Search Journal

Gumbo is still missing. And even though we continue to search for him, we have scaled back our efforts. Thanks to a special cat sensing dog, I am less worried he was attacked by a predator and more hopeful he'll wander home one day. I've heard plenty of stories where cats go missing for weeks or months and turn up out of the blue one day. Here's hoping Gumbo has heard of those stories too.

Yesterday, May 15th, was a big search day. We hired James of 3retrievers.com, who brought his cat-detection dog, Raphael, to search for Gumbo. Over four hours, we trekked through the neighborhood following Raphael's lead. They started by investigating the site where we found Gumbo's collar and tuft of fur, and discovered an additional strip of his fur that we had clearly missed. I thought this was definitive proof that Gumbo had been taken by a coyote, but James said the patch didn't resemble what he typically sees from predator attacks. Interestingly, they found more tufts of fur in the area; except they didn't belong to Gumbo. They appeared to belong to a gray and white cat, which led James to believe Gumbo had been in a cat fight. During the search, Raphael picked up the scent of a cat that seemed to be moving between homes on Semple St. and Sheridan, to a home in Bay Terrace, and back. We never saw the cat, but did find its tracks, so Raphael was definitely on to something; though we're not sure whether it was Gumbo or another neighborhood cat. Raphael also picked up a scent near the homes on Cramer St., just past the Lawtonwood neighborhood sign. Again, no visual sign of Gumbo. After four hours, we ended the search and spoke with James about next steps. Fun fact: he has worked on more than 10,000 missing pet cases since 2008. While he can't definitively rule out a predator, he didn't see any of the typical signs that would suggest that's what happened. He believes it's far more likely Gumbo was in an altercation with another cat and fled his territory; and that he just needs help finding his way home. We'll continue searching using traditional methods, along with wildlife cameras and humane traps. Thank you to everyone who has allowed us to search their property, helped spread the word, or kept an eye out for Gumbo. You're all amazing neighbors.

Still no Gumbo sighting. The humane traps we set last night were empty when we checked this morning. The trail cameras nearby picked up rabbits and the occasional rat. Geez their tails are long. In the morning, I searched the bushes and trees along 43rd Ave. W and W Sheridan St. down to 45th Ave W. I took a recording of Cucumber (our other cat) meowing and a piece of fabric he loves to sit on; hoping the sound and smell would lure him. At 12:30PM, my neighbor, Angela, joined the search. She and I thoroughly searched her property, the property located at 4240 W. Cramer (the home is vacant and for sale) and the creek. We searched under bushes, looked through trees, and in and under any ancillary building or structure. Zero signs of Gumbo. I can't express enough how much I appreciate Angela for all of her help. It was great getting to know her. Searching for a missing cat is truly an underrated way of getting to know your neighbors; though I'd recommend a housewarming party instead. I'm truly appreciative of everyone who has helped. The Denhez who searched for us and let us intrude their property for days on end. The Collers who let us search their property and retrieve our other cat, Cucumber, who went missing the same night and parked himself high in one of their trees. The Janssons who searched the neighborhood and helped spread the word. And to everyone else who has reviewed their cameras and kept an eye out for my little kitty. I know we live in an area with coyotes and other predators, so my hopes aren't high, especially given the evidence we've found (Gumbo's breakaway collar and a small tuft of fur). Still, I consider him Schrödinger's cat until he's observed. Here's to hope. KC

Tonight we searched the area where we found Gumbo's breakaway collar on May 5th. During the search, we found a medium-sized tuft of Gumbo's hair near the spot where his collar was. I must admit, I became despondent reflecting on how — and what — would cause Gumbo to lose a section of hair. Our beautiful neighborhood has no shortage of predators, and the thought of Gumbo engaging with one makes me tear up a bit. Still, we continued the search and saw it as an opportunity to move the humane traps nearby. It's likely Gumbo is hiding silently near where he had the encounter. Poor guy is literally a scared cat and won't make a sound or come out of hiding until he absolutely has to. Wish us luck.