Lost foster Cat found after 8 weeks.
- 3 days ago
- 9 min read
Updated: 18 hours ago
On Jan 24 Zafar Shakeel wrote:
Hello Kim
I used your help long time ago to find a lost cat in Austin Thank you. I have new lost cat situation and need your expert consultation asap. Is this service still available?
-Zafar
Kim Cat Finder replied:
Oh yes I remember you and your wife had the kitty hiding in the drain even though plumber could not see it, she was there.
Is this the new cat lost? I would need you both to be on a computer/laptop or tablet at min as much of the session is screen share and strategy and maps so she needs something bigger than her phone to se what we are doing and understand. I got your photo of handsome big Mojo sitting. He is spectacular!
Kim
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Yes its a new cat. A foster. We have been looking and several neighbors are also on the lookout, but no luck yet. We know to look in vicinity first and we have been. We are checking many times - in morning, quiet time in evening and till 1 am every night sitting outside. But need your expertise to look at the house surrounding map as there is a creek in back running along back of all houses and front is an elementary school so little challenging how to expand the search. Need your expertise in drawing up a plan of action based off the area. Neighbors are cooperative and on lookout as well.
Creek is vey densely bushed so yes we will not walk in creek. Biggest challenge is he was in our house for just 3 days so he does not know this house and familiarity or smells.
We save cats from the streets, over crowded home shelters and fosters, even paid for 20+ street cats and kittens to be transported from Dubai to San Francisco and always try to get all our saved cats adopted to good homes. This is the first time out of so many that we are facing a failure. Two week ago we paid $4K for medical bills for a cat we are caring for.
We do everything possible. That is why I feel so bad for Sadaf as she is severely heart broken. She even paid a cat psychic today who gave her some hope about making the cat come back to her. Anything to give her some hope. We got Mojo from over-crowded home shelter from a lady in LA to get it trial adoption with this family and this mishap happened only the third day. It was not a good match between the cat and family but we did not get a chance to take him back.
We feel we betrayed Mojo as he had no choice.
Now this afternoon, I will go post flyers to all the houses along the far end of the creek which is bordering or even outside your first circle. Will try to cover 20-30 new houses to post flyers. And will continue putting food in lady's backyard, where on black cat comes 11:30 and 3:30 am to eat and 2 possums show up every hour or do to snack on food I am leaving. But I am leaving 5 separate bowls of dry food
We have hand dropped posters or pasted to door to almost all homes in the main circle. House was checked already by Sadaf earlier, so we checked garage and all 4 cars parked there thoroughly. Almost all folks around now know about this but no one has seem him. Will put the cam tomorrow but now losing hope as it one week tomorrow. Noticing many folks on next door are getting their cats back because these are in home zone.
Mojo had no such choice and luck and that is the difference maker here. Will post on the transport zone tomorrow and can put $1000 for reward but I dont think it will make a difference as Mojo is not going to come out in front of anyone. And that is the unfortunate truth.
We will keep going every day and night to the neighborhood as it gives Sadaf some peace that she tried to be close to Mojo and not abandoned him wherever he is. Will keep it up as long as we can as for folks like us closure never happens.
Thanks again for your kindness.
On March 10 Zafar wrote:
Kim I have great update news! Someone got this pic in a creek on other side of highway... do you think it could be Mojo? I went there but he runs inside that hole if I get a little bit closer .. I threw some tuna outside on ground so he came to edge again to smell .. but went in again when saw me .. I put a bowl of dry food inside the hole and moved away .. in few minutes he was eating the dry food inside the hole .. it’s getting dark so should I go remove the tuna I threw outside so other animals don’t come?
YES YES THAT IS HIM!!!
This is fantastic news -- you must be so relieved!
If he does not like dry food, only use wet and only when camera is watching it. Can you borrow a drop trap and get it on the scene? Animal Control may be able to grant you access and even loan a trap. The brown FAT CAT traps are ideal for a fluffy cat and bigger than the typical cat trap but a drop trap is more successful and less stressful in almost all cases.
You can even get one with a remote control trigger like mine. here is a demo video showing how the trap works using my cat Henry to demonstrate:
I'm so VERY excited and happy for you that this is definitely him! If you can get a video clip, I would like to see how he's moving and body condition, so set your trail camera on the video setting.
It looks like he found the one place within a mile that is totally quiet, and no people or dogs can get to him! Well, done, Mojo!
K
Kim here is the area he is in
He is moving slow and appeared weak which makes sense as its 7 weeks today.
So, he seems to be hiding inside a small drain inside the creek where arrow is showing. The drain appears deep and probably connects to street drains on other side.
My wife is out of country. I just went there now at 10 pm and he not there and the dry food is not eaten much at all and as is. When I left at 6, he was nibbling, so don’t know why he did not eat, but at home also he never liked dry food and loved wet food.
I put the camera so let’s see if he comes back tonight. This creek is totally fenced so no one can go in and even for me it is to climb over a 6 foot fence and then go I drop down 8 feet into deep dry creek and he was inside the side wall of the creek inside a storm drain as pic shows.
I will go tomorrow early at 6:30 am and remove dry food and put wet food inside drain and monitor if he shows up. May also contact a trapping service as they may have more experience if he starts showing up regularly.
Let me know any other thoughts as I am praying that he has to come back again so we can have a fixed location to work on any plan.
HI Kim
Attached video to his body movement. Let me know what you assess as he is walking real slow. This morning I went at 3:45 am and he was in the hole 20 feet deep as his eye lit up when I used flash for a second. Video shows he left the hole at 7 am and that is the video attached. So, he eats my food between 5-6 am and maybe leaves the hole to spend daytime somewhere else.
-Zafar
On Friday Kim “The Cat Detective” Freeman wrote:
That's fantastic!! Well done sir! Can you get him to jump down to the ground if you sit down there with an open can of tuna it would be good to get him to use to coming out of the hole to eat because you can't catch them in the hole you can't risk trying to grab him and freaking him out and have him run away forever so best to train him to come out of the hole to eat other than maybe a first nibble most cats or more trusting if you are sitting on the ground not staring right at them.
Try leaving the food out from the pipe so that he will gradually get Train to come out can you leave it like 5 feet away from the pipe so he can smell it and come out a little bit?
Kim |
On Mar 13 Zafar Shakeel wrote:
GOT HIM !!!!!
I went to the place last night at 9 pm to put the camera and in darkness I saw something black sitting about 30 feet away still inside the fence but on upper edge of creek. Then I noticed white paws so I knew it was him and he like knew that I come around 9 pm every night to put the camera. I called him but he did not come so I left after hanging the camera on fence.
I kept thinking that he wanted me to be close that’s why he came out and was waiting for me, so I went back at 10 pm and he was still sitting at same spot waiting for me. I called Sadaf and she said bring his treats bag and shake and said tonight is the night we have to get it done. So, I put some wet food in a plate and stared shaking the bag and he cautiously came closer and closer and up to the fence where I could touch his head. I fed him some treats and in about 10 minutes he found a small hole to come out of fence on my side. He just wanted me to rub his head. He was eating his food but I slowly picked him up and walk towards car. He started panicking and growling and scratching but I kept holding very tight and ran towards my car as I had box or cage to put him in. Luckily car was unlocked so I somehow opened the door and threw him in and closed the door!! All the scratches on my hand was worth it the moment!!
I called Sadaf and she started crying with relief. Cannot believe it is over just few days shy of 8 weeks!!
I cannot thank you enough but I will write up a very detailed note and pics with all the ways you helped us with remaining calm and keep doing the job at hand and not let negative thoughts and uncertainty creep in. Hope you could take some pieces of this story and it may help others as you are a guiding angel for thousands of folks and there is a special place in lord's heaven as well as cat heaven for you !!
Will keep you posted in next week on how is he recovering!!
-Zafar
Hello Kim
Thanks for your kind note. Mojo is doing well. His eyes were deep inside his sockets and almost lifeless for first few days he was not certain as he would just sit and stare in my eyes for minutes like trying to absorb that its not another nightmare and trying to believe himself that he is safe now
Now the sparkle is coming back and his confidence and sense of security and relaxation is coming back. He is still so thin but bouncing back. Hope he lives a long and safe life and no more nightmares for him.
Thanks for being big part of this story!!
Was thinking if you were close by, would have taken you out to celebrate and appreciate all your help. Since you are not, just emailed a little appreciation token (hope it makes to your email soon) so you can have a little celebration on Mojo's behalf :-)
Take care and thanks for all your help!!
-Zafar
On Tuesday, March 15 Kimberley Pet detective wrote:
What a beautifully kind Thank you gift, Zafar! Thank you so much. This is so very appreciated. I will celebrate you and Mojo with something special.
How is Mojo doing this morning?
His fur looks good, but you said he had lost 5 lbs???
Has your dear kind wife gotten back yet so she can see Mojo in person yet?
It was such a pleasure assisting you. It makes me so happy to know Mojo is safe.
I will never forget your extreme and admirable dedication to finding and recovering him so gently with your caution and love!
Kim Freeman
Lost Cat Search & Rescue
On Mar 27 Mojo is found and safe.
Kim Freeman
Lost Cat Search & Rescue
