Lost cat: Tabby and white cat called Billy - Hornsey area, Haringey

This report is now closed.

Please see the comments below for more information.

LOST

Billy

Name:	Billy
Breed & Species:	Domestic short-haired cat
Colour:	Tabby and white
SimpleColour:
Went missing:	3 years ago (15 October 2020 at around 17:00hrs)
Location:	Shaftesbury Road, London N19 4QW, UK
Health:	Healthy
Age:	11 years old (approx)
Sex:	Neutered Male
Collar:	No
Microchipped:	Yes
Markings:	Has tiny white tip on end of tail.Has ‘tea stain’ tabby non white marking unde chin marking under chin
Circumstances:	He went out after I put out his evening meal as he sometimes needs to do this before eating but has not returned to eat it . On a previous occasion about 2 weeks ago he went missing around lunchtime but returned in the early hours of the morning. He smelt of hessian soI wondered if he had got shut in a shed.However this time at 2.40 pm on 16.10 he has not returned.
Other info:	Has long legs.Is curious but also nervous. Can bite if excited.has very high pinched miaow.Has peridot coloured eyes ( yellowish & light green).
Our ref:	PR67017
Posted on:	16 October 2020
Posted by:	BolamPhyllida

Shaftesbury Road, London N19 4QW, UK

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petsreunited

16 October 2020 at 13:46

Missing pet report received on Pets Reunited.

petsreunited

16 October 2020 at 13:47

Report is now online.

petsreunited

16 October 2020 at 13:47

Report added to PetWatch™ alert dispatch queue.

petsreunited

16 October 2020 at 13:47

Report added to alert dispatch queue for local Vets and Rescue Centres around Hornsey, Haringey, Greater London.

petsreunited

16 October 2020 at 13:47

'Missing Pet' poster and flyer created

petsreunited

16 October 2020 at 13:47

PetWatch™ follow up reminder scheduled for 23 October 2020

petsreunited

16 October 2020 at 13:47

Local Vets and Rescue Centres reminder scheduled for 23 October 2020

petsreunited

16 October 2020 at 14:38

Report dispatched via email to local Vets and Rescue Centres.

petsreunited

16 October 2020 at 14:39

Report dispatched via email to our local PetWatch alert subscribers.

louisecavey

16 October 2020 at 15:18

Hi, does billy have a blue collar? Just saw a cat with similar colouring and blue collar jump up on a garden wall and go back towards Shaftesbury rd. It may be someone else cat hard to compare from the photo. This was on trinder rd

BolamPhyllida

16 October 2020 at 19:14

Dear Louise

BolamPhyllida

16 October 2020 at 19:16

Dear Louise Thank you so much for troubling to communicate.Billy does not have any collar so unfortunately the one you saw was not him but thank you again. Billy’s owner

Babs01

17 October 2020 at 15:51

Cats go into feral mode if they were frightened by noise or something. So even if you are standing next to your cat he/she will not make a sound or move so you need to look underneath stationary cars or any thing where s/he will hide for days. Sit down. Or even lie down. Let him/her come to you. Take time to relaxx. Close your eyes slowly. Don’t talk, when s/he is with you. Meditate. Don’t move towards him. Don’t smile showing teeth. Don’t look/stare for any time, instead turn your face to one side, head tilted to one side. Then, when his/her trust and CONFIDENCE has returned s/he will follow you if you have food, toy, catnip and think like a cat not a human mother. Whatever you do- do not bend forwards with arms outstretched in front of you. Reaching out is the body language of a predator and it will be seen as a sign of aggression because your cat is thinking like a wild animal because of fear. When your cat’s trust comes back s/he will automatically be your normal cat again, I promise. But until s/he feels safe you must not go after him/her. Your cat needs your unwashed clothes around you, to lie on your clothes, to relax with your familiar scent. Watch Sonya Fitzpatrick on YouTube How To Find Your Lost Cat. She suggests that you make a trail of wee to guide your cat home, starting from areas outside his/her comfort zone. You won’t need to use a lot. But your cat WILL FOLLOW IT HOME. MISSING CAT STUDY from Missing Animal Response Network - A study of 1200 missing cats that were lost and then found. • The majority of cats 75% were found within 500 metres (1/3 of a mile) of their home (or escape point). Indoor only cats were closest to home often up to 10 houses distance. • The majority (83%) were found outside in a GARDEN near to home (or to their escape point) under shrubs or decking. • The majority of cats that were found, were found within 8 weeks. Half of those found was within 7 days. • Some bolder cats work their way home when their adrenaline has subsided (sometimes after a few days). Many cats will stay in hiding for very many days – often 10-12 days. They need our help to be reunited especially if they have bolted beyond their personal territory; they will be disorientated and unable to find their way back. THINGS YOU SHOULD DO: FIRST: SEARCH STRAIGHT AWAY and REGULARLY: Immediately search the local area. Call from your garden day and night. Walk the length of your road STOPPING and WAITING. Frightened cats take a while to respond. Start at the end of your road and WALK TOWARDS your house as you call so you don’t tempt your cat to travel further away from its home. Do the same on parallel roads as many times as possible every day. Don’t give up as the majority of found cats are found within 2 months with 50% in the first 7 days. Call in your normal voice so your cat is reassured that it is safe. They will pick up on the slightest anxiety as cats are hugely sensitive. Unless your cat is very bold, he/she will not rush straight out of hiding on hearing you; many stay in hiding for up to 12 days. Stand still and call. Build your cat’s confidence by hearing your voice sounding relaxed, talking to switched off mobile as you walk towards home. NIGHT-TIME/EARLY HOURs when the WORLD IS ASLEEP, when it is QUIET is a very good time to call and search. SOUND TRAVELS MUCH LONGER DISTANCES at night and your cat is much more likely to hear you calling it. CATS FEEL SAFER IN THE DARK from predators and are more likely to leave their hiding place on being called. Call in your garden frequently overnight. If walking on the street near your home to call through to reach neighbour’s gardens; take someone with you to stay safe. Shaking a treat bag GENTLY is a signal to cats (if it’s something they have heard at home) and the sound will travel much further late at night. Search at dusk and dawn BE PATIENT; WAIT; REPEAT: Hiding away and not responding has nothing to do with whether your cat loves you, whether it recognises your voice – it has everything to do with the fact that a frightened cat will hide in silence! It is following its instinct and is in survival mode. Even if you are nearby the cat won’t just come out. Search hiding places. SECOND: PUBLICISE: LEAFLET EVERY HOUSE. LEAFLETS are very successful and have resulted in reuniting quite a few cats. Leaflet both sides of your road and parallel streets. Include a clear full photograph of your cat and your mobile number. Ask them to search in their gardens, sheds and under decking. Leaflets through doors really RAISES THE PROFILE of your lost cat in a large number of people’s minds. It reaches so many people – literally many hundreds. A good leaflet expressing how much the cat is missed and loved also touches the heart of many people who will then make the effort to go and search. Be sure to watch Sonya Fitzpatrick on YouTube How To Find Your Lost Cat. She tells you a special trick that really does work. Plan a route and direction towards where you need your cat to follow you BACK, not away, this is very important xx You could join all these AnimalSearchUK.co.uk - used by Cats Protection PetsLocated.com - used by RSPCA PetsReUnited.com NationalPetRegister.org CatLost.com

BolamPhyllida

24 October 2020 at 11:58

Babs sorry to take so long to acknowledge your very helpful advice. Have been busy following it but sadly no sign of Billy yet although he has a near double in Elthorne Park N19

Babs01

24 October 2020 at 15:54

IMPORTANT- WATCH SONYA FITZPATRICK ON YOUTUBE - HOW TO FIND YOUR LOST CAT Standing 6ft away from each door ask people to check in their garages, esp the people with gardens near you. Unfortunately MANY people can be lazy and they don’t thoroughly check garages.. They may think cats are like dogs and will just run out. Cats WILL STAY hiding in fear, esp in a garage. Ask if YOU could gently COAX him/her out. Then constantly explain to shed/garage owner that you are convinced he/she is behind stuff that may be stacked up, with gaps that will be behind stuff. Tell them that your cat can SQUEEZE into tiny spaces and will be too nervous to come out for a stranger. Then BEG for permission to search and reassure cat to come to you, which could take 10-15 minutes. Don’t forget that people may imagine you are a ‘bogus caller/thief, so you need to be extremely reassuring as well as emotional. All the time you are talking to garage owner talk in a calming way, so your cat can hear you being reassuring. It’s difficult being very concerned AND calm at the same time! If they refuse to let you retrieve your cat from their garage then instruct them to leave food at the entrance of the door, and leave door open for a couple of hours at least, and take some smelly tinned fish in plastic trays from recycling bag/box to give them. Ask them to leave water at the entrance of the garage also. https://www.catchat.org/index.php/cat-missing-lost-found#found https://www.battersea.org.uk/pet-advice/lost-and-found-cat-advice/lost-cat 1.Put familiar smells outside, bedding used litter tray, contents of hoover 2.Call softly late at night or early morning when quiet. IMPORTANT wait for a response, they may be close by, hiding under a hedge or somewhere that is sheltered 3.Check with neighbours, and Postie. 4.Make a poster with their photo, location lost, your contact details, put poster at eye level around your area, and give to neighbours 5.Make smaller posters to put through doors close to where they escaped from, as not everyone is online/on Facebook 6.Contact local vets, and animal rescues/shelters 7.Put on more Facebook sites, and share to all animal sites around you 8.Contact chip company, to alert them, & maybe update contact details 9.Also if there are any empty houses in the vicinity, check to see if they have a cat flap or an open window. 10. Notify council cleansing department JUST in case. Cats dont wander far normally, when they need to go searching for food, so leave biscuits and water nearby your home. The info below will say about putting things out that has familiar smells. Sprinkling some of your wee around, from a bottle, will also 'scent' your area. Look at satellite view on Google Map of where your cat could walk. See where there is a gap between buildings. Start a trail of wee in a water bottle from where gardens or courtyards border on to alleyways from the side of buildings, and then sprinkle along inside edge of pavement where a cat would spray all the way home. Choose different directions, each time walking home with empty bottle calling louder when you start your return journey and quieter as you near home to make scent and sound the leading influence on your hiding cat. As you are walking back home try not to sound anxious as you call, and wait for a reply, as he/she wont just run out to meet you if he/she feels afraid. Take a toy on a stick and string to lure him/her out from hedges. Never call as you walk AWAY from home. Join all if not back soon - AnimalSearchUK.co.uk PetsLocated.com PetsReunited.com NationalPetRegister.org CatLost.com Go on NEXTDOOR.co.uk (Just look in Gumtree.com MyLostBox.com) Please notify them as soon as you are reunited. When putting posters up - please please - keep track of how many posters you display, and WHERE, and so as soon as you are reunited then every one is removed. General advice in catching a fearful cat - NOT to approach when bending forwards with arms and hands outstretched. NOT staring directly at a fearful cat, showing teeth when smiling and constantly repeating name. Not walking directly towards a cat. Best way - sit/lie down, with scattered worn clothes in front/all around. Food left nearby - preferably in a trap. Talking quietly, no noise nearby, keeping dogs or children or spectators at a real distance to avoid distractions. I hope you see video, and please study (and draw a copy of) google map, to see where to make a trail of wee, and always be walking BACK TOWARDS HOME, talking HAPPILY AND CALMLY, rather than repeating the name, as cats get nervous if you just do this, and wait for a meow in response to your happy voice. Don’t stick posters up with JUST one or two inch pieces of sellotape top and bottom, as they will be fluttering in the breeze - and so so easy to remove by the council or kids. Go round a few times, and use a plastic sleeve with open end downwards to keep paper dry xx

Ntsiroyiannis

19 October 2020 at 07:33

Hello Phyllida, we saw a similar cat in Elthorn park just a couple of days ago. Not sure it was Billy but worth a look perhaps. If you can share pictures of his face maybe we will recognise him ?

BolamPhyllida

21 October 2020 at 14:30

Dear Ntsiroyiannis Thank you for responding-could you give me your e mail address so that I can send a photo showing Billy’s face. If you. Should see the cat again could you try & take a phot & send it to 079411698178. Phyllida

petsreunited

22 October 2020 at 23:38

Report dispatched via email to local Vets and Rescue Centres.

petsreunited

22 October 2020 at 23:57

Report dispatched via email to our local PetWatch alert subscribers.

BolamPhyllida

23 October 2020 at 17:43

Several people , to whom I am deeply grateful, have reported sightings in a local park but it seems there is another very similar cat that frequents the park but I intend to go there at a time when the cat has been seen to see if I can identify him.Billy’s owner.

BolamPhyllida

24 October 2020 at 19:01

To all who have taken the trouble to contact me about Billy I have to tell you the very sad news that a nearby neighbour found him dead in her back garden. He looked as if he had been running away from something. Thank you for your support & interest. Phyllida

BolamPhyllida

24 October 2020 at 19:17

A nearby neighbour, who is shielding & thus had not been in her garden for a very long time found him on 23.10.20 but it looked as if he had been dead since he went missing on 15.10. 20 as he was decomposing. He was in a stretched out position as if running away from something . His tail seemed to be missing so I wondered whether a fox ( there is one who frequents the same territory as Billy) might have bitten it off, but my cat minder who is a vet nurse thought he might have had a heart attack although he was only about 7 hrs & had no history of heart problems.

petsreunited

24 October 2020 at 19:17

Report closed by BolamPhyllida with an outcome of: Deceased

BolamPhyllida

24 October 2020 at 19:17

petsreunited

24 October 2020 at 19:17

Report closed by BolamPhyllida with an outcome of: Deceased

BolamPhyllida

24 October 2020 at 19:17

petsreunited

24 October 2020 at 19:17