St. Cloud, FL Lost Female Cat, Robin Is Missing

Facebook Community Response

Johanna F.

5 hours ago

Diana Ellis this is the door she escaped through

Johanna F.

5 hours ago

Diana Ellis

📷 View photo on Facebook

Johanna F.

5 hours ago

Diana do you want me to send you a picture of my back door? Bc you are not understanding what I have described

Diana E.

6 hours ago

Johanna Feller, that helps a lot. She's probably quite scared so it's unlikely as stranger could get close -- she won't even come to you -- but she may still return to her point of escape after dark when she feels it's safe to do so. Is the patio you mention screened in (I suspect not because she was able to get under the porch). Are you certain she could find her way out from under the porch without any difficulty? Are you sure she's not under the shed? If she departed the fenced yard, do you know how (is it easy to get over or under)? Forgive me if I repeat myself, but Facebook is not showing me our entire conversation, so I want to be sure I've covered all the bases. This is what I suggest: You're doing great, but I believe your search area is much too large -- if Robin isn't on your property, she's likely no farther than one home on any side. DURING THE DAYTIME, silently recheck these places with a flashlight -- it's not your intention to get her out from under anything at this point, just to identify where she is. DO NOT make any noise -- calling or shaking treats could scare her farther away. If she's not under the porch, your mobile home, or shed, you may want to crack open the fence gate in the event she got beyond the fence and can't find her way back in. AT DUSK you want to focus your efforts at the sliding glass door where she got out -- that's where you should expect her to return. Note: some mobile homes and raised foundations are easy places for a cat to hide, but difficult to find their way out of, so make sure to check using a powerful flashlight, your own home and those on either side and behind. Note: if you find her and she won't approach you voluntarily, leave her where she is, but make sure she has a way out and is not trapped. Let me know if this happens. AT DUSK, lay that familiar blanket on the doorstep in front of the sliding door along with a bowl of food. Call her softly from the doorway, then close the door and watch from inside (you can see better if the room is dimly lit). Remain indoors and I'm hopeful she will return on her own when she feels it's safe to approach. When you see her settle on the food, slowly and quietly open the door and she should dart inside. If she hesitates, leave the door cracked open and retreat inside, calling her softly. Please let me know how it goes.

Johanna F.

9 hours ago

Diana Ellis she was under our table in the dining room and got out the sliding glass door because one of my youngest left it open while taking recycling to the bin. Outside of the sliding glass door there is a small patio with chairs. We are a mobile home on a big plot. We have a shed, back yard and a fence. I tried to grab her but when she saw me coming she went under the porch. We tried to get her out but she went where we couldn't reach. So I left her be with food and she never came out while I was home. Being a mobile home there are multiple points that she could have exited out of on all sides. This was last Thursday, 6/11. We are on a big plot of land down a long dirty driveway that has vegetation and other buildings on it. Our area of Missouri ave is rural like the st. Cloud manor despite being in st cloud and have subdivisions all around us. After a while I had to stop waiting and searching because I had to take my kids to their appts. I still had my sister come by to look for me with no luck. I don't think she is on our property anymore. I have searched the property and neighborhoods around us to the point that I remember which house has an outdoor cat and which does not. I have asked neighbors that I know. Checked animal control. Went around looking like a mad woman on my ebike shaking her most loved cat treats. Went on foot through the vegetation bc Robin loves dark places. Looked in all structures on the property. When I say I tried what you suggested, I have followed them and re read the instructions you gave to make sure I didn't miss anything. Robin is a very loving cat who is very docile and low maintenance. It would not surprise me if another person snatched her up and kept her. She was once a stray to my area. So she does have some knowledge of our area. We have had her almost 2 years.

Diana E.

10 hours ago

Johanna Feller, do you know from which door Robin escaped (did you say -- I don't see it in this thread)? You only want to lure her back to that location and not confuse her by placing scented items in multiple places. When you say you would have cracked open the door -- which door are you referring to? I wouldn't necessarily recommend keeping a door open, as noise coming from inside the home could make Robin hesitate. If you can better describe the specific circumstances of her disappearance that may help decide the best way forward. Hang in there.

Johanna F.

11 hours ago

Diana Ellis we had 2 tshirts in dark colors that smelled like us (she loves to lay on dark colors) and blanket, by our back door with her food. Light on the porch like normal. Chairs as they were last time we saw her. I would have left the door cracked but in florida, anything can get in. I'll try finding a raccoon detergent but I worry about my other animals getting the marshmallows. I can def put dog food around.

Johanna F.

1 day ago

Diana Ellis I tried it and got a giant raccoon

Diana E.

1 day ago

Johanna Feller, were you able to try the strategy I shared and if so, did Robin return? If not, did you observe anything that may suggest why (stray cats, critters, or people outside after dark, noise or commotion, objects set in her path, etc.)? If you describe what happened overnight I can suggest what to do next. You may still be in the window of opportunity for Robin to come back on her own so something must be keeping her in hiding. If we can figure out what it is, you may have success with this technique before having to try something more complicated. Meanwhile, DURING THE DAYTIME alert nearby neighbors in case Robin is hiding just beyond your property (under a vehicle, outdoor furniture, shrubs, or in a garage, shed, or carport, etc.), then, if there’s time before dark and you can search SILENTLY without dislodging her from her hiding spot, focus your efforts close to home and tiptoe around in the daylight using a flashlight, but be quiet and discreet so as not to frighten her (shhh! DO NOT CALL or shake treats), check every crack and crevice, look in, under and around sheds, vehicles, furniture, under foundations and porches, into trees etc. but suspend searching when it gets dark to give her the chance to return voluntarily. Again, AT DUSK lay a familiar blanket or worn teeshirt flat on the doorstep where she escaped (DO NOT USE a litter box, bedding, trap or anything obvious -- it's there for scent only to give Robin the confidence to come out of hiding) along with a bowl of food (to calm her and hold her attention). Call her softly to provide a familiar sound and direction, then watch and listen closely from inside (DO NOT GO BACK OUTSIDE OVERNIGHT!) and if you see Robin approach and settle on the food be very careful not to startle her as you slowly and quietly provide a clear path back inside. If you can't wait up, set an alarm and watch again just before sunrise -- it's a popular time to return. Please let me know what happens tonight and if she's not back by morning, I'll provide more detailed instructions. I'm hopeful for some good news.

Kandace S.

2 days ago

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