House cat ran off

[royston912]

I have 2 house cats, they have been with me since there were 8 weeks old there now 6. So during the night every now and then as a treat I let them out for a bit but leave door open for them and there's never any traffic so they don't really go far say 50 yds away if that, but tonight at 3.15 a.m the local Police came around the top off my street now one of my cats ran to the house the other ran down the street where he's never been before even my other cat won't go that far. I've been around the streets looking for him no joy yet, but I've put his litter tray in my yard along with a trail of his cat litter from my house and around the streets trying to leave a scent for him. Also, his pillow he sleeps on is in the yard and also some tuna on the window sill which I heated up. I know it is only been a few hours missing but neither of them has ever done this before. Their brothers and have never been apart from one another and he's a very nervous cat as it is without this happening to him. I'm going to assume he's running and hide somewhere in the street, but too scared to come out just yet. I've left my back door open for him and I'll sit up 24/7 until he returns. I can't think of anything else to do for him just yet I read that it doesn't make much of a difference if you walk around looking for them because they might just stay hidden in case any other predators see or hear them. So I'm trying to use his sense of smell to lure him back home. Is this my best option for getting him back home? Thanks in advance.

 

[Paris Pluto]

I think what you're doing is great but I would also knock on my neighbour's doors to see if he may have got shut into a shed? My cats are indoor/outdoor but it is still so heart wrenching when they leave home out of the ordinary. One of my cats go on a 'journey' for a few days and come back but this is different as your cat seems to have run away from the noisy police car. Is he desexed and microchipped? Hope your boy comes home soon!

 

[MissClouseau]

Cats are great at finding their way. I disagree though looking for them doesn't make difference. If there is someone at home in case he returns, somebody might be out and look for him. He might be hiding because he's scared and come out if he sees you. My own cat hangs out in the yard sometimes and every now and then gets scared of another cat and hides, she comes out as soon as she hears my voice and runs to me.

 

[Maria Bayote]

So sorry that this happened.

Try to circulate flyers or photos of him. Keep leaving food and if you can set up a CCTV cam you can review later if he has passed by or has approached your home.

I hope he gets back very soon.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

It is very likely that he's hiding somewhere quite near. The best times to search are dusk and dawn. Carry a flashlight so you can see little cat eyes shining in the beam.

 

[royston912]

So sorry that this happened.

Try to circulate flyers or photos of him. Keep leaving food and if you can set up a CCTV cam you can review later if he has passed by or has approached your home.

I hope he gets back very soon.

Thanks for rep

 

[royston912]

Hi everyone and thanks for your reply. From what I've been looking upon and my local vets gave me some advice I've got a screenshot of my area. You can see my house(little house) the red dot is where I last saw him. The black lines are allotments and fields the allotments are in the white line and little white line is furthest he's been. There's cars, sheds, etc in that area where I'm going to assume with him been done he would not go far so I think he's just hiding around there waiting for his time to come back. I've also been posting up on social media with his pic, I've got a motion capture camera in window recording 24/7. I've hung his 2 blankets up on washing line and it's pretty windy here so hoping the scent will get blown around, I've also made a little trail of his cat litter around the area to my house hoping he could pick that scent up. No food because local cats just come and eat it. I've also signed up to a few websites and put his pic on there. I've been up 2 days straight with worry because he's never ever been away from me long apart from when I go to work. Now is there anything I might be missing here? I have his brother the same age would it be worth putting him in my jacket and walking around with him? he won't run away he's very clingy to me like straight on my shoulder when I get in he's waiting at window whenever I

come back home. Thanks again for advice and help.

 

[MissClouseau]

I've also been posting up on social media with his pic

I would speak to the neighbors. You can also ask them if they know anybody in the neighborhood who takes care of strays if there are strays around - if there is someone like that they might see your cat as well, or your cat might go there following the other cats.

Facebook pages of nearby vets/restaurants/stores might also be helpful.

Right now in my condo in Istanbul because the weather is cold, the cats who don't sleep inside cat houses chill on hot water pipes as they are warm. You would need to look up to see though. They climb. Some also enter the heating rooms of the buildings. And don't forget the spaces between flower containers, they like spaces like that both to protect themselves from the wind and it's safer. Just in case it gives an idea where he might be.

 

[royston912]

I would speak to the neighbors. You can also ask them if they know anybody in the neighborhood who takes care of strays if there are strays around - if there is someone like that they might see your cat as well, or your cat might go there following the other cats.

Facebook pages of nearby vets/restaurants/stores might also be helpful.

Right now in my condo in Istanbul because the weather is cold, the cats who don't sleep inside cat houses chill on hot water pipes as they are warm. You would need to look up to see though. They climb. Some also enter the heating rooms of the buildings. And don't forget the spaces between flower containers, they like spaces like that both to protect themselves from the wind and it's safer. Just in case it gives an idea where he might be.

Yeah, I've been up and down the street earlier on asking permission to look in there gardens on a night and 1 lady said she saw him hiding behind her bin last night, but ran off which was only 2 doors down from where I last saw him the night before. She didn't know he was mine she said. Yeah posted up on facebook, ringing local vets and my niece is a vet so she's keeping an eye out as well. Thing is I have his brother still so I'm thinking cat leader during the night up and down & in and out of gardens with him might just entice him too show himself if he saw us both. Worth a try I think.

 

[MissClouseau]

Yeah, I've been up and down the street earlier on asking permission to look in there gardens on a night and 1 lady said she saw him hiding behind her bin last night, but ran off which was only 2 doors down from where I last saw him the night before. She didn't know he was mine she said. Yeah posted up on facebook, ringing local vets and my niece is a vet so she's keeping an eye out as well. Thing is I have his brother still so I'm thinking cat leader during the night up and down & in and out of gardens with him might just entice him too show himself if he saw us both. Worth a try I think.

That won’t scare the brother?

 

[lorie d.]

I had a cat get outside once many years ago, she was gone for several days and I couldn't find her. Then early one morning when it was really still and quiet I heard a slight noise, opened the front door and there she was! My cat had gone through a small opening under the front porch being too scared to come out. I'm hoping you have a similar experience, don't lose hope.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Be sure to check with local shelters on a regular basis. They are dependent on volunteers, and are often short-handed. Cats can slip through the cracks. I'd call them twice weekly, just to make sure.

 

[Jemima Lucca]

Don’t lose hope because strange things can happen regarding your cat. My cat Cotton got locked in someone’s shed and they were gone for a week on vacation. And our male cat “disappeared” during a power outage and I was sitting on the toilet when I got home from work and I could hear a faint “meow” and I called Beju, Beju! He somehow ended up under our house in the crawl space. Have no idea how that happened to this day as we called and called and searched. Then there’s the guy whose cat ended up in a file cabinet. Keep having faith he’ll show up I forgot to mention, Beju was missing for 6 days

 

[royston912]

Thanks

 

[royston912]

Well been over a week now and still no sign of him although few nights ago I heard a meaow from a cat a few times and again the night after but no more since. I had 6 hours sleep in 5 days last week going out in gale force winds 1-3am and getting home leaving door cracked open

 

[royston912]

Pressed wrong button didn't mean to post yet

 

[royston912]

Cracked open with his tray nearby door and sat with a motion sensor camera on the window which is a nightmare with having gale force winds at the moment.3 days and nights did this then had to go to work which took its toll. Now I did everything and anything in this time to try to get him to come back and I know he's not far. I take his brother out into street with me but he only goes so far then runs back in the house probably because of how wet, windy and cold it's been. I've hung his blanket on line for wind to blow scent, I also went around the tallest shed in allotments and put his seat on for the smell to travel further for him as well when walking the streets looking for him I used a bag of his litter tray and did a trail like bit here and there back to my house for his scent. All this in the first night/day he was gone and looked everywhere in the street, gardens, etc. He's also been done too and he would never go to anyone but me. Now I think my problem is going to be to get him out in the open because people suggest putting food out for them so I did and then 2 other cats turned up in my yard wanting it. The only other cat my cat that ran off has seen is sitting next to me apart from looking at them from the window upstairs he's never been close to another cat before. Now 1 of these cats keeps coming back looking for food and this cat is the local stray who is like a black and white panther its massive, covered in scars of fights with Dogs in the streets and it wins too. Just a monster of a cat. Now thinking my cat doesn't want that fight, but can't come out home because this thing hanging around a bit more than usual. Also, should I leave outside light on or not?

 

[royston912]

UPDATE: Well @ 4.25 a.m after 10 days away he came back home I would just like to say A massive thank you to each and every one of you who commented with your advice. He seems ok just wandering around eating here and there. That's him on the right few days before he went missing. Now his brother is stalking him and hissing at him, now is this due to the smell on him from outside and the big cat can't smell there shall we say Gang tag on him so looks at him as sort of an invader? I've got a blanket with his smell on it what they slept on so I'm just waiting for him to come to me and I'll cuddle him with it and hopefully, that will work. Again thank you so much.

 

[Maria Bayote]

Wow! Waiting for this to happen for days now! So happy for you!

Let's celebrate!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I am glad he is back!! If things don't improve soon, you can always try using vanilla to make them smell the same, as described in this link: Ode to vanilla extract.

I also attached a TCS article about non-recognition aggression, in case you might want to read about it.
How To Deal With Non-recognition Aggression In Cats – Cat Articles