places to put the posters up etc. Animal Search UK also tweet all missing cats, and email people like me who are now registered and look out for missing pets for other people. They will help you with the posters and what to include and also the telephone number is direct to them in case someone doesn't want to break bad news to you themselves.

Also contact the Bengal Cat Helpline as they will also get the message out for you to people who follow them etc.

Does Duke wear a collar? That was my lucky break. Hendrix lost his and someone picked it up and called me. Which was when I realised he was 10 miles away. My gut instinct was that he'd got into a work vehicle as my neighbour had had his garage door replaced. I'd called them the very next day but they incorrectly told me they hadn't gone anywhere after that job and no cat was in the van. They had gone to pretty much exactly where the collar was found as I called them again to check once I had the collar back to ask again and potentially get a better idea of a search area.

Ask all your neighbour's if they'd had work done and the companies they'd used in the week he went missing. Call all of them to see if that turns anything up. Don't forget Duke may have taken shelter somewhere and got locked in and the owner may not have checked yet as they might be away on holiday or something.

I was told to empty my Hoover outside to get the home scent outside and also tie a used sheet or something outside can help too.

Keep us informed of progress and if I can help in anyway, please let me know.

Thinking of you xx

PS my two now have pod trackers attached to their collars so I can find them at any time, plus I'd never have let them out again otherwise! They are gps trackers and I highly recommend them for peace of mind. Plus you get an idea where they go and like to hang out.

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

Hello all

Thank you so much for your responses. Tabitha and Jacqueline, I am so pleased that you got your cats back and it's given me hope. Can't believe that Hendrix was 10 miles away!

It's been 2 weeks now and there's still no sign of Duke. I called the microchip company almost as soon as we knew he was missing and have also notified all the vets locally as well as the rescue centres. We have put waterproof posters up everywhere including all the doctor's surgeries and pubs and cafes in the village and the local community hall. Have also dropped leaflets through doors and spoken to neighbours but there is literally no sign of him.

I have also registered him on Animal Search, Pets Located and National Pet Register.

Tabitha, I am also with Pet Plan and looking through the insurance details, they do cover advertising etc. I guess it could be worth a try as people may feel more comfortable calling an organisation rather than us directly if they have to deliver bad news.

Duke doesn't wear a collar sadly as he won't keep them on! We have been through so many and he just kept coming home without them so we gave up. I emptied the Hoover bag outside over the weekend and have left things out with our and his scent on.

Literally at a loss on what else to do. Am so heartbroken and really struggling. He's a tough little boy but he's only 2 and I keep thinking of him being scared or hurt somewhere. Just really want some news but no one has seen him in the past 2 weeks.

Fingers crossed that he is still out there and will come home or be found.

xx

Tanja,

Have you thought about offering a reward?

I just remembered that I had another kitty, a little persian, Sugar, that my daughter let get out (accidentally). She was missing for over a month, and it was during the Fall. I kept worrying about how cold it was getting, that she was going to be attacked by another cat/dog, or that she would be hit by a car. In order for me to carry on, I kept telling myself someone must have found her and that she is safe.

Out of the blue, I got a phone call from someone who said she thinks she found her! And, it was! She was skinnier, and could not stop meowing when I took her in my arms! I brought her right away to my vet, and he put her on iv fluids, just to be safe. BUT SHE WAS FINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So you see, a happy ending IS possible!

missingpetpartnership.org is also a good one to look at as it explains in detail the psychology of a missing cat. I can attest to the info that you have to look beyond looking and literally search under every blade of grass. My mum and dad's cat went missing and was gone for 5 days. They searched, with permission, their neighbours house twice and found nothing (neighbours on holiday at the time, but timmy loved to pop into their house) Anyway, when the neighbours returned, they carried a dehydrated and hungry Timmy back to my parents. Timmy had been under the duvet in the neighbours bed and even searching twice they did not find him! Praying you have the same happy outcome that Claire eventually had. xxx

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Melissa

UK
Oscar - Rescue (Rascal!!!) Bengal

Hi

Jacqueline and Melissa, thanks for the words of encouragement. We will continue to search and keep our hopes up that our boy will come home safe :)

The people in our local community are being amazing and helping spread the word far and wide so hopefully someone will at least spot him soon.

xx

I'm crossing my fingers for you too.

I think my two can stay as indoor cats as I'm emotional just reading your posts.

Good luck, Rob

Don't give up hope, Tanja. I know how hard that is though, as I was in bits too when Hendrix went missing. He was also 2years old at the time.

Evening is probably a good time to go looking and calling him. We got Hendrix back at night after someone I'd spoken to the weekend before spotted him in a car lot. I'd been there countless times during the day and he must have heard me as he hadn't moved very far at all from where he'd jumped out of the van. He had however crossed a very busy A road and was hanging around a parade of shops scrounging from the bins I should think. He wouldn't have gone to anyone as he is very shy of strangers, so was coming out from his hiding place at night when it was quieter as it was a very busy area.

My point being he could be too scared to come out of his hidey hole during the day if he's got lost, even if he hears you calling him.

One thing I learnt throughout the experience is there are some very kind hearted people who will put food out for a cat if they think it is lost. I even had people in the area his collar was found out looking for him and calling him for me.

The posters Animal Search UK print offer a reward (again this can be claimed through insurance). I would start to widen the search area if you are getting no news in your immediate vicinity. Talk to as many people as you can, give any postmen you see a leaflet etc, they are out in the early hours and are more likely to see something.

I have everything crossed he is home safely with you soon xx

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

Thanks Clare. It's lovely having someone that's been through this to give me hope. I am in bits and so emotional - his sister Daisy is missing him and I really want to be able to bring her brother home.

We have put "reward offered" on all the posters and leaflets so hopefully that will encourage people to get in touch. We've been out at night too calling him but I think the biggest challenge is not knowing which route he would have taken on the day he went missing. Through doing the leaflets, we've had people calling saying that they recognise him as he's often in their garden but they are in 3 different directions!!

Starting to widen the search now as it's been 2 weeks and I know cats can travel a fair distance each day. Joined all the Facebook groups for the next towns and villages and speaking to everyone we know to help spread the word so hopefully there will be some news.

I am convinced that he is still out there as we went out as soon as we knew he was missing and walked around the area in case he had been run over but couldn't see anything. I know that doesn't mean he wasn't as not everyone will care so may not have reported it or even worse, may have just disposed of the body, but your stories are giving me hope that he will come back. His sister is so different and loves being at home and only goes a few gardens away but he seems to be the real explorer.

Thanks so much for the support. It's helping me get through this horrible time.

xx

Welcome to our forum and I'm sorry to hear your baby is missing! The first thing to do is post on a Lost/Found Pets Facebook page in your area. Almost every area in the world has one. Second, make flyers and post them around your neighborhood. Talk with your neighbors and have them check garages, sheds and crawl spaces. I take care of an outdoor cat and when he goes missing, he's usually shut in someone's garage (5 times so far). The other thing that you never want to consider is that someone took him. Many people have never seen a beautiful bengal and when they spot one .... they want to get closer and closer. I easily befriended my bengal when he lived four doors down (I didn't know that at the time). The owner wanted to re-home him, so now I have him. You did notify the microchip company as they will usually notify those on their list that live near you, plus vets in the area. The more people that know a bengal is missing, the better the chance of finding him if someone sees one.

Could he have been hit by a car? Attacked and severely injured by another outdoor male cat or large dog? There are so many dangers in the outside world. You are probably not in the US because most of us keep our bengals inside or walk them on a harness. Obviously there is something that has prevented Duke from returning home. I am so sorry! I hope he returns.

Hi Tanja

Think I've just shared your post to the Bengal Cat Helpline - Duke is a very handsome boy and I'm praying he's home with you soon xx

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK

Thanks Clare - great minds think alike as I messaged them this morning and they have posted the link to his page on the National Pet Register.

He must be out there somewhere. Can't believe he has just disappeared.

How long was Hendrix missing? It's getting harder and harder with each day that goes by and the not knowing is literally eating away at me.

x

Hendrix went missing 18 January 2016 and we got him home late on the 4th February 2016 following a phone call to Animal Search UK of a potential sighting. The dates are literally ingrained in my mind...

It was a nightmare time so I really do understand what you are going through. If you search through the posts in 'Discussion' there is a huge thread on there about it. There was some excellent advice from Fenstar on how to get your cat back and some happy ending stories as well - all of which helped to keep me going.

How is Daisy coping? Jagger was a state when I got home the day Hendrix went missing. It took a few days to even get him to eat. I had to get my mum to come and stay and look after him while I searched when I wasn't at work.

I take it you are in a pretty rural area? From speaking to people have you managed to get a feel for how far he roams, or where he likes to spend time to give you a starting point? I was surprised to learn how far my two went when I was looking for Hendrix. Now I know where they go anyway due to their Pod trackers, Jagger in particular roams quite a long way and he goes through phases of going to the same place every day for a few days and then changes location. But cats are creatures of habit so information like that could help in some way.

It may still be that he's got locked in somewhere and the owners are on holiday. Are any of your neighbours aware of anyone who went away around that time or anything?

I'm sure you've tried all these things, I just feel for you and wish I could help more! xx

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Clare
Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013)
Hampshire, UK