Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/missing for 5 years

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 10/3/2009


Question
My 11 year old cat went missing 5 years ago. 2 days ago we were told the animal police here in holland had him. he`d been in an appartment with a man living close to us. he was in a bad way. mouth infection. skinny and dirty. escaped bye jumping into a tree from a balcony 4 floors high. Luckilly we`d had him chipped so when the man tried to claim him back, he could`nt. I think he remebers us but am not sure. is that possible??? many thanks

Answer
Caroline,

Wow! How lucky you were able to get him back after so long. Most of the people are not so lucky, especially after 5 years! That is a great example of why microchipping is important!

The cat will remember your voices. Cats go by voice and smells for recognition, not sight. It may take him a little while to settle back in, but he will. That is a traumatic experience for an elderly cat! Keep him close and give him LOTS of love and kitty treats!!

Your cat is approximately 60 years old in human years and being prepared and knowledgeable about older cats will make things easier for the cat and for you. For future reference I am including some very good links about elderly cats:
(Copy and paste, or type, the whole links into your address bar):

http://www.sniksnak.com/resources/geriatric.html

http://www.messybeast.com/towards-end.htm

http://www.2ndchance.info/oldcat.htm

I am VERY happy you got your cat back!! I hope this helped.

Tabbi  

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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