A Horrible Year with Cats and it's Only April!

[Jcatbird]

I have had a feral go missing for a year! Others for long periods and in a place that was filled with cat hating humans. Of course I felt my heart sink too. Never underestimate the powers of a cat. See the picture beside my screen ID? That baby turned up here with her mother, the cat that had been missing for a year. Where had Mom been? I never knew. Cats are filled with secrets and know far more than us, mere humans. Sending all the encouragement and hope that I can find. Never give up my friend.

 

[Whenallhellbreakslose]

I am not going to give up hope just yet on these two, I just needed to vent.
These guys are so new to the tom game and I am afraid that an older and more experienced tom cat might hurt them. And then there is always..people. There just has been no sighting of them and I am worried about the weather getting warmer. Do you know how long the cycle lasts? I was under the assumption that it last all summer.


Your words do make me feel better and I thank you so much for that. I hope my experience mirrors yours.

I seen females go into heat for 3 to 5 days. Once they have mated they chase the males away. If their are other females in heat, naturally the males move onto them. Mating season usually begins in the winter months (where I live usually February and March). Kitten Season can begin in late March. Although, most litters I have seen born are usually in April and May. Kittens can be born in any month in Spring and Summer and up until mid Fall. A female can easily have 2 or more litters a year. They return to mating once the kittens are older and eating solids. Although, I witnessed one Momma go into heat 2 1/2 weeks after giving birth to kittens. This is not that uncommon I read. Females are either doing one of the three with very little down time between each phase: mating, pregnant, or giving birth and raising kittens.

In regards to your concern over your missing male cats, I have also seen non-alpha male cats stay out of the way if there is an Alpha around. The most vicious cat fights that I have seen are between Alpha males trying to get the other one to leave. Do you know where there might be a nearby colony of cats? I would check there. Also, try to find out if there are nearby cat feeders. Get the word out far and wide. Don't give up.

I wish you all the best.

 

[DreamerRose]

Add me to those begging you not to give up. I took in a stray and found the owner through Animal Control. The owners lived two or three blocks away and the cat had been missing for three months!

 

[Willowy]

I've known a lot of cats who were missing for some ridiculous amount of time and were either found ro came hom on their own, don't give up hope.

My mom just recently had an elderly de-clawed cat show up at her house. . .she posted on Facebook and his owner saw it and came and got him. He had popped a window screen out, had been gone for 10 days, she lived halfway across town (maybe a mile or two?), and due to his age she assumed something terrible had happened. Who even knows how or why he went that far away. Granted, 10 days isn't ridiculous, but because he was so old it's a lot longer (and farther) than you would expect.

Cats do their cat things, keep an eye on social media and Animal Control and maybe they'll turn up somewhere else.

 

[fionasmom]

Would they even go into a trap that easily when your house has been their food source. I don't see your creepy neighbor being someone who would work hard at disguising the trap, getting very specific bait, or putting a lot of effort into it. Like others have said, I have had outdoor ferals return after a long time.

Every week, I write down the names of the ferals who come to eat, sort of as a head count. One of them, BFG, was gone for so long that I wrote his name down as deceased only to have him appear about a week later, picture of health, looking for his food.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

And don't forget...the girls are still singing those sweet songs of love! That'll turn a young tom's head for an unreasonable amount of time!

 

[jefferd18]

OMG- I am getting so discouraged.
This is literally like finding that needle in a haystack, only I have two needles to find.
Where on earth could they have gone to? You would think they would still be in the same neighborhood.

 

[jefferd18]

I seen females go into heat for 3 to 5 days. Once they have mated they chase the males away. If their are other females in heat, naturally the males move onto them. Mating season usually begins in the winter months (where I live usually February and March). Kitten Season can begin in late March. Although, most litters I have seen born are usually in April and May. Kittens can be born in any month in Spring and Summer and up until mid Fall. A female can easily have 2 or more litters a year. They return to mating once the kittens are older and eating solids. Although, I witnessed one Momma go into heat 2 1/2 weeks after giving birth to kittens. This is not that uncommon I read. Females are either doing one of the three with very little down time between each phase: mating, pregnant, or giving birth and raising kittens.

In regards to your concern over your missing male cats, I have also seen non-alpha male cats stay out of the way if there is an Alpha around. The most vicious cat fights that I have seen are between Alpha males trying to get the other one to leave. Do you know where there might be a nearby colony of cats? I would check there. Also, try to find out if there are nearby cat feeders. Get the word out far and wide. Don't give up.

I wish you all the best.

Thank you for answering my question and also for your nice and comforting words of support.

As far as there being colonies around, oh my, I wouldn't even begin to know where to begin to look.
The only reason I knew of the cat colony over at Hoods was because I was driving in the area late one night and just happen to catch a glimpse of three or four cats hanging around in their parking-lot.
That's the trouble with cats, they possess the unique talent of going about their business without attracting attention.

 

[Jcatbird]

Cats are masters of disguise. They can be right in front of us and we will not see them if they choose to stay hidden. It’s one of their greatest skills. They are taught this from birth and to some degree it is in their genes. They could not hunt without it. I have been practicing tracking and hunting skills my entire life and cats still evade me at times. Have you tried using plain old sand around a feeding dish to check for paw prints? It can be a great clue. I can usually tell what has been near by looking for prints or by looking at how food was eaten. A raccoon always washes food which leaves a lot of debris in the water dish. A possum tends to be a messy eater and pushes a lot of food over the edge of a plate. Sometimes they slide the plate over a bit. A dog, fox or coyote will take the plate to enjoy under a bush or elsewhere and often demolish it if they can to lick every morsel. A buzzard will move a plate a few feet and often turn it upside down. If it is paper or stryofoam they can leave a perfect little ^ in the plate.
One other thing, have you ever noticed something out of the corner of your eye that you didn’t see before? That’s usually how I find missing ferals. I think they are part magician and practice “slight of hand.” Paw? I look as much for movement as I do for an actual cat shape. I once lost a kitten during a hurricane. I had pulled her out of the water but she got away in the wind and rain. I found her again after she was grown. Unless we actually find something to MAKE us give up, we can encourage each other. I won’t give up if you don’t. Please don’t give up. It can happen now or much later but it can still happen.

 

[jefferd18]

And don't forget...the girls are still singing those sweet songs of love! That'll turn a young tom's head for an unreasonable amount of time!

And no telling how many girl kitties there are out there. Why couldn't they have escaped in March?

The littlest and youngest of my toms was literally throwing himself against a wall and yowling his little head off. He came across as the smart and capable one.
The other one was extremely large and older by six months. Unfortunately he also was as dumb as a stump. If there was ever a naive cat, it would be him.

 

[Jcatbird]

It sounds like they are partners in crime. Even though they are both make, they can look out for each other. I have seen many cats help each other to hunt, defend a territory and to survive predators and humans. The little one may be the brains of the outfit but the big one is the brawn. The little one may even help to keep the big one near. Free food usually does it.

 

[jefferd18]

Cats are masters of disguise. They can be right in front of us and we will not see them if they choose to stay hidden. It’s one of their greatest skills. They are taught this from birth and to some degree it is in their genes. They could not hunt without it. I have been practicing tracking and hunting skills my entire life and cats still evade me at times. Have you tried using plain old sand around a feeding dish to check for paw prints? It can be a great clue. I can usually tell what has been near by looking for prints or by looking at how food was eaten. A raccoon always washes food which leaves a lot of debris in the water dish. A possum tends to be a messy eater and pushes a lot of food over the edge of a plate. Sometimes they slide the plate over a bit. A dog, fox or coyote will take the plate to enjoy under a bush or elsewhere and often demolish it if they can to lick every morsel. A buzzard will move a plate a few feet and often turn it upside down. If it is paper or stryofoam they can leave a perfect little ^ in the plate.
One other thing, have you ever noticed something out of the corner of your eye that you didn’t see before? That’s usually how I find missing ferals. I think they are part magician and practice “slight of hand.” Paw? I look as much for movement as I do for an actual cat shape. I once lost a kitten during a hurricane. I had pulled her out of the water but she got away in the wind and rain. I found her again after she was grown. Unless we actually find something to MAKE us give up, we can encourage each other. I won’t give up if you don’t. Please don’t give up. It can happen now or much later but it can still happen.

Thank you, Jcatbird for all of those helpful tips and what to look for when putting food out for a cat. You need to write a book! You figured cats out and now you are beating them at their own game. Many cat lovers, myself included, go a whole lifetime with cats and still can't figure out what goes on in those little pointed-ear heads.
Thank you so much for the information.
I am going to go full Sherlock Holmes here and hopefully that will help me gain on those two rogue felines.

 

[jefferd18]

It sounds like they are partners in crime. Even though they are both make, they can look out for each other. I have seen many cats help each other to hunt, defend a territory and to survive predators and humans. The little one may be the brains of the outfit but the big one is the brawn. The little one may even help to keep the big one near. Free food usually does it.

Even though they couldn't stand one another inside, I think you are right. The book "Of Mice and Men" just popped up in my brain.
You may be on to something with "free food". Maybe I ought to find out just who has an outside cat in my neighborhood.

 

[Whenallhellbreakslose]

Thank you for answering my question and also for your nice and comforting words of support.

As far as there being colonies around, oh my, I wouldn't even begin to know where to begin to look.
The only reason I knew of the cat colony over at Hoods was because I was driving in the area late one night and just happen to catch a glimpse of three or four cats hanging around in their parking-lot.
That's the trouble with cats, they possess the unique talent of going about their business without attracting attention.

Please hang in there. I know how frustrating and worrisome this can be. I have been through this over and over. I just came from Jcatbird's thread and she spotted her lost kitty Thrasher walking away from food bowl she left outside. This kitty is laying low, but she is around. She has been outside for a month now.

You are not alone. Others on this thread shared the same thing that I did and that is that cats do seem to wander and they come back when they are ready to -- unless very lost. Your kitties may not be that far away, just laying low. They are experts at hiding, so just know that it may not be that the cats are lost, but scared and hiding. I even had a kitten, I thought got outside. I looked in the house practically everywhere and their was no trace. Then I went outside looking for her and speaking to the neighbors. A couple hours later, my kitten was chilling on her bed as if nothing happened. She was in the house the whole time!!! Where she hide, I have no idea, but she really had me running around worried.

My thoughts and prayers are with you. I hope you find your kitties soon. Hang in there.

 

[jefferd18]

I have done that before, just last week. I thought Inky got out and I went all over the neighborhood with a flashlight, calling his name and it was two in the morning. I am surprised the neighbors didn't call the police. Turns out he was hiding in a downstairs closet and was scared because of all the commotion I was causing outside. I know I overreacted but after what happened with the last two my mind immediately went over to the dark side.

It is such a wonderful feeling when we find them. I would imagine even more so with you because your kitty was just a baby.
Jcatbird is a detective when it comes to cats, she was disclosing clues to me that I never knew existed. If anyone can find a vanished cat, she can.

Thank you for thinking of me and my two guys, it means a lot to me.

 

[jefferd18]

Add me to those begging you not to give up. I took in a stray and found the owner through Animal Control. The owners lived two or three blocks away and the cat had been missing for three months!

Thank you DreamerRose for encouraging me to keep looking for those two outlaws.
And a big thanks sent your way for taking that little guy in and reuniting him with his owners. I know they must have been overcome with joy when they got the news. Three months!- what a miracle.

 

[jefferd18]

Would they even go into a trap that easily when your house has been their food source. I don't see your creepy neighbor being someone who would work hard at disguising the trap, getting very specific bait, or putting a lot of effort into it. Like others have said, I have had outdoor ferals return after a long time.

Every week, I write down the names of the ferals who come to eat, sort of as a head count. One of them, BFG, was gone for so long that I wrote his name down as deceased only to have him appear about a week later, picture of health, looking for his food.

Thank you fionasmom for your caring words and I am glad he came back. I think they secretly enjoy putting us through a scare.

I don't know. I can see her saying to herself, ' "well there's too many cats in that house already, so I am doing everyone a favor."
Someone suggested on trying to find colonies but I don't know how to even begin. I have been looking at my other cats for clues, but so far nobody is talking. Its like what happens in cat world, stays in cat world.
I thought about letting two of my fixed male cats out because I know they would stay put and they might help guide the two lost ones home, but do cats even do that?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I thought about letting two of my fixed male cats out because I know they would stay put and they might help guide the two lost ones home, but do cats even do that?

Some do, some don't. I'd be more worried about something spooking your fixed males, and having to look for FOUR cats!

However, as roaming toms go, it really has not been an outrageously long time yet. I know that it feels as if it has from your end, though.
Reading your descriptions of these two little hellions, I immediately thought, 'OH MY! It's the cat version of Pinky and the Brain!"

 

[Whenallhellbreakslose]

Thank you fionasmom for your caring words and I am glad he came back. I think they secretly enjoy putting us through a scare.

I don't know. I can see her saying to herself, ' "well there's too many cats in that house already, so I am doing everyone a favor."
Someone suggested on trying to find colonies but I don't know how to even begin. I have been looking at my other cats for clues, but so far nobody is talking. Its like what happens in cat world, stays in cat world.
I thought about letting two of my fixed male cats out because I know they would stay put and they might help guide the two lost ones home, but do cats even do that?

Perhaps you can try Social Media sites like Facebook and see if there is local Lost and Found Pet sites, TNR groups or Rescue Sites and inquire there (ask if you can put a courtesy posting on there sites of your cats). You can also try to call/email these local groups inquiring if they saw your lost kitties or if they can inquire with others in the area they know feed feral cats.

The harder way to go about this is drive around the neighborhood in the evening hours when a feeder is most likely to be out feeding. Areas to check is in or near parks, behind big stores like Walmart or restaurants. This is the hard way to find colonies, but those locations are the most common for feral cats to be fed. I feed my ferals in the front and back of my house. If I had a choice, I would feed them at another location further away from people.

Hope that gives you a better idea. Take care.

 

[Kflowers]

If you have a window with a secure screen you can let your fixed toms call for them from that window. I've seen that work. Totally agree with Mamany don't let the fixed boys outside. You can't really count on them coming back when called, eventually, yes, but not when you call. I think you have enough to worry about now.

One other thing, once a female goes into heat and collects her crowd of males, it can be a week before the boys sort out who gets to court her. Then she has to say yes/no and that can take another day. AND here's the oh bother part. Once a female goes into heat, her song can trigger another female to go into heat. That means all the boys move in a group to the next lady, because she might be interested.

British studies have shown that cats can travel long distances in their normal prowls, add some more miles for searching for ladies and the territory is rather large. Doesn't mean they won't come home, it means they have more ladies to court.