I think he/she will be ok. I had a few of those, sometimes lightly colored or with thin black stripes but when it came out as a butterfly they were fine.

Hadn't thought of the similar caterpillar - LOL! I've also found them on the chain link fence - top rail, as well the the links. I am very surprised that I still have milkweed - they aren't eating it to nubs like usual. Only finding one or two cats at a time and I know the mommas are laying eggs.

How much north are you in northern california? The only think I can think of is a bear. They have a distinctive odor which is horrible, other than that she might have tangled with a raccoon (most likely) who might have just been in someones garbage.

Unless your cat has a very unique coat pattern, markings, or other rare distinguishing physical characteristics, he most likely looks very similar to hundreds or thousands of other cats. There's no reason to think that the other person's lost ad is referencing your cat. Certainly it won't hurt to contact the other person and discuss the matter with them. It's not impossible that you may have someone in your area who is abducting cats of a certain physical description. For example, it's not at all uncommon for black cats to go missing around Halloween. If your cat is an indoor cat who escaped outside, it's much more likely that your cat is very frightened and is hiding somewhere out of sight, probably close to your home. Or your cat may have become inadvertently trapped in someone's garage, shed, or basement. You should make up flyers with his photo and description, then distribute them to every household and business within at least a one mile radius of your home. Flyers should also be posted at every vet clinic, animal shelter, pound, pet store, feed store, pet groomer, etc. in your area, as well as at your local police station or sheriff's dept. Speak personally to all of these entities, as well, so that they know there is a person behind the posters who is seriously searching for this cat. If your cat is still nearby, it will help keep him close and hopefully draw him back to your house if you put his (preferably soiled) litterbox outside your door, along with some of your own dirty laundry (dirty underwear works best). Those strong, familiar scents will hopefully lure him back. Also, ask your local animal control officer, animal shelter, and/or wildlife services if you can borrow a live trap to set up outside your house. If your cat is close by but too scared to come out of hiding during daylight hours, you may be able to trap him overnight. If your cat is an intact tom, all bets are off. He could be many miles from home by now, looking for love. Keep going to your area shelters and pounds every day or two to personally check through the cat cages for your boy. Don't rely on the people who answer the phones at those places. You need to check those cages yourself to make sure your boy isn't overlooked or lost in a paperwork shuffle. I wish you the best of luck in finding your boy. Laurie