Conference misery::feline_v1

    Janet,
    
    I'm not in the Nashua area but I do have some experience in this
    kind of situation. Last summer my cat Argus escaped when my house was
    broken into. Donna Dudley and I went door-to-door and distributed
    about 300 lost cat "posters". They included a picture of Argus and
    the word "REWARD" in big letters (that got the neighborhood kids
    interested in looking).  As it turned out, Argus came home by himself
    about 4 days later, but in walking around distributing these things,
    a couple of people had seen Argus (and he was even sighted that
    night in that area but we couldn't catch him). If nothing else,
    it set my mind at ease that at least I knew he was alive. People
    are pretty nice and understanding about it, and really do keep their
    eyes open for you. I even got several calls from people asking if
    he had come home yet.
    
    Please keep us posted,
    Deb

Sorry you're missing your cats and I really hope you get HOBO back...this
does not sound like coincidence to lose three cats so soon.  Maybe it is
a good idea not to let the one you have left out?  Someone may be stealing
them, but other worse things could be happening...I know none of us
want to think about what can happen, but UGLY things CAN happen.


		Good luck and I hope you find HOBO.

    In addition to talking to your neighbors as you've already done,
    you could put up posters (be sure to include a request for people
    to check places the cat could get accidentally shut in, like a
    garage/shed/basement). 
    
    I agree with .2 about keeping your remaining cat inside.  Even though
    I admit a bias towards keeping cats indoors, you have experienced
    an incredible loss rate which makes it seem that something unusual
    is happening.
    

    There isn't some place on your property that they could be getting
    trapped in, is there?  Something they can get into but not out of?
    Something nearby?
    

    Re: .1 - .4
    
    Thanks for responding.  We are going to distribute posters tonight
    when we get home from work.  Yes, I have checked all over my property,
    sheds, garage, basement and attic and will search the neighborhood
    for places Hobo could be trapped in.
    
    About keeping Patch in, I have tried but she just won't go for it.
    She is actually my daughter's cat.  My daughter has not been well
    lately.  She has 2 small children (4 yrs and 5 wks) and didn't feel
    she was giving Patch proper attention so I volunteered to keep her
    for a while.  I kept her in the house the first 2 weeks I had her,
    but she screamed so that I felt I was torturing her.  She spent
    most of her time outside when she lived with my daughter and now
    she prefers to be out, coming in only to eat, be cuddled for awhile
    and take a nap.  I won't let her out at night, though, and she wakes
    me up every couple of hours. This morning, after being woken up
    at 1:00 and 3:30 AM, I finally let her out at 5:15.  She hates the
    litter box and won't use it.  Maybe that's why, or maybe she feels
    lost without Hobo.
    
    I'll let you know if I have any news on Hobo.  We miss him so much,
    I just want him to come home.
    
    Thanks for caring.
    
    Janet
    

    Do you have a neighbor that just doesn't like cats, and instead
    of saying something to you he takes the situation into his own hands?
    
    Many years ago when my mom's cat was young, he got caught in a squirrel
    trap for about 3 days.  Those traps are supposed to be checked every
    24 hours, but apparently this one wasn't.  We found Sam (who was
    fine, just ticked off at the confinement) and my mom found out who
    owned the trap and eventually gave him hell (after she and another
    neighbor disposed of the trap).
    
    I agree with the other respones that this sounds too much like a
    coincidence.  Perhaps the local humane society should be made aware
    of this in case it's happening to other pet owners.
    
    Good luck in finding Hobo.  Keep us informed whether he comes home
    or not.
    
    Mary
    
    

    
    
    	A friend of mine just got her lost cat back in the Nashua Area.
    This cat was missing one week.  He was locked in a neighbors basement.
    The cat got in on it's own, but couldn't get back out.  She also
    put up posters and asked all the neighbors.  This was an indoor
    only cat that skooted-out the door when someone was leaving.  We
    were all relieved when "Ashes" came home.  I hope Hobo makes it
    home too!  Please check every garage,basement/shed in the neighborhood.
    

    We got a call from a woman responding to our newspaper ad last night.
    She said a cat fitting Hobo's description had been living in the
    woods behind her house for about a week.  Of course we went right
    down, but it was late (10:30) and we couldn't see much.  Went back
    this morning but didn't have much time before work.  My husband
    is going back today. The woman said she would watch for him
    and try to coax him into her house and would call us.
    
    I sure do hope it's my Hobo!
    
    Janet
    

    
    OOhh I really hope its your Hobo!!!!  I'll keep my fingers crossed
    for you and your family.  
    
    I have to admit the same thing crossed my mind.  As I have had a
    stray that's adopted us I have been watching the lost and found
    very closely in the Nashua Telegraph.  I've picked up on a nasty
    looking trend.  With your ad for Hobo was another lost Maine Coon
    kitten, and about a week ago was a Himmy.  I find it kind of curious
    how it seems to be the pure breds straying from home?  I don't know
    but I sure hope there's nothing like that going on.  
    
    If this isn't Hobo (but god I hope it is!!!) me and my husband would
    be happy to help in any way.  
    
                                                    Hoping,
                                                               kim
    b

    RE: .8
    
    GREAT!  This sounds really promising!  I have been watching this
    notes, hoping that hobo would come home.  
    
    Tabbatha, Silver, and I will keep our fingers (and toes) crossed.
    
    Holly
    

    
    Any news on Hobo?  I've been holding my breath can I let it out
    yet??  :^)
    
                                                           Kim
    
    ps.  do you need any help with anything?

    Unfortunately, I don't have any news.  We have had a lot of people
    respond to our ad, but no Hobo.  We keep returning to where the
    cat fitting Hobo's description was spotted.  The last time the woman
    called us, the cat was in her yard.  We went right down and were
    there within 5 mins. of the call, but he was gone again.  That was
    Tuesday.
    
    Hobo's been gone 2 weeks today, but I haven't given up hope that
    he will come home or that we will find him.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Janet
    

    Please update on HOBO.  I hope he's come home by now.
    
    Ande

    No, Hobo hasn't come home yet.  We keep driving through the area
    where the cat fitting his description was spotted.  About a week
    ago we saw him.  He was in a field behind some houses at the edge
    of a wooded area.  We got out of the car and called to him.  He
    looked right up at us.  We started toward him and he took off through
    the woods.
     
    My husband search the woods, calling him over and over for about
    an hour while I stood in the field at the edge of the woods hoping
    he would come out.  We never did get close enough to know for sure
    that it was Hobo, but from a distance it sure looked like him. 
    But if it was, why didn't he come to us when we called him?
    
    It's still the best lead we have and we will continue to look...and
    hope...and pray.
    
    Janet
      

    re: -.1
    
    Unfortunately, when a cat is missing for some time they seem to
    temporarily forget their real owners.  Some friends were missing
    a Siamese for 3 weeks.  A neighbor finally found him, caught him,
    and called the owners.  When they picked him up he didn't remember
    either of the owners or his sister!  It took several days before
    he seemed to recall that this was the proper life for him, and it
    was at least a week or two before he was completely back to normal.
    
    So don't lose hope.  If you can catch him, and it is your cat, he
    will remember you with time.  But he is unlikely to come when called
    because he has had to survive on his own for awhile and probably
    can't remember the good life.
    
    Good luck,
    Karen, Tristan, and Tenzing

    
    
    PLEASE!!
    
    HAVE YOU FOUND HIM?
    
    Yes, I do mean to shout.... there's too many lost cat notes with
    no ending.  You end up getting involved in the 'story' and concerned
    for the cat and never know whether they're back safe at home again.
    
    Jo 
    Reading, UK.
    
    P.S. I do hope he is back by now....  :-(