My cat is mentally torturing me. Again.

[Harlexx]

I've posted before about my cat going on walkabouts but this time she's been away for 16 DAYS! I've been crying just about all week (her record before was 7 days) and I think I'm slowly losing the plot. I don't even think her brother knows where she is now, I think she gave him the slip! I live 2 mins away from fields and its harvest season so mice galore for her but I was hoping the heavy machinery of the tractors, combines and balers would've sent her home but noooo! Their are hedges in the fields and beneath them are bits that she could easily take shelter in and rain doesn't phase her in the slightest and it would take alot of rain for the bits under the hedges to get flooded. I attempted to try a normal collar on her in preparation for a tracker but she was having none of it so that's that idea out the window. She's not social or friendly enough to go to someone or let them feed her and it's even weirder that she wanders like this being a female! In experience it's more likely the boys to go wandering not the girls and she's neutered so she's not hiding kittens. There's no point me asking people about her because in the fields she's impossible to see unless you know how so she could be watching us every time we're out with the dogs going nanananana! She's always been an outdoor cat as are all of mine so If I ever tried to keep her in she'd kill me in my sleep before she became an indoor cat. This is probably a bit of a ramble but needed to vent.

[ApplestheHare]

What a beautiful girl, I hope she's home soon! It's so hard when you know you have to let them roam

[MyNameIsJane]

Hope she’s back soon.

[MrsMozart]

She is beautiful.

One of ours goes walkabout every summer. Every summer I fret myself stupid that he's not coming back.

I hope your lass is back very soon!

[Harlexx]

Thanks everyone x Thing is when she comes back she'll come sauntering in like she's been gone a few hours! Meow! meow! Feed me! worship me! There's been no sign of her what so ever, no fluff but a trail of mice carcasses. I Miss her so much!

[ApplestheHare]

Harlexx ours has gone mad on mice this past week. She's bringing in a morning mouse and an evening mouse atm but luckily we have a field next door so she doesn't have to go far. I hope it's just that yours is having a great time hunting and that she comes home when it starts raining later this week!

[Want2beme]

You poor thing. They're such a worry sometimes. She's gorgeous. Hope she's back with you very soon. Maybe someone has seen her around . Could you put up a few posters and check online?

[Harlexx]

ApplestheHare annoyingly for me, the rain doesn't phase her. First week of her walk about there was a fair amount of rain but by the time she would hide under hedges or whereever she goes it'd be dry. And she's a maine coon so she's got 3 layers of fluff and is built to survive harsh weather :L

[Wolfiefan]

Can you cat proof your garden? Have you checked with vets and rescues etc? We had a case near here where a woman didn't do so and the RSPCA rehomed her cat when it was brought in as a stray. (It wasn't microchipped.)

[Harlexx]

Wolfiefan she is microchipped and she's always been allowed to go outside, she'd probably murder me if I tried to keep her in. Had to keep her brother in last year due to injury and he was that annoyed about being kept in, he pooped in his litter tray, sat in the contents and got it all stuck to his butt, to the point where we had to take him to the vet to get his butt shaved!! She'd probably flufficate me in my sleep.

[Wolfiefan]

Mine go out but in at night. Too much of a risk otherwise. Is the cat proofing not an option?

[Branleuse]

I have a cat that goes roaming regularly. In summer its quite normal for me to not see him for a couple of weeks or more

[AsAProfessionalFekko]

One of our cats used to do this all the time. The fat bugger once went for almost a year then sauntered back wanting his tea.

Yours is a beauty - I'm sure someone else just has 'nicer' catfood at the moment.

[Want2beme]

AsAProfessionalFekko, almost a year!! What a CF.

He might have 2 homes or more, Harlexx.

[Harlexx]

Wolfiefan cat proofing defo not an option, I have 5 other cats to think of too, and I'd rather them out at night, much more quiet for them.

AsAProfessionalFekko she gets gourmet at home and hunts what we call "junk food" when she's away! XD

Want2beme I doubt she'd go to anyone, she's only ever spoke to one human besides the family before (that we know of)

[Wolfiefan]

All cats should really be in at night. Far more risk of accident or injury.

[Harlexx]

As I'm reading some of the replies, from what I can gather, yours are boys, mines a girl! A spayed girl at that with no previous litters. I know boys are usually the roamers but never known a girl to do it! She got spayed as soon as it was safe to do so and had no kittens in the making when she did. She's not long turned 2 so could it be a rebellious teenage thing? That's probably wishful thinking. My eldest cats son lives across town and he does the exact same thing, the longest he was gone was 2 months! But he lives next to a river so he's probs fishing :P

[AsAProfessionalFekko]

I'm sure she has adopted someone who feeding her! I hope she is back soon.

[Branleuse]

i used to think he was a six dinner Sid, and getting fed elsewhere, but now im convinced he hunts and eats his kills. Then comes home when pickings are slim.

Mine is male, but I did used to have a female roamer years back too, but she wasnt gone quite as long at a time

[Otterseatpuffinsdontthey]

Gorgeous cat!
Few days ago, passed a poster, complete with photo, asking owner to come and collect their cat! (If I remember correctly, it was the Cats Protection League). Cat was identical to yours. However, this was in Edinburgh city centre - gather from your post you live rurally.
Hope she arrives home soon.

[BackToTheFuschia7]

All cats should really be in at night, regardless of gender. They’re more likely to be killed by a car. It’s official advice from the cats protection league.

I would definitely be cat proofing at all costs. One day she might not come back at all at this rate. It must be torture for you. Have you been out looking for her? Called local vets and the council to see if she has been handed in (the chips don’t always work)? She could be trapped or injured somewhere.

[Branleuse]

I dont force any of my cats to stay in. They have a catflap. I know this puts them more at risk, but they have a more fulfilling life.
Plus the times ive tried to keep my wanderer indoors in the past, he has become distressed and desperate to get out and then he is more likely to be afraid to come in the house. When I finially got a catflap and he knew he could come and go, he actually spends more time at home

[BackToTheFuschia7]

I know this puts them more at risk, but they have a more fulfilling life.

[Harlexx]

Folks If wanted advice on whether to keep her in or not, I'd have said so. Her and my other 5 have always been allowed out, 2 of them don't leave the gardens but that's THEIR choice. Completely agree with Branleuse. Of course I've been out several times a day looking for her but she's using all 32 muscles in her ears to ignore me. We've phoned rescues, the council etc and no sign. Like I've said, if I even tried to keep her in, she'd find someway to murder me.

[Wolfiefan]

I've never said to keep cats in. I've said if they won't stay in at night then to cat proof the garden so they can't roam and won't be at risk.
I couldn't keep my torties in but they come home every night. If they buggered off I would cat proof so they could have the run of the garden but no more.

[BackToTheFuschia7]

I hope she is just ignoring you and not trapped/ injured/ deceased. Fingers crossed she’s found imminently.