Dad offers to cat sit for daughter, hides the fact that he lost the cat for 6 weeks.
"Pet sitter lost my cat and didn't tell me for weeks. Situation is driving me crazy."
tuberosegarden
I posted on here about a month ago about how my father lost my cat and didn’t tell me for 3 weeks. The story has developed into something much worse than what I was initially told.
I left for a trip in July and was supposed to be back at the end of summer. I trusted my dad to take care of my cat while I was away. This isn’t the first time he’s been a pet sitter for me as I left last summer for the same amount of time and there were no problems. He’s always liked the cat, ever since I was a kid.
The week before I come home, I call to ask about the cat and he tells me she went missing 3 weeks ago. Obviously this was horrible news and a betrayal. But the situation got so much worse. Apparently the initial story he told me wasn’t even the half of it. She was missing for 6 weeks before I found out.
I was able to track down the correct date of her disappearance, according to the day he initially downloaded and printed “lost cat” posters. I am only finding this out now after piecing how much of his story about how she disappeared had so many confusing and conflicting details.
For example, while I was away, I would ask him about my cat and request photos of her because I missed her. But after taking a closer look at the photos he sent me while I was away, they weren’t even photographs taken this summer.
I feel so stupid. I guess I just need to vent because the whole situation is driving me nuts and my family keeps blaming me, saying that if I was going to be this upset then I shouldn't have left at all.
And there’s just no one to talk to about this because any time I get upset or talk about this situation I’m told “she’s just a cat” and “she’s probably dead already”. It makes my search feel so useless. She’s been microchipped for years and I’ve put up signs everywhere and I’ve posted on every Facebook group and I go looking for her every night but still nothing.
I’ve talked to like 30 different vets and shelters asking if they’ve seen her and leaving a photograph with them and still no sign of her. This is just so insane. I feel like I’ve been fucked over so badly and I don’t even understand why I’m being lied to other than the pure carelessness and cowardice of my father.
I’ve had this cat since I was a young girl and the story of her disappearance makes me feel so guilty and sad and angry and is driving me crazy with how my family doesn’t care at all. I feel like a stranger to them. It’s like me being upset is just a nuisance. Any support will be greatly appreciated. I feel so awful right now.
Here were the top rated comments from readers:
sinna_fain
That was a really shitty thing of him to do and I'm so sorry. That was a huge betrayal of your trust and it's not ok that he didn't tell you. Cat's are really tough and resilient and there's always a chance that she turns up at a shelter or someone took her and doesn't watch pet pages for missing pets. I'm so sorry again.
letmereadpls_
It sounds like you have done/are doing all you can to find your cat. Like sinna_fain said, she could have been taken in by someone. Please take care of yourself, you don't want to burn yourself out.
I'm sorry that your family has minimized the seriousness of what happened. You can't control them and their reactions, but the majority of pet owners would be upset if they went through the same thing.
WeNeedAnApocalypse
So so sorry. I'm sure you're doing everything possible to find your cat and still feeling like it's not enough. Keep looking until you feel you can't anymore. I'm not trying to give false hope but I've read a few stories where cats have been reunited after being lost for months.
cockslavemel
When my cat went missing years ago someone told me something that really stuck with me.
Cats aren’t like dogs who get loose and run around like idiots. Cats are survivors and adapters. Don’t give up.
I never found my cat. But when he had only been missing a short time someone shared an unbelievable story with me that allows me to hold onto hope that my boy is alive out there even after these 6 years.
She said they had a lot of cats living out in the country, most were able to go outside. One day one of them didn’t come home. They searched and searched. He never turned up. They assumed the worst. 2 years later they were outside having a BBQ and the cat came trotting over the hill like he’d only been gone some hours, not years.
Go out at night. Softly call her name. Look in bushes, under porches, the darker and scarier, the more likely she will feel safe hiding there. Shake her food bowl or treat bag. Cats can travel far. Miles even.
One night go 7 blocks east, the next 7 blocks south, etc.. if someone comes to help, don’t split up too far from each other. Stay on the same street, just one of you take the left and the other take the right. If she hears her food and name from too many directions it could disorient her. I’m praying you find your baby. I am so so sorry your family has betrayed you in this way.
ultraprismic
I’m so sorry. That was really really cruel of him. You and your poor kitty deserved better.