My semi-stray Minky has gone missing for 48 hours. I have never known him not appear at my house for more than a day and he usually spends about 6 -8 hours in a day in my house and visits 2-3 times. I call him a semi-stray as he is a cat I sort of unoffically adopted. I have never been able to pick him up and get him in a box to go to the vets and get him neutered. Is it relatively normal for an unneutered cat to go off fot a few days? The weather in England has got a bit warmer recenlty and I'm hoping he's off enjoying the sunshine.I've been around outside calling him but it's difficult to know where he might be as I live in an isolated area and have no idea where he goes when he's not with me. Usually if I call him he turns out to be quite close by but this time there is no sign of him. I think it unlikely he would have been taken to a shelter as he runs away from everyone and cannot be picked up. I don't know whether I am worrying unecessarily as maybe he's just gone off. To anyone with experience of strays, is this type of disappearance relatively normal for unneutered males?
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unneutered cat missing
- Thread starter tara
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Sadly, this time of year (the beginning of kitten season) it is normal for Toms to go looking for a female. he will be back when he satisfies his urges. I would encourage you to trap him as soon as possible and get him neutered though if you can.
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- #3
Thamks for the reply Hissy. I tried to get a local cat welfare group to help with neutering but they wouldn't as they said I could not prove that he didn't actually 'belong' to anyone else. Not helpful. I'm taking my other cat for her booster vacs in a couple of weeks and thought I might mention the situation to him but I fear that I'll come up against the same proble. Also I worry about after getting him to the vets - what Minky will be like at the surgery. He is so scared of people and vicious and I can't believe my vet will be keen to do anything to him. That's why I tried to get a welfare organisation to help as I thought they'd be used to aggressive cats. One more question, why is this particular time 'kitten season'? I thought cats come into heat all year - obviously not. Is it to do with warmer weather?
Please click here for a thread which describes how to trap a feral cat. Once he returns, please trap him and take him to be neutered. Neutering will help keep him from wandering and will stop most fights and spraying.
Bravo to you for taking care of this timid boy!
Bravo to you for taking care of this timid boy!
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Yes it has to do with warmer weather. The females come in heat and if they go outdoors as they all fight to do even indoor cats that are not spayed know their relief is outside- will do everything they can to slip out.
The pheramones rise in the air, getting the Toms excited, the Toms start spraying and marking trees and bushes, the females catch the scent and they in turn mark their grounds and the toms follow the scent.
Well so much for animal welfare caring in your territory. I would be tempted to tell these animal people, that if he was loved and cared for then he wouldn't be a Tom, he would be a neutered male! If you can find a vet who has cat traps they rent or loan out, then you have found a vet clinic that will handle feral cats. Good luck!
The pheramones rise in the air, getting the Toms excited, the Toms start spraying and marking trees and bushes, the females catch the scent and they in turn mark their grounds and the toms follow the scent.
Well so much for animal welfare caring in your territory. I would be tempted to tell these animal people, that if he was loved and cared for then he wouldn't be a Tom, he would be a neutered male! If you can find a vet who has cat traps they rent or loan out, then you have found a vet clinic that will handle feral cats. Good luck!
Hi
Minky is probably having a wonderful time while you are worrying.
Do you know of any other persons in your neighborhood who feed strays? - its a good place to start looking for your cat. If you don't find your cat immediately, tell the kind soul who is doing this to give you a call if they see your cat. Many indoor/outdoor cats know where to score an additional free meal, if so inclined.
Definitely find another cat welfare society, or a private vet. The ones you dealt with sounded really insensitive.
Kim
Minky is probably having a wonderful time while you are worrying.
Do you know of any other persons in your neighborhood who feed strays? - its a good place to start looking for your cat. If you don't find your cat immediately, tell the kind soul who is doing this to give you a call if they see your cat. Many indoor/outdoor cats know where to score an additional free meal, if so inclined.
Definitely find another cat welfare society, or a private vet. The ones you dealt with sounded really insensitive.
Kim
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- #7
Well you were right - Minky came back this morning and is fine. Not surprisingly he came in the house and slept for about 7 hours! The welfare person I spoke to was from the RSPCA who are probably the best known animal charity in the UK. He said they'd got into trouble neutering a cat for someone who thought they owned it, only to find it 'lived' about 5 doors down the road and those owners were not happy at all and threatened to sue. Anyway, thanks for all advice as you helped me feel less worried about him not being around.
Oh, I'm so happy Minky came home to you Tara.
I'm glad for you that Minky came home
Romance is sure exhausting!
Although I am somewhat at a loss how you can prove to the RSPCA that Minky belongs to you. Although I have an idea, but I don't know if it would work...
I don't know if dog licenses are required in Manchester. They are required in many places in the U.S., but not licensing for cats. However, there are places that allow you to voluntarily license a cat, usually with a small charge. I wonder if going this route would help you prove Minky is yours?
Kim
Although I am somewhat at a loss how you can prove to the RSPCA that Minky belongs to you. Although I have an idea, but I don't know if it would work...
I don't know if dog licenses are required in Manchester. They are required in many places in the U.S., but not licensing for cats. However, there are places that allow you to voluntarily license a cat, usually with a small charge. I wonder if going this route would help you prove Minky is yours?
Kim
i am so happy for you, Tara...
i have had a similar experience, but was not as fortunate as you:
Last May was when i first met Brownie, an orange Tabby . i found her at my backyard. She was approximately 6 months old, and was very very sweet. Till today, i still think of her often..
i fed her for approximately 6 months before she was finally gone for good.
i was caring for her - got her a "cube" bed (square with a cut out for entrance), applied advantage on her, fed her, etc. Also, she was allowed to come in the house. i bought a collar with a bell for her as well.
i was not sure whether to keep her indoors or just let the situation be.. BIG MISTAKE!!
Before she was finally gone, she had earlier left the house and not returned twice before.. but 14 hours was the longest time period she was gone. Several times before, i tried to keep her indoors, but she would wail so much on top of her lungs, that i felt sorry, and just gave in by opening the backyard sliding door. BIG MISTAKE!!
After she left, i dreamt of her alot, and even looked for her at the local animal shelter and control, SPCA, etc, but to no avail.
i will always remember my Brownie.
...
i have had a similar experience, but was not as fortunate as you:
Last May was when i first met Brownie, an orange Tabby . i found her at my backyard. She was approximately 6 months old, and was very very sweet. Till today, i still think of her often..
i fed her for approximately 6 months before she was finally gone for good.
i was caring for her - got her a "cube" bed (square with a cut out for entrance), applied advantage on her, fed her, etc. Also, she was allowed to come in the house. i bought a collar with a bell for her as well.
i was not sure whether to keep her indoors or just let the situation be.. BIG MISTAKE!!
Before she was finally gone, she had earlier left the house and not returned twice before.. but 14 hours was the longest time period she was gone. Several times before, i tried to keep her indoors, but she would wail so much on top of her lungs, that i felt sorry, and just gave in by opening the backyard sliding door. BIG MISTAKE!!
After she left, i dreamt of her alot, and even looked for her at the local animal shelter and control, SPCA, etc, but to no avail.
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- #11
Oh poor you - I dread losing Minky somewhere and not knowing if he's OK. Obviously I was imagining how that would feel over the days he was missing and it was horrible. I decided all I could do was concentrate on thinking that he had at least been looked after for the time he was with me. I don't think I could make him and indoor cat only as he mewls continually if I try to keep him in - also he's not litter trained and shows no inclination of becoming so - I have left alitter tray down for him in the room he sleeps in but he seems to have absolutely no clue what it's for.
I was thinking of telling the vet/RSPCA that I had a collar on Minky for a while with my name and phone number on and pretending that he'd worn it out for a few weeks and nobody had phoned - so he must be mine! I only managed to get a collar on him once - the first time i tried but it came off somewhere and the next time I saw him it had gone. Since then there is no way I can get another one on him. But it's only a little lie and frankly I don't think he is owned by anyone else and if he is they take no care of him. He had worms when he first started coming round but I sorted them out and he gets de-fleaed as well now.
I was thinking of telling the vet/RSPCA that I had a collar on Minky for a while with my name and phone number on and pretending that he'd worn it out for a few weeks and nobody had phoned - so he must be mine! I only managed to get a collar on him once - the first time i tried but it came off somewhere and the next time I saw him it had gone. Since then there is no way I can get another one on him. But it's only a little lie and frankly I don't think he is owned by anyone else and if he is they take no care of him. He had worms when he first started coming round but I sorted them out and he gets de-fleaed as well now.
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Is the collar a breakaway collar? It really would be a good idea to make sure if he is outside that his collar would break if he got into a situation where he got snagged.
Once he is neutered, he will calm down a lot and not be prone to wander so far and scare you.
Hi Tara!
Sorry to ramble...Seems you're in a bit of a bind....
There's really no hope of making Minky an indoor cat until he is neutered - and the RSPCA gives you a hassle about ownership, and refuses to neuter him, which makes him roam the neigborhood.... what a catch you're in
!
IMHO, you provide shelter, feed him, and had him dewormed. You have taken responsibility for his welfare, therefore you are his "owner". I use the term "owner" loosely, as we do not actually "own" cats, they choose to live with us.
And Minky chose you!
Case closed - IMHO!
A side note on indoor/outdoor: My furry kid, Boo, refuses to use a litter box unless there is at least several inches of snow on the ground. He simply prefers not to toilet where he sleeps and eats (in our home). He toilets outside - has done so for years. According to my vet, this is not unusual behaviour.
But, I can usually call him in within 20 min. of letting him out to relieve himself. Boo is a neutered male, and does not leave our property (his choice). We live on a 1/4 acre lot. Perhaps Minky prefers to relieve himself outside, too (outside of romance), for the same reasons.
Best wishes to you & Minky,
Kim
Sorry to ramble...Seems you're in a bit of a bind....
There's really no hope of making Minky an indoor cat until he is neutered - and the RSPCA gives you a hassle about ownership, and refuses to neuter him, which makes him roam the neigborhood.... what a catch you're in
IMHO, you provide shelter, feed him, and had him dewormed. You have taken responsibility for his welfare, therefore you are his "owner". I use the term "owner" loosely, as we do not actually "own" cats, they choose to live with us.
And Minky chose you!
A side note on indoor/outdoor: My furry kid, Boo, refuses to use a litter box unless there is at least several inches of snow on the ground. He simply prefers not to toilet where he sleeps and eats (in our home). He toilets outside - has done so for years. According to my vet, this is not unusual behaviour.
But, I can usually call him in within 20 min. of letting him out to relieve himself. Boo is a neutered male, and does not leave our property (his choice). We live on a 1/4 acre lot. Perhaps Minky prefers to relieve himself outside, too (outside of romance), for the same reasons.
Best wishes to you & Minky,
Kim
