Sunday, February 1, 2015

missing one

My beautiful MK remains absent, with no sign of him anywhere. I've hung more posters around and every night I put out extra food for him just in case he comes home.

family portrait                            January 15, 2014

I've scoured the neighborhood looking for possible places he could be trapped. There are a few abandoned houses nearby that I wondered if he could have gotten trapped into, but after a thorough investigation, I didn't see any places where he could have made entry. 

MK, always ready to cuddle                           July 31, 2013
More recently, I've started searching bushes and hidey spots, places he might have crawled to if he was hit in the road and tried to drag himself to some cover. But again, no sign of him. Our local shelter is a kill-shelter, where animals get 72-hours to be claimed. So I've been scanning through the pictures of stray animals they have in custody, but looking through these pictures is heartbreaking. So many beautiful cats who's futures are uncertain.

June 9, 2013
I've not been able to get my mind off of MK. I keep checking the cameras throughout the day looking for some sign that he has returned. It doesn't take much for me to reconnect with the heartbreak all over again and the tears flow.

June 9, 2013
I think I remember reading somewhere that the average lifespan of an outdoor cat is about three years. I've had MK in my life for a little over three years. Sigh.

June 9, 2013
I can tell that both Pierre and Oliver miss him. Pierre and MK loved to cuddle and excitedly rub up against each other. With his cuddle buddy gone, Pierre is constantly trying to rub up against Oliver, who only tolerates it for a short time. Oliver gets his loves from me and doesn't rely on his kitty-family for physical affection. Pierre and MK relied mostly on each other for that affection with only occasional physical loves from their papa.

I captured this rare family portrait the other day - eight cats in one photo! Can you spot them all? The only cat missing out of this picture is MK.

Jan 29, 2015
With MK being gone almost two weeks, I'm really having a hard time holding onto hope. I've heard stories from others about cats returning after extended absences and those stories help. A friend's backyard feral cat, Little Mama, went missing the day after MK did, and she returned 8 days later.

If you all could help me hold onto hope, that would be greatly appreciated. I so appreciate all the warm thoughts and prayers you all have sent our way, your support and love means a lot to me - thank you.

15 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry about MK. It's hard when they are just gone and you don't know what happened. I lost my cat Emily like that and I still wonder about her many years later. Sending purrs, head butts and hugs. There is till hope!
    hugs,
    Linda

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  2. Am wishing and hoping that MK comes home soon. Dunno if you've ever tried this before...a pet communicator?

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  3. we are so sorry. the hardest part of loving these kitties is sometimes not being able to keep them home and safe. we certainly hope MK comes home. purrs

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  4. Purring and praying for you and MK.

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  5. I am so very sorry.. I hope against hope that he returns..

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  6. what if you should check out the high trees? in my country, these days a missing tom cat was found after 5 days in a very high tree, scared and hungry and so on. he is good now. he run away from home, but some dogs chased him and he rescued himself by climbing that tree, unable to get down though. the firemen tried to get to him and now he's back home. don't lose hope yet.

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  7. We're still hoping MK returns home safe, and are sending purrs to him and to you. But if that's not to be his fate, please be at peace knowing you have given him the best life possible. We'll say the same thing we did in a last comment, "let go and let god." Purrs and peace.

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  8. Never give up hope! I manage three different cat colonies, and if I had a dollar for every day a cat disappeared and then returned I'd be rich! (Well, not exactly rich but I'd have more money for cat food!) Our Midnight just returned after a 10 day hiatus (she disappeared for six months a year ago). Where they go and what they do remains a mystery. Sometimes I suspect that they meet other ferals and wander off on adventures. Other times, I suspect they find another food source or a good hunting ground.

    You have done due diligence by putting out fliers and checking abandoned houses and sheds. If you have snow in your area you might track paw prints around those buildings too. I'm sorry that your local shelter is a kill shelter. I guess the best thing to do is to make friends with the intake people and check every third day--just in case MK ends up being taken in. In the meantime, remember that the most valuable thing a feral has is their freedom.We try to remind ourselves of this when we play out all kinds of scenerios for our missing cats. Freedom to roam, along with food, water, and shelter (should they choose to use it) is the greatest gift we can give them. Hang in there, and, if it helps, remember that MK knows exactly where he is.

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  9. Have you checked Craigslist, there is a section for lost and found pets. I am praying that MK comes home safely. I did spot all the kitties in the photo :)

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  10. I had thought of a pet communicator before also but didn't know how you might feel about it. Do not give up hope, you know Marg's Animals? Her kitties are free roamers and some have come and gone in a few weeks or even months. So don't lose hope. I know it's hard very hard and I know how upsetting it is you and your wife. We will continue to pray for MK's safe return.

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  11. That is so very sad and we totally know that feeling.

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  12. We are still sending our purrs, barks, and prayers to you and MK! I have heard stories of and know a few people with outdoor cats who have disappeared for weeks and even months at a time before finally returning home. I know that you're already doing just about everything you can, which just shows how much you care for MK and how lucky he is to have you. Just keep checking in at the shelter and looking high and low for him. I once talked to a woman who told me that her cat went missing for almost a week, and she ultimately found him stuck beneath the shed in her very own backyard, hungry yet alive. So just keep searching for MK, near and far.

    There is no way of guessing MK's current situation, and for that exact reason there is no point in giving up on finding him. Please don't lose hope, because as one of my favorite quotes goes: "In all things it is better to hope than to despair."

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  13. I have not gotten notification of new pots so I missed replying to this in time. I will tell you truly; you have my hope and prayers that MK comes home. I know that pain you feel.

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  14. I am crying reading this....praying and praying that MK returns home safe and sound

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