Oh no, the newt is missing!!!!

And I'm afraid it looks grim. He (?) escaped from his tank a few days ago, and although I spent over a day searching for him, there is not a single trace. Anywhere. No dead newt, no foot prints, no suspicious noises, nothing. I have looked everywhere. I suppose one of my cats could have eaten him, they would definitely be attracted by a scuttling newt, but they are outside most of the time during the summer. I also have no idea how he got out. There was a plastic lid on his tank, and although it was not snapped tight or anything, it should have been enough to keep a six inch newt where he was supposed to be. I read on the internet today that fire-bellied newts are notorious escape artists though. Uh oh.

Sigh. The only good news is that I got a lot of cleaning done while I was looking for Newt. The boys rooms were completely stripped and rearranged, the kitchen appliances were pulled out, the linen closet emptied and reorganized. I feel terrible. I hope he had a quick end. I know Newt had a long life, but still. I miss him. Rest in peace, Newt.