Expert: Norman Auspitz - 3/18/2009

Question
QUESTION: We decided to help either a feral cat or a very scared cat in 2007. She was pregant and had 4 kittens. We brought the whole family into our house when the kittens were 10 days old. They have been our cats ever since. In fact, the mother has become a very nice pet. They are all fixed and when they were old enough we have let them use the pet door and they come and go as they wish. All but one are normally always here or very close and we know where they are. In fact, all but the one are in all night. BUT, the one of the girls, the smallest of the litter, now has been staying away more than she is home. She will disappear for hours or sometimes a couple days at a time, then appear early in the a.m. hours. We keep dry food and water out at all times, and she will eat what is there, but probably would like wet food or treats. She might stay a couple of hours and usually slips out between 2 and 4 a.m. Lately when we do see her, she seems nervous and very snippy with the other cats. ALthough there are times she seems not to mind being with them. We have tried to determine where she is going but have had no luck. We dont know if she just wants to be an outdoor cat, or someone else is feeding her, but she does seem hungry when she does show up.
Is there anything to suggest that we could do to keep her home so we know she is safe?  SOmetimes we make sure when she shows up that she wont be able to use the kitty door, but after a couple of hours, she really wants out.
We are concerned because she is such a little cat and also not sure she is getting all the nutrition she needs.
What is your take on this?
THanks for your help.

ANSWER: Ellen,

I am assuming everyone is neutered or spayed!

Short of making her a totally indoor cat, no, there is nothing you can do.  It is hard to know what the dynamic is, but there is something making her feel unwelcome in your house, so she feels more comfortable outside.

We know almost nothing about how cats really inter-relate to each other and how they decide their pecking orders and the like. If she is not losing much weight, I would not worry about nutrition.

I am sorry I cannot be of any more help, but it rally is up to the cats to decide these things.  Sometimes we are pleased with the results and sometimes not.

Best regards... Norm.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yes all of the cats have been neutered or spayed.

Could the other cats be causing this unwelcome feeling?
Thanks for your information.

Answer
Ellen,

With your 5 cats the inter-relationship dynamic is probably very complicated.  So, if the odd cat out is the lowest in the pecking order, it would not be surprising that she would stay away!

She might be better off in a pet home with no other cats.

Best regards... Norm.