3 missing cats same area over 1 weekend

ILIKEFOOD

Strange thing happened where I live recently. 3 cats from 3 households in the same area went missing. Gone over a week now. I'm very fond of one of them so I'm very disturbed by this. None are mine. This ever happen to anyone else? There was no event that could have disturbed them and caused them to run away. I'm pretty cynical and believe this was caused by a human.

New Home

I'd report them to the ISPCA, they have an animal cruelty section.

magicbastarder

My wife's cat and the next door neighbour's cat went missing the same weekend about 12 years ago, and this time of year too IIRC. I remember at the time she was told they might have been taken by a farmer looking for mousers as the grain was coming in from the harvest. We saw the neighbour's cat - which had never shown any inclination to wander more than 100m from the house - about 5km away a couple of years later.

The houses at the time were on the edge of Ashbourne, new build estate backing onto countryside.

whisky_galore

Bit of a stretch there blaming a farmer, it's not like they're going to give up being a mollycoddled house cat to be 'catnapped' into become a farm cat and actually stick around. The very idea of a farmer running around after cats is laughable when people give them away for free.

They come and go for all sorts of reasons, maybe they get a better deal, a mate or territory, maybe they get lost. Taken or killed by dogs or foxes, accidents, illness, who knows? Maybe consider that before blaming the kids are getting into black magic or moral panic nonsense without any actual evidence.

spakman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119441207#Comment_119441207

What cruelty occurred?

ILIKEFOOD

Sorry I should clarify.. all owners are looking for them so no idea who if anyone did anything or took them..it's just very unusual for 3 from the same estate to vanish. None of them are pedigree or even close.

New Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119441338#Comment_119441338

You can report suspected cruelty, too, where you fear for the welfare of an animal. Three cats disappearing from the same area in such a short space of time could easily indicate that someone is dispatching them, especially if (and I don't know that they were) they were neutered/spayed.

Deeec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058257799/3-missing-cats-same-area-over-1-weekend

I once had a cat that went missing for 6 weeks and suddenly returned. Its not unusual for cats to ramble.

Cats are good at finding food sources elsewhere - they are not as loyal to their owners as dogs. There is still plenty of time for the cats to return.

New Home

Cats are good at finding food sources elsewhere - they are not as loyal to their owners as dogs

I wish people would stop saying these things, they're just not true. It depends a lot on whether the cats were indoors or outdoors ones, whether they were taught to hunt as kittens and lots of other things. Ditto for the loyalty part - it all depends on how they've been interacted with. I can't get out of a room without my cats following me.

The fact that they roam and can come back is accurate enough, provided no harm has come to them. But dogs can roam, too, if allowed.

StevenToast

Sounds like there could be a.....

cat burglar......

Manach

Foxes perhaps?

Although this is very rare and the local ones have never to my knowledge attacked any of my cats.

Still stihl waters 3

Could be someone with a .22 as well, happens around here with a local lad, any cat he sees gets aimed at, he doesn't always hit them but he takes a few in the year

New Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119443103#Comment_119443103

And that would fall under the "cruelty" category.

dePeatrick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119443094#Comment_119443094

Very rare for a fox to kill a cat, Minks maybe.

whisky_galore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119443103#Comment_119443103

A gun isnt exactly quiet, people should hear shots from a distance off. Otherwise we're running after imaginary people with silent guns and wasting the ISPCA's time.

wotzgoingon

<snip>

Quit it with the lazy stereotyping please.

Thanks,

DBB

New Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119443186#Comment_119443186

People trap them, too - I don't want to get into what ways people can harm animals, but I would say that a number of cats disappearing together from a specific area represent a pattern.

Throwing my chapeau into the ring with the other Clouseaus. If they’re gone they’ve been trapped and removed. Poisoning or shooting would mean carcass would be found.

Look at the neighbours: any very house proud? Any big well done garden or lawns? Any one with lots of bird feeders? Suspect them first! Did they get deliveries in the past few weeks from couriers? The net is closing! Did you notice them driving off with large box carried out? Maybe even a suitcase and returning later? That’s them!!! Avengers assemble!

pawrick

Check with the local animal rescue. I've known a few who do tnr in areas where there might be cat colonies so generally they will try to trap as many as possible before moving to the next area and if a cat is caught in a trap and isn't wearing a collar or chipped it could get picked up for spaying/neutering and be released in a few days time when recovered but might be spooked and not go directly home.

Also someone in the area may be feeding them nicer food and giving them more attention so they decided to hang around there instead. It's not always a bad outcome for missing cats.

GSBellew

Similar happened at my parents about 10 years ago, all the kittens of one litter disappeared one by one, half of each kitten was found a week or so later, cut cleanly in half, no blood on the kittens fur, organs had been cleanly removed.

They are in open countryside, hundreds of Meters to other houses, but the remains all appeared close by in easily found spots without them looking.

There are some sick people out there unfortunately.

whisky_galore

If people value their cats, maybe they should keep them indoors, but they probably won't do that.

ILIKEFOOD

there is some farm land about so perhaps the cats were causing hassle, what kind of hassle would that be I wonder..but also alot of houses around too including one with a doggo who gets very stressed at the sight of cats but i just cant see the owner taking some kind of extreme action.

A different conversation but i know some people really have issues with cats... or dogs or whatever and might do something.. but its beyond my comprehension how someone would get so pissed off that they would take some kind of action. I used to live close to a guy who had very loud exotic birds.. my god.. they were a pain in the arse

I hope they've all just gone wandering and will show up in time but it seems like thats not what has happened, perhaps the warm weather has kept them out...

a mystery!

ILIKEFOOD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119443481#Comment_119443481

as someone who had 2 cats I just couldnt keep them in, its a risk for sure, but non-house cats just have to get out.. it's their nature. (as all animals I suppose but hey)

whisky_galore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119444040#Comment_119444040

I have no problem with a farmer shooting a roaming dog, after witnessing what a cute 'doggo' can do to a defenceless sheep.

If you have free roaming cats, you should not be surprised if they go missing. That's on you, the owner.

ILIKEFOOD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119444136#Comment_119444136

Yeah I suppose its not so easy as I think.. in this case it would be warranted.. if a cat pissing on the neighbours prized roses was driving that person demented with rage I'd keep the cat in. Thats just me though, I'd hate it but I'd do it. I'd expect a coversation before some some drastic action was taken though... owner letting cat roam vs someone disappearing them without warning.. I'd call out the person 'disappearing' the cat first.. that's a rotten thing to do..Ive no idea if the missing cats were causing hassle for someone

FlubberJones

I would be wandering around in the evening and maybe the morning to ensure they are not lost in the area,

And a call to the Animal protection people would be warranted to log the issue.

gypsy79

Coyote probably

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119443224#Comment_119443224

Are there many feral cats in your area? Is it possible they may have been trapped as part of a Trap / Neuter / Release programme by an animal charity?

Optimistic maybe, but I would check local rescues / cat charitys to see if this is going on in your area.

I'm sure pet cats that are already neutered have been caught up in these before!

Also check with local vets, for any injured cats that may have been brought in.

Are the cats microchipped? Very important to have cats chipped, if they are allowed outside.

Furze99

If you keep cats, you just have to accept that if they are allowed to live a normal cat life, that they'll come & go. Had cats for many years, some for near a decade and others gone within anything from a couple of months to a year or two and more.

ILIKEFOOD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119444273#Comment_119444273

I think all those avenues have been explored (not my cats) - haven't noticed any feral cats around to be honest. They are all chipped. Where's Ace Ventura when you need him!?

Igotadose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119444213#Comment_119444213

Not in Ireland. Unless the cats got into a zoo.

Car/dog/foxes most likely