Our beloved cat is missing, Any advice? Options

[a mum]

Sorry to post this in the music forum but I wondered if any of you forumites might have some advice for us.

Our 3 year old tabby is now missing for 2 days. He's white with black/grey markings. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

He has never been away for so long from home. We last saw him at 5 pm on Monday evening when he went out after having his food. Usually he comes back late at night or first thing next morning but he didn't. I went to work thinking that he's probably just around but then when he hadn't been back all day, we started to get a little worried. We have combed the entire neighbourhood, calling out for him and looked in the bushes. We have informed the vets, put up posters and asked around with the neighbours. I have also posted his details on a couple of missing animal websites. I have also called the local council in case he has been run over and also the RSPCA. He's often seen out with another cat from the neighbourhood, but I have gone and checked and this cat is still at home and he has been hanging around our house.

We have just been out again looking for him. Usually he just comes when we call out for him but he's nowhere to be seen. Not sure what has happened to him, and this is so worrying.

We're all just devastated. It's surprising how hard this has hit us. There is this very intense feeling of loss and helplessness. Our daughter is extremely attached to him and she boards during the week, so we haven't even told her yet as we are worried how she would react and cope without us at school.

Any advice/ suggestions? Is there still any hope for us considering it has been more than 48 hours now? This is just not his usual pattern.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[scotliz]

Our cats have also gone missing a couple of times. Our youngest one would hide in the garden if he had been in a fight and even though we checked behind all the bushes we wouldn't see him so it may be worth checking your garden a few times.

Hope by this time though that Harry has arrived home.

[a mum]

No news on Harry yet. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

We went out late last night at midnight around the neighbourhood with a flashlight calling out for him. No sign of him anywhere. Kept hoping that I'll hear a meow or that he'll emerge out of the bushes. Went out again early this morning with the dog in the opposite direction. He used to just come out of the bushes and follow us around whenever we walked the dog. No idea where he could be.

I also put some worn clothes around the garden last night but perhaps they weren't smelly enough! Also put out food for him and his bed outside but there hasn't been any sign of him at all.

Trying very hard to stay hopeful... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)