Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have my tale about this situation. A puppy we adopted in 1970 (our first family pet), was lost. My late Dad was gardening in our backyard one afternoon and inattentively left the yard gate open. On the other side of the gate was a vast open field, overgrown with weeds, etc.
Our dog (close to losing her sight now, as she was frail, near the end of her life and 16 years old at the time) wandered out into the field and we never saw her again. As soon as we were aware of what happened (maybe 20 minutes elapsed), we all went out into the field and searched for her, to no avail.
When morning came the following day, we resumed the search all morning and afternoon, but could never locate her.
We grew up with her as children, as teenagers and as college students. Many precious memories with her over those years.
We grieved for years after that. We still look at photos of her and relive those memories of times past.
Your story just kills me. I don’t know how people go on when a pet just vanishes. But I suppose one must, so there’s really no other choice but to continue.
Still, my heart breaks for you.
My family had a similar situation happen when my brother and I were young. We were traveling from FL to CT and were stopped at a rest stop. We came back to the truck to find my brother’s dog, Towtruck, gone. We looked and called for him for about 30 minutes but were hauling horses, so we had to leave. I still remember seeing my older brother crying and devastated and I still think about Towtruck and ache wondering what happened to him.
I’m so sorry about your brother’s dog “Towtruck.” That is heartbreaking, for sure.
The hardest part in these situations is not receiving “closure” and not knowing what the fate of our cherished pets were. That was the toughest part for us. Our dog was lost nearly 38 years ago (July/August 1986, if my memory is correct) and it still feels fresh in my memory. Every time I read or hear such a story (your post, for example), my memory is rekindled back to the summer of 1986.
I know that all of our lost pets are in a better place now. Not suffering, not in pain or agony, living happily. One day, we will meet again on the “journey of life.”
Quote:
Originally Posted by StarlaJane
Your story just kills me. I don’t know how people go on when a pet just vanishes. But I suppose one must, so there’s really no other choice but to continue.
Still, my heart breaks for you.
My family had a similar situation happen when my brother and I were young. We were traveling from FL to CT and were stopped at a rest stop. We came back to the truck to find my brother’s dog, Towtruck, gone. We looked and called for him for about 30 minutes but were hauling horses, so we had to leave. I still remember seeing my older brother crying and devastated and I still think about Towtruck and ache wondering what happened to him.
My local social media feed is little more than missing cat after missing cat after missing cat these days. You can almost here the strains of "Born Free" in the background as they rationalize why they're letting their pets roam the neighborhood. I guess if you're going to take that chance, you should be prepared for the eventual probability that your pet will mysteriously disappear, and that you'll never know why.
Last edited by Metlakatla; 04-06-2024 at 01:52 PM..
My local social media feed is little more than missing cat after missing cat after missing cat these days. You can almost here the strains of "Born Free" in the background as they rationalize why they're letting their pets roam the neighborhood. I guess if you're going to take that chance, you should be prepared for the eventual probability that your pet will mysteriously disappear, and that you'll never know why.
Metlakatla, this thread is not about the debate re: indoor only vs. indoor/outdoor cats. It’s for people who have had pets who have vanished.
There's no "debating" that outdoor cats "vanish" much more often than their indoor counterparts; it's just a fact. And yes, I had one that "vanished." That's all.
Last edited by Metlakatla; 04-07-2024 at 09:18 PM..
The hardest part in these situations is not receiving “closure” and not knowing what the fate of our cherished pets were.
Would you really want to know, or have some kind of proof? After enough time has passed, like several weeks or months, reality sets in that nature probably took its course.
I actively looked for my cat for two weeks before accepting his demise, and stopped walking around the area looking for him because finding any remains or tufts of orange fur would have been that much harder for me. I suspect coyotes got him.
Would you really want to know, or have some kind of proof? After enough time has passed, like several weeks or months, reality sets in that nature probably took its course.
I actively looked for my cat for two weeks before accepting his demise, and stopped walking around the area looking for him because finding any remains or tufts of orange fur would have been that much harder for me. I suspect coyotes got him.
Yes, I would. Otherwise, there’s no closure and you just keep hoping and/or waiting indefinitely.
I’m glad I kept looking for my cat, though, as I found her after 3 1/2 weeks. But I understand why you gave up. Not only is it exhausting but it’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Certainly, everyone who experiences such a loss handles the situation differently. I would prefer closure, just so that I know. In regards to our dog from 1986, she was quite old and getting weak, we guess she likely just “perished” out in the field she wandered out to and her remains were obstructed by the tall weeds. It’s agonizing to think about it.
These days, my wife and I own cats. For their safety, we keep them indoors exclusively.
Quote:
Originally Posted by heavymind
Would you really want to know, or have some kind of proof? After enough time has passed, like several weeks or months, reality sets in that nature probably took its course.
I actively looked for my cat for two weeks before accepting his demise, and stopped walking around the area looking for him because finding any remains or tufts of orange fur would have been that much harder for me. I suspect coyotes got him.
Last edited by ccm123; 04-08-2024 at 04:10 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
just saw this thread
