# Cat under floorboards!



## fifitinkerbelle44 (Oct 13, 2017)

Yesterday, we adopted a beautiful black and white 2 year old male cat. When we first got him home, he was understandably a bit stressed and hid under my bed for a couple of hours. Later, we coaxed him out with a bowl of food, which he guzzled, then he was really affectionate, loving being stroked and fussed by the whole family, and purring loudly. He slept cuddled up on my bed last night.

He woke me up at 5am howling, so I fed him in a bowl in my bedroom, then when I went to the loo, he followed me. He then crawled into a gap in the wooden panelling around the bath.

5 minutes later, he came back out, then went in again. I figured he was asleep in there, and would come out when he was ready.

at 8.30am, my daughter went in the bathroom for a shower and said she had heard him miaowing under the bath.

By 11, he had still not emerged, so I got my husband to take off all the wood panelling around the bathtub.

The cat was not there! We then discovered there was a square shaped hole under the bath leading under the floorboards, and realised he must have crawled into it.

However, the bathroom window was open, and my daughter reckons he may have jumped out the window onto the porch roof and then down onto the ground and escaped.
We have been out looking for him, calling him and rattling food boxes, my husband has ripped up floorboards and shone a torch down there, but no sign of him. My husband says he isnt there! we have left food near the hole, and thoroughly searched the entire house, to no avail. he is quite a vocal cat, but we cant hear him miaowing. nothing, no scratching under the boards or anything. 

I am frantic. He is such a lovely cat, I cant bear to think of him all alone under the floorboards, or wandering the streets, lost. I dont know which is worse.

I have phoned the RSPCA for advice, and they said to cook some chicken and put it near the hole he crawled into, and that if hes not out tomorrow, phone again and they will send someone out.
I have just taken the chicken out of the oven, so fingers crossed.

Has anyone got any advice please? I am so worried and upset.


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

As he hasn't been with you for long he won't have anything to associate with home if he has escaped. He probably won't know you well enough to respond to being called either. Ring round vets to see if anyone has brought him in. Check with your local council in case he has been run over  Ask your neighbours if they will check sheds, garages or other outbuildings - and check your own. Put up posters in the area asking if anyone has seen him.
If he is still under the floor I would try something more aromatic than chicken - tinned sardines or tuna 
Wishing you the best of luck


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

I have no advice, just wanted to say I hope you find him soon.


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## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

I'm so sorry this has happened 
Any updates? x


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## fifitinkerbelle44 (Oct 13, 2017)

moggie14 said:


> I'm so sorry this has happened
> Any updates? x


I'm afraid not. I just feel so helpless, I keep wandering round the house looking for him. He must have got out, or he would have appeared by now. And he cant be trapped under the floor or else he would be miaowing. And if he was just hiding there, he would have come out for the chicken and tuna I put down.

I have phoned round all my local vets, left a description of him and my contact details. 2 of the receptionists I spoke to said its possible he may have gone back to his old home, even though its 3 miles away, so I messaged his previous owner. She says he is probably hiding in my house.

I have also put up a couple of posters in my street. Getting really upset and worried now, keep crying. He was such a lovely cat, and now I've lost him.


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## fifitinkerbelle44 (Oct 13, 2017)

fifitinkerbelle44 said:


> I'm afraid not. I just feel so helpless, I keep wandering round the house looking for him. He must have got out, or he would have appeared by now. And he cant be trapped under the floor or else he would be miaowing. And if he was just hiding there, he would have come out for the chicken and tuna I put down.
> 
> I have phoned round all my local vets, left a description of him and my contact details. 2 of the receptionists I spoke to said its possible he may have gone back to his old home, even though its 3 miles away, so I messaged his previous owner. She says he is probably hiding in my house.
> 
> I have also put up a couple of posters in my street. Getting really upset and worried now, keep crying. He was such a lovely cat, and now I've lost him.


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## Eilidh (Oct 2, 2017)

That's horrific, has the RSPCA been out yet?. I really hope you get him back. 


.


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## fifitinkerbelle44 (Oct 13, 2017)

He's back! he WAS under the floorboards. last night about 11pm, I heard him miaowing from under the bathroom floorboards, hubby immediately got to work ripping up floorboards with an electric saw, unfortunately damaging the bath in the process. We then went downstairs to wait for him to come out. By 1am, still nothing, so we went to bed.
I was then woken up at 3am by a loud howling, so I went into the bathroom, and he was there, popping his head up through the hole! shook a bag of Dreamies, and he leapt out. Gave him loads of cuddles, even though he was filthy and covered in cobwebs!

He then ran to his food bowl, which I filled to the brim, and he guzzled the lot, used the litter tray, then snuggled on the bed with me and fell asleep.

He woke me up at 5 though, running round and miaowing, so I took him downstairs to explore and meet my dog properly. They seem to be getting on alright. My dog likes cats, he lived with one til my last old boy passed away a couple of years ago.

He seems a bit tired and has spent a lot of today sleeping under the sofa in the conservatory.

Such a relief to have him back safe and sound. Cant say the same for the bathroom! hubby has done a patch-up job on the floor, but the bath has a hole in and is unusable. Fortunately, we all prefer showers. Worth all the damage though to get him out.


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Oh thank goodness! You must be so relieved! Make sure all holes are well blocked off now


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

Oh what a relief! 

So, so pleased to have signed on and seen this update


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## jill3 (Feb 18, 2009)

So glad you have got him back. What a performance. This little saga will have you laughing for years.


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## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

Oh thank God for that! Would love to see photos and hear more about him once he is settled. What's his name and where did you adopt him from? :Happy


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## Bertie'sMum (Mar 27, 2017)

Will you be stopping his pocket money to pay towards a new bath ?

and please can we have a photo of the little adventurer ? (with or without cobwebs, we don't mind !)


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## Honeys mum (Jan 11, 2013)

So pleased you have found him, you must be so relieved.


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## Eilidh (Oct 2, 2017)

What a relief, best news all night. So happy he's safe and sound now.


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## LJC675 (Apr 24, 2017)

Wow what brilliant news, not so much for the impromptu DIY. I bet you're so relieved. We love pics, can we see the gorgeous little trouble maker.

I do have a vision in my head of this huge pile of floorboards, bath smashed in two, the pair of you covered in dirt and dust, and his little head popping up in the middle of it all saying 'what's up, oh and any chance of dinner?'


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## Summercat (Oct 8, 2017)

Good news, post a pic of the little guy


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