Expert: Kate Tilmouth - 6/10/2008

Question
Hi,  
  I need some advice about finding a lost cat. This cat was a stray we we got
him. We assume he belonged to someone because he was neutered already. I
fed him for 6 months on our patio and he gradually became more friendly but
he also was very sick-- stressed with GI bleed from being outside. We got
him all fixed up and kept him indoors. It took several months to socialize
him but he still only likes my husband and me and runs from strangers. The
other day on june 4th he got out the door when my husband was filling our
bird feeders. He darted out and tried 2 times to scale the fence ( he is too fat
now--15 lbs) but he finally made it over on the 3rd try. He went down the
fence line into the woods behind our house and we have not seen him since.
We have put out fresh water and food every night. My husband immediately
made flyers and distributed them to all our neighbors with 2 blocks. He also
spoke to several children in the neighborhood and one neighbor already
called with a possible sighting on June 6th. She said a cat was eating the cat
food on her porch that she left out for her cat. She did not get a positive ID of
course. Our cat has a crooked tail (name is "crooky"). We are now setting out
traps and I am going to stay up all night tonight to see who is eating on our
patio.Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Tina

Answer
Oh Tina i am sorry to hear that Crooky has run off (great name by the way)
I am a firm believer that cat should be allowed to roam free i know that in America the general opinion is different. But a cat keeps all their natural instincts ie to hunt, to have territory etc and generally to be explorers and as your cat has had previous knowledge and experience of this i suspect that the reason he ran off was not because he wanted to get away but wanted to be outside again.

I have heard of many situations where a cat can be away for weeks before returning home where they know they get regular food and comfort, indeed my own sisters cat went missing for 9 days after only being with her for two days so he didn't really know her or the area but he managed to find his way back home eventually. he just turned up at her door one evening. they really are amazing animals.

You are doing all the right things by putting food our for him every day and calling him and checking with your neighbors etc. All i can say is that if you keep on doing this if he wants to come back he will and why wouldn't he at the end of the day. he is probably just out their checking out the local territory and doing his catty type things.

Fingers crossed that he will be home soon.

http://www.our-happy-cat.com/lost-cats.html

best wishes
Kate
http://www.our-happy-cat.com