My cat has disappeared for 5 days now...what can i tell my son?

I dont know if i should tell him that the cat is dead, or to wait and see if he comes back.


he has never run away before, and is a very home based cat. I have called the vets, and no body has handed him in. I have had the whole neighbourhood checking their garden sheds etc, but he hasnt been found, and no-one has seen him.


My son, who is 8, keeps asking where he is, and if he is dead, as they were VERY close, but i dont know what to say to him, is is really upset, and wont stop crying, and waiting at the window in case he comes back!


What else should i do about finding the cat..and what can i tell my son?


any help is appreciated!

My cat has disappeared for 5 days now...what can i tell my son?
I wouldn't tell you son it died. I would tell him the truth. He's going to be upset no matter what...there's no way around that. Tell him the cat ran away and that you don't know if he'll be back or not, but that you (you ANDyour son, so he can feel involved and proactive about the situation) are going to do your very best to locate him. Tell him that sometimes cats just run away, and assure him it's not because the cat didn't like him or wasn't happy.





Not much you can do other than continue what you've been doing and to also check the "found" ads in the paper and toperiodically check with all the shelters and vets in your area. Good luck
Reply:Probably best to say the cat has gone. He will get over it eventually, as sad as it may be.





Or maybe you could treat your son to a kitten.
Reply:Tell him your cat's gone to Cat Heaven.
Reply:tell him he went on a vision quest...
Reply:tell him he went on vacation...but that sometimes thats what pets do because theyre used to being in the wild...so they roam outside, and maybe he will come back, but if he doesnt-that that cat loved him very much and will miss him as his friend. maybe you could get another cat, and say that the new cat and old one are old buddies...u know, just be creative if u dont wanna tell the truth.
Reply:Tell him the truth, but not the heartless truth like hes: lost dead, runover, missing us etc. The cat has disapeared, sometimes cats just wander off,


The reality of the situation is that you dont know if the cat will turn up ,or not. You cant presume anything. Buyin an identical cat is a stupid thing. Children have to learn to deal with loss, but that doesnt mean you have to be nasty about it, just sit him down and say the cat has wandered off, if he doesnt return youll get another one(if thats what your prepaed to do) and he could he choose it(perhaps).


children know lying.





When i was small i woke up to find the bird had died. To me it was simple, i was sad for the bird but i understood it was dead- thats the nature of things. My parents went through some big bull story about 'gone to a better place' , ' put him in a box with kleenex to keep him warm at night..'...


I couldnt understand why they would wrap up the bird when hes dead and it confused the hell out of me why a dead bird would suffer the cold at night . I would have been quite happy with the bird died of old age and we will bury im in the garden.. not all the lardi-darr that went with it!.





Maybe your son is upset because he doesnt understand what has happened and your worry is only making him more worked up.
Reply:Before you tell your son that his cat is dead, enlist his help in luring the cat back home. Take something that the cat has slept on (blanket, bed, shirt, etc) and hang it on something outside (shrub, fence, clothesline, etc) where the breeze/wind can carry the scent on the air currents. The cat, if he's ok, and still somewhere in the vicinity, will follow his own scent back home. If he's not a neutered male, he's probably on the scent of an "in heat" female, and won't bother to come home til he's satified!! Hope this works for you.....Good luck.
Reply:I have heard of cats returning weeks after they have been missing. Any number of things could have happened. For one, the cat could have been scared by something and ran off to hide, and has lost his bearings. I wouldn't give up hope just yet but it's a good idea to put up posters (enlist your son's help). I think it's best to tell him the truth, at least that is what I would do. If he does come back, a good idea might be to get him microchipped (or do so with your next kitty). Best of luck.
Reply:Just be honest, cats disappear from time to time, he may come back, he may not. Generally they have a very good sense of direction so they don't often just get lost. But if the cat is unneutered he may just be having a wander about which they do sometimes. 10 days is the longest I had one missing for which came back, but with a cat, you never can tell.
Reply:Tell them the cat is on holiday and if he/she does not come back tell them they have left for good.





However wait a while longer if you can cats have a mind of their own.
Reply:Dont worry to much we have 2 cats 1 of them went missing for 5 weeks and just turned up out of the blue cats will always find their way home so dont worry dont tell your son the cats dead as he or she will turn up believe me, Goodluck.
Reply:I would be as honest as I had to be. There's no need to lie but there's no need to go into gory scenarios either. This is as much a mystery to you as it is to your young fellow. He already knows the cat is missing. You could go so far as to say that you don't know if it's coming back but you have your doubts. Don't go into details.





So sorry, I've had one pet who disappeared and I always wondered what happened to him. I have my theories but there's no sense in torturing myself. I don't let my cats out at all now.
Reply:My cat went missing once for a whole week... turned out it was stuck under some floor boards at a nearby house that was having work carried out on it. Check to see if any of your neighbours near you are carrying out construction, the cat may have got stuck somewhere.
Reply:My sons cat ran away and didn't come back during the summer last year. I told him that sometimes they do that, he/she might or might not come back but we will keep looking, and have everyone else keep looking. That they may be lost and we just cant find them because they hide sometimes and we cant see them because there so scared or they just don't know what to do. When his 4 year old Guinea Pig died last month, I told him when he came home from school (my son is 6) and he started crying saying that he was going to miss her, I told him I was going to miss her too, but pets die just like people ,they just don't live as long. We had a little funeral for her and we both cried and he was over it with in a few days. Whatever you do sit down and explain that these things sometimes happen, and the idea of offering him the new kitty is a good one, ask him if it will make him feel a little better to have a new one that he can show off to his friends and family. Tell him that in a few days/weeks that if you want we can get a new kitty, that way it doesnt necessarily replace his long time friend, but it may heal the pain some. In a BAD way this is a good experience. It teaches about death (if it were the case) and how to cope, not that you can get a new family member at the store or out of a newspaper. But it prepares him for what may or may not happen in the future. Good luck, and I hope you find your kitty.
Reply:Why don't you just tell him the truth. The cat ran away and your not sure if he's coming back. He might be upset at first but maybe if you get him a new cat he won't be so upset anymore.
Reply:I am sorry for you as I know how hard it is to explain these things to a child. Cats have minds of there own and can quite often go of and come back ages later. Also if they find someone else who will feed and look after them they wont think twice about going. I dont think you should tell him the cat is dead as hopefully it isent and may turn up at any time. Prehaps you should explain that the cat has gone on holiday or something or that its possibly lost and someone would be looking after it till it can find the way home.
Reply:tell him that he ran away and you don;t know if he will come back.





my cat recently went missing a mile and half away. she was found and we got her back





and my friends cat went missing for 11 months.. say you're not sure if he will come back but she might do.. and thats the truth anyway
Reply:Well I know I am only 11yrs. .but I know how he feels when my cat goes missing I cry my self to sleep.


You should tell him that the cat is gone. And do not give up looking for him email me at sportzchick4lyfe@yahoo.com


And tell me what the cat looks like I voluteer for looking for cats and tell me city and state zipcode to. And I might be able to help
Reply:Just a stupid answer from the movie 'Meet the Fockers' - why don't you buy a cat that the colour is exactly the same! he may not see the difference, and also a new start for both of you to cheer you up, since i am sure you are upset as him why the cat left!
Reply:its disappeared !
Reply:Tell him that kitty has gone on holiday for a while. Maybe if she doens't come back tell him that kitty decided she liked it alot there so she wont be home now.





Make sure he knows that kitty is having fun and is missing you so much. But she cant come back, maybe she missed her flight or something? And there are no more planes going there for many many years.





If it is male cat, it has probably gone away to die, as many males prefere to do this. but you never now. My cat goes away for many days at a time but he comes home still. - i just think he has a second home though :) ..





I hope it all goes well with your child.


Good luck
Reply:just tell him the truth
Reply:shes gone to heaven?


and if she comes back say shes back from her holiday





my cat was missing for 3 days but it came back so good luck
Reply:Well, one day he has to learn all living things die, doesn't he?





You can't cotton-wool everything the BOY experiences- or you'll turn him into a pansy.


Pets are for teaching children about life, love and loss. Tell him it's passed on and you'll get a new pet soon.


Sure he'll cry- but he'll recover. He has to be exposed to loss for his own mental well-being- loss after all is an unfortunate reality.
Reply:Tell him the truth and promise that if he doesn't come back you will let him pick out a new kitty and that you promise that kitty will never go outside and be in danger.





Cats outside can be kidnapped for scientific testing, for their fur or just cause someone wanted a cat that color.


It is a dangerous world and an outdoor cat has a life span of 2 to5 years.





Hope your kitty comes home but by 5 days it starts looking bad.
Reply:Put up some signs around the neighborhood letting everyone know that a cat is missing. Put a picture up and your phone number/address.





Keep searching, i wouldn't give up yet, cats are very smart and they can live off of things they find.





If after searching to the best of your ability you are sure the cat is dead than tell your son. As of now tell your son that he is lost and we are searching for him. Later, just carefully explain to him what happened. Tell him he's in a better place. It will be hard for him but he will eventually get over it.





Good luck and I hope you find your cat.
Reply:Well, he may actually come home... but if he doesn't I hope you learned your lesson about keeping your cat INSIDE!... this is why when people adopt cats, they say they are STRICLY indoor animals!... Cats do not belong outside.. they get hit by cars, abused by stupid kids, stolen, pick up diseases, get in cat fights, etc.... Wouldn't it be much nicer, to just keep your cat indoors, and know that he is safe?? I hope your cat does come home, and I also hope your cat is fixed.. if not, your cat is probabaly making babies somewhere.





Hope you find him.
Reply:I think you should tell him the truth, that he has gone away and might not be coming back. I know it's harsh but at 8 years old he should understand these things. It is very upsetting I know, my dog had to be put to sleep when I was 8 and because I was so close to her my parents asked me to make the tough choice- I understood very well at the age of 8 what was happening etc. I think it is best policy to be honest.


Have hope though, as my cat was gone for 5 days last Christmas, he looked shaken up when he got back but he is fine now. He is neutered but still goes away sometimes for up to 2 or 3 days.
Reply:dont tell him just buy the same cat.he will never know the difference
Reply:Tell him that he is a superhero who had to go on a secret mission. Tell him that to help the cat out, he needs to think good thoughts.
Reply:Tell him the cat has gone on holiday and then if he doesn't come back explain that he enjoyed it so much on the big farm he went to stay at he asked if he could stay a bit longer. Then if you want another cat purchase another one and tell your son that your old cat sent his brother/sister as a replacement so he wouldn't get lonely.

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