my kitty Belladonna has gone missing

[magical thyme]

I brought her home from the shelter on the day after Christmas. My prior kitty, Pollyanna, died of old age and complications liver disease, on Christmas day while I was at work. When I took her canned food to the shelter to donate, I brought home Bella. Both of them had been at the shelter for a year. Polly because she was plain, sickly with undiagnosed liver disease and unhappy. She became very happy and affectionate, and avoided any major illnesses (other than the ongoing liver issues) once she had a home. Bella because she was "too independent."

Bella is a beautiful dilute calico with a white face and pure gold eyes. She is everything Polly was not: healthy, athletic, strong, playful and flirtatious. She stayed mostly inside the barn over the winter, but as the weather has gotten better, she took to coming out at night. She had a couple overnight walkabouts, but always has returned by the next afternoon.

Last Thursday morning she was in the barn, sleeping under my horse Dahli, when the vet came to give Dahli her spring vax. Gave us all a laugh. That afternoon when I fed lunch, she was in her fave hang out on the rafters looking down on us.

When I fed dinner Thursday pm, she had gone on a walkabout. I had a bad feeling about it. She hasn't returned, but until last night the weather has been good. Last night we had a good downpour and this morning it is raining. I was hoping to find a damp kitty sleeping in her haystack this morning, but her food is still untouched and no kitty in sight.

Coyotes passed through a week or so ago, but she probably could escape them. Unfortunately, we also have fischer cats.

[In_The_Wind]

1. Awww! I hope Bella shows up this morning!

[Helen Reddy]

2. Oh My!

Please keep us updated on your Bella.

Hoping for a joyous reunion!

[Loryn]

3. Hoping Bella makes it home safely.

She may have found a dry place to hang & is waiting out the rain.

[talkingmime]

4. We lost one about 16 years ago and I'm pretty sure it was to a coyote.

I spent a year looking for him with posters all over the place, but I'd seen a coyote dead on the side of the road the day after he went missing. I just couldn't tell my daughter that's what I thought had happened to her cat. She was only three.

I've had cats go missing for days or weeks at a time and all except for him came home eventually. Sometimes people take them in as strays and it takes a while for the cat to escape and come home. Keep your hopes up. They all know where home is.

[Flaxbee]

5. hoping your baby Belladonna comes back to you soon.

Just keep calling for her.

[riderinthestorm]

6. Aww damn. So sorry to hear that. Here's hoping Belladonna is safe somewhere else

at a neighboring farm.

It sucks when the coyotes are close and you can't find the best barn kitty...

[Tuesday Afternoon]

7. magical thyme:

did you post about this on Friday? i had been looking for the thread, hoping for an update. I lit a candle for Belladonna and burned it all evening ...

so sorry ... this isn't looking good but, cats do find ways ...

[magical thyme]

8. I posted it in ASAH on Thursday

I saw your candle...thank you.

A coworker told me tonight about a cat of hers that left and returned 6 months later once. And then left again and returned 2 years later. Then left a 3rd time and never returned.

I found her picture in the shelter archives, so will make posters to put around, and also am going to ask animal control, local vets and the shelters to keep an eye out, jic.