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Missing Cat at Red Rock Campground

Original Post
Kat C · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 25

Hi there, This is my first time on the forums here and I feel a little silly writing about this but some very nice folks encouraged me to post on here. My cat went missing the day before Thanksgiving from Red Rock Campground. She was spotted at night by some campers a few days after, so I have reason to believe she's still alive. #1: If you are staying there anytime this month, please keep an eye out for her in the evening! I've attached the missing cat poster that you will probably see around the campground (though after the big rain, I have no idea how they are faring). #2: I set up humane live animal traps around the campground in the hopes that I'll get her back. Unfortunately they require daily setting and checking, and I've had to fly back to New York at least temporarily. A couple of very generous folks (thank you, wonderful climbing community!) have volunteered to do some of the legwork, but I would love to impose upon them as little as possible. I know this is very very unlikely, but if you are staying for a while and are interested in checking/setting traps, please get in touch with menull. Thanks for reading, everyone. I've had this cat since I found her in a tree when she was a month old four years ago, and up until this point we've been inseparable. She's traveled with me far and wide, and we would go on long walks together. I feel awful that I am halfway across the country instead of looking for her at the campground right now, but if she's not found within the next two weeks I will be flying back to continue the search once my work obligations ease up.

Max Supertramp · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 95

Sorry you lost your cat. Hope those notorious rats didn't get her!

Kat C · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 25

Thank you. And I don't think so, especially since she's left a few by/inside my tent as presents.

Dow Williams · · St. George, Utah; Canmore, AB · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 240

I can stop by the campground to check/release and reset traps this weekend for you if you need it...it will be easier than you might think for her to make it back to Summerlin neighborhoods (as the crow flies, not far at all)....make sure to keep checking the local shelters along with your other efforts. Coyotes are plentiful in the area, attracted to easy garbage as always.

Kat C · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 25

Dow, thanks so much for the offer and for the advice. I am very grateful. If you don't mind emailing or calling me (so you don't have to post your info on the forum), I'd love to chat with you.

Kat C · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 25

Thank you, everyone.

After just over three weeks, Figgy has been FOUND!

She did in fact head to the suburbs - she was found at the edge of Summerlin, about 4 miles away from the campground. A very nice woman saw her last night, fed her, and called my number which was on her collar.

I'm flying to Vegas today to pick her up.

Thank you everyone for your well wishes and advice! Happy climbing :)

- Kat

Andrew Williams · · Concord, NH · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 625

That's awesome! I couldn't imagine if my cat was missing for that long. Good to hear she's ok!

Dobson · · Butte, MT · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 215

Yay!

I just noticed this thread, but it was heart breaking until I finished scrolling down.

Donovan Allen · · Soft Lake City · Joined May 2012 · Points: 356

<3! So wonderful you two are going to be reunited, happy endings just make me smile. Cheers!

Paul H · · Pennsylvania · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 5

Fantastic news! Glad there was a happy ending!

BackAtItAgain · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 15

Yay !! The world needs more craq cats.. my next one will be for sure!

Trad Princess · · Not That Into Climbing · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 1,175

didn't see that coming.

Allen Sanderson · · On the road to perdition · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 1,203

Nice!! I would say the Kat should count her cat's luckiness. I guess those nine (perhaps eight now) lives come in handy.

And props to Dow for helping out.

Jim Fox · · Westminster, CO · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 50

Yah! Best news I've read today! Happy for you.

Bill McKirgan · · Cheyenne, WY · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 466

So happy for this good news! Glad you got your kitty back!!!

runout · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 30

Crag cat, eh? What did you do with the cat when you went climbing?

Kat C · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 25

Aww, thanks everyone!

I do think she's a lucky cat, and I'm a lucky woman.

For the curious:

During long hikes I went on during the day, she rode in my backpack, either curled up asleep or with her head poking out.

Backpacking
Spring Mtns

She got restless as a passenger but also hated trekking across open spaces in the daytime, so on top of day hiking we learned to take daily evening and pre-dawn walks together.

(Walking together meant this: for a couple of hours at a time, she would explore and I would follow her, and then after a while I would turn back and she would follow me. I walked deep brush and slot canyons and ledges I wouldn't think to hike by myself; in return she'd wait while I made slow progress, or meow back if I lost sight of her.)

On a ledge in Moonflower Canyon
Valley of Fire
Slick Rock

By the time my wrists healed enough to climb (I sprained both right before my 1.5-month Southwest 'climbing' trip), she seemed content with just the nocturnal walks and so I would leave her to nap in the footbox of my sleeping bag until I came back from climbing, and then we'd hang out at camp together.

Even though I've traveled with Figgy most of her (short, 4-year) life, this trip was the first time I'd taken her outdoors like this and for such an extended period of time.

For those looking to make your cat a crag cat - know that it took a certain degree of stubbornness and willful obliviousness on my part (both inborn, I'd say), followed by a steep learning curve for both of us. And then it worked wonderfully up until it didn't. The month and a half out in the Southwest with my cat was an extraordinarily special time, and the three weeks she was missing an extraordinarily awful time. And of course, we are very lucky the ending was a happy one, and to have had the help of kind people, often strangers, along the way.

Not sure what the future holds, except that Figgy will be getting a GPS tracking device for Christmas.

Thanks for reading, everyone.

-Kat

splitclimber · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 18

Hey Kat,
So happy you were reunited with Figgie. I talked with you at the RR campground a little bit on your last day there.

Just shows that there is always hope.

mediocre · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2013 · Points: 0

Is this real?

Craig Childre · · Lubbock, TX · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 4,860

NICE!

germsauce Epstein · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 55

everything about all of this is awesome.

Now who is going to start the thread titled "cats at the crag" and start bitching about it?

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Nevada
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