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Hi Ali, we were "adopted" by a cat, who actually lived with a family across the street. He came into our house as a 8-9 month old kitten and seemed very comfortable and used to spend many hours in the day and night also at our home, even curling up on my lap and going to sleep (on his own). We named him Billy. His previous owners did not have a problem with this. After some time, his younger brother also started tagging along and I started feeding him too, although he was never attached to me like Billy was (and vice versa). It's now been almost 1 year since they've been with us, but suddenly over the past 3 days, I noticed that they were both violently fighting with each other (when previously they were good friends) and the younger one, who is stronger, started dominating the other and drinking all his milk too. Now my cat, Billy, has been missing for the past two days. I can't find him anywhere in the neighborhood. His brother, though, still comes home but I have stopped feeding him and letting him inside, because I'm so upset and I miss Billy. I don't understand if male cats fight like this for dominance once they reach a certain age? Has my cat gone looking for another house? Do you think he will ever come back? Thank you very much for any advice and guidance you may have!
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Kary,
I understand that you are upset by Billy's disappearance. I wanted to know are Billy and his brother neutered yet? This could potentially cause fighting if they aren't neutered - they may be fighting over a female in heat (breeding rights) which could explain Billy's absence. It's also possible that there is a territorial dispute going on, however I think that's less likely given that you didn't mention any previous problems with fighting, marking territory, etc. I doubt very much that Billy's brother is keeping him away from you, he probably didn't play any part in his disappearance. It's quite possible that Billy's brother is looking for his brother and is upset by his disappearance, so I would say that not allowing him to follow usual routines could potentially make things more stressful for him. There have been countless stories of cats that are close friends looking out for each other - Billy's brother could be bringing him food and trying to care for him until he's calmer and strong enough to come out of hiding. I don't think that Billy's gone looking for another house, he obviously loves you very much and for one reason or another can't get to you. I'm hoping that he hasn't been hit by a car or somehow injured badly enough that he may die. It just sounds odd that a cat who obviously loves you and has a great relationship would all of the sudden stop showing up to collect his favorite human's cuddles. Feline siblings can be rough and tumble with each other, they exercise dominance over each other practically from birth so I don't think this has much to do with Billy's disappearance.
Given the little bit of history that you've sent my way I'm more inclined to suspect that Billy has been in some sort of accident and may be injured and hiding. If this is the case you may want to try looking for this little guy late at night or early in the morning when things are quiet and still. Cats tend to like to hide in small dark spaces when they're injured or afraid. Obviously if this kitty's injured it's very important to find him as soon as possible so that he can be examined by a veterinarian and receive any necessary treatment. If Billy has been hit by a car, attacked by a predator (like a dog), or abused by a human being it's possible that he's simply to afraid to come out at this time. You may find that Billy will come out for tuna, salmon or sardines - setting a humane live trap would probably be a good plan and many rescue organizations and vet clinics will loan these traps out for free or a nominal fee.
I would highly recommend that you print out flyers with Billy's picture on them and circulate them to all local animal shelters, rescue groups and vet clinics. If a good samaritan has found Billy injured and brought him in for treatment he may have a limited "stray time" that could be running out before he is to be euthanized. Flyers should also go up around the neighborhood with Billy's family's consent and phone number so that someone will always be able to answer a call from someone who has found a cat matching Billy's description. I know this is tough, my thoughts and prayers are with you and Billy at this time. Please send me an update to let me know how the search for Billy is going. Also, a person whose lost pet returned after more than a month recently asked me to share her story to give other pet parents of missing cats hope. This kitty went into the vet clinic for an eye operation and was allowed to escape. Unfortunately a thorough search turned up nothing and I was asked whether or not a cat could make it home over a stretch of a few kilometers. I figured that this kitty would make it home in a few days. I received an e-mail shortly after Christmas telling me that this kitty returned home almost a month to the day after he disappeared from his vet's clinic. There's hope for Billy, don't give up the search.
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Thank you so so much, Ali, for that answer which was thoughtful, empathetic, and knowledgeable. I feel guilty now about depriving Billy's brother of his usual routine. I haven't done any serious searching for Billy (other than keeping a lookout for him on my morning walks) because the conventional wisdom here (of my husband and neighbors) was that cats like to roam around and will come back on their own sweet time...However, this was not enough to pacify me and I felt something else was up, which is why I mailed you...to answer your question, neither of the cats have been neutered, so your diagnosis is spot-on...I will be starting the search for Billy and will keep you posted. Thank you very much for your heartwarming concern....please keep him in your prayers! | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Ali
Expertise
I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.
Experience
I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.
Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.
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