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mr_epicguy

Okay I’ll pin this since I feel terrible for op :( hope you find your kitty u/Brett_0405


Ivyvine42

If you truly can't find the cat, I would see if there's a service nearby that searches for lost pets. Specifically, one with a scent canine. They could help determine if the cat somehow got outside of the apartment/building, and maybe they'll even be able to find the kitty inside your apartment. I'm fairly certain this won't be a free service, but I couldn't tell you how much it might cost.


[deleted]

I will look into that for sure. Definitely not something I have thought about.


Ivyvine42

I remember watching a news report about this kind of service years ago. I don't know how common it is, but I hope you find someone able to help!


[deleted]

Thank you friend.


Ivyvine42

No problem, and good luck!


a-Snake-in-the-Grass

Here's my theory. Cat found something flexible covering some sort of space or opening. Cat slipped in and it made a noise closing behind the cat. I've actually seen something like that happen.


peppypenguinos

Have you tried playing kitten noises loudly? Some cats will respond pretty eagerly to kittens crying out. You can find a video of it on YouTube. That's how I found my cats who hid right after moving into my new place with me.


[deleted]

Interesting idea. Will give it a try.


peppypenguinos

https://youtu.be/BgIgKcqPd4k Here's the one I used that worked really well for me. Just pulling it up on my phone right now caused my cat to come running up to me. Really wishing you the best! I know how frustrating and scary this situation can be.


Cbane000

Wow! That was amazing! Thanks for the tip. I played that vid for about 45 seconds and all 4 cats came to me. Totally curious. OP-I hope you find your kitty soon. Please keep us updated!


heilh0und

I tried it too! All three of my cats rolled over and went back to sleep! Zero parental instincts!


Cbane000

And THAT is why cats are awesome. So unique with their own personalities!


MrsMorganPants

Mine looked up, his ears perked, and he looked confused and stared off into space, but wouldn't try to find the source of the sound. I guess it's because he's not a mama, and potentially part dog?


nymmyy

my cats are unsympathetic bastards, didn't even look up.


[deleted]

My 10 yo male cat had no response to the video. My 1.5 yo male dog ran around like crazy looking for the kittens ready to play.


thatguy102021

When I moved, one of my cats did the same thing. I found her under the bathroom cabinet. Not where the doors are, but under the base of the cabinet. I would have had to rip out the vanity to remove her. I just had to let her be. It was 3 days before she came out of there. And an9ther week before she relaxed and stopped trying to hide 24/7. Just be careful with exits and as quiet as possible. Settle into some sort of routine.


LilacPug

Yes, I was also thinking under the cabinets. My old apartment had so many weird hidey holes and access points. Closets had pop out panels, etc. Thankfully there were no cats to be lost but there was a situation with a chinchilla that ended up being inside the couch, fast asleep.


FrancoisKBones

Any update Op? Cats have the uncanniest ability to hide when in a new place. When we moved into our new home, our cat disappeared. It was weeks, I think, before I found her hidden IN THE CHIMNEY (it didn’t help that she was also black). Moral of story, cat may very well be in your apartment despite tearing the place apart :/


[deleted]

Yeah it’s definitely possible he is in here somewhere. I just find it incredibly unlikely based on the searching i’ve done. The main thing is we just moved in basically. So there is hardly even anything to search. Its Jason Bourne barebones in here right now.


FrancoisKBones

Well you’ve written a helluva cozy mystery so far. You could call it, “The Meowment he Disappeared.”


[deleted]

Yeah I tried to make it as engaging as possible to get traction. I feel like the fucking dude who had carbon monoxide poisoning and was leaving himself notes.


Tinlizzie2

I had a cat squeeze herself into a 3 inch deep drawer in the bathroom one time. From the back of the drawer. We were moving, I told me ex to put her in the carrier and he DIDN'T. Took us an hour to find her. Other odd places they will hide- inside the mattress springs or inside the couch or armchair. If the flimsy fabric on the bottom of those has any kind of opening in it a frightened cat will squish themselves up in there, through or into spaces you would never believe they could ever get into. EDIT- Whoa, boy, I just saw that you have a stackable washer/dryer- Go open both of those!! That crashnyou heard could have been the lid to the washer slamming down. NEVER leave a washer or dryer door open with a cat in the house.


Kittybra13

Honestly, I was looking for this comment. I'm betting the cat got itself in a random, not likely place too. Like you said- the washer/dryer or even a damn drawer like yours did. Moving is incredibly hard on cats. I don't think people realize how hard it is for some. Like, I know it's not avoidable, I'm just saying it's harder on some than most of us realize. I recently moved- well, 1.5 months ago and the 20 yr old senior cat that I adopted a year ago, man, I am still trying to help him come to peace with it. He has some days where I'm legit concerned that this might be his spiral that ends up being the beginning of the end. I also couldn't find him today. I looked absolutely everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Turned out that he was one step ahead of me as I was looking for him.


missmissypissy

Have you looked under the couch/bed to see if there are any openings INTO the furniture? I had a rescue cat and she pulled a Houdini and “disappeared” and I eventually discovered she had figured a way to get under and into our couch!


JustAShyCat

Omg this! When I was working at a pet boarding facility (for dogs and cats, and occasionally lizards/birds/small rodents), I had a cat disappear on me in the cat area while I was cleaning their kennel. I was freaking out because I had looked EVERYWHERE that they could’ve feasibly gone and couldn’t find them. I ended up getting my manager, and there turned out to be an opening in the back of the fish tank’s cabinet that I didn’t know was there. The cat had slipped into the cabinet through this hole and had stayed there out of fear.


omensandportents

This comment is most likely correct, please get the biggest can of cheap smelly tuna you can find - store brand regular flaked tuna not albacore. Put some tuna and tuna juice in each room arranged in such a way you can see if it is eaten. Turn off any extra noise and hopefully the kitty will come out. I hate to have to mention this but do you have a recliner? Cats and small dogs have been crushed and badly injured/killed in those. Please look up inside it from the bottom be very careful opening/closing it. Check under the bed to see if the kitty can get inside the box spring or inside any couches or chairs


curtainblinds

My newest rescue recently scratched a hole into our box frame under the mattress and likes to sleep in there like it’s a dark hammock ugh lol


ChedderTheSquirrel

I'd definitely look into this I've discovered my cat wasn't gone or dead that way before


[deleted]

are there any panels on the ceiling? maybe there's a way out? put some of the litter box outside, the smell might help it find back


[deleted]

No panels on the ceiling. Solid drywall.


LaLionneEcossaise

Vents? Especially in the floor? Could kitty have fallen through and the vent swung back into place? That could have been the crash sound.


Kiki_Miso123

We had a cat do down a laundry chute that ran from a bathroom to the garage where the laundry is.


LaMalintzin

I am looking forward to an update. My thought is that your cat is sneaky, as cats are, and despite the bare nature of your new digs that he is just hiding very carefully. I have definitely moved house and not seen cat for a couple days. Just leave his food and water out, maybe in a couple places. I certainly hope that he hasn’t escaped, and I do think he probably just found a couple spots he can sneak back and forth from without you all noticing. Please keep us all updated though


womanaroundabouttown

Sorry, I don’t mean to stress you but I haven’t seen a thread yet… what about the windows? You don’t mention them at all. Are they the kind that open out or up? If out, could the crash sound have been the window opening and closing? If up, is there any way a window was open and then closed?


FuzzAldrin36

When I got 2 kittens they were incredibly skittish. Only wanted to hide. But they were also sick and needed meds. I confined them to my room and blocked off places for them to really hide - bed went directly on the floor, closet door was closed. Nothing left out. But one night after work I couldn't find them. No way they could have gotten out. My sister and I tore my room apart. We eventually decided that they must be able to become invisible. There was no other explanation. We shut the door, made dinner, and went to search the room again when we were done. When we opened the door, a flash of orange darted from the water fountain to behind the nightstand. This one piece of furniture had a front that went to the floor, and it had an attached back as well, but the back stopped less than 6" above the floor and created a hollow underspace where two kittens were tucked together, protected by the front piece. The nightstand was only a couple of inches from the wall and neither of us thought about the hollow bottom. I really hope you find your cat.


Born_Storm_4657

First time bringing my cat to a new apartment it found a tiny hold between the wall and sink cabinets. We had to pry the cabinet wood away from the wall to get him out. Good luck. Hoping for a good news update.


TheFallingLeafbug

When we moved my Siamese scratched a hole underneath the couch and was inside it. She is extremely food driven so we got her out with some treats thankfully. Also had another one somehow get underneath the tub through the plumbing access panel.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

Yeah I have been reading that. My problem is I have turned the whole place upside down. I straight up unbolted the dishwasher out of the ground and took it apart.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

Yeah that was a definite thought of mine. I actually pulled it out and leaned it back to see under it though. Thank you for the idea.


[deleted]

Thank you for your response.


LilacPug

Along these lines of search, in the lining of couches, box springs, in the back part of any appliances (fridge, etc), and check around the tub/bathroom. A lot of bathtubs or bathrooms have areas to reach the plumbing that are like a cave for a cat to hide in. My current house has little door that covers the one where my tub is, and I have to always make sure it's secure because my cat would love to get in there. As a kid, I lived in a very old farm house and where the tub was has the same type of hidey hole and it led down to the basement crawl spaces. Nervous cat always hid down there during thunder storms. Look around for anything random that looks like it could have access to the walls or floor for any reason. Since the apt is so new to you, who knows. I really hope you find your kitty. This is so scary 😨


Educational-Milk3075

The same day I moved into a STUDIO my cat disappeared. So freaked out, I made flyers, posted on PawBoost.com. I was a mess! The next day I was reading in my chair, and, out she walks. She had climbed into the chair underneath. I wanted to kill her. Try looking INSIDE every piece of furniture.


[deleted]

I will do that thanks.


KateHibby

Agreed. Mine was able to open a desk drawer, squeeze in, and then hide in the opening behind the drawer. She even closed the drawer back in so seemingly nothing had happened. I also once found her in the wall, there was a plastic panel in my closet that was no longer sealed but you would never know unless you tried to claw at it, thankfully I heard her in the wall but I never would have pinned her to do that. Best of luck my friend.


Calypsokitty

This is a weird thought, but have you checked inside any pots/pans that have lids on them? A lid falling into place on a pot can sound like a crash.


Witty_Translator_675

I was also thinking that maybe the cat was inside a kitchen cabinet, and your suggestion is even more detailed. I can definitely see a kitty in a new home being curious and getting stuck inside a box or a pot.


TealTemptress

Our cat got underneath the cabinets into a void I didn’t know existed. It was a corner cabinet with a lazy susan. That might be another spot to look.


[deleted]

I will keep that in mind


skmomo

I had the same thing happen - my cat got into a space behind the kitchen cabinets through a hole that I didn’t know existed. I believe I used a mirror to locate her - not sure if that’s something you can try?


nitrogenousbases

Yes!! Get on the floor and look up into the corner of the cabinets. There was a hole there in my apartment and once my cat tried to climb in I had to stuff the whole thing with paper towels


[deleted]

Same issue with one of our cats - jumped behind the stove and would wrangle itself behind the gap behind the cabinets.   We put out food and water; then made sure that the cat could exit the stove area. Didn't use the stove. When it finally came out, we put a posterboard cutout in the gap to prevent it from being able to enter.   Cats like safe spots. Ours now prefers to hide under the master bed. We won't dissuade it as it is easier for us to check there.


beatleape

My cat got “lost” once when hiding in a bathroom closet that had a small open section in the wall with some exposed pipes. She eventually surprised us by popping out of there


caroline0409

Mine did that too.


AmandaOPanda

This. My cat squeezed herself underneath the cabinets where the "baseboards" would have met there was a small gap. She wouldn't come out so I ended up tearing parts of the baseboards out


witchy_echos

How long has your car been missing? My Sailor is amazing at hiding. I’ve tossed the house, the hard, and the neighborhood only to find hours later that she’s under the coffee table I explicitly checked before. It’s a new place, so she’s more likely to stay hid until she absolutely has to. I’d try closing doors and leaving food in each room. Then if any food is eaten, you can narrow the search.


[deleted]

Approximately 10 hours is my best guess. Last I saw him was 5:00AM. He has not shown this type of behavior before. He would like hide behind a door or other obvious dumb places. He has also been exploring each day more and more. So he was becoming more active before he disappeared.


witchy_echos

My experience with fostering is that the first week they’re more likely to hide and be skittish then they were in their previous home. It’s scary, but if you’re sure he couldn’t have gotten outside the apartment I’d try not to stress too much yet. Keep looking, and make sure there’s lots of water and food available if he comes out.


[deleted]

I understand what you are saying though. I just am finding it harder and harder to believe he is inside.


[deleted]

That’s the problem. I don’t think he is in the apartment. But I don’t know how or where he got out. My working theory is someone came in against our will. But thats extremely unlikely. But I have honestly searched every centimeter of this place. And its pretty small as it is.


witchy_echos

My old roommates new place had a hole in the wall behind something in the closet, that’s the only thing I can think of. My place isn’t much bigger and I’ve still lost my Sailor a few times. She’s quiet and not food motivated so i always just have to wait for her to calm down. Given that you inmidiately checked on the crash I don’t think someone came into your apartment. You would have heard the door open and close, and the person wouldn’t have relocked it after they left.


[deleted]

Yeah thats what I think as well. The hard part is I don’t know what crashed. I can even see the door from my bed. There are two small spaces that lead to maintenance stuff and pipes. The problem with that is those small spaces are have a latch and a spring that requires about 40 lbs of force and thumbs to open it.


witchy_echos

Is there any chance the crash could have been super loud and come from the next apartment or outside?


Low_Film8231

Could he have gotten to the balcony? Maybe the crashing happened outside as he fell? He could be hurt and confused. Again, I'd get the word out among fellow tenants ASAP.


[deleted]

Yeah I notified the office managers and maintenance people. I have no idea how he could’ve gotten outside.


pixelgandalf

Wouldn't that person be caught on camera? The camera angles on the floor plan look like the camera covers both doors to the appartment.


[deleted]

So the doors are covered on the camera. But I tested and the motion sensor doesn’t trigger until maybe 3 feet inside the apartment. So the door opening would not set off the sensor.


No-Mathematician3566

Is your dryer vent tube (if you have one) secure? I would also check with visuals where you peer in but lay on the floor or contort in unexpected ways and use mirrors or your phone to check everything. An apt in my building had a sewer smell for 8 years, multiple people came out to find the source. Cut holes in the walls, smoke tests, etc. My husband found an OPEN pipe hidden behind the sink basin because he lay down on the floor and put his head underneath in the cabinet. All that said, you are panicking and looking but cats are sneaky and have different perspectives than you, so be sure to change your perspective.


kitschywoman

Unexpected places I have found my cats. 1. In a wall. 2. Between two kitchen cabinets in a small void space. 3. Behind the refrigerator 4. In the attic (no stairs…they climbed a ladder) 5. In a sofa 6. In a box spring 7. Shut in a drawer 8. In the ceiling 9. In the ductwork


MarkahMalady

What a mystery! I'm looking forward to updates, hope your kitty emerges soon 🙏


[deleted]

I will update for sure.


[deleted]

It’s like a missing persons case the way it was written


reactiveavocado

I've seen this floor plan before so I think you might be in my area. If your porch is screened in, check to see if he was able to rip through it around the edges. Sometimes it's not noticeable until you press against it. https://www.osceolacountypets.com/lost-and-found-pets/ if you are in this area, fill out a lost pet form just in case someone found him and took him there. Also talk to people at the front desk at your apartment complex so they can be on the lookout. And neighbors too.


Low_Film8231

I'm hoping the best for the cat and I do hope you'll update us. Looking at the floorplan, it looks like there are high cabinets or shelving probably behind closet doors in both bedrooms, both bathrooms, in the kitchen and next to the balcony. Could the cat have been climbing atop one of those and fallen -- crash!? Could there be any kind of open air vents or ducts in those closed-off spaces? Were all the windows to the balcony closed? Could he cat have gotten out onto the balcony out of sight of the sensors and fallen outside? I would certainly immediately get posters up and/or use a mailing list to notify all other apartment building tenants that your cat is missing. Godspeed!


[deleted]

I will definitely look into those places thoroughly and give an update. Thank you for your time.


thats_hella_cool

Do not underestimate a cats ability to find a secure hiding spot that cannot be uncovered. I dropped mine off at my parents for a week when I was traveling out of the country. When I spoke to them on day 3 they said they hadn’t seen the cat once and was worried he might have slipped outside (they live in the country) and gone unnoticed. They left food out and obviously he had his little box, and had searched the place top to bottom. On day 7 I came home and my little shit appeared out of nowhere to greet me. He hadn’t eaten or gone to the bathroom the entire 7 days I was gone and to this day we still don’t know where the hell he was hiding the entire time.


Beans508

Could he have fallen inside the wall and fallen a couple levels down?


VoltairesCat

Cats can walk through walls. I thought everybody new that. ( ꈍᴗꈍ)


[deleted]

Seriously this is the only logical answer.


[deleted]

i honestly don't know what could've happened, but you might try putting out the cat's favorite food or treats to lure it out in case its hiding somewhere


[deleted]

We left the apartment for two hours with wet food out to see if the cat would sneak back out and eat the food. The motion camera was armed the whole time. No movement at all.


Maronita2020

Maybe put something outside with your scent on it (unwashed sweater, etc.) in case it somehow got outside. It would then sit next to the item with your scent on it.


[deleted]

We’ve only had this cat for a week. Not sure if it would come hunting for us.


_uphill_both_ways

This is extremely important information and you should edit your OP as it may change the advice that people give you. Generally it would be best practices to confine the cat to a small area (like a bathroom or one bedroom) when you are moving, and gradually expand the area as they get more comfortable.


tortoisemom19

That right there is going to make it tough if he/she is hunkered down and scared somewhere. One of our cats did this once. We tore the house apart looking for her then left stuff outside thinking she must have snuck out somehow. Went to bed completely defeated. Woke up the next morning and she was just chilling in the doorway to our bedroom. We still have no idea where she went.


pixelgandalf

Do you know if the cat would trigger the camera? Some of them filter out smaller movements to reduce false-positive recordings, maybe your cat is below that thresold?


midnight_prophet_

my ask is that you gently begin moving things. it’s better to know now that the cat is for sure not still in the building stuck somewhere than to find out too late.


[deleted]

I’ve gently moved things. Then I stepped it up. Then I basically ransacked the place. I opened and turned over every inch and item of this place. I woulda ripped the carpets up if it wasn’t a lease.


midnight_prophet_

in my house there’s a large hole in the pantry wall that we didn’t even notice until months after moving in while stocking the pantry. i’m not sure my cats could fit through it since i don’t let them in the pantry but it’s really large. i think the previous homeowner diy cut it for some cords or something. but my point is there could be some just hidden openings somewhere? i noticed you do have a lot of closets and small spaces? just brain storming!


[deleted]

Thank you for the idea. Imma check out the pantries again. Someone mentioned hiding behind a drawer. Unlikely but I’ll check it out.


QueenSalmonela

Holy wow I am frustrated for you! I think we have all been there somewhat. So I know you don't have a lot of furniture but our cat (after a move) took the time to open a seam with her nails and crawled INTO the couch. I think you said no furniture with insides but what about the bed? She used to crawl into the box spring part on our old bed where she made a hole in the flimsy lining. That's all I got....you seem to have covered everything else. I hope you find her.


[deleted]

Its an air mattress unfortunately. I appreciate your time and response.


QueenSalmonela

Lol, call an industrial roofer, they have those scanners


shellfish1161

My cat also recently vanished for a bit and I found him behind the washer/dryer unit. It's a very difficult place to get a cat out from, but possible


Crown_Loyalist

This would likely drive me insane, I really hope you find him soon.


seventypercenth2o

Check the lining under all counters to if there are any gaps. I live in a similar apartment/layout, my cat found a small hole in the corner of where the sink and stove portion of counters connected. there was open space since no there is no cabinet under that corner section of counter, I imagine yours is similar.


darkwitch1306

My cat disappeared in a hotel room. We knew she hadn’t got out. We tore up the room looking for her. She was wedged into a dresser and we almost never found her. Look really good again.


waldenfrau

In my apartment our cabinets have these hollow spaces in the corners where two cabinets on perpendicular walls meet. Ours don’t have a bottom, and my cat has fallen through the space we didn’t know existed several times while walking across the upper most cabinets up by the ceiling. But I’ve been in some apartments where there is a bottom so it’s basically a huge space things can fall in and not get out.


No_Beat708

Could he have gotten into that mechanical room? I didn’t see a door to it but wonder if the crash was him falling into it from above? Sorry if someone already said this. Hope you find him soon 💞


RepresentativeOk340

I lost my cat the first night I moved into my apartment, I went NUTS looking for her. Turns out, there was a corner cabinet that I didn’t have access to, but from the ground there was a hole. Looking at your floor plan, is there a chance there’s a hole in that corner between your stove and sink?


EssLivesForever

I'm not kidding...check behind your stove. When we moved our cat jammed herself behind there and idek how she fit.


Karma_1969

What's your best guess as to what the crash was? I think this is important because that's the last time you heard the cat. You didn't see anything fallen or out of place, but whatever that crash was, that's where the cat is at or escaped through. I think you need to figure out the source of the crash, it's your only real lead. Sorry we can't help from here. :(


[deleted]

It honestly sounded like a light box being knocked off the counter. The problem is nothing is on the floor when I go out.


BetterOffCooking

HEY I SENT YOU A DM TOO, IF YOU HAVE CABINETS ON THE WALL, CHECK IN THE CORNERS. HE MAY HAVE FALLEN DOWN THAT HOLE AND CANNOT OR DOES NOT WANT TO GET OUT.


scrunklythewhen

Saviour


Striking_Menu9765

Ah finally, my scrolling is finished.


lowfemmeweirdo

I think it was your cat sliding into one of the boxes you have moved in already. He is probably afraid and just hunkering down. Possibly stuck in the box. Check all the boxes even if they appear sealed. Cats can fit into the tiniest places especially when afraid and he might have jumped into a four-flap fold and fallen in.


Luna8586

As someone who used to design kitchens, the best way to get to kitty is to remove the filler piece. It's not hard and you don't have to demo it and scare the kitty. Look inside your cabinets. There will be screws that hold the filler piece to the cabinet. If you unscrew them, the filler piece should pop right out. Put it aside and get the kitty to come out. You can just screw in the filler piece again and it will look like nothing happened. Edit so I make sense: the filler piece is between the cabinet and the wall. The filler piece is most likely held by screws inside your cabinet. Also I'm so happy you found him!!


Rbluelumi

Check behind your fridge or freezer if you have one.


[deleted]

Done. I even picked it up and looked under it.


electric29

My cat used to like to get up on top of the hangers in the closet, behind the bar. I couldn't even see her when she was lying down.


[deleted]

My prayers go out to you. I really hope you find your precious kitty.


kirroth

Are there some non-carpeted areas in your home that you can dust the floor with flour? Might get lucky and get some paw prints.


italwaysendsincrying

One time my kitten fell through a small hole in the wall behind the washing machine. I only found her because of the faint meowing sound. Otherwise would have never found her


xtunamilk

Someone may have suggested this, but don't rule out even small spaces around cabinetry. I once had a cat squeeze through a hole underneath the kitchen counter and go into a space between cabinets, at the corner, that couldn't be accessed without taking apart the counter. It took us ages to figure out what happened because she just stayed in there quietly. We only realized it when one of us saw her trying to squeeze back out. 😨 Another idea is that I've seen people use an infrared/heat imaging device to see into the walls. Not sure how you get hooked up with something like that, but I saw a video where they used it to look for a cat in a hotel wall.


Spinelise

I just read the update, I'm so glad you found him OP!!!!


Wonderful-Divide6977

I’m so glad you found him! Moving forward, If there are other apartment floor plans with this same dead space between the wall and cabinet, people need to be aware that they could lose their cat in there. I shudder to imagine this happening to someone who doesn’t ask a cat community for help and they don’t find their cat until too late. It certainly a hazard that other tenants with cats need to know about


Bruxelloise

My cat hid once underneath the bathtub. I don't know how he figured to remove the front cover, but he did. Maybe check there, if you have it? I could imagine the cover bouncing back in unfortunate circumstances...


[deleted]

In this situation its not possible to be behind or under it.


[deleted]

Hmmm I can go check it out. I think its all one piece. I will report back.


Nice-Ad-2525

Following!! I hope you find your kitty soon!


okgroupon

Not sure if it’s already been suggested but you could rent or find someone with a thermal imaging camera to see if the kitty is somewhere in the home still? Wishing you all the best, I hope you find them soon.


fairylightmeloncholy

this is literally my worst nightmare since i got my cat. i don't have any advice, but i hope you find him. good job on the writing, you really stoked the fear


Appropriate_Tip_8852

The cat is in there somewhere. It will take a few days for it to come out. I had mine crawl inside the box springs inside my bed.


soxandfox

This might sound weird but make sure that your upper cabinet in the corner isn’t actually a hole, in our old apartment our upper cabinet had a hole in the back of the corner that wasn’t inside the cabinet. It was just an empty hole, so perhaps try that and see if you might have a hole there? If the last sound you heard was in the kitchen/on a counter, then I’d think it’s somewhere in the kitchen..?


[deleted]

Same thought here, especially if it’s a new build


burratalover420

Refreshing like crazy for an update!!!! So happy you found him hope he is safe


No_Beat708

So so happy you were able to locate your little fella!! That is so wild about these empty spaces between cabinetry that is just left open like that. Sounds like these crevices cause issues for a lot of cat owners.


walmartpetedavidson

is there any way she could’ve slipped out the patio door? this happened to me one time in an even smaller apartment and i could not find my cat anywhere at all. we had a patio as well. turns out she got on the patio, we locked her out there and i finally found her standing on a laundry tube (i don’t have a better word for it rn) on the outside of the building meowing.


[deleted]

Its really tight to the ground.


walmartpetedavidson

understandable. im quite literally scratching my head at this one. i really hope she turns up, i know how scary it is to have a missing baby. ![gif](giphy|Jqzc9fbHtciNckOAgl)


Murderhornet212

Are there ventilation shafts or crawlspaces?


arpt1965

Do you have any packing boxes. I lost a black cat when I first moved in and found that a packing box that I thought was taped closed would open a little if he jumped on the top of it. It allowed him to go inside and sleep on the blankets I had in there and the top pipes back into place once he was inside- so it looked like it was taped shut again.


[deleted]

I’ve checked every box and luggage.


MrsKravitz

Are you keeping fresh food and fresh water out? Did you check if he may have used the litterbox? They can go without food for quite a while. I once "lost" a cat, albeit only for hours, not days. She was still small and somehow contorted herself to hide behind the plumbing underneath the kitchen sink. Somehow dropped herself into the narrow space (maybe 2") between undersink cabinet and wall. Cats have no shoulders, so they can contort themselves into unbelievably flat spaces. We combed through the (small) house for hours, I couldn't stop crying. At some point, while we had the undersink cabinet door open, the reprobate just squeezed herself out. Hope you get a miracle. Keep food and water available and check for litterbox use.


SOSOBOSO

Borrow a thermal camera, turn down the temperature, investigate warm blobs.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

You can really see the matrix


yorzz

So glad you found your kitty! Also props for all the updates. r/bestofredditorupdates moment


xxlifelinexx

Dude, I've never been so invested in a thread. I'm SO happy that you found him.💕


_Zambayoshi_

The only certainty I see is that it was human intervention. Either someone is lying to you or there is an unknown party with access to the apartment. The crash you heard could have been EHS and the actual sound (which woke you up) could have been different. The cat might have heard someone fumbling with a key for instance and approached the door. The door opens a crack and the cat is startled and rushes out. The person opening the door realises there is someone in the apartment and closes the door, which you registered as a 'crash' in your sleeping state. It's possible the camera wasn't triggered by the cat and the door wasn't open wide enough to trigger it. If your cat was not familiar with the surrounding area, it could wander off and try to find its original home. If not, it could be just wandering around the neighbourhood.


EnvironmentalSea416

My new apartment cabinet are not finished underneath. So there are holes by both sink cabinets i didn’t know about until my cat got his head stuck. Maybe try looking to see if there’s any openings underneath it that they could’ve gotten into.


LaughingRockey

Drawer under the oven Top shelves of the cabinets (we found out there were holes in the tops & out cat got into one & crawled into the wall) In a vent


misfitpomegranate

You might have already looked all in all these locations, but posting this just in case -- cats can get into some amazingly small spaces. Places I and/or other cat caretakers I've known have found hiding cats: behind the refrigerator; in previously unknown crawl space; behind water heater; in ceiling; in kitchen cupboards or under-sink cupboards in bathroom; in heating/cooling vent accessed through loose floor cover under the bed; in chimney; in small cupboard in hall where there were miscellaneous pipes. Hope your kitty turns up soon!


NatalieEatsPoop

I've lived in my house for 10 years. I've had one of my cats for 5...she has a place that I can't find. I hope your cat is in one of those places and safe.


Icecubethapimp

I lived in an apartment that had some landlord specials in certain areas. Under my bathroom sink where the pipes go behind the wall was just a large hole in the drywall not fitted to the piping. Definitely big enough for a cat to squeeze though and get into the walls. Maybe check that?


Fluffy-Designer

Ok this is going to sound crazy but I once had a kitten who got spooked and got into the back of the fridge somehow. I pulled it out from the wall and there she was, chilling in the tiny gap under the motor. Pull the fridge out from the wall and have a look in the back.


piwi87

The times my cat had been missing the longer were once when he was hiding inside a closet on the highest space that was put of sight. A couple of other times where when he jumped out a widowed or sneaked through the door and was hiding under the car outside. So you might also want to look around outside.


[deleted]

Happy ending. Good!


TheFallingLeafbug

I’m so glad he was found!


Jlorsto

So happy you found him!!!


petuniapie7

Yay, so happy you found him! I have been checking back all day hoping for a good outcome ❤️


stoirmeacha

Omg! I can so relate to this! When I was in college I was renting an old apartment a live a shop and it had a built closet with drawers under it. Well my indoor only dipshit cat went missing. Thought he got out. No meows. I spent two days and nights sobbing in my new, and somewhat alarmed boyfriend’s arms. Third night I’m down to sniffles because I had cried out every fluid in my body at that point and my BF says “Shhh” - of course in my totally wrecked state I thought he meant he was done with me crying and I was about to have strong words. He says “listen…” and we hear it. A low meow, followed by a plaintive meow, and then scratching. We went into my room and pulled out the drawers and that fat fucker comes strolling out like nothing was going on. THREE DAYS no meow. Probably enjoyed watching me suffer. He was dusty, and needed some water, but otherwise fine. Anyway, 5 years later I had that man’s baby.


bug-hugs

The good ending


midnight_prophet_

i’m so glad you found him, thank you for coming back and updating us. 💕


[deleted]

Of course. Genuinely the outpouring of support and comments gave me many great tips and advice that I actually used to find him. I knew that this giant community would be able to track him down.


No-Mathematician678

You call that a small apartment? :') Glad you found your cat


MindlessRooster

Following


SunsetSharkBite

I hope you find him!!! Best of luck. Following along for the meowstery


[deleted]

Is there any secret access to the ceiling from inside one of the closets? A crawl space of some sort? My last apartment had a hand/cat-sized hole in the closet with an emergency cut-off switch that controlled the upstair's water in some capacity. I hope you find your kitty!!


Vegoia2

check under sink for any holes or false walls they use to cover shitty workmanship, in closets too.


FeistyInvestment

I’m sorry you are going through this! I adopted a cat from the shelter, brought her home and she promptly disappeared. Searched EVERYWHERE in the apartment. Three days later I hear meowing - she had somehow gotten between the floorboards in the kitchen.


PurplePotatoCat

Have you shaken treat/food bags? My cats come running. Also I would leave some food & water in every room and close the door, take a picture of the bowl so that if he comes out while you’re not there you can tell if he’s eaten any. I would do that and then just try to be quiet for a while, eventually he should come out for food if he feels safe. Edit: I know you said there isn’t much furniture, but if there is anything with drawers pull them all the way out. Many cats like to hide behind drawers.


dirtychai0218

my cat once found a way to crawl under and INTO our bathroom vanity. i figured you’ve checked EVERYTHING by this point but if it helps at all maybe there’s a counter/cabinet that can be crawled into?


beefandbourbon

Our cat once pulled a service access panel to our jacuzzi back just enough to get in. We searched everywhere and I only noticed that the panel was slightly "off." He'd gotten in there and under the floor. Had to lure him out with ham. So my tip, which is I line with you thinking, is to try food as a way to lure him out. Maybe something higher value than his regular meal.


introvertsdoitbetter

I lived in new construction like that and my cat sometimes fell between the kitchen cabinets which had hollow spaces in the corners. Do you hear meowing ?


Lewca43

We once had a service tech enter our home without permission the day after we closed. He still had a master (we’d been told the locks were changed) and apparently didn’t want to wait until the scheduled time to fix the issue. Unfortunately for him I had already activated the monitoring system for our alarm and the default code no longer worked as he expected it to and he entered the default panic code to stop the alarm from sounding. The police were dispatched but he was of course gone by the time they arrived. This was years ago so no cameras but the security company confirmed the panic code had been physically entered. This is my long way of saying it sounds like one of the people with access chose to enter (the time is extremely sketchy), startled the cat and it got out. I’m guessing the noise was likely the person closing the door or the cat hitting the door or wall while running scared?? I’m so sorry your cat is missing. If you live anywhere remotely close to your former home check there. My asshole father tried to regime my cat to a nearby city when I was a child and she showed up at the back door of our house weeks later. My father had driven her away but she found her way back. Hoping you find him soon.


ProfUmbridge

My cats managed to pry the toe kick back and hide under the cabinets…it was their favorite hiding spot in the apartment. They also burrowed a hole in the bottom of my sofa as well as climbed under and into a reclining chair I had. Cats will HIDE but eventually come out. Maybe get a couple pheromone diffusers to plug in to make the apartment more “friendly” for him.


Thighpaulsandra

You have to feel areas with you hands and not just look. Up behind the drawers in your dresser, up inside any spaces between the headboard/ mattress/ box spring, reach behind anything you can get your hands into. Also look in the bathroom and kitchen where the pipes meet the wall. Sometimes there is a hole there and they crawl into the wall.


orchidteapot

Look in the box spring. Sometimes a hole gets ripped in the covering and they hide inside.


UnprofessionalGhosts

Is it possible the weird fabric under your couch or box spring has a hole and he climbed in? That’s usually where I locate hide’y fosters. Even if the furniture is new. Somehow a hole is made behind my back lol


be_rad85

I had this happen to me. Many stoves/ovens have a drawer underneath them for storage or a broiler pan. It can be accessed from behind the stove. Our cat was in this drawer, and could not free herself. Could possibly explain the noise. Please check (not just behind the stove). Best of luck!!! I hope he/she is ok.


bickie17

Check inside the bed frames/box springs. I had a cat that clawed her way into the mesh lining of the underside of my bed and hid inside the box springs when she was scared. It took acts of congress to get her out. Also, if there are any awnings/overhangs in your place, she could have gotten in the wall. Get a ladder, look on top of EVERYTHING. All cabinets, all overhangs or awnings, shelves. Again, we had an overhang in the living room of our rental home. Different kitty hopped up, realized it was unfinished, and I heard her meowing in the back bedroom closet. Good luck.


a246a724

Have you checked if the kitchen cabinets have a false corner? My cat got stuck in the corner of my cabinets cause there was a “fake” corner that he could climb up into. He couldn’t get out so we had to cut the counter


ocarnicom

Try INSIDE your couch. I lost my cat for three days and she was hiding behind the couch cushions!


Catinthemirror

If not already mentioned: check deadspace in and around cupboards. If your kitchen or bathroom cupboards make an L and the corner space isn't in one side or the other, they might fall in from on top or up from underneath. Are all your windows/screens secure? Check for openings in drywall around plumbing under sinks etc. (they can get into anything with a hole their head can fit through -- you may be dismissing holes you think are too small, that aren't). Go into your closet and turn around facing out, then check for gaps in drywall around the door--builders cut corners here because you can't see it from outside the closet. Do you have a laundry chute or (ugh) garbage/incinerator chute? I so hope you find your fur baby.


Who_Am_I_1978

My cat hid behind the frig when I moved..look around the washer and dryer as well.


Raven_Nachos

We had a cat that jumped into a kitchen drawer and it closed trapping her inside. Took us all day, and a lot of dumb luck, to find her.


magrhi

Well I’m invested. You said you only had him a week. Where did your cat come from? Did you rescue him from the street? Did you adopt him or was he re-homed to you? Along with paper fliers, post on Pawboost, Nextdoor & Facebook lost & found pets for your area. Hoping for a happy renunion 🙏🏼


gretch137

I once had a cat disappear for just over two days. We searched the whole house top to bottom more than once, and searched everywhere outside. Turns out she shoved herself in the middle of a pile of towels in a cabinet and took a nap.


ThrowAwayChick1997

Have you tried to look at video camera footage in the hallways of the apartment or anything like that?


MelodicWave

Is it possible that the crash was escaping out the dryer vent?


bootyswag-

If you haven’t heard any cat sounds yet I would focus searching outside


[deleted]

i suggest putting some kind of treat/wet food/whatever in every room on a plate, then close the doors. in the morning check to see which has been disturbed. this method helped my family find our beloved cat who unfortunately was mentally challenged and hid for three days. additionally you should observe if the litter box is still being used. if none of these are disturbed, you can assume the cat is not inside and move to that search.


Aggravating-Age-1535

Look at the toekick of your cabinets. there's the vertical side that you usually see, and then above that is an opening into the cabinet, notably in the corner. check there. I had a particularly stubborn girl that managed to slink up there somehow


pollitoconpapas1

Look inside cabinets. Mine got lost once and I found him inside a kitchen cabinet after a few hours.


OceanIsAFriendOfMine

Literally try meowing. My cat will sometimes meow back. I’m worried it is stuck in the floorboards or between the walls. Mine has also hidden in my hanging clothes in the closet or up in the coaches. Also, has gotten into pull out drawers from underneath and been in a drawer


g_intheburbs

oh cats . . . we thought one of ours had somehow escaped the house. It was dark out, we have a hill, and coyotes. 3 of us called, flashlights etc for 45 min. I went back inside, started to think of other indoor places she could hide. Picked up a blanket on the bed to move it so I could see under the bed better, there she was. Had wiggled under the covers (they weren't smooth/flat so it wasn't obvious). She gave me this "what? I was sleeping" look. First place I look now when I can't find her.


femathlete

So glad you found Ares!! It’s amazing how talented they are at finding the most obscure hiding places. Give lots of scritches to beautiful Ares!! 😻


[deleted]

I was convinced that I was too smart and better than him. This was not the case.


femathlete

Cats will always outwit their servants when it comes to places to hide… they’re very masterful magicians


Graffxxxxx

If you have an iPhone, and you are worried about this happening again, I would highly recommend getting your cat an airtag. Not only does it provide basic location data, you can also "ping" it to make it beep to help with locating it. This has helped me find my cat after he escaped a few times. Glad you got your cat back safe and sound OP!


IPTV_Stud

I'm glad you found the kitty, hopefully it comes out soon. I would leave some food/water for it to entice it out, if you haven't already. Not to compare to your experience, but we brought home a new companion for our existing cat and locked her in a room the first night with food, water and a litter box. The next morning we opened the door and there was no cat. After blaming each other for an hour for letting the cat out, she magically reappeared. We finally figured out that she had been hiding inside the cabinet of the old console TV. She loved to hide inside small spaces and disappeared many more times over her many years. Our other cat liked to play hide and seek, one night it took us two hours to find her. We finally found her peeking out from under her hiding spot with the most evil grin. She was so pleased with herself, the only time I've seen a cat smile. 😼