Our cat Zoe has disappeared. Leah let him out Thursday night around 11. He ate a little dry food in the garage and we haven’t seen him since. Normally when he stays out overnight, he’s at the door first thing for his food. But not Friday morning.

We’ve looked in all the places he frequents, but there is absolutely no sign of him.

We’ve had cats that stay outside ever since we moved up here, and, although there are potential predators around, there have never been any problems. I have seen coyotes in the woods and on Fouche Gap Road some distance away, but we have never seen one anywhere near the house. I don’t think foxes are responsible; they have eaten cat food in the driveway with the cats looking on, and the cats and the foxes never bother each other.

Zoe doesn’t stray far from the house, so we don’t think he has wandered off and found a new home. Besides, all of our closer neighbors know who he belongs to, so they would let us know.

It just doesn’t make any sense.

So far he has been missing for 24 hours. We haven’t completely given up hope that he will show up again. He hasn’t been the most rewarding cat to own, but Leah is really attached to him.