Kitty in the wild...

[Thewright]

I wonder what would happen if you placed an unwashed clothing item of yours out there and see if she comes up to sniff it? If she would approach it, it would make me think you might just try to open the door for her. It's a gamble to be sure. But, it is also promising that she hung around to hear you talk to her for 15 minutes - she didn't bolt!

What is this about her old stomping grounds? A former owner/caretaker? Are they still there and could you talk to them? Are they feeding her there? Just trying to think if there is something about this area that you could use to your advantage in getting her back. Or, if something new is going on in that location that is causing her to come around your home more than she was.

By "old stomping grounds" I just mean the place where she took up residence when she ran away. It's an area of about 2 blocks where we've seen her several times a week since she's run off. We're almost guaranteed to see her in this area at about 6pm every day. Strangely enough, when she first went there she was eating at a house where they feed the strays every day, but that neighbor says she hasn't come to eat in about a week and a half! I only just got this new motion camera set up 2 days ago so maybe shes been coming to our house to eat at night.
I'll put some clothing out tonight and I guess I'm pulling an all-nighter. I was thinking about maybe just leaving my door cracked instead of opening it and running the risk of scaring her. That would require some cooperation from my dog though we'll see. I feel so bad there was no food out last night! I hope she didn't decide it wasn't worth her time to be here since there was no food and noone let her in

 

[FeebysOwner]

Maybe lock the dog away in another part of the house, if at all possible? That way you could leave the door ajar and see if she decides to come in to snoop around. And, of course, if you go through with this plan, have some smelly, yummy stuff inside the door for her. Not saying to NOT put stuff outside too, just so she gets to eat.

If the lady who feeds strays hasn't seen her, she is either eating at your house or someone else is now feeding her. If it were me, it would be hard not to be getting my hopes up with her recent behavior thinking maybe she is about ready to 'come home'. I sure hope that is the case!

 

[Thewright]

Maybe lock the dog away in another part of the house, if at all possible? That way you could leave the door ajar and see if she decides to come in to snoop around. And, of course, if you go through with this plan, have some smelly, yummy stuff inside the door for her. Not saying to NOT put stuff outside too, just so she gets to eat.

If the lady who feeds strays hasn't seen her, she is either eating at your house or someone else is now feeding her. If it were me, it would be hard not to be getting my hopes up with her recent behavior thinking maybe she is about ready to 'come home'. I sure hope that is the case!

Ha I have definitely got my hopes up!! Our dog will only tolerate being locked away in another room for so long before he starts getting loud but if she waits until 3 am again this morning then he'll be asleep anyways and won't care. Unfortunately I'll still have to stay up all night because there's another neighborhood cat that's gotten awfully friendly with us and might end up in the house ugh we have been losing so much sleep since she ran off. It's been 3 weeks of sleep deprivation I just can't wait to get some sleeeeep with her snuggled up with us
Yay I'll try all these things tonight thanks!

 

[FeebysOwner]

I hope to hear good news tomorrow!! Either way, let us know!!!

 

[Thewright]

I hope to hear good news tomorrow!! Either way, let us know!!!

Welp, no dice. I haven't seen her since those pictures. She hasn't come to the door again. I *might* have seen her last night. Our "back door neighbor" has a black cat, but last night after dark we were walking past their house and saw a black cat on their porch that seemed very comfortable on the front porch and was completely uninterested in us, and we also spotted a black cat in the back yard that ran as we approached.
I am getting extremely frustrated because obviously sitting around and waiting for her to come home is not working (and feels a little irresponsible) but we know from experience that chasing after her does not work either! We're going to get a babysitter and try the trespassing and chasing method again...
Also it has officially been 4 weeks since she ran away! I am not happy.

 

[Thewright]

Ugh I really don't know what to do! She has started coming to our house at night for food. She went into the trap once but didnt walk far enough back to trigger it. Since then she has been acting like the trap doesn't exist, even though its chock full of food. I keep a bowl with a few nibbles of food outside of the trap just so she will have something to eat and will keep coming back. Its sitting right next to my door. I was hoping that while she was eating I could slowly open the door and she will get the inside smells and walk in, but no matter how carefully I open the door, she bolts. I can't relocate the trap to where the food is because I dont really have a porch, just weird stairs and I know she'd be freaked out considering she would have to approach the food bowl in a whole different way.
So getting her to walk inside is out of the question, and so is catching her in the trap.
I just am so shocked that the snuggliest cat I've ever met has gone 2 months without any human interaction.. it makes me so sad. I want her home for Christmas.. my kids put her on their christmas list.. so please pray for a miracle, and any advice on how to get her would be very appreciated!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Since you are seeing her again, is it possible to go back to your earlier plan to leave the door ajar and stay near the door to see if she ventures in? Or, are you saying you can no longer do that? Also, have you been checking with your neighbor who feeds strays to see if she has seen your cat recently as well - or, perhaps has befriended her enough that she might come closer to your neighbor?

I didn't go back and read through all of your posts, but did you ever place her litter box in the general area, or take towels/blankets that have her scent (and yours) on them and set them outside?

 

[Thewright]

Since you are seeing her again, is it possible to go back to your earlier plan to leave the door ajar and stay near the door to see if she ventures in? Or, are you saying you can no longer do that? Also, have you been checking with your neighbor who feeds strays to see if she has seen your cat recently as well - or, perhaps has befriended her enough that she might come closer to your neighbor?

I didn't go back and read through all of your posts, but did you ever place her litter box in the general area, or take towels/blankets that have her scent (and yours) on them and set them outside?

Neighbor hasn't been seeing her. She was staying around another neighbor who feeds cats and they're trying to befriend her too but it's not going well. It's funny this neighbor leaves food out 24/7 but she's coming home for food. She was on a special diet and I've been leaving her food out. She must be getting a bellyache or why else would she opt for mouthfuls of her food over a whole plate of neighbor food!
I will try it tonight. She has weirdly started coming by while we are awake and making lots of noise so maybe home sounds are actually drawing her. But while we're awake our dog pitches a fit if we lock him out of the living room. We will certainly try tonight while we're putting out presents and such. Litterbox was outside for a long time but it rained so much we had to dump it out. Dumping it out actually seemed to be what drew her the first time. But it has also rained a ton since. I didnt clean out her box, just put new litter and hoped it would absorb her smell, and I sprinkle a little out every couple of days. As far as blankets and such.. I started cleaning like crazy as a way to distract myself when she first ran away, didn't realize I was actually washing her smell out of my house. Sheets were changed, the couch was cleaned, I cleaned out under the bed etc..
I have been doing things like sprinkling vacuum dirt out, and I set the air filter outside when we changed it. And those things seemed to draw her in when I was having trouble getting her home. I'm thinking about making a shelter for her. But idk. I have the trap really well sheltered and she's not interested. I had her crate out for a while (she doesn't like it when she's home, but when we're travelling it comforts her, so I thought she might like it). No interest.
I'll definitely leave our door open until bed tonight. She came over for food twice last night!! So she may well come back again tonight. She's only been coming by every couple of days.
But I'm really concerned because we're going out of town this weekend. I wont be able to feed her. She might lose interest and move on
I can't ask anyone to feed the cats for me while I'm gone because alm my friends and family are sick and tired of hearing about my lost cat and think I should give up...

 

[FeebysOwner]

Coming around in the day is a good sign, and she still wants some connection with you to be eating her own food even though others are feeding her as well. Is it possible to ask one of the neighbors to put out food for her - and feed your other cats as well while you are gone. They most certainly aren't going to share your friends/family's 'attitude' given they have cats they care about too. Offer to pay it forward to them should they need help, or offer compensation to them for helping you out. I hope they will help you!

The best part about this is that you know she is alive and being cared for as best as is possible under the circumstances.