My cat got outside for the first time since we took her in, what are the chances she returns?

[Margot Lane]

Agree w cat lady Jan…are you feeding her outside of the box? She’ll never go into the trap then. Do you know your neighbor well enough to ask if they have traps and would be willing to set one?

 

[RickCMC]

Well after the trap fiasco where she went into it and got out, I wanted her not to be afraid to come back to the area and to associate the back yard with a place she can still get a meal. But I just removed all food from outside the trap and put it in the traps. I was just afraid that she wouldn’t want to go in the traps again after getting out of one a few days ago.

 

[RickCMC]

How was she with you when she was in the house?
How did she get out?
Why are you still feeding her? She has to be hungry to go into trap.

She was great when she was in the house. Very playful and affectionate. She liked the other two cats and even the dog we have. She never showed any desire to go outside. What happened was I went to walk the dog and shut the storm door. Apparently it didn’t shut completely. I have another cat that always wants to get outside and has several times. But she comes back every time and almost immediately. While I was gone for 5 minutes walking the dog this cat pushed the storm door open. When I got back she was outside on the porch and I got her back in right away. A few moments later I realized another cat was missing, and that was that.

 

[Margot Lane]

Well after the trap fiasco where she went into it and got out, I wanted her not to be afraid to come back to the area and to associate the back yard with a place she can still get a meal. But I just removed all food from outside the trap and put it in the traps. I was just afraid that she wouldn’t want to go in the traps again after getting out of one a few days ago.

‘You must have faith in yourself. She is circling you like a shark and you just need stamina and grit. Stay the course. Cats do this: they sniff, they circle, they examine things from all sides. She will go for it eventually.

 

[RickCMC]

‘You must have faith in yourself. She is circling you like a shark and you just need stamina and grit. Stay the course. Cats do this: they sniff, they circle, they examine things from all sides. She will go for it eventually.

Thanks! I hope so. She’s been outside for almost 3 weeks. And in this past week I’ve seen her more than I have in the first two weeks she was out. She’s staying very close so I just have to be patient.

 

[CatladyJan]

Well after the trap fiasco where she went into it and got out, I wanted her not to be afraid to come back to the area and to associate the back yard with a place she can still get a meal. But I just removed all food from outside the trap and put it in the traps. I was just afraid that she wouldn’t want to go in the traps again after getting out of one a few days ago.

. It takes time and patience.

 

[RickCMC]

. It takes time and patience.

So I just saw her a few hours ago and she was eating the food I had put out. I stood by the back door and looked out and she would look up and stare at me and I would wave at her. Then I grabbed one of my other cats and held her and stood by the door and she looked up and stared at her. I figured I’d show her one of the other cats and maybe she would remember this was her home with these other cats. She finished eating and then walked away and hopped the fence. Now im worried that her seeing our other cat might have freaked her out because I haven’t seen her since. I’m really overthinking this, aren’t i?

 

[CatladyJan]

So I just saw her a few hours ago and she was eating the food I had put out. I stood by the back door and looked out and she would look up and stare at me and I would wave at her. Then I grabbed one of my other cats and held her and stood by the door and she looked up and stared at her. I figured I’d show her one of the other cats and maybe she would remember this was her home with these other cats. She finished eating and then walked away and hopped the fence. Now im worried that her seeing our other cat might have freaked her out because I haven’t seen her since. I’m really overthinking this, aren’t i?

Yes, you are overthinking it a little bit, but you remind me of myself and I'm impressed with your thinking and reasoning. I hold my cats up to the window when my feral kitty comes by so he can see I mean him no harm. I know it's stressful, but the great thing is you know she is alive and well.

 

[RickCMC]

Yes, you are overthinking it a little bit, but you remind me of myself and I'm impressed with your thinking and reasoning. I hold my cats up to the window when my feral kitty comes by so he can see I mean him no harm. I know it's stressful, but the great thing is you know she is alive and well.

Thank you. I’ve never been this stressed out over anything in my life, as crazy as that may sound. Getting this cat back has been my obsession since the day she got out and I question every move or step I take. It’s after 2am where im at. I want to stay up all night looking out for her but im so tired and don’t know how long I can keep my eyes open and I have to work tomorrow. I feel like I’ve done the best I can do. I put all the food in the traps and I am not leaving any outside of the traps.

 

[RickCMC]

I have wonderful news. Woke up this morning and noticed on the video feed that the trap was shut. Went out and she was in there! I took the trap inside and she was meowing loudly. I opened the door and she ran out and went upstairs to hide under a bed in on of the rooms. I put her food and water and a litter box in there and shut the door. I figure she needs to decompress. But I am just so happy that she’s back!! Thank you to all who contributed to this thread! It was a huge encouragement through this process!!! Thank you so much!

 

[vince]

See. Everybody was telling you she'd come back.

The decompression time is a good idea. Since she was out for quite a while, the other cats might have some non-recognition issues, too.

 

[CatladyJan]

I have wonderful news. Woke up this morning and noticed on the video feed that the trap was shut. Went out and she was in there! I took the trap inside and she was meowing loudly. I opened the door and she ran out and went upstairs to hide under a bed in on of the rooms. I put her food and water and a litter box in there and shut the door. I figure she needs to decompress. But I am just so happy that she’s back!! Thank you to all who contributed to this thread! It was a huge encouragement through this process!!! Thank you so much!

Isn't that a great feeling? Congratuatlions.

 

[RickCMC]

She’s happy to be home!

 

[CalicoKittieOne]

She's so beautiful congratulations

 

[vince]

Well, that was the problem--she's a tortie. They do what they want, when they want. You just have to wait for them to decide.

 

[Margot Lane]

Looks like she’s saying: “What? I was just testing you.”

 

[RickCMC]

Well, that was the problem--she's a tortie. They do what they want, when they want. You just have to wait for them to decide.

Hey Vince, my cat knowledge is lacking! I had no clue what a ‘tortie’ is and had to look it up. Is she definitely a tortie? Here’s another pic of her since she has been home from her 19 day adventure outside.

 

[RickCMC]

View attachment 413466

 

[vince]

I thought she was a tortie from the pic you posted. She looks black to me in the most-recent one. I think the backlighting and perhaps "rusting" of her fur may have made me think she was a tortoiseshell.

Tortoiseshells, calicoes and females that have red hair sometimes have a stubborn independent streak called "tortitude." I have a red female that's like that.

She looks happy to finally be home in the last pic.

 

[CatladyJan]

I thought she was a tortie from the pic you posted. She looks black to me in the most-recent one. I think the backlighting and perhaps "rusting" of her fur may have made me think she was a tortoiseshell.

Tortoiseshells, calicoes and females that have red hair sometimes have a stubborn independent streak called "tortitude." I have a red female that's like that.

She looks happy to finally be home in the last pic.

Yes, I think it was the lighting, she is a beautiful black domestic shorthair.